I have been drinking for about three years, for the last two I was a very heavy drinker, drinking about 6 shots a night on average. In late July I got bad cold and coughed alot and violently for about 4 weeks, at this time I also pulled my back playing with my kids at the beach. Since then I have had back ache... usually in my right shoulder blade, or on the right side where my lowest rib meets my spine, and ocassionally but not often in my left shoulder blade. I also have been having a dull low level pain just below my rib cage, as well as below my sternum in the ride side of the epigastric region, and sometimes it is in the rib cage.
I was hoping some of you could share with me what liver pain was like, i know it is different for everyone but any information would be helpful.
The pain in my abdominal region is generally low level between 1 or 2 on pain scale, and is very quick. It usually last a second or two, then disappears. Sometimes I will have a pain then not have one for several hours sometimes I will have one and then have another a few minutes later. It is not a consistant pain. Short burst which can be close togther or very far apart. Rarely it will be a sharp pain, but this only occurs maybe once a day at most. I don't have a feeling of fullness in my chest and I can lay on my right side or stomach without pain. The pain does not wake me at night, and almost never occurs when I lay down at night.
The back pain occurs sporacially sometimes I won't have it for a few days and then I might have it for a few days in a row. The pain in the back usually last several minutes before going away. heat seems to help...
I have been to my doctor, I have two LFTs both normal, I have had a ultra sound normal, and has a CT Scan normal again. My doctor seems certain it is not my liver and the only thing he can think it would be is muscular skeletal.
I have been doing alot of research and have found this group very useful.... from my limited understanding, it seems that liver pain generally only occurs because the liver or it's lining is inflamed... Would the CT Scan and Ultra Sound pick up if either of these are inflammed??? If they are not inflammed does that likely mean the pain is something else like muscular.
I have started the process of stop drinking and have only drank one time and last ten days and am working to not drink at all since it is not good for me either way.
I know the only way to rule out cirrhosis is a liver biopsy but I know my doctor won't do that... I will continue to not drink regardless but I am desperate to find the source of pain as it is having a huge impact on my mental stauts. I am close to a mental brake down and scared.
Thank you for your thoughts