To want this pain identified?

[stillinfreakingpain]

Back story, had pain in my upper stomach area for a few months now.
Like a dull dragging pain, upper right hand side, around where your liver/gall bladder would be apparently.
I have had sssooo many tests. Blood tests, stool tests, urine tests, an ultrasound scan. All tests have come back normal.
It’s not gallbladder, it’s not liver, there’s nothing they can see in that area.
It feels like a lump deep inside and when I strain it hurts more.
Google suggests a hernia, but would they have spotted a hernia on an ultrasound?
I’m also getting bouts of very mild heartburn/acid reflux, but I have put on weight which could be why.
Gp is saying extensive tests have been done and they can’t find anything, but I kind of want to know why I’m in pain every day.
Acid reflux meds for a month solid did nothing to stop the pain by the way. Stopped the heartburn tho!
When should I stop pestering the doctor regarding the pain?

Is it constant or intermittent? I have same pain. It's not constant and I've concluded it's linked to my IBS

Intermittent.
It does hurt more when bending over or straining though.
Sometimes I don’t notice it for a few hours, and other times I can feel it dragging constantly for a few hours.

Then it's referred pain and they need to find the cause. It could also be ligament pain. Hiatus hernia. All sorts. Hiatus hernia sounds likely.

They seem very reluctant to do more tests as I’ve had a thorough check up.
But that still leaves me in pain.
Part of me thinks it’s obviously nothing serious, but part of me wonders if they’ve missed something and it’s all I can bloody think about every day.
Do hernias get diagnosed via ultrasound or not? That may rule that out.

Also, I am slightly hyper-mobile. So they just fob me off by saying it may just be that.
It’s still uncomfortable every single day though.
And I’m sick of it.

I have a hiatus hernia. It started with right flank pain weirdly. And moves all around. It's been ongoing for almost a year and like you I've had so many tests and the HH was diagnosed via endoscopy in September.

Still not convinced. My symptoms are the same as yours pretty much. Pain that moves around from right to left to lower to upper to back. Very odd!

It could still be gallbladder. I was having gallbladder pain that was undiagnoseable for 18 months before the stones started showing on scans. At the very start the stones are more like sand, so don't show up on scans but are still very painful.

If it's been a while since you had the scan ask if they will scan you again. You can also try buscopan when you get the pain (available over the counter), it's a smooth muscle relaxer and can help stop the gallbladder from cramping and hurting you.

Another test is to stop eating anything above 3% fat for a few days, if the pain stops or gets less it's likely to be gallbladder.

Also, you may need acid reflux meds for longer if suffering from gastritis.

I have had 3 months of lanzoprazole which has helped slightly (I think).

Definitely push for endoscopy referral

My pain doesn’t move around.
So it started one day when I was straining whilst bending over.
Something popped out in that area and it was excruciating. I stood up slowly and it felt like it popped back in.
The pain has pretty much been consistent ever since.
They’ve said it’s a pulled muscle (it’s not) then a slipping rib (it’s not) then rib cage inflammation (it’s not), then possible gallbladder (it’s not!)
Scan was only done a few days ago.
I’m getting so bloody frustrated now.
People are sick of hearing me complain. Doctors won’t do more tests as they’ve said they’ve investigated.

I was on acid reflux meds for 6 weeks with no difference to the pain.
They said to stop them as they would have worked by then?

I’m starting slimming world next week so will be interesting to see if things improve on a low fat diet.
Hoping a diet may help the pain anyway if it’s something to do with being overweight.
I’m a size 14, so not ginormous but still overweight.

I have the exact same pain.

I've had it for 5 and a half years [just under].

I finally got an Gastroscopy 2 weeks ago where they saw a Hiatus Hernia, and I am awaiting the result of 2 biopsies.

What has helped is cutting gluten out. I cut it out for 6 weeks and then had a cheese toastie last December, and after 2 hours I was fine and thinking 'wahey it's not gluten'.

An hour later I was crippled in pain, eyes were watering and I was sneezing, and went into meltdown with it all.

So not had gluten since. I am petrified of having it again.

I'd ask about an endoscopy anyway. The next step should be a referral to a gastro specialist

I honestly think it’s hernia.
But would it be easy to miss on an ultrasound?

They’ve said it’s a pulled muscle (it’s not) then a slipping rib (it’s not) then rib cage inflammation (it’s not), then possible gallbladder (it’s not!)

Virtually word for word of my various doctors.

When one said he thought I'd had a pulled muscle, I said 'what for 4 years? Are you serious' and he looked embarrassed and asked me what I wanted him to do. Your fucking job would be a start.

But would it be easy to miss on an ultrasound?

They didn't see mine on my ultrasound.

I think they can look closer at your gallbladder but it’s invasive so might be reluctant if they judge the symptoms to be mild/not damaging you.

I would try the diet (particularly if you think things like reducing your sugar/dairy/fat will feature) and review in a couple of months. At least then you can go back saying what you have tried. I definitely think your entitled to further consultation but I think if they’ve ruled out a lot with the tests you’ve had so far a lot of your potential treatment will involve dietary changes.

I think with a lot of issues you have to be persistent long term. Tests can change or be outside the parameters set for a diagnosis and need to worsen before you get a committed answer. Shit though.

@sackrifice it sounds awful but I feel so reassured knowing someone else is going through the same thing.
I feel like I’m pestering and pestering the doctors.
My husband has even said “if the ultrasound comes back clear can you stop complaining of pain as it must be psychological”
I feel like no one believes me and I’m still in pain every single day.
It’s not horrific pain, but I can feel a lump deep inside, it’s uncomfortable and stopping me from doing things like bending over easier and it’s sore when I cough etc.

My husband has even said “if the ultrasound comes back clear can you stop complaining of pain as it must be psychological”

What a charmer.

Mine got so much better when I gave up gluten. Went from a normal daily 8/10 pain to a 6 within a few days, and down to a 3 or 4 in a couple of weeks. Back up to 10 when I ate the bread [it tasted soooo good tho'] and probably settled now at a 3 or 4 and hoping to keep off the gluten and get it even further down. The tube down my throat the other week kicked it back up again for a few days.

Exercise really makes it bad, when I have been out and about in London, walking around and up and down stairs etc...triggers it. I often can't do anything on the train home except take painkillers and just avoid moving at all.

On a pain scale I would say it’s only a 2 or 3. It’s just a dull nagging pain that’s almost constantly there.
I don’t even need to take pain killers to be honest.
But it’s dull, nagging, annoying and stopping me from being able to bend over and pick up stuff on the floor, or tie my shoe laces, or pick up the dog poo on a walk without having to crouch instead of just bending over forwards.

I don't think you can see hiatus hernias on ultrasound

It even twinges when I breathe all the way out.
So when I breathe out deeply I get a twinge right at the end deep inside.
It’s definitely something. But no one knows what.

A hiatus hernia is usually seen by endoscopy because of it being inside your digestive system

Thanks @WithAllIntenseAndPurposes
I’ll go back to the gp again to see about sorting this.

I have a Hiatus hernia and it wasn't seen on ultrasound but found the next day via an endoscopy. It wasn't seen on a CT scan either (I was admitted for unrelated pain and had lots of tests and they randomly found the hernia)