My upper abdomen on the right side has been giving me a lot of trouble since the beginning of December but all of my tests have come back fine. The ultrasound of my gallbladder and other internal organs and my liver function test say nothing is wrong with any of those body parts. My doctor has now concluded that my lowest rib on the right side, which is a "false rib" is being pushed away from my body by the baby and all of the other changes going on in there. This explains why in the beginning when the baby was smaller I had to eat a big meal to really feel the pain and now I have it pretty much all of the time. It also explains why lying down flat on my back makes it feel the best. What I don't totally understand is why it started in my back, but my doctor said it was something about referred pain. Sorry for the time since my last post, I did not just want to complain without a diagnosis.
Here is the best description I could find online about the problem I am having:
Patients experience tenderness over the lowermost ribs, especially at the end of the lowest floating rib. The diagnosis 'painful rib syndrome' was established once other possible conditions had been excluded. Following an explanation of the condition and some advice about posture, the symptoms disappeared. Painful rib syndrome can be a cause of chronic debilitating pain located in the left or right upper quadrant of the abdomen. The pain is movement and posture dependent. The syndrome is often not recognised. No data on the prevalence is available.
Mind you, the baby is causing most of my problems, though certainly my posture does not help. I do not expect the pain to disappear until after Itsy is born. Ice packs work pretty well though!
