I've had intermittent pain under my right rib for a number of years which had an unknown cause. Also recently had my gallbladder removed but still appear to have the same problem. This is particularly painful during the day and I can feel a sore 'spot' when I press. The pain is like someone is scraping my insides with a razor blade and can be excruciating on times. I've also had bouts of d and c over the years. I'm now back on the round of more tests and scans but the doc has mentioned ibs. Do any sufferers have this type of pain and if so what helps to alleviate it?
Any advice would be appreciated!
Hi, Not sure if I can help much but here goes. I suffer from IBS and sometimes get a pain not bad under right breast seems to go around the back. I did mention to doctor about gallstones but she said she did not think so as the the pain would be worse. I have also heard of people having their gallbladders removed and still having pain like yourself. I also suffer from slight reflux, so can only think it is related to IBS. Yesterday was a stressful day for me and this morning I have had
this same pain, but going now. All the best to you, hope you can get it sorted.
Thanks for the reply, hope the docs can work their magic 
i have also had ibs over the last 4 years with my fibromyalgia and have been recently experiencing some severe bad rib pain which is on right side and goes to my lower back; i am guessing it may be some inflammation, either inflated 'angry' liver, or inflammed intestines; i am supposed to be getting an endoscopy soon; mine may be caused by severe stress or foods i am eating or both; i am trying to figure it out because it is some of the worst pain i have ever had
Hello Flowers girl,
Not fun, what you are going through. This is where you have to be a detective. The doctor doesn't have the time and possibly not the interest in asking you about everything you eat and how far apart the pain and eating particular foods is, what colour your stools are etc.. You have to take note of these things and then you can tell the doctor your findings.
If I were in your shoes, I would not think it is IBS....because the pain of IBS is definitely in the bowels.
If you feel a sore spot, it sounds muscular. But when you do have the pain, is it deep or superficial? Is it worse upon breathing?...If so, it suggests that it is muscular.
If the pain comes on after eating fatty foods, you could have 'fatty liver' but that should be a dull pain. It is very common among overweight people. Avoiding fatty/fried/oily foods for a while (or forever!) could be worth a try.
If your stools are very pale, it could be digestion related.
it could be kidney stones. I've had 3 and the pain is excruciating. Drink lots of water. Avoid beer.
If you recently had your gall bladder removed THIS is where the problem must be. Was the operation 'botched' in some way? That is what I would suspect. An MRI (asap) should show what is going on with that area.
Because this pain has come on since the operation, it stands to reason that something is not right there as a result of the operation. We hear of swabs being left inside the body, even instruments...and the body reacts because that is a foreign objec that it cramps to get rid of. Doesn't that seem to make the most sense?
Interns in medical school are taught, "If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck...it probably IS a duck." ....which means that you look to what is the most obvious.
Get that MRI stat! Good luck!
Ooops, Flowers girl,
I just reread your message and you said that you have had the intermittent pain for a number of years...NOT since the gall bladder removal. Okay, sorry...so cross off the suspicion that it is an operation gone wrong.
You had your gall bladder removed which suggests that you have a weight problem...therefore I would suspect fatty liver. Eliminate fatty foods completely including all dairy in all its forms...and see if that doesn't drastically reduce the number of episodes of pain. Avoid alcohol totally!
Check out Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease on line. https://patient.info/health/non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease
Good luck!
Hi there, I was a bit of an anomaly with the gallbladder problems as I'm not overweight (currently 9st5). All my bloods and an ultrasound have been clear so no obvious issues with the liver or kidneys. Ihaven't had a drink in months mainly because I I didn't want to add any more toxins into my system with all the pain killers I've been on. The pain tends to be worse during the day wierdly. I do need to try a food diary as I believe it could be digestion related.
This kind of pain really is awful. Have you been prescribed with anything for it?
You sound like you are on the right track and that you are able and willing to troubleshoot. I am sure you will find the issue. Maybe it is kidney granules being passed... Drink lots of water and see if during that day you have fewer pain attacks.
Maybe your body is tense. Tense muscles and also dehydration cause excruciatinglly painful muscle spasms. Have you ever seen dehydrated American football players writhing at the side of the field? How about a deep massage pointing out to the therapist where your pain is. If when she/he massages that area, it brings out the pain, you know it's muscular. It's a mystery and you will figure it out. Let me know how it goes.
i had it again tonite right after i ate some meatballs, cheese and wheat bread; and not very much of any of it; i decided to put my vibrating pillow, which i also use for my lower back and put it right where it hurts-right side about 6 inches below bottom of rib cage- and it helped alot...not sure what is going on but i haven't gotten anything prescibed for it; i am supposed to get an endoscopy in a couple of months; maybe they can figure it out; good luck and wishing you pain free
HI Gloria,
I will bet dollars to doughnuts that if you stop eating cheese, milk and any and all dairy products, your issues will resolve within a day or two. I can predict 'problems' in exactly 40 minutes after eating even a small bit of milk in coffee. Why not try eliminating dairy 100%. Don't even say, "A little bit can't hurt." Yes, it can and if your digestive system is sensitive to milk, it will react. Cow's milk is meant for the digestive system of a calf...that has four stomachs. It is highly indigestible and meant only for baby cows....just like zebra milk is designed for baby zebras; mouse milk is meant only for baby mice, whale milk is meant only for baby whales. Why on earth do we humans steal the breast milk of another mammal? Even calves don't drink the milk of their mothers after infancy... If you were to feed whale milk which is designed to meet the needs of a baby whale, that is very high in fat for example...if you were to feed it to a calf for example, it would not do well and might even die....and yet we humans drink the breast milk of another mammal... So I can't urge you enough to get off ALL dairy in every form for a few weeks and then reintroduce it and see then what happens. While you are at it, cut out sugars and lower your general carb intake. In other words, replace the white carbs (potatoes, pasta, bread, cereals, cookies and sweet foods with veggies, almond milk smoothies in the morning etc..)
That meatball/cheese/bread meal didn't have any veggies in it... How about a big tossed salad with it (no iceberg what has zero nutritional value)?
A delicious milk replacement is either soy milk (which unfortunately is genetically modified) or my fave: almond milk.
What do you think of these suggestions?
Robin
thanks for the suggestions... i really don't have a problem with cheese and never have; that is one food that i can eat, of course, not tons of it; it might be the fat content in it or it may have been the spices; i am getting afraid to eat anything and have fibromyalgia and help take care of my elderly father which is stressful and living with a sibling who doesn't have a clue; but she is the one who does the shopping and i am grateful for that; she doesn't believe in 'organic' vegetables and she can eat all the white bread, pasta, potatoes, corn, cereals...and not get sick at all...and i am a vegetable lover and always have been, but now afraid to eat the nightshade-the colorful ones, which have been my favorite, and anything sprayed with pesticides; i now drink organic whey protein and an organic greens powder in water and nuts (not peanuts); i like fruits but i tend to be high on the acidic side so i can't overdue them and also am afraid of all the pesticides; i need to live alone without all the stress and eat organic fruits and vegetables and do without meat altogether; i know the meatballs may have caused problems; breaking down the protein..i don't really like meat or cow milk anyway.