Upper Right Abdomen Pain
Hello
I'm a first time poster on here but at my wits end and looking for some help.
I'm a 39 year old male and I've suffered from a constant pain in my upper right side for over a year. The pain is located to the right of my belly button. It does not flare up when I eat food. It does hurt more when I bend down and/or bend down to my right or do exercises like side planks.
I have had an endoscopy done twice this year - both times showed slight inflammation of stomach and Dr said I had gastritis and duodenitis but that it was nothing major to worry about and discharged me. He also did a colonscopy which was clean. No sign of H pylori.
I had been on Omeprazole for about 6 months and it did nothing to ease this constant pain in my right side.
Ive done blood tests for Coeliac Disease and Lactose intolerance and both came back negative.
For a long time I've suffered from general digestive issues and my GP previously diagnosed me with IBS.
A month ago, I went to see another Gastroenterologist for a second opinion because this right side pain is driving me crazy and affecting my life on a daily basis.
He does not think the pain is caused by anything in my digestive system. He believes it's facet joint pain and is actually referred nerve pain from my lower back. I'm not convinced this is the case but last week I went for an MRI scan to check this and I'm awaiting results.
Has anyone here heard of this kind of pain before?
Has anyone any idea what is going on with this constant pain??
Any help at all would really appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Did they check all your liver enzymes and so on via a blood test? And the kidneys?
Have you got any issues with gall bladder?
But pain can definitely be referred from the back. I have problems with my lower back. That came well before the IBS, as it started in 1997 after surgery. However, I can't wholly blame the surgery as I have associated lower back problems like some amount of scoliosis, and a marked pelvic misalignment (my pelvis is twisted to the right, and I have one leg longer than the other.)
How much this impacts my IBS, or why, I am not sure, but I know that it does. I get numbness in lower left abdomen, groin and top of thigh before a bowel movement in the morning, which miraculously leaves me after the BM.
I feel my back hurts worse when I get a flare up of IBS, and I have felt the back pain set up a feeling like trapped wind in my lower belly.You might also be getting trapped wind in the hepatic flexure of the colon, but that would be unlikely to create a non-stop pain.
It's unpleasant for you, and I do hope something can be found to help you.
Thanks very much for the thoughtful reply. Yeah I've had all enzymes test and came back okay. Also had all organs checked via ultrasound and all looked good. Difficult one to figure out, getting very frustrated. I had pain in this area for 2 years after Covid. I had all the same tests you had. Finally, my gastroenterologist diagnosed inflamed nerves in my abdominal wall and prescribed Gabapentin. It seemed to soothe it. I occasionally only have a twinge there now. Hope this helps.
So sorry you are going through this. Of course, I am no doctor but just some suggestions. Endoscophy only shows up until the stomach so if the pain is in your small intestine or large intestine an Endoscopy would never show it. You can ask for a colonoscopy but it only shows you're colon. For a full view of your intestines you would need a pill cam test. It's a pill you swallow with a camera inside and it shows imaging of your entire digestive system. I've done it before and its painless. You end up pooping the pill out and that's it. -Elizabeth (team member)
Thank you for the reply Elizabeth. Funny you say that, it's something I suggested to my gastro but he didn't feel it was necessary. I guess it might be worth revisiting. I would push for it. Don't take no for an answer. This is your health and it is important you have proper testing to rule things out and get to the bottom of your pain. -Elizabeth (team member)
I agree. You have to be an advocate for your health. It may not find the cause, but it will be one more thing that is ruled out.
I second this! Advocating for yourself is so important. ~Michaela (irritablebowelsyndrome.net Team Member)
Thanks everyone for the support.
