Pain down right side

[Mazzio]

Hi

This is my first post here. I am male, 63 yrs, generally healthy and in good condition, no medications, non-smoker, seldom alcohol, no fatigue.

At the end of year 2017 I started to have slight pain and strange feeling on my stomach very down on the right side. Ultrasound was done but nothing suspicious was found. Blood tests were ok. Doctor told me that I probably have IBS, I was given advice of FODMAP and it helped. The same pain has returned occasionally but I've had also long periods with no pain on the same place. I also have a lot of swelling and sometimes constipation. Diarrhea is very rare. No blood or nothing black in stool, maybe some mucus. Last week the pain got very bad. It was so bad that it was very painful for me to sit and rise up from a chair. I had also terrible pain turning around in my bed. One thing that gives relief is a bag of oat that I warm up in microwave and put it against the stomach. The pain is mostly on the front side but the place changes a little. Sometimes it is very down and sometimes moves more up. The place changes very rapidly. Sometimes the pain is on my back near the hip. In the morning the pain is almost gone but returns quite soon after I rise up. There is no pain while I am walking and when standing the pain is almost gone. It doesn't make things easier that during last moth or so I've had a lot of stress at my work.

I have colonoscopy in two weeks time. I am very nervous. I just wonder that can IBS bring so much pain as I've had?

[bornagain47]

Hi Mazzini . It could be trapped gas in hepatic flexture , you can get it on left side as well splenic flexture . It is part of ibs . Stress does cause it . I suffer same pain , a lot of people do on this forum . I hope this helps . God bless

[mno123]

Hi I suffer with the same symptoms. I have IBS and Diverticulitis. I am also coeliac. I am in pain most days. I have tried so many medications but none have helped. I was told I have nerve damage caused by one or more of my ailments. I am on amatripyline at the moment wich does help.Good luck.

[Kilgh]

I have had pain as a symptom for the first time in 14 years. I was getting cramps every 2-3 hours day and night for 7 days. Also found the hot wheat bag very useful. My pain was only ever in one place though. Just above my bellybutton. Slightly left of middle. And trying to walk with it made it worse. I found lying flat worked best. I have also been under a lot of work stress.

My GP was sure I had an ulcer from my symptoms. I had a gastroscopy a few days ago and no sign of an ulcer. So either it healed up in the 2-3 weeks since the pain stopped (on PPI treatment) or it was stress I guess.

But the pain was like clockwork. And no other symptoms. So I don't know. I was too doped up to ask my gastro any questions the other day when he told me all looked good. So I am going to email him and ask him if such specific, prolonged pain could just be stress.

[Mazzio]

Thank you for your comments. Hepatic flexture seems to be quite high. My pain is more on the colon area.

Today I have the best day during last two weeks. The pain is quite low but it is still there. Now it is weekend so the stress from the work is minimal. I have taken pain killers when the pain active but they don't help. I am counting days to the colonoscopy.

[WoolPippi]

your symptoms sound like what I have: hepatic flexure syndrome. Bowels are so twisty and bended that a gas bubble gets stuck and then everything gets stuck.

At night your bowel tries to pass things along every 1,5 hours with something called Big Bowel Movement. When I still had the gas bubbles I would awake violently, in pain, after 4,5 hours of sleep. (third BMM).

I now eat low residu diet (no fibre) and FODMAP (no gas upbuilt) and enhance bowel motility with 5-HTP. I now sleep 6 hours. 4 BMMs. No more pain. Hope this helps.

Hepatic Flexure Syndrome is called Splenic Flexure Syndrome when it manifests on the left.

[Heather2463]

That is in your liver and pancreas area. Have you had gallbladder removed?

[Mazzio in reply to Heather2463]

My gallbladder is ok.

[Neddy-nesbitt]

I too am suffering the same pain. It is from beside my belly button and right hip bone downwards. It’s also constantly gurgling and painful. I had a clear ct colonography 3 years ago but have been referred back to the gastroenterologist. I was so sure they’d find something last time and the symptoms improved. I’m hoping it’s something like SIBO rather than anything nasty. This all flared again last year when I was in hospital on massive amounts of antibiotics for meningitis and I ended up with thrush in 2 areas of my body! Have you considered SIBO?

[Mazzio]

SIBO might be the case. I didn't know about that until your message. Thanks.

[Mazzio]

Colonoscopy done. Everything was ok. My colon was totally clean.