Pain: So I know that the liver itself... - British Liver Trust

British Liver Trust

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Pain

Chelle_ profile image
Chelle_
β€’67 Replies

So I know that the liver itself doesn't feel pain, but why is it that I feel pain? Is there a membrane that surrounds the liver that can hurt? Sometimes I get very sharp pains, mainly dull aching all the time....

I know your all a fountain of knowledge so I await your clever and potentially witty responses!

I hope your all ok x

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Chelle_ profile image
Chelle_
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67 Replies
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Identity75 profile image
Identity75

It's your livers way of telling you the body needs more Haribo.

Somebody will tell me if I'm getting predictable won't they???

Lol

Chelle_ profile image
Chelle_β€’ in reply toIdentity75

lol...Ive not touched haribo for weeks....I got my niece and nephews some the other day and thought about getting some but really didn't take my fancy.

Identity75 profile image
Identity75β€’ in reply toChelle_

"Really didn't take my fancy"??? You're not well Chelle. Get yourself to A&E asap. 😜

Dulux profile image
Duluxβ€’ in reply toIdentity75

Predictable.......but spot on 🀣🀣

lottie1964 profile image
lottie1964β€’ in reply toDulux

have you been at the paint again ?

lottie1964 profile image
lottie1964β€’ in reply toIdentity75

prefer snickers myself, well they do have nuts they're good for you aren't they ?

Dulux profile image
Duluxβ€’ in reply tolottie1964

Don't snickers count as one of your 5 a day??

lottie1964 profile image
lottie1964β€’ in reply toDulux

god thinking I like it, now does pizza count (it does have sweetcorn on it) x

Dulux profile image
Duluxβ€’ in reply tolottie1964

Nope, because pizza should never have sweetcorn on it!

lottie1964 profile image
lottie1964β€’ in reply toDulux

bet you love garlic bread without the garlic eh ?? maybe with a splash of honeyed beige ??

Identity75 profile image
Identity75β€’ in reply toDulux

Love sweetcorn. But it doesn't love me ☹️

Identity75 profile image
Identity75β€’ in reply toDulux

Haribo strawberries do

Dulux profile image
Duluxβ€’ in reply toIdentity75

And the cherries πŸ’

Identity75 profile image
Identity75β€’ in reply toDulux

We really must stop hijacking people's threads.

Dulux profile image
Duluxβ€’ in reply toIdentity75

It is only Chelle, she is used to it by now!

Chelle_ profile image
Chelle_β€’ in reply toDulux

lol...to be honest I forgot what I was talking about in the first place

Dulux profile image
Duluxβ€’ in reply toChelle_

Marmite and prayers is the answer. I never thought you'd be a junkie because haribo is so passΓ© (10 bonus haribo to the first correct answer for the band who had that lyric).

Glad we eased the pain ol girl!

lottie1964 profile image
lottie1964β€’ in reply toIdentity75

Am I missing something really deep? harbo cherries do what??

Dulux profile image
Duluxβ€’ in reply tolottie1964

take away the pain?

Millie09 profile image
Millie09

Now this is something I was going to ask chelle; I have been getting pain in the liver area and also slightly below, I have had this since Sunday. πŸ€”.. and no I have not eaten any Haribo identity75 😁.the last time I had any pain like this was when I used to drink ? As you said chelle, it's a constant dull pain. Oh and I'm getting a lot of funny gurgling sound too πŸ€” xx

Chelle_ profile image
Chelle_β€’ in reply toMillie09

Oh I hope the pains and gurgling ease off soon.

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply toChelle_

Thanks chelle , hope you get some answers .if it continues I'm off to my gp x

lottie1964 profile image
lottie1964β€’ in reply toMillie09

Go anyway, don't wait

RodeoJoe profile image
RodeoJoe

I used to get an "awareness" of my liver. I can't describe it as pain, but a feeling like something was almost bubbling up under the right side rib cage. I could feel this when I was sat in certain positions like driving the car.

There is a membrane and I believe this can be the cause of pain, it has really hurt when I've had biopsies. So it would make sense that a swollen liver would be painful. However its my understanding that the onset of cirrhosis causes the liver to actually shrink.

I don't think severe pain should be a symptom of cirrhosis though, and would need to be checked out.

Chelle_ profile image
Chelle_β€’ in reply toRodeoJoe

Thank you. I am with my GP tomorrow so will get them to check me over. I think I remember Katie saying something about membranes etc...

RodeoJoe profile image
RodeoJoeβ€’ in reply toChelle_

Now you mention it though, I did occasionally get short sharp stabbing pains, like a stitch.

Chelle_ profile image
Chelle_β€’ in reply toRodeoJoe

Yeah those pains take my by surprise I have to say. I'm sure it's all just part and parcel!

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply toRodeoJoe

That is exactly what I have, like a bubbling sensation along with a dull pain in and around the area of the liver πŸ€”.. does worry me slightly yet on my us last week the liver was shown to be normal in size regardless of the high fibro score .

dckimberly profile image
dckimberlyβ€’ in reply toRodeoJoe

Actually, ascites from hepatic cirhossis, or any kind of ascites can cause pain, and a lot, as the fluid presses the organs out of place. Then there's the cramping after the drain while the organs fight to move back to the right areas. I had it for a couple of years! Granted, I had a lot of fluid, as you know..sometimes they would take 19 to 21 liters at a time

Xxxx

matt137 profile image
matt137

Its called the peritoneum. Thin membrane around the outside. I think thats what gives the pain sensation. I get them too and sometimes the 'bubbles'. Good luck at the GP Mille :)

Chelle_ profile image
Chelle_β€’ in reply tomatt137

Hey check you out Matt! Thank you for that!

matt137 profile image
matt137β€’ in reply toChelle_

Haha Ive done some research after getting the 'bubbles'!! :)

Chelle_ profile image
Chelle_β€’ in reply tomatt137

I get the bubbling, but that's due to Lactulose...or that's what I decide it is... I find there's certain food my body doesn't['t like anymore - makes me feel sick!

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply toChelle_

Funny you should say that chelle. My hepetologist has put me on lactulose only 2 weeks ago. So maybe this is what's causing these " bubbles " .. I have also noticed I no longer have the craving for chocolate. Did not have any last night or this evening and that is a miracle for me !

lottie1964 profile image
lottie1964β€’ in reply toMillie09

oh gosh hate to sound stupid but craving for chocolate isn't a symptom of cirrhosis is it, I was diagnosed a little while ago and seriously can't get enough chocolate now, I thought it was just my body seeking a replacement for the alcohol

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply tolottie1964

Hi Lottie; no hun it's just me and me sweet tooth .when I was diagnosed with cirrhosis I never hardly had chocolate, it has only been a year since I had any cravings 😊

lottie1964 profile image
lottie1964β€’ in reply toMillie09

thank God for that I thought I might have to give up Snickers bars (or to people of my age Marathons !!!) and don't get me started on the kitkat situation

bugger the cirrhosis, the sun is shining for once !!

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply tolottie1964

Haha πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚.. Well Lottie your not on your own there! . I have not eaten much chocolate the last few days. Could be the weather being so nice that I am now on magnum espresso dark choc Ice cream πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ¦πŸ¦πŸ§

lottie1964 profile image
lottie1964β€’ in reply toMillie09

doggie get your purse, we're off to the shop, mummy has a sudden hankering ........

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply tolottie1964

Hahaha!! Well I have a box of 3 magnums if you wish to partake with me and some hagendas salty caramel πŸ˜‹πŸ˜‹...yummy . Lol

lottie1964 profile image
lottie1964β€’ in reply toMillie09

on my way, doggie fetch the satnav!

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply tolottie1964

He he 😎...

mrsmerlin profile image
mrsmerlinβ€’ in reply toMillie09

Stop worrying about the chocolate.

Chocolate comes from a bean =veg

Mixed with milk = calcium

We'll skip the sugar other than to replace energy drained on the way to get the chocolate.

Add thus together and it's positively good for you, it even releases endorphins to cheer you up.

Should be on prescription really

πŸ˜‚

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply tomrsmerlin

Hahaha!!! Now Mrs Merlin I could not have said that ant better myself..infact it all does make sense πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚

Koinonia profile image
Koinoniaβ€’ in reply toChelle_

I don't like the Lactulose Chelle and the "rumbles" and "bubbling" I get are in my bowel from the lactulose, not in the liver area. I do get pain in that area but my Hep said, as many others have, that the liver doesn't give pain; it is caused by the capsule stretching around it. I hope it doesn't last long.

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply tomatt137

Hi Matt! Thanks for your reply 😊.now I have learnt something new ! I'll have to look that one up. Thanks Matt πŸ˜‰.. hope all is well with you x

matt137 profile image
matt137

Mine sometimes feels like a popping where my liver is though. And then it dissapears. Im not sure if it has anything to do with blood flow or hypertension? One thing I have find that makes my liver complain and thats lemon juice! Ive been having it in water to try and detox, but I get the grumbles and dull pain. Maybe its doing some good? Who knows :)

Chelle_ profile image
Chelle_β€’ in reply tomatt137

I have lemon water too...The more lemon the better...I drink lots of peppermint tea because it helps with bloating which normal caffeine drinks give me. I can't eat bananas that is a no no...The pains I get besides the sharp and dull aching, if I rub my hand over my liver area it feels like the skin is almost burnt....so sore like. It can't be pushed either so if a family member gives me a hug they need to be gentle with me.

Mama41 profile image
Mama41

There is a membrane surrounding the liver (glissons capsule) this can cause pain or so I was told after I had RFA a couple of years ago.

I was given an anti inflammatory which did help.

Hope you start feeling better soon :)

Bermuda1 profile image
Bermuda1β€’ in reply toMama41

Yes that is the correct name for the membrane , its full of nerves too, so any inflammation or movement against it whether from the liver or ascites will cause the pain feeling.

Millie09 profile image
Millie09

Some very interesting answers!! 😁

Kl61 profile image
Kl61

My other half had a lot of pain and diahorrea, was told by docs that was inflamation of capsule surrounding the liver. But it turned out to be ischemic bowel caused by a blood clot. Always best to get things checked out as my experience with him is that it is too easy to put everything down to the liver and not look any further.

dckimberly profile image
dckimberly

Hi there.

Yes, first there is a tough fibrous type of membrane or type of covering surrounding the liver to protect it from punctures etc. the liver itself does or is responsible for over 500 jobs in the body. That's right, OVER 500. My specialist explained all this, so protecting this organ is vital as far as your body itself is concerned.

Second, any part of your stomach area, when it causes pain, often will present itself in different areas. For instance, my first year or so of serious liver problems showed pain on my left side, not right..so I argued over and over with my American doctors to check my pancreas.

I was sure they misdiagnosed me, because I w as a recovering alcoholic..but had not drank in 3 1/2 years, so it made no sense.

So they explained the entire stomach area is capable of showing pain in either upper or lower, left or right quadrant. It just travels, since all your organs basically are there, it's a tight fit.

I had and still have to some extent pain, from my liver.

It was quite severe because I had ascites and all tha t fluid was pushing my organs out of wack. Even after they would drain it I had terrible cramping, the organs fighting to move back into place.

Not everyone had pain..but don't let ANYoNE,, doctors included, tell you that your liver cannot cause pain. I can and does.

Forgive long response, but I don't think pain gets discussed enough on the boards or in clinic.

Cheering you on!

Kimberly

Gaynorlowson profile image
Gaynorlowson

One of the signs of rejection they ask you to notice after a transplant is pain in liver area so it must be a real pain. πŸ€”

Dorset123 profile image
Dorset123

I had pain for several years on right side (liver) and also on left. I have an enlarged spleen & this causes the left side pain. Before being referred to Kings was always told pain was unexplained & could not be liver pain. At Kings they said liver pain(& can be referred to back or even shoulder) is common in cirrhosis but there seems little they can apart from paracetamol. Specialists should be able to help.

......most of my pain is now receding 7 months post op.

All the best.

Millie09 profile image
Millie09

So there has to be some truth about the liver giving off pain then? The last time I had pain like this was when I was drinking alcohol; only this time I can't blame it on the drink other than maybe it's due to me starting on lactulose? πŸ€”

RodeoJoe profile image
RodeoJoe

This is a weird story, you guys probably aren't going to believe me because it sounds like myself and the group of mountain bikers I go out with have issues, but I swear this is true. I've been getting stick about it all day. My wife thinks I'm a sandwich short of a picnic. Last night I went on a mountain bike ride, there was a group of 5 of us and we were spending some time trying to learn to do wheelies (none of us below the age of 40 and one was female believe it or not).

Anyway one of the other guys fell off, could not get on his bike so hobbled off to A&E and was facebooking about staying in hospital overnight and having morphine. Undeterred the rest of us continued our fun. I fell off about 20 minutes later and thought I'd sprained a muscle. I rode home about 4 miles and went to bed. I woke up this morning and couldn't walk on my leg. I thought I better get checked out myself and went to hospital as well. I was x-rayed and it turns out I'd broken my femur. My leg is now plastered from thigh to toes :( and I'm out of "action" for six weeks.

I suppose my point is that some of us have higher pain thresholds than others. I know when I had my transplant they were surprised at the lack of pain killers I asked for. So I think pain is very much a personal thing, I'm just glad I'm at the low end of the scale and genuinely feel sorry for those of you that are suffering.

Chelle_ profile image
Chelle_β€’ in reply toRodeoJoe

Oh my goodness!! Sprain and a brake are very different things. I think the attitude of just get on with it is probably a lot to do with it.

I saw my GP today and forgot to tell him about the pain, I was seeking sleeping tablets that he reluctantly gave to me! I have them nonetheless now.

Feel better soon! x

RodeoJoe profile image
RodeoJoeβ€’ in reply toChelle_

Good for you Chelle, horrible isn't it. I think I went two weeks straight with no sleep. It sent me a bit crazy. I was begging for sleeping tablets when I was ill, but they wouldn't let me. Had to make do with lavender oil.

RodeoJoe profile image
RodeoJoeβ€’ in reply toChelle_

Not my femur sorry my fibula.

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply toRodeoJoe

Hey rodeojoe! I'm sorry to hear what has happened to you. I have only just seen this you have posted 😯.hope things are not too bad ? Get well soon

RodeoJoe profile image
RodeoJoeβ€’ in reply toMillie09

Yes I'm fine thanks. I'm just bored and feeling a bit stupid :)

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply toRodeoJoe

Oh that's good to hear πŸ˜‰.. haha well that's me most days lol

RodeoJoe profile image
RodeoJoeβ€’ in reply toMillie09

I'm actually able to work from home, so its not too bad. I've also decided to watch the complete Avengers series of films as I missed them before, and after that The X-Men. :)

And conversely I've also got about 30 hours of a physics course I bought along time ago. Should be enough to keep me busy for now.

thegreatcourses.co.uk/cours...

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply toRodeoJoe

Oh so you have plenty to keep you occupied then. Oh i used to watch the avengers myself many years ago .Oh I love x men πŸ˜‰. I have all of the films. So a physics course... very interesting..

mrsmerlin profile image
mrsmerlin

I think I put this on another thread but HE makes me doubt it.

When liver problems turn to cirrhosis the liver is shrunken and has an uneven bumpy hard outer (don't you love my technical terms?).

These bumps can rub against the surrounding membranes and other bits (I'm at it again with the tech sorry) particularly when we move.

This is part of what causes the pain. The liver itself feels no pain but it does inflict it.

Rita

Xx

Millie09 profile image
Millie09β€’ in reply tomrsmerlin

When I had my fasting ultrasound on 9th may they said the liver was normal size? Yet I have a fibro score of 27 .. πŸ€”πŸ€”.. I still after living with cirrhosis 9 yrs now will ever really get to know what's going on lol x

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