Undiagnosed Stomach Pain On Right Side

Lianda

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2012
Messages
57
Location
San Diego
I developed intense pain from under my rib only on the right side to my lower belly, that I originally thought was from a muscle pull from yoga. But it spread, and started feeling like it was burning. Also, felt like I'm holding a heavy water balloon in the lower intestines.
I went to the hospital, concerned it could be appendicitis; but no elevated white blood count; ultra sound revealed nothing, except a "bit of fatty liver"..
Still have symptoms after 3 days.. No problem moving bowels or urinating (thanks to Magnesium!).
I have Hashimotos, and am being treated with armour thyroid. My temps are getting higher during the day, (98.6 +) and other symptoms are improving- other than weight loss.

Food sits in my stomach forever, it seems. And I have had significant heartburn. Baking soda helps, but I have to take it every day. And I believe that I also have candida. (I'm close to 62 y.o.) and other than thyroid and being significantly overweight, in pretty decent health. But this GERD is driving me crazy. (also, under significant stress....)

Of course, the doctors tell me to take antacids; and I'm not sure if I have high or low stomach acid. Don't want to take antacids unless I KNOW which I have!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
 

Peata

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2013
Messages
3,402
Hi Lianda, sorry you're having this problem. It reminds me of gallbladder. I was having some severe problems a while back. Nothing showed on bloodwork. Nothing on U/S either, other than a "bit of fatty liver" as you put it.

Without going into the whole long story, I had a HIDA scan which showed biliary diskinesia. My GB wasn't functioning up to speed. Surgeon wanted to remove it, but I resisted because I wanted to try to help myself with diet. I barely kept myself out from under the scalpel with the so-called "healthy" diet I used. According to most of diet-world, I should have been the picture of perfect health the way I was eating back then.

Wouldn't you know, it was only after adopting RP stuff that things really started to improve. I almost forget I have the problem. All my gastro issues have cleared up. Some of those were diarrhea and burning stomach. Other problems were intense "flu-like" symptoms that definitely seemed to get worse around my period (which was a big a-ha to me that GB was tied to hormones). Anyway, I'm not saying I've cured the problem - sometimes I can feel the little guy (GB) humming away in there or reacting to something I drank (alcohol, so I know I could be even better if I'd cut it out completely), but for now things are 95% or more better than they were. To give you an idea, it got so bad I spent at least 20 days out of one month in bed because of the problem. Now I'm fine.

I could write pages over the whole experience -from feeling my first symptoms of it and what I went through til now. I spent countless hours trying to research the problem along with all the other symptoms I had... I felt like it was all connected to hormones (thyroid too I see now, as it all seems connected) in some way but I just couldn't figure out how.

It might not be your GB, but I wanted to throw that out there. Some of the things you said that made me think of it: pain from under my rib only on the right side....started feeling like it was burning....food sits in my stomach forever, it seems. And I have had significant heartburn....
 
OP
Lianda

Lianda

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2012
Messages
57
Location
San Diego
I was shocked when the doctor told me my GB looked ok- no stones. RP's eating plan hasn't helped me though... I've avoided Omega 6 for a long time- have coconut oil, oj with baking soda.... don't eat pork (instant heartburn). I'm certainly not running in for surgery! I'm going to look up your Dx. Thanks!
 

Peata

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2013
Messages
3,402
Here's some info from buzzle.com: Excessive stress can lead to impaired function of the gallbladder. Chronic inflammation of the gallbladder can affect its function significantly. Following a low fat or no fat diet or low fiber diet can affect the gallbladder function. Various thyroid disorders, obesity, low stomach acid, alcohol abuse, excessive consumption of refined foods and sugars, excessive consumption of anti-acids and antidepressants, diabetes, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, etc., are all considered as risk factors for gallbladder diseases.
 
OP
Lianda

Lianda

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2012
Messages
57
Location
San Diego
I know I'm having trouble digesting fats. I don't eat refined foods. Dr. said to stop eating fruit- I don't take antacids, antidepressants, or have IBS. But Hashimotos, overweight & stress are definite factors in my life. Yeh, try losing weight with hypothyroid- HaHaHah!!
There is so much conflicting information, it's hard to know what to do.
 

Birdie

Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Messages
5,783
Location
USA
Hi. I know you said you don't have IBS and that was my first thought only because that is one symptom (stomach area pain on rt) that I have when an IBS or reflux attack hits. In my case, I take an enteric coated peppermint oil gel tab and that's been working. Attacks are happening less on our anti-inflammatory eating plan, but does still happen to me and sometimes I get gas pains that seem almost like labor pains... But there are so many other things that can cause pain in that area...

I guess you have read Ray Peat's comments on Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism. If not, he does have some advice in his articles. Hope there!!
 
OP
Lianda

Lianda

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2012
Messages
57
Location
San Diego
With Hashimotos, and hypothyroid symptoms, slow digestion and constipation is common. I found the ONLY supplement I have taken and can feel a difference - within a half hour! Magnesium Citrate. I used to be constipated, but no more. I couldn't live without the stuff! I started with 200 mg, and moved up until I got to the point of too loose bowels. Muscle cramps totally gone now. No gas pains, just normal movements! I've read that most people are lacking in magnesium.
But it hasn't made a difference in my stomach pain! LOL
 

Birdie

Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Messages
5,783
Location
USA
Ray doesn't think calcium citrate is safe. He advises using Cascara and eggshell calcium. But, I sure understand that when something helps you want to stick to it. Consider the other as maybe being more helpful if you ever want to try them. Cascara is also good for it's anti-cancer properties. Ray's ideas have helped me a lot.
Best, Birdie
 

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
Anytime my metabolism crashes, my digestion slows way down, and I get reflux really bad, and constipation sets in. When metabolism is cranked up, these things simply do not happen. When I started this journey, I would have never thought that digestion was related to metabolism. From what I knew at that time, it would be related to gut flora. I now know, that is not the case. Get the metabolism going and things will run like a Swiss clock.
 
OP
Lianda

Lianda

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2012
Messages
57
Location
San Diego
I agree with you. Metabolism is the key to it all. And my metabolism has been improving, as I've been able to see by my body temperature mostly close to 98.6 +. But stress has a way of impacting my heartburn, and how I "stomach" things. I think are bodies are literal expressions of our thoughts and feelings.
 

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
[glow=red]TMI alert.[/glow]

I had to go to the ER on one occasion, this was when I was in my worst of metabolic health. I was having a massive pain on my right side, under my rib cage. I thought for sure it was a kidney stone because they run in the family. The pain was terrible. So they did a workup at the ER and also did an x-ray to see what was going on. The doctor comes in and said I was impacted with feces in that area, just one huge ball of poo. How embarrassing. He sent me to the pharmacy for some magnesium citrate. It took 2 bottles but man o man what a relief. So I lived off magnesium citrate for a while.
 

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
I sure did feel like I was going to. I didn't even want to go to sleep at night, because in the morning when I woke up it was the worst.
 
OP
Lianda

Lianda

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2012
Messages
57
Location
San Diego
The trick is to SLOWLY start with a 200 mg dose, and then check your reaction! (LOL!) I'm up to 600 mg, and I'm very comfortable with it. I split the dose morning and night. It's totally gotten rid of my muscle cramping as well!
 

charlie

Admin
The Law & Order Admin
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
14,359
Location
USA
NDT for the win. ;)
 

Kelly

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Messages
109
Just wanted to say I was hospitalized for a week for something very similar. Excruciating pain in my right quadrant that turned to severe burning in my entire torso. My liver enzymes were very elevated. They thought gallbladder for sure but couldn't find any stones with ultrasound or a ct scan. I got a Hilda scan and that showed a reaction rate of 80%. If you look if up there's a new overactive gallbladder theory, and that reaction should ideally be around 50%. Just typing this to say gallbladders can cause problems even without stones, especially when estrogen is too high.
 

Peata

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2013
Messages
3,402
Kelly said:
Just wanted to say I was hospitalized for a week for something very similar. Excruciating pain in my right quadrant that turned to severe burning in my entire torso. My liver enzymes were very elevated. They thought gallbladder for sure but couldn't find any stones with ultrasound or a ct scan. I got a Hilda scan and that showed a reaction rate of 80%. If you look if up there's a new overactive gallbladder theory, and that reaction should ideally be around 50%. Just typing this to say gallbladders can cause problems even without stones, especially when estrogen is too high.

Yes, that's what my "biliary dyskinesia" was about - abnormal functioning gallbladder. It wasn't due to stones. The first HIDA scan I had, my ejection fraction rate was 30-something, I forget exact number at the moment. Second scan, after I'd been working on my diet but still non-Peat, it was 80-something! It went from too low to too high.

I wish I'd known the part about estrogen causing the GB issues a long time ago. I spent so much time researching when I was having the trouble and trying to find out what was the cause of the symptoms. It wasn't just GB, but felt like I was coming down with chronic fatigue too, along with other digestive issues that seemed rather serious. I knew from my own experience it had to do with hormones, but at the time I couldn't find information about it. I just knew all my symptoms had to be connected, and had to connect back somehow to hormones (estrogen). It all makes so much sense now though, and now I feel like I have a way to help myself with the Peat diet. Who knows, I still may have to have my GB out someday, but at least I have avoided it so far. I went from bed/couch-ridden most days, sick as heck, to just living life without thinking about GB or anything.

What did you end up doing about your GB?
 
OP
Lianda

Lianda

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2012
Messages
57
Location
San Diego
I'm totally gluten free now. I'm checking to see what I eat, and the reaction. I stopped taking bio-identical estrogen about 4 months ago; and I'm taking Progest-E (about 5-6 drops) every evening. I'm pretty sure that financial stress is having a significant effect.
I don't have a doctor, but go for acupuncture when I come up with a little money. I'm just dealing with it as best I can for now. Taking digestive enzymes. Doing EFT Tapping and Chi-Gong, yoga which seem to help a bit. I know it would be helpful to lose weight, but with Hashimoto's it's nearly impossible.
Thanks for your help.
 

Kelly

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Messages
109
Peata said:
Kelly said:
Just wanted to say I was hospitalized for a week for something very similar. Excruciating pain in my right quadrant that turned to severe burning in my entire torso. My liver enzymes were very elevated. They thought gallbladder for sure but couldn't find any stones with ultrasound or a ct scan. I got a Hilda scan and that showed a reaction rate of 80%. If you look if up there's a new overactive gallbladder theory, and that reaction should ideally be around 50%. Just typing this to say gallbladders can cause problems even without stones, especially when estrogen is too high.

Yes, that's what my "biliary dyskinesia" was about - abnormal functioning gallbladder. It wasn't due to stones. The first HIDA scan I had, my ejection fraction rate was 30-something, I forget exact number at the moment. Second scan, after I'd been working on my diet but still non-Peat, it was 80-something! It went from too low to too high.

I wish I'd known the part about estrogen causing the GB issues a long time ago. I spent so much time researching when I was having the trouble and trying to find out what was the cause of the symptoms. It wasn't just GB, but felt like I was coming down with chronic fatigue too, along with other digestive issues that seemed rather serious. I knew from my own experience it had to do with hormones, but at the time I couldn't find information about it. I just knew all my symptoms had to be connected, and had to connect back somehow to hormones (estrogen). It all makes so much sense now though, and now I feel like I have a way to help myself with the Peat diet. Who knows, I still may have to have my GB out someday, but at least I have avoided it so far. I went from bed/couch-ridden most days, sick as heck, to just living life without thinking about GB or anything.

What did you end up doing about your GB?


I was the same way, terribly sick for about 2 months. I've been trying all kinds of things to figure out how to fix all the issues and it finally seems I have found something that might actually make me better, not just limping along until I have no choice but to get some innards taken out. :). I also haven't thought about my gallbladder for a long time. The hospital was pushing me hard to get it taken out and I had finally given in. Then a miracle happened, the surgeon refused to operate on me because he said there was nothing wrong with it. How often does that happen?? And thank goodness because its just find now and I think it'll stay that way for a long time so long as I keep the estrogen in check. Its great to know that this RP strategy/ philosophy has helped other people with the same issue.

ETA - Also, I had no idea about hormones and gallbladder until nearly a year and a half after I was hospitalized. I was doing pale and completely tanked my hormones where they thought I was going into early menopause, at 34. When I started looking up menopause sign lists, GB issues were on almost every one. Lightbulb really clicked at that point.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom