Right side digestive pain NOT gallstones

[FellOutOfBed2wice]

Had some digestive pain on and off since having hyperemesis in my first pregnancy 4yrs ago. Ended up in A and E this week after a bad flare up of what GP thought was gallbladder pain: bad right sided pain after eating that radiates into shoulder and right down right side.

So an ultrasound today has proven my gallbladder is stoneless and not inflamed. Liver fine (and liver function fine). Pancreas fine, spleen fine. Kidneys fine and pain in wrong place for that anyway. Only observation made was that there was an unusual amount of gas in my bowel.

Previously had gastroenteritis in 2005 which brought on IBS symptoms. Colonoscopy in 2012 that was fine. Two HG pregnancies in 2013 and 2016. Have a very acidic stomach and have had since 2005. Take omaprozole which isn’t doing much anymore.

Doctor stumped, talk now of more tests but I haven’t got a scooby and would like to go armed with some suggestions/ideas. Does anyone have any experience of anything similar?

No particular foods seem to trigger it, just eating in general.

Sounds like my IBS. Have you tried taking Mebeverine?

Stomach ulcer? They can be agony, and triggered by eating.

Thanks for the replies pissed I was on that years ago for ibs but didn’t find it did much- what’s it meant to do?

lougle my internet research is pointing towards ulcer. Any idea what other symptoms I would have with that?

When I took Omeprazole I sometimes had terrible right sided gas pains. I even had a scan as I thought it might be ovaries (obviously lower pain than yours) and if you read the side effects it is listed as one of the symptoms. I was also told on scanning, that my bowels were full of trapped gas - lovely!

Don't they also say you can get pain with gallstone sludge - not visible on ultrasound?

Im no doctor though it does sound like it has a whiff of gall baldder about it. Either that or IBS affecting the colon. Do you have discomfort under the bottom edges of ribs also?

Hi OP ,

I had ultrasound scans , with similar symptoms to yours. Over a five year period. Nothing showed up. Finally I had a bout of cholecystitis , which was thought to be unexplained pain at that time , even diagnosed as "wind". However it was so bad they gave me a CT scan, and gallstones were found, with evidence of resolving cholecystitis. So ultrasound does not necessarily show up all gallstones. My problem was a stone embedded in the bile duct, partially blocking , depending upon the level of inflammation in the area. My pains were from just under the right rib, quite sharp , but also a dull ache stretching quite low down in the liver area. A feeling of pressure, again , on the right side , and gurgling ( presumably where bile was being forced past the obstruction). Orange pee , seemed to be associated with the pains, maybe for a week or so, it would then normalise. I mean quite orange, not just bright yellow.

I would say it would be worth pressing for a CT scan.
Obviously , my experience is just a possibility in your case , but don't rely just on ultrasound to give the all clear, if you have the option.

  best of luck 

      BTBH

Google 'sphincter of oddi dysfunction'. I have this and doctors were convinced it was gallstones. Mine is triggered by stress, fatty/fried food and opiates. Agonising.