Oh my goodness. Your story is exactly mine, with little variation. I am a 41 year old female, who up until almost a year ago was in overall good health. I developed an uncomfortable pressure feeling under my right rib area. I only noticed this when I was sitting. Then, it began to progress to more of a pain than a pressure feeling. After a while, it continued to get worse. I sit at a desk for most of my day, and I noticed that as the day wore on, my pain increased. I had many tests done - gallbladder function study, labs, endoscopy, colonoscopy. Nothing was conclusive. My surgeon said that since symptoms pointed to gallbladder (even though tests didn't prove it), the gallbladder should be removed. I felt great for about 2 months, then the pain and pressure feeling returned. The only test that has shown anything has been my pancreatic enzyme levels are low, so I am now taking Creon (pancreatic enzymes) with every meal. This has done nothing for me, and I haven't noticed a change in my symptoms. I have read everyone's posts, and I also would like to point out that I feel pain in the middle of my back, right at my bra line - as well as pain and pressure in my upper abdomen. Does anyone else have back pain? This isn't a pulled muscle or even an aggravated nerve - I've had both of those before. This is something down deep within my body, that literally no one else can understand unless you've felt it. I describe it as "a balloon trying to blow up inside of me, but there is no room". It feels like this "balloon" is pushing everything else out of it's way. Have any of you ever tried to "suck in your stomach"? I've literally not been able to do that since all of this began? Crazy I know, but it's like there's something foreign in me! Yes, I'm a mother of two - so I do know how it feels to have little feet poking around inside, and yes this is similar. During this time, I've also had a CT, Ultrasound, and MRI that only show "fatty liver" and pancreatic atrophy. So, is there anyone who has gotten a confirmed diagnosis? I'm not exactly sure I've got a problem with my pancreas, what if my pancreas has always had low enzyme production? I know the pancreas produces insulin as well, so if mine were failing wouldn't I have some type of diabetic symptoms? My sugar levels are always well within normal limits. I'm at a complete loss. Any advice is appreciated.
So I have been reading a lot of comments. I saw someone earlier mention it being related to nerves in your back. I threw my back out a month ago and have started seeing a chiropractor, my "baby foot" feeling began to occur after receiving some decompression therapy on my lower back. I'm going to try to not wig myself out thinking I have some internal organ issue since all you guys have spent so much money finding out that your ok.
I was having this problem for about 3 weeks. Felt like there was a balloon blowing up at the base of my right ribcage. I finally went on the hiatal hernia diet. The feeling decreased shortly after starting it and then completely went away a few days afterward. I finally tracked it back to greek yogurt that I had started eating. My best guess is that I over did it on the lactose. I was eating quite a bit of dairy at the time and the greek yogurt was the tipping point. I had never had any significant issues with lactose before, but since I cut out the dairy, the feeling has completely left.
I would trying moving to a very neutral diet for several days and see if you get any relief. Beans, rice, vegetables...just go bland and see what happens.
This sounds just like what I have it started when I was about 17 but was feint but now I'm 23 and it's constant never goes away and I can never get comfortable I don't know what to do the docs are useless
Hey I have the same problem, feels like a tennis ball under my rib cage but the pressure feeling can extend down to just above my right hip. Iv had it for about 5 years. When it first started I only felt it when I sat still for long periods of time but as the years went by it got worse and now it's more sever and constant. Nothing makes it go away even repositioning. I don't know what to do the doctors don't have a clue and iv had a ultrasound and blood tests that all came back negative. Did you ever find out what was wrong?
I am a 30 yr old male also had that feeling of something putting pressure below the ribcage on the right side, been having it for about 3 years. Goes away when standing, worse when sitting or lying down. I went to see a doctor and they were already trying to suggest it was my gall bladder, too bad I had it removed years before due to gall stones. I was referred to a gastroenterologist and after a few tests I was diagnosed with Acid Reflux and Gilbert's syndrome(relatively harmless condition) also found out I had H.pylori which probably caused the GERD. Finally he told me I have a fatty liver. Basically said I need to lose weight and the problem should clear. Upon the news that there was a solution I felt happy and a-symptomatic.
I did a half assed job of working out, but then stopped altogether cause work had me at 6 day weeks. I then started to feel the pressure again which made me worry and made the symptom worse.
I began to just accept the feeling and it would come and go. I started job hunting and got an interview which left me in good spirits and noticed my symptoms were much better, come to find out an accident on my driving record is gonna jeopardize my background since the job requires driving I more then likely won't pass, stuck at my highly stressful job and my symptoms flare up again.
I schedule an up coming doctors appointment to see if there's anything they could find. I start to get worse symptoms and decided to research this some more online, found this thread and when I was done reading it I felt much better. I do think stress has played a major part in this it seems to be the common theme amongst everyone's posts since were all worried and not knowing makes it worse. Hopefully one of us figures this out and can bring some peace of mind to the rest.
After seeing many unanswered posts here, I decided I would post my results after going to the doctor for this same situation. I started to feel an uncomfortable pressure under my right rib, especially when leaning forward or laying on my side. it wasn't painful, just pressure. I went to the doctor and they took x-Rays of my ribs and chest and diagnosed me with Pleurisy. This is where the membranes around your lungs and ribs become inflamed and rub against each other. It can be caused from phenomena, coughs, cancer, arthritis, and other liver issues. Apparently mine is from a cold. I still don't know if I believe this is what is happening to me, but hopefully this can answer some questions and keep you from thinking the worst case scenerio. Good luck!
Did anyone ever figure out what this was? I'm going through the exact same symptoms now and would like to know. I don't have insurance and I did go to urgent care to get no questions answered. They said maybe gastritis or swelling in the stomach area . I've had this pain for 4 days now, pain had subsided to tightness/slight bloating in my liver area. Please let me know what this is, feeling hopeless.
Hi
I had all the same issue that everyone has posted and had all those same tests....with all the same results...nothing is wrong.... I decided to see a naturopath doctor and he tested my stool and found that I have a parasite in my intestine. He told me the parasites like to live by your liver......hence the swelling...I did a parasite cleanse for six weeks...it was a heral capsule I took everyday. He also had me do a yeast cleanse too at the same time. Put me on a good probiotic..... My symptoms cleared up and I have no issues anymore..... Suggest to see a really good nathuropath doctor...they will probably be able to fix your issue.
I had the same fullness under my right ribcage over for 10 years, this all started after I took some supplement and it caused me to have jaundice, yellow skin, dark urine. So Im guessing it has something to do with liver or gallbladder but after reading people experienceing the same issue after getting theirs taken out. I guess its liver causing the feeling of fullness ?
I have the same feelings, except mine seem to have been brought on by running. I thought I pulled a muscle near my diaphragm when I tried to stretch out some stitches, but I'm at 6 weeks of this and dying to get back to some exercise. Even walking aggravates it. Lying on my back helps. Sitting up causes the baby-movement feeling, and driving really brings that on. I don't know how to test whether it's muscular, because who can rest adequately to heal strained abdominal muscles? Any twisting, bag carrying, in and out of the car puts a strain on that area. I've seen a gastroenterologist who wonders about an ulcer, not stomach but at the duodenum. Doctor says the gallbladder usually causes symptoms directly related to time of eating, if that helps some of you to narrow it down. My bloodwork all came back negative (white cells good, liver and kidney function good, no inflammatory marker, no H. pylori). Now waiting for upper endoscopy, but sometimes I feel like it's nearer to my right colon, along with that tightening just at bottom right of ribcage. Anyone else having muscle fasciculations on that side, too? I may try a relaxant to see if that helps; thank you to the person who suggested it.
I've had the same issue, and it alarmed me when you mentioned an auto immune disorder of some kind, last week I was told my lupus panel came back positive. Which indeed is am auto immune disease. Something to look into. My liver is also a bit inflamed, which can be by Lupus.
I can't believe how many people are having this same problem and no one knows what is causing it. I have had this same problem for about just less than a year. I only have this problem when driving. Not all the time when I drive, but usually after I've been driving a lot during the day. The more I drive the worse it gets. I have two jobs where I have to drive from work site to work site, about 10 to 20 minute distances. I feels like a hard rock in my upper right abdomen where the gallbladder is located. I was suspecting a gallstone maybe, but now after reading here, I guess not and I am somewhat relieved that I probably won't need surgery. On the other hand, I would very much like to figure out what this is. I haven't been to a doctor about it yet since it only bothers me while I am driving, but I have been considering it.
Another thing that I have suspected is that maybe it is due to being over weight? I am not seriously over weight, but I am over weight. I wonder how many of you all are over weight? Possibly losing weight may help? The problem I have with that is that I've tried everything to lose weight with no luck. The only thing I can think of to lose weight is to starve myself, but that's kind of hard to do when you have to work two jobs. How can you work and not eat? It's impossible. I do watch my diet, and I believe my diet is mostly healthy. I cheat now and then. I don't drink, I am a light smoker. Perhaps I could try quitting. I have never been an over eater. I have only more recently in my life experienced weight problems when I went through menopause. Of course there can be other reasons why people are over weight and perhaps simply being over weight is putting pressure on our abdomen when we are sitting in certain positions?
One thing that I have tried that has helped relieve the symptoms somewhat is drinking baking soda and water. I put a teaspoon of baking soda to a half cup of water and drink it. I do this through out the day as many times I feel the need. I do have minor acid reflux and this releives the symptoms of that and I have noticed it reduced the pressure on my right side, but it is not a cure. Baking soda basically detoxifies your stomach of acid and cleanses the entire digestive system of bad bacteria. But still I struggle with a weight problem. I may seek professional advice on how to lose weight. I'm thinking losing weight may be my answer. Just passing my thoughts on this along for those of you dealing with this same issue.
Just my two cents.
I've been experiencing a funny tingling sensation under my right rib cage since last august (roughly 7 months). Finally decided to do something about it. I've been analysing this thread for a while now and feel I should add to it!
Doctor placed me on my back and immediatly dissipated any worries of liver damage by telling me he'd never felt a more healthy liver. Then sat me down and told me it was very likely gallbladder sludge which usually results in strange sensations such as those I had described. Not to worry, try eating a bit more healthy and it will go away over time. Start to worry if a consistent sever pain develops as it will probably be time for a removal.
All in all I left feeling very relieved, as per usual the google diagnosis opened up the possibility of the worst so a little sludge is fine by me!
Anyway to be safe he's booked me in for blood test (which I think also includes a liver function test) but I got the feeling this was more to do with the intense concern pasted across my face than anything else.
I'll try and post again after my results to hopefully help in the fight against the google diagnosis.
Sorry I feel I've under described my symptoms. It began as a fairly intense "crawling" sensation under my right rib cage, followed by ever so slight pain (over the course of months this changed) then moved on to a feeling of "something is there that shouldn't be" and is now back to the crawling feeling. I also ate a lot last night and experienced a little pain in the area, may have been unrelated but these are the symptoms I described to the Doc.
Hope this helps.