Hi there. Losing my mind!!For the past 4 months I have felt a weird feeling under my right side rib cage and towards my back. Its where my waist and love handles are. Its so hard to describe the symptoms. It’s like a bubble, full, inflamed discomfort feeling but absolutely no pain what so ever. I feel it when I stand in one spot. Or when I’m laying flat on my back and take a deep breath, or when I’m leaned or bent over I feel it pulling, and like there is something there. I had an X-ray done 3 months ago which showed access gas and poop, and I had full abdominal ultrasound done, and everything came back negative. Blood work done and the only thing I had was h pylori which I don’t understand how considering we have been on lock down, but I took meds for the h pylori and it went away. My doctor thinks it’s something to do with my colon and related to ibs and wants to refer me to get a colonoscopy done. But everything I had ever read about ibs related to gas pain. I don’t have any gas pain or any pain at all for that matter. I’m so confused. I don’t believe it’s ibs or anything to do with my colon because it’s a feeling I get towards my back and sometimes I feel tightness towards my upper back. It’s so odd. I’m pretty healthy. I used to smoke and drink but stopped all that 3 months ago when I started feeling this. I have tried every gas remedy on the shelf and nothing worked. I’ve been looking everything up. Cant find anyone with the same symptoms. I’m losing my mind thinking the worst thing. Has anyone experienced anything like this? Any suggestions? Please?
Right side discomfort but no pain : Hi there... - IBS Network
Right side discomfort but no pain
Hi,Sounds as though you may have developed stomach ulcers. Only way to find out and dismiss other stomach disorders is to have an endoscopy - camera via small tube inserted via mouth to see what is happening in your stomach.
I had the pain you describe, would spread around to my back, But I also felt bloated with stomach discomfort too.
Stomach is complicated as there are other things you could have too, investigation will find out what is going on. So do not worry, just get the colonoscopy done.
I get IBS pain that definitely radiates around either flank or my back, my pain is constant and sometimes hard to know ifs its coming from my abdomen or back actually, from what i have read this is not an uncommon link. I have also had gastric ulcers, which could be accounting for the bend over pain you are experiencing, you must remember IBS is known for referred pain too, meaning it can shoot off in all directions. If you have had an endoscope that should rule out any gastritis or peptic ulcers etc but depends on when you had it. But talking from my own symptom base i absolutely have back pain with my IBS, sometimes shooting kind of nerve pain other times just the dull ache. I have had all the tests in the world, both gut and back. Last 12 months, Gastritis, Gastric Ulcer, SIBO, IBS, Hamerooids, insomnia, boy you name it, I got it. Hard to keep mentally going some days ans wears you down.
Life can be very crap when you suffer with something that is debilitating. After all the tests they eventually put it down to IBS - all encompassing diagnosis which has no real explanation.No doubt you are told to make life changes, limit stress, change diet, be healthy and avoid all the bad things - still it persists and sometimes really hurts.
You mention ulcers, are you sure they healed or is it a case they have not, perhaps they are aggravated again. I have stomach and duodenal ulcers, thought they had healed but seems they have returned.
As you say it grinds and wears you down. Stay mentally strong as Doctors seem not to appreciate the pain, discomfort and anxiety you have to live with.
I know made all the more frustrating when I believe it was going to a Dr that started this whole thing. Do you believe that despite being told No, that anxiety can lead to stomach ulcers? I had bleeding ones in Sept and they told me they were healing after another edo, but then sent me away with 3 months PPI's and so the answer is I dont know if they have healed. The problem is my pain is not in that area at all but more lower stomach. Just want to feel better, and how we can do that. Thinking about looking at some of the functional abdominal pain treatments that might try and block some of the constant pain at least.
Hi,Do not take anything unless prescribed by your Doctor. Speak to them before trying over the counter remedies, sometimes they can effect any medication you are taking.
I`ve been taking 40mg Omeprazole (PPI) for almost 18 months, still suffering.
Anti acids will give relief short term to pain, but check before you take.
What did you experience with your duodenal ulcer and stomach ulcer?
Could possibly be your gall bladder
HiI had this h pylori. First noticed it in September 19. Symptoms of.
Gas pockets, gripping feeling, stretching feeling in my bowel after BM, wind, bloating and anxiety. Anxiety is caused because the bug lowers the serotonin in your body. Pylori is found by a stool sample or breath test. It can also be detected in your blood but this is not an ideal test because you will show positive after eradication. H pylori can cause ibs in someone who has never suffered.
I had a cause of triple T. Metronidazole plus amoxicillin 400 mg x 3 times per day for a week. Plus ppi omeprozole 40mg for 8 weeks to lower the stomach acid. This was September 20. You should not be on this for a long period at this dose but can step down to a maintenance dose. I had a endoscopy check in December 20 all was clear. Now jan 21 and am only starting to feel the symptoms finally start to go. It can take 6 months or so for the symptoms to go completely after treatment.
You will need a re test but you have to be off ppi for a couple of weeks or it can show a false positive.
I was fobbed off by doctors for over a year with buscopan before they found it!
Thank you so much for your response. Just So I’m not confused, So you had h pylori September 2019? And you took the antibiotics for it September 2020, And you had a endoscopy December 2020? And your just now feeling it going away? Jan 2021? Also did you have just discomfort air full packets that got worse after eating, pressure feeling? But no pain? This is how I’m feeling. And if so, did it take till now for the symptoms to go? What did you cut out of your diet?
I took all those meds back in the end of November. Same meds you took for h pylori for 2 weeks and that was it. Sorry for all the questions. I’m just losing my mind here thinking the worst thing. You sending me that kinda reassured me that it could mean it’s the h pylori feeling. I took the breath test couple weeks ago and it showed negative but I was taking pentoprozole still which probably was a false test then. Please let me know details about your symptoms. I’m scared to eat and even enjoy a drink. I don’t even know how I caught h pylori. I’ve been home since March. Unless I caught it before and it took till September to show? Thank you looking forward for your response.
The feeling you are getting could all be down to trapped wind or constipation. Or both. If you have IBS you should look up the low Fodmap diet on Google. Meanwhile don't eat onions, garlic or drink alcohol or fizzy drinks. Fuzzy drinks are a big no no. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your response. Did you have any experience with this?
There are hundreds of threads online trying to bottom out what this discomfort, or a similar sounding one, is. I've read most of them. I've had endoscopy, colonoscopy and ct scan and am no wiser. My theory is gas build up due to diet/stress which I then become hypersensitive to so feel all the time. Really annoying and disconcerting. Feels like something between my hip and my ribs is inflated (tennis ball like), worse when seated. Never sharp pain as such. When I'm lying on my back I feel it when I breathe in but if I lift my covers/shirt off me I don't feel it at all hardly.
The common themes with sufferers appear to be stress, stomach acid issues and a constant awareness of it which probably feeds the stress. I've had to accept I've got to just live with it for now. Many people have had more tests than me and still can't get an answer. I've had it over 6 years now (it fluctuates) so have to conclude it is what it is. Some people have had it longer and there are loads of sufferers.
Yes get everything checked and tested because you may have a clear physical cause but ultimately you may never find out the cause - many haven't. Worrying about it makes it worse in my experience which tells me something. Potentials I looked into included hepatic flexure syndrome, floating rib syndrome..........
Good luck!
It’s so crazy how you are the only one who described the symptoms exactly like my symptoms. Especially when I’m laying down, I breath and feel it. What did doctors say? Have you ever had h pylori? What was your diet like before you started experiencing this? Are you taking any meds right now? Im going to request X-rays because the last one I had in October showed access gas and poop but to be honest never felt gassy or constipated. Did you just give up and stop going to docs about it? I’m so worried. Thank you so much and waiting for response .
Hi willss. just wondering, do you think this feeling is in our colon? Because when I look at the human body’s intestines and colon, I feel like this feeling is not close to the colon. I feel it’s closer to my back same side of course. It’s so confusing. Also did you have any problems pooping? Like any constipation or burning? I’m so confused and worried.
No pylori in 2 tests. Diet was ok but quite high in sugar and carbs. Drs have contented themselves there is no cancer (ct and colonoscopy and endoscopy) and beyond that have not had a lot of ideas. Personally I think it's partially undigested food getting through which then causes gas to cause discomfort (but I'm not a doctor). I don't actually pass much gas though but do feel it gurgling. My digestive system I believe isn't working correctly potentially due to low level chronic stress and potentially associated low stomach acid? Worrying about the discomfort has only made this worse probably.
Started intermittently about 7 yrs ago and now relatively constant. Not a lot more painful than at start.
Trying to worry about it less as I've now had it so long.......... but it is very annoying. Like I said I think a combination of diet, stress and now hypersensitivity led to it and perpetuate it. It is not that uncommon if you search forums long enough (one thread had 125 contributors and 300+ posts)! A solution is rare. Gallbladder, rib issues, muscles, bloating, diet, probiotics, low stomach acid all been suggested as cause/cure but no consistent positive outcome. Some people think they've cured it (eg thr gallbladder removal) only for it to come back a few months later....... does that suggest a placebo effect???
In my case worrying about it makes it worse. Please get everything checked but you won't be the first if there is no apparent reason.
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
Stabbing pains on right side
Localised lower right side pain
Pain down right side
Pain in ribs right side
ibs linked to right side pain
Related Posts
Constant Localised pain under / right side of belly button
Pain and discomfort 
Lower Right Abdominal Pain
Pain in the lower right side? A common cause for IBS
Constant Pain in Right AbdomenModeration team
