Back pain area with liver disease

[carefull1]

Can some of you lovely people comment which part in the back do you feel pain ( mid, lower etc)

[Hidden]

Hi

How are you feeling tonight? My pain starts in the ruq around the liver and goes right through to back, it reminds me of my gall stones pain, I had Gall bladder out in October 85 when I was 20! Please take care Lynne

[carefull1 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Lynne, cant convince dr of pain. He said there is no pain due to liver.

[Hidden in reply to carefull1]

Hi

My liver is so enlarged it has stretched the capsule around it which causes the pain. Take care Lynne

[ThreeSmiles in reply to carefull1]

Yep that comment about no pain from the liver is utter bolxxxs. Even if the actual liver can’t cause direct pain everything around it can and does. It is an absolutely nonsensical argument which anyone who has had liver problems themselves will tell you! Sorry but that statement about liver and no pain infuriates me no end!

Angus.

[Hidden in reply to carefull1]

carefull1 - next time your doctor tells you the liver feels no pain, I wonder if you could ask him what tests he can do to find out what IS causing you pain, so that nothing is overlooked.

[ThreeSmiles in reply to Hidden]

And ask him if he’d like to swap places with you so he could feel the no pain....

[carefull1 in reply to ThreeSmiles]

Well said

[carefull1 in reply to ThreeSmiles]

Ha ha ha

[Countrywalks in reply to ThreeSmiles]

I love this comment because it is my dr exactly . They treat you like your making it up .

[unique4 in reply to Hidden]

thats brilliant! best laugh I've had all day!

[Hidden in reply to unique4]

unique4 - I think your reply was for ThreeSmiles. I would NEVER ask the doctor to swap places with me. I once saw him buy a pasty from a stall at the rail station. I couldn't believe he'd be so desperate to take such risks. A few months later at the same station and after chemtherapy I was cold and feeling faint. I bought a pasty as much to warm my hands as anything. When the pasty got cold, I broke it open without touching it with my bare hands. The 'meat' was coal-black. No, I wouldn't swap places! I'd gently stick a small post-it-note to the side of his desk with an arrow pointing to the specialist and a word on it to give the next patient the hedz-up. You can get post-its so small they fit in your pocket with space for 4 a few letters.

[Oldred]

I get back pain all over my back. My wife says I need to exercise more to strengthen my back muscles. She could be right, I'm a lazy git!!

[davianne]

Hi Carefull, I get pain all around my upper chest, inside the ribcage and mt shoulders. My doc said the same as yours, until I pointed out to him that the Glisson's capsule surrounding the liver and spleen, can cause pain when the liver and spleen are enlarged. He then acknowledged that it might be that, but thought it was musculoskeletal, or cardiological, so not his problem. I have F4 Cirrhosis, so my liver is enlarged, and my spleen is nearly twice as big as it should be. Pain relief is a problem as neither my GP or the Consultant will prescribe any painkillers that work.

David

[carefull1 in reply to davianne]

Thanks David, sometimes I feel a liver patient becomes a dr, he or she would be best dr because they would know how it feels

[davianne in reply to carefull1]

You are so so right, so why won't they listen👿👿👿, it's so frustrating for the sufferers to be treated as idiots.

David

[Laura009 in reply to davianne]

Hi David. Is it possible for you to be prescribed steroids such as prednisone for cirrhosis pain?

Laura x

[davianne in reply to Laura009]

Hi Laura, thanks for that, I'll ask my GP. Are they just painkillers, or do they have another benefit?

David

[Laura009 in reply to davianne]

They are very good pain killers, you start on a high dose and taper them. My husband has PMR. Has over the last 3 years taken cocodamol, codeine, now on tramadol but only takes the edge off the pain. So when he feels really bad he is now allowed to give himself a steroid hit ( usually every 3 months) then tapers off over the course of the week. It really reduces the pain significantly and gives him much more energy. When 1st diagnosed he was on a massive dose and tapered off over 18 months. It does tend to cause a bit of water retention so obviously find out about all possible complications it may cause with having cirrhosis, it may not be suitable for you. But it would be great if you could take it and relieve you of your pains. Really feel for you.

Laura xxx

[davianne in reply to Laura009]

Many thanks Laura, I will definitely talk to my consultant to see if it's liver friendly, and then my GP to see if he will prescribe it. I guess, being a steroid, it depends if it can be taken long term.

David

[Laura009 in reply to davianne]

Yes. Please let me know how you get on, I'd be really interested. Thanks

[Steven_ in reply to davianne]

Hi David. I was hospitalised a few weeks ago with the pain. The scans showed no change with my liver cirrhosis but did prescribe me oral morphine and Amitriptyline to deal with the pain. The ward consultant did say my liver was tender and swollen and again said that the liver doesn’t cause pain but my new gp said it’s the capsule. But the pain can come and go and has no rhyme or reason as I thought it was food related. I’m dreading my Hep A booster tomorrow as all my contrast scans have left me in agony but glad I still have some pain killers if I need it.

Worth a push on the pain killer front as paracetamol isn’t great.

Good luck. Steven

[davianne in reply to Steven_]

Thanks for the reply Steven. I do take Amitriptyline, which helps with the pain and sleep. It is worse for me after eating, so I just thought it was the lack of space inside my rib cage. I don't think it's what I eat, but the enlarged stomach when I do. My Hep Doc said tramadol would be OK for my liver, but my GP won't prescribe it for me, because it's an opiate.

David

[Steven_ in reply to davianne]

I was offered tramadol if the amitriptyline didn’t work. My wife gets tramadol for her back and had to collect it from the surgery.

[davianne in reply to Steven_]

Hi Steven, my GHP is a hypocrite, as he prescribes it for my wife who is on her 3rd elbow joint replacement, and gets lots of pain, as she has osteoporosis in the two bones attached to the prosthesis.

David

[Hidden]

I am gutted you all feel so much pain. Xx Jaycee

[Laura009 in reply to Hidden]

Me too. I thank my lucky stars l am so fit and healthy. Really feel for all those having to endure so much pain ... miserable ! Xx

[cccd]

I would tend to get it in my Right Shoulder blade, but I have to admit I began using a roller to roll out my upper back and it has improved. It may have been muscular with me.

[Hidden]

I also get shoulder pain which I'm told is deferred pain from my liver. Take care. Lynne

[alxa]

I never felt this problem but yes my husband struggled with back pain a couple of months back. I know the pain was surrounding his spine.

[Millie2014]

I definitely have back pain connected to my liver issues. It is in the back right opposite the ruq pain. I know it's related because when severe it has caused a huge escalation in my liver enzyme blood tests. Its intermittent and unpredictable unlike the ruq pain which is chronic but in varying intensity.

[LAJ123]

Not directly related to carefull1's post so as to not worry anyone, especially carefull1.

Anyone suffering chest pain, especially radiating into the back, angle of the jaw or shoulder blade should seek medical help, they can then eliminate other causes and treat accordingly. All chest pain is to be taken seriously.

If unsure and not wanting to use emergency services, NHS 111 will be able to direct you to the right course of action.

Jim

[carefull1 in reply to LAJ123]

Thanks jim

[Marydel63]

Trying to get pain medicine is so hard . The doctor would give me any to go home with. Even though I was getting IV morphine which helped the pain.

[unique4]

My pain is right upper abdomen, from under the front of right rib cage all around to my back and right shoulder even now giving me funny sensations down my right arm. If you have had gallstone pain its very much like.

[Hidden in reply to unique4]

Unique4 - have you ever kept a food diary? it may help to. Then at least you can note what, if any food starts the pain, or doesn't, and avoid accordingly. If you had gall bladder issues, you'll prob know this already, so forgive me if you already mentioned this. pbcfoundation.org.uk/health, and check out the PBC APP where you can load your own blood test results, record symptoms. find some self-management guidance, all sorts.

[unique4 in reply to Hidden]

4th Plinth - I have looked at my diet thanks, we don't think it's diet related however I do eat healthy to try and boost the liver. thanks anyway.