Pain in upper right

[Pamela4475]

Pain was gone and numbers were good now pain is back in right side upper.... just scared my numbers are messed up again.... is pain coming and going common and is there something I am doing to make it come back?

[Angel_b]

Hi Pamela4475.

I don't think that the pain is necessary related to bloods. I've been found that I've been itchier and the pain is there more often recently and my numbers are the best they've been for a year. I've found eating smaller meal portions helps - although I must admit my portions were pretty big lol.

Are you due to get your bloods done? Always worth getting them checked if your worried.

[Pamela4475 in reply to Angel_b]

In about 2 weeks.... just wondering if related to a piece of sugar free fat free gluten free cake I ate..... had diarrhea after..... right upper back hurts too

[claygi]

It is a mystery of PBC to have this pain which is in the upper right quadrant that radiates into the back. I have had it on and off for over a year. I have had a diagnosed fatty liver for 3 years, until recently I changed my diet radically and got the fatty infiltrates to clear up. I believe I have had PBC for about 3 years also although my AMA only came back positive in February of this year. All of my LFT's have been elevated all along. I still have the pain.

It's like a dull ache. I've explained it to multiple doctors including an Internist, Gastroenterologist, Rhuematologist and Hepatologist.

Their responses:

Internist: it is the PBC it can make liver capsule pain, fatty livers do not hurt

Gastroenterologist: I don't know, you need a biopsy

Rheumatologist: could be your liver , could be another organ or muscle

Hepatologist: It is caused by fatty liver, not PBC, livers themselves actually do not hurt.

My liver has hurt when my numbers were at an all time high and when at an all time low.

I am convinced it's the PBC. However, I recall back in 2003, I had been in Greece for some time and when I returned to the USA, I had a horrible pain in my upper right quadrant, very different from the dull ache I have now. I went and had an ultrasound on advice from the OB-GYN. As it turned out my gall bladder was inflamed. Why? As the doctor started to question me about what I was eating we came to a conclusion, I had been eating on a daily basis, heavy Greek yogurt which is very fatty.

In conclusion, there are different types of upper quadrant pains. The gall bladder can be the culprit. The liver can be the problem. Despite what the hepatologist claims , I believe PBC is responsible for my now on and off dull ache in the liver capsule area.

You could ask for an ultrasound to rule out any other cause of inflammation. If it is PBC related , there is absolutely nothing which can be done. I have found that the dull ache does not necessarily corespond with elevation of LFTs.

[Shulsey]

According to my heptologist from Indiana University my URQ pain is due to the area around my liver. My liver & spleen are very enlarged. I have had no gallbladder since I was 19 so that's not the cause of my pain. In other words since both my liver & spleen are basically the same in size, Im running out of space & things are a bit "full" in that area. Hope this helps someone❣️