Help! Pains, discomfort in abdomen...

[gallbladderhopefully]

Hello, sorry for the name change. I'm a regular poster and don't want to admit I may be falling apart!

For the last year or so I've had abdominal pain. It started just under right ribs, sometimes stabbing pain, but not often unbearable like that, more often mild to average discomfort.

The pain's still in the same place, but has also spread to general upper (and sometimes lower) abdominal area - both sides sometimes. I wouldn't say it's excruciating - nothing like the attacks some people talk of - but it hurts sometimes and I generally feel under the weather, and i can get a short-lived stabbing pain. Today I've been feeling generally very under par, and a bit sick.

Does this sound like gallbladder problems? I'm really worried it might be something worse . I had a liver scan 2 years ago for a separate problem and my liver was fine, so I'm hoping it's not liver-related. Could it be though?

I'm a bit of a health worrier. Anything unexpected or unidentified must be terminal etc. etc. lol, so I'm really worried about going to the GP.

I will go, but just wondered if anyone can give me any reassurance that I'm not going to keel over and die

Thanks

Have you had your appendix out?

Sorry, meant to add that my diet is generally good - low fat generally and my cholesterol was very low (not sure whether that's relevant or not) when tested fairly recently. Just wanted to add that as I've read that gallbladder problems are connected with a high fat diet?

Hi Giantpuffball (love the name!)
No I haven't - do you think it could be my appendix? It's been on and off for a year though, could appendix troubles rumble on for that long?

Have to go now and feed various people and creatures but will come back later.
Thanks

I had this and it turned out to be constipation.

When I was about 3 months pregnant I got a numb spot in the centre of my bump, after my son came out 2 years ago it slowly moved to the right side just under the rib cage and changed to a feeling of pressure, it's less now then it was but it waxes and wanes spreading down sometimes and I get pain sometimes that feels like a bad cramp, I've been GPs many times about it, they just keep blaming it on ligament/muscle damage from pregnancy. they refuse to send me for an X-ray but I once managed to get a ultrasound scan that showed nothing.

I don't know if what you have maybe similar, keep going to the GP every week until they give in and send you for a scan at least that will help your peace of mind somewhat.

I'm still trying to get an X-ray I will not be 100% happy that it's nothing to worry about until I do but it's an uphill fight against people who just want you out the door.

Shumway I can safely say it's not constipation, I eat a lot of roughage!! Can you imagine if I'd been constipated for a year

Ryoko I hope you get your x-ray soon. It's horrid not having the answers to your worries. I've no excuse as I've ignored it for so long but it's always been niggling away at the back of my mind. It could be similar to what you described, the pain/discomfort is certainly more general in the abdomen than it was, and has moved lower than it did for ages, and is also more frequent than it was.

I plucked up the courage to book a GP appointment and I'm gutted, the GP I normally see, who is really lovely, is on maternity leave (not gutted for her obviously!). So I am seeing a total stranger on Monday but will see what she says.

To be honest, this sounds exactly like gall stones - you can have gallstones that are totally asymptomatic and gallstones that cause excruciating, mind bending pain. On reflection my gallstones were giving me trouble for a long time but like you i am a health worrier and avoided going to the doctors. I wish i did because after i had DD2 (they often get worse after a pregnancy) they hit me hard and OMFG the pain!

What you are describing sounds exactly like my intermittent problems i had for years, along with the generally feeling crap and sick.

An ultrasound will show the gallstones and a simple op will sort it.

Yes gallstones are exacerbated by a high fat diet as the gallbladder contracts to expel bile into the stomach when you have a fatty meal and this makes the stones move and ouch!!!!! For me though it got to the stage where i had pain whenever i ate (great for my diet). So just because you have a healthy diet it doesnt mean you dont have gallstones, it may be why you aren't in agony though!

Gallstones are notorious for giving "referred pain" too so general abdo pain is not surprising, i had pain in my back too, high up between the shoulder blades, oh, it hurt EVERYWHERE :(

Once i had the op, was fine, sometimes get a bit upset tummy with a high fat meal but otherwise i can eat anything, and i do!!

boringnickname thank you!!

That's really reassuring! Just knowing it may well be gallstones is enough to keep my resolve to go to docs on Monday (and if it isn't well it's got me to the docs which can only be a good thing!). I just know something's not right in there so it's about time I got it looked at, it's only taken me a blinking year to pull my head out of the sand!

Big thank you

I was recently admitted with abdo pain which was partly in that area - had suspected appendicitis/gallstones/kidney stones/uti. The pain in the position you were describing is what made them add in the ?gallstones diagnosis. It's not going away on it's own it's definitely something to raise with your GP, they will probably send you for an ultrasound to have a look. So I'm glad you booked the appointment.

Thanks Havealittlefaith, did you get your problem sorted out in the end or are they still looking into it?

After 9 nights in hospital (my pain was severe) an ultrasound and CT I got my pain under control and was discharged with a ?ascending uti/?renal colic. Still not certain! My scans didn't show any stones and my bloods didn't show infection so some of the docs thought infection anyway, some thought tiny kidney stones that didn't show on the scan. Had a course of antibiotics before admission, a course during with some improvement. Just been back to GP today because it's flared up again and am on another course of antibiotics! Hoping these do the trick :)
But the scans weren't bad at all and the best thing is no-one has ever questioned whether I'm genuine which I've been paranoid about! Since it's been going on a while for you I'd suggest you write the history down before you go - when it started, anything that made it worse or better etc. hope you get your answers promptly!

Will keep fingers crossed the next lot of ABs do the trick Havealittlefaith. It must almost be worse not to have something tangible show up on a scan in a way? But it sounds like they know what it is though, which is great news

That's a really good idea to make a diary of sorts. I'll do that, I've got time as appointment is Monday.

I think part of my fear of going to the docs is that I also feel like I'm time-wasting and using up their resources. But thinking on that this evening, I had no idea my favourite GP was pregnant, let alone on maternity leave, so I don't think 'regular time-waster' will be on my notes, hopefully!

Thank you so much to everyone who's replied. It's really helped me get my arse in gear and book that appointment!