Abdominal pain for a few months?

Other conditions
1

Hi I am a 19 year old male and in the past few months I had some health issues... It all started a few days after the New year with itching all over the body and pain under my right rib. I was sure something is wrong with my liver (I just panicked, because i had a few drinks to much in the past weeks in December.. Otherwise, I do not drink). I went to the doctor, and they took my blood, the results were normal, except ALT was slightly (by 0,02 or something) increased... The doctor said that is to be expected after holidays, but I insisted on ultrasound. The results on ultrasounds were totally normal, normal in size and everything. But the pain was still present, and it even spread on the left side under the rib. After a month or so I went on an ultrasound again, and again, everything was fine, except they found "something" in my liver sizing about 2x2cm. The doctor said I have nothing to worry about because it is probably just focal steatosis, but still they wanted to be sure, so they sent me to an ultrasound with contrast. I went there last week, and they told me it is nothing dangerous, it is indeed focal steatosis and when I asked about it, they said that "this just happens", and that my liver are perfectly functional. Also, my tests were okay. 

In the meantime, i did not drink any alcohol, except maybe twice, but it was just a shot or two. But the problem is that after I drank almost nothing, everything started itching again, usually the next day. Is it possible that this is just in my brains? That it is just something psychosomatic? I am/was in a lot of stress lately due to the fact that I needed to be a straight A student for college....

And the pain under my left and right ribs? It is just there, then it stops for a few weeks, then it starts again... But no doctor found anything wrong. 

Any ideas? I am really nervous and worried because no one found anything. I've been to like 10 doctors in the past 5 months and the result is always the same: "you're fine"...

Also, my life style is quite unhealthy lately, in the past year I gained a few pounds, even though I quite frequently (3-4x/week) run about 10km...

Sorry if this is confusing, but I really do not know what to do anymore...

Any ideas? 

2

Hi.  I just wanted to say you’re doing great in the sense you are your own best advocate and you’re  doing a great job

3

Hi

It definitely sounds like there is an issue with your liver. Your right to be concerned, and the itching is a symptom that can be linked to problems with the liver. I’m a bit like you in the sense that I get the pain under my left and right ribs. I thought it might be my gall bladder, but I had an ultrasound and that was fine. I’m thinking it must be my liver, as I used to drink a fare amount of beer, and I have an unhealthy lifestyle. 

4

If you still have itching all over your body see a dermatologist.

5

Have you been checked for hepatitis?

6

Yes I know, but still, it takes years to develop some liver disease... And i really do not drink so much that it would cause that kind of problems (as I said, I only had a "binge drinking month" in last December, after that just a few units in 6 months) but still, it seems related... And the pain, I know that liver cannot cause any pain, except enlarged due to fatty cells, but as i said, my liver is normal in size... It just doesn't make any sense to me + all of the tests were normal... I am just running out of ideas

7

No, i haven't been checked for hepatitis, but I've been vaccinated for hep A & B when I was a child...

8

You can get liver disease from contaminated food. Not just drinking. I’d advise you to get a blood test. 

9

Having read your post there are 2 things that occur to me

1.   Maybe you have developed an intolerance of alcohol and just need to stay off it.

2. You mention an unhealthy lifestyle and putting on weight. Does your diet consist of a lot of fatty foods? That can cause pain under the ribs,and may eventually lead to gallstones...although you are a bit young for that at the moment.

Avoid alcohol and any food that is fatty.   It may even be specifically dairy items like cheese that is causing the pain......have a think.

10

Please see a doctor. You definitely have problems with your health.