Liver pain?

[mayday-Yeah]

Hi just wondering if anyone has suffered liver pain recently and if so what were you prescribed for it and did it help? I am from N.Ireland and currently waiting on liver transplant. Last few days suffering from what GP thinks is liver pain and all can use is heat therapy which only works to ease it a little. The pain comes in waves and spreads to my back and shoulder (right side ) and neck. It's making life very miserable and keeping me awake a lot at night. Any help or tips greatly appreciated. X

[teddybear7]

They keep telling me that the liver itself doesn't have nerves so it doesn't feel pain. So when I feel uncomfortable in this area I have to wonder. Mine has just recently developed an ache that won't go away. Resulting in what feels like a ring of pressure around my middle as though everything's getting squashed an my apatite has gone out the window as I feel full & bloated all the time. I can't offer any help as its a bit new I'm adjusting my foods to see if anything helps a bit trial & error. If it doesn't ease I'll have to pay the gp a visit I suppose. X

[Hidden in reply to teddybear7]

Apparently the liver has no nerves as I have also been informed. I have not as yet encountered this liver pain and from what I read, I hope not to.

I think the pain is due to a nerve running down the side of the liver from the shoulder (I have now forgotten what nerve it is) but is the one where some patients feel a sharp pain running through to their shoulder on the point of needle impact when having a liver biopsy. So to me it sounds more like this is the reason for liver pain as at the time the liver is inflamed.

[Hidden]

Hello mayday-Yeah.

I would have thought that a cold compress might have felt better as opposed to a heat pad/therapy.

I say this because if the liver is inflamed at the time of there being pain felt, wouldn't the cold sort of clash so that the pain is distracted away temporarily.

I encounter the itch every night and I have found myself that being cool or cold distracts from it even though it is still there.

Night is the worst for anything in our lives I find.

I am sorry I cannot offer you any better input.

[Julez1961]

Hi mayday-Yeah

I am end stage liver disease and I continually have pain under my ribcage it is a burning sensation for me it also seems to be radiating to my shoulder. Nothing I take seems to stop it except panadol which I'm not allowed to have but I have got to the stage that I don't really care, I don't take as much as I would like to but when I do it is the only thing that takes the edge off. I know it's bad for my liver but so is constant pain. I itch all night and take an antihistamine that is secreted by my kidneys rather than my liver. My appetite is non existent, I am hungry some days but look at food and want to vomit. Life for me is spiralling as I also have 4 bleeds in my brain due to liver disease. My last esophageal banding was a disaster and continues to hurt yet the 2 previous ones did not hurt at all. I could never use a heat pack as when I get hot I get itchy so I'm with Peridot on that one. Fingers crossed I get my transplant soon before I am a nut case as well.

Sorry I don't have a cure but at least you know you aren't alone. I should be asleep as in Australia it is 1.30am but I'm in pain, itchy and I have a temperature.

You can only just do what you can do.

Best wishes

Julez

[mayday-Yeah]

Thanks everyone have ended up being admitted to hospital turns out pain is either gall stones and or bilary colic. At mo on drip for hydration and regular pain relief which has helped good bit. C surgical consultant in am. Usual itch etc but I know what ur saying re the cold compress prob would make more sense the heat did help take edge of it at least but did make me itchy too! Bfn. Hope u get ur transplant soon Julez u really are havin a very rough time. X