Unexplained right side pain... any ideas?

07-06-2005, 05:44 PM

The last couple weeks I've been experiencing pain in my right side. The feeling is more obvious when I lie down or sit at the computer, and sometimes I can feel it when I breathe deeply or move my arms. Other times I will feel the slightest throbs or twinges, or often a dull ache. It can be anywhere from a mild discomfort, to a doubling over pain like a bad stomach ache. So far nothing severe, though.

I had been drinking very heavily for the last couple of months, so I went to the doctor the other night. I noticed they were worse after eating and I haven't had any alcohol in 3 days now. I haven't ever before been a serious drinker, I'm only 24, and I'm not at all overweight.

The ultrasound looked perfectly normal of my liver, pancreas, gall badder, and kidneys, my enzyme levels weren't raised at all, which is remarkeable when you I realize the ammount I had been drinking. I was going through a pint of vodka every couple days. They basically said they couldn't find anything wrong with me, but this dull ache keeps coming and going behind my ribs, and wrapping around into my back. It seems to radiate towards my stomach and my back when it's worst.

Now I have a bigger dull ache that has developed in my lower back and radiates across. Totally feels like kidneys to me, but the tests were all normal. The weird thing about this ache is that is gets worse and turns into a throb when I smoke????

Do you think this may all be bowel related? I had a terrible bout of diahreah one night with the pain, and that's why I went in. Maybe the drinking was irritating something in my excretory system? Or could this be a temporary irriation of the organs from the alcohol? Any ideas?

Thanks for your help.

07-06-2005, 05:57 PM

Could it be postural? The way you are sitting at the computer or bad mattress?
Computer use can cause all kinds of problems from the neck, shoulders, between shoulder blades and lower back if you are there for long hours and sitting improperly.
Sounds like what I had this past winter. Radiating pain from ribs to back, hurt breathing in, and couldn't sleep in a flat position. Mine was resolved by phyical therapy, with lots of stretching. Just a thought.

07-06-2005, 11:29 PM

I had horrible pains in my right side for over a year and a half and all my tests kept coming back normal. I would have attacks especially after eating a meal and would have bad diahreah. I went to a specialist who discovered some polyps inside my gallbladder and i went to 2 doctors who told me polyps wont cause pain and refused to do gallbladder surgery because of the ultra-sound was not showing any gallstones.
My friend told me about a doctor she really liked so i went to him and i was at the point where the pain was so bad i could bearly walk in his office. He scheduled my gallbladder surgery for the NEXT day. He told me he had patients before with polyps who suffered alot of pain.
He told me after the surgery that my gallbladder was FULL of gallstones and the ultra sound didn't see them.
Goes to show tests aren't always right...Get a 2nd or 3rd opinion if you don't agree with your doctor. Sometimes it pays off not to have to suffer anymore.

07-08-2005, 07:40 AM

I totally agree with ashely. ultra sounds miss alot. But it does sound like gall bladder attacks. I get them. My doctor won't take mine unless it becomes unbearable and it's not.

07-08-2005, 08:14 AM

a ct scan would show up much better as well. You may request one of these.

07-09-2005, 10:48 AM

It's worse now. I can't even eat without lying in excrutiating pain. I've lost 7 lbs since Monday because I can't eat. I went back to the ER last night. They once again told me they couldn't find anything wrong, it's probably my stomach, gave me some Prevacid. Rolling Eyes I know my stomach wouldn't cause this bruised achy feeling in my BACK under my ribs.

Everyone I've talked to says it sounds like gallbladder. But the docs say the u/s can't find any stones, which apparently means nothing! They did say that being pregnant recently HUGELY increases my risk of gall bladder problems. But why the heck can't they find anything?

I need a specialist. Would it be a Gastrointestinal specialist that I need, or something else? Help!

07-09-2005, 11:56 AM

Hi Siren,

Ask your Dr for a hida scan. I also had a clear ultrasound, no stones. So I had the hida scan and it showed my gallbladder was functioning at 17%.

Unexplained right side pain... any ideas?

Sign Up Today!

Join Our Newsletter

Whoops,

Thank You