To be more specific on my right side along my rib-line. I’ve been to a couple different doctors (internal medicine and sports doctor) and when I describe it and point to the location they all have said “you’re pointing right at your gall bladder”. I’ve had an ultrasound and an MRI of the area and no problems have been found (gallstones, etc.). Without any problems found, there is nothing to fix so it’s been “buck up buttercup”.
I’ve found that the level of pain tracks with running intensity and lingers for hours afterward. I haven’t done much biking lately (training for a marathon), but I recall a similar problem occurring during training/racing as well.
Has anyone else experienced something along these lines, and if so what was the problem and solution?
I have had the same thing, and the same CT scans and ultrasounds for gall stones. All negative. I think it may have been diet, but I can’t pin down what it was. This started for me about a year ago. Fortunately it has gotten better. I haven’t even really thought about it for a while. I will think on it and go back through some training logs to see what is different. Maybe I was taking something that bothered it, or maybe it was just plain and simply stress. I will get back to you and let you know what I find.
I have diagnosed a lot of patients with biliary dyskinesia which is poor functioning of the gallbladder. Ultrasound/CT will be negative. You have to get a HIDA scan with ejection fraction to diagnose. That being said if your pain is while exercising it is more than likely diaphragm spasm. Watch what you are eating/drinking. Try to avoid solid food while training. Try Gas X before or during training. Often when sipping from water bottles you can swallow air causing gas pain and spasm. When pain occurs stop and stretch high and over to left side to stretch diaphragm and take deep breath.
Gallbladder pain is usually from eating or all day and would not occur just with training but if you are not sure ask your doc to order the HIDA scan
Thanks for the info. It’s been with me for a couple years. It really seems to be more of an issue when I add intensity to my training. My diet and stresses (outside of training) are consistent so I haven’t been able to attribute it to anything along those lines. The sports med guy offered that “we could take out your gall bladder”. I’m not opposed if it will solve the problem, but without knowing for sure what the problem is I’m reluctant to go under the knife on a whim. Also, I don’t believe that my insurance would cover it as there isn’t any assigned reason for removal so it would be out of my pocket. Again, I would like to have a better feeling that it would work before throwing down the cash.
Get the HIDA scan with ejection fraction. If your ejection fraction of your gallbladder is above 30% taking out your gallbladder would be of NO benefit and possible harm.
I hope you can figure this out. I had a similair issue last year and a trace amount of blood in the stool (supposedly). Symptoms were severe gut pain in several places with lingering soreness in the area you’re talking about for several days. I also had gas issues, unexplained bruising, and lingering muscle soreness. Funny thing was that it only became an issue when I went into zone 4 while training. I actually puked during two races due to this. I’ll tell you one thing…doctors just don’t listen, they go down their checklist. Blood work, CT scan, and then scoped on both ends. They also tried a series of reflux drugs. Final diagonsis was possible IBS or stress. They did find a small hernia but weren’t concerned with it.
Going over my mental log, I noticed this really evolved when I switched to an aero bottle. Potentially I could have been ingesting air when drinking. The other thing I tried was gluten free as the symptons mimniced celiac disease. Going glutten free and altering the diet to reduce gas has resolved the issue. Also added a daily fiber supplement. I suspect that I had a slight intolerance that was showing up when I was really stressing the body. The bruising and soreness indicated that I wasn’t getting the nutritional value from my food intake. I also lost 15 pounds in a matter of a month at the height of the problem. I used to fart constantly, especially when I ran. I’m sure the gas pain wasn’t helping.
Had this problem for a year while racing tri’s…Found out it was just a side-stitch…Now when I say “just”, I just mean that it wasn’t a serious medical problem. For me it started happening when transitioned from the bike to the run…As soon as I got my HR up it would stop me in my tracks.
I found out later it was my diaphram(right sided crampping up)…When you breathe in (I think) it should release…If it stays contracted for a really long time (or a shortening of the motions so to speak) it eventually is like any other muscle that you keep contracted really hard for an extended period of time…(the harder you breathe the harder the contraction)…
Even though it originated from my bike fit…once it started doing this, I noticed it would sometimes happen at the end of my long runs if I got dehydrated (again like any other mucsle Contraction + Dehydration = cramp)…
Later figured out that my bike fit had my hip angle way to closed and I was tight and and almost in a crunch postion when in the Aero…Do this for an hour in an OLY Race and it was or than enough to lock stuff up in there…as soon as I would get off bike run…and run hard, my diaphram would spasm (wouldn’t release until I got my HR down and walked for a while)
So for me it was a matter of a bike fit and relaxing that area…Now there other things that could contribute to this, Nutrtion VS. HR…ect. that will cause a spasm…However, if you are having troule pin pointing the cause, one thing that makes it difficult is that once your body starts spasming (side-stich) it starts to do it more easily…ie on my long runs…when my body was under stress that was the weakest link so to speak…Once I figured out the root cause…never had the problem since…
Wristiguy I write you now because since 7 months ago I started exactly with the same synthoms you mentioned Years ago. After several doctors we do not know what happens. I had to stop competitions. Only trainings at low intensity. This is making me a lot of suffering… I just write to know if you find something that solved tour problem and if you are better. Thx!
I realize that gpdtx is trying to help, but I spent the last 33 years listening to doctors tell me that my gallbladder pain was “muscular” or “intercostal” or “spasm-related” or “just a stitch”.
Poke the pain with your finger. If it’s tender, it’s more likely to be your gallbladder than breathing-related.
It was only after my PCP actually pressed on my pain and saw me flinch that he referred me to a GI specialist. A PCP and/or internist will probably not be able to find the problem on their own. Even if you don’t have gallstones, a GI specialist can perform a scan and find dark areas often referred to as “sludge”. This causes pain and increases your risk of actual gallstones. If the pain is interfering with your life, you can get your gallbladder removed, even if you don’t have gallstones per se.
I had biliary dyskinesia as Gpdtx described above which basically means your gallbladder has a hard time contracting. It was only found through a hida scan. I didn’t have stones or sludge so it didn’t show up on an ultrasound.
Later on, I was working a lot and out of shape. A similar pain returned maybe 7 years later and I didn’t know what to do. The doctor ordered an endoscopy/colonoscopy. I was scared of the procedure and decided to work out my core muscles instead. The pain went away :). I think this time it was back pain from bad poster and a weak core.