UPDATED: What could this be? (GI-related)

[goldengirlz]

Update: I KNOW WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME!!

And I’m not dying. I have what’s most likely a benign growth of blood vessels (hemangioma) on my liver. They usually don’t cause symptoms but mine is relatively big. We’re going to re-scan in six months.

——

I’ll preface this by saying my doctor has already ordered tests but everything is taking so much longer with Covid, from scheduling to getting results. So I’m curious if anyone else has faced something similar because Dr. Google is stumped.

I’ve had this weird abdominal pain for several months that only hurts when I press on it. Since I’ve had no other symptoms, I wasn’t initially concerned about it but it seems to be getting worse. It’s kind of upper right/center. (The sore spot is more midline, but the pain radiates to the right.)

I do have an ultrasound scheduled for next week. I’m just trying to stop my obsessive Googling. It seems like I should be a lot sicker given how painful it is, but I feel great otherwise. (And, no, it doesn’t seem to be muscular since it doesn’t hurt at all during exercise. Only when I press deeply on it or lean against something.)

[NewOrleans]

Hernia?
When I had what you describe, I had clear ultrasounds but then experienced greater pain and felt a lump. I had a CT and it was declared a hernia. Then I was getting my “hernia” fixed in surgery, it turned out to be a lipoma the size of a grapefruit in my abdominal muscle.
ETA: upper right quadrant of my abdomen. 

[verycontrary247]

Liver pain is felt in the upper right area of the abdomen, just below the ribs. Have you had blood work done?

[goldengirlz]

Jul 28, 2020 18:19:40 GMT -5 verycontrary247 said:

Liver pain is felt in the upper right area of the abdomen, just below the ribs. Have you had blood work done?

Yep, just got the results — everything within range, including liver function tests. I was definitely concerned that it could be a liver issue!

Gallbladder could be a possibility, although from what I understand, it’s weird that the pain is not associated with eating/time of day.

[goldengirlz]

Jul 28, 2020 17:29:58 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

Hernia?
When I had what you describe, I had clear ultrasounds but then experienced greater pain and felt a lump. I had a CT and it was declared a hernia. Then I was getting my “hernia” fixed in surgery, it turned out to be a lipoma the size of a grapefruit in my abdominal muscle.
ETA: upper right quadrant of my abdomen. 

This is kind of where my “research” is leading — that it’s going to be something obscure and/or random!

My H said it would be rare to have a hernia in that area without having any prior surgery or injury. (He’s stumped too!)

[rebneen]

Does it hurt when you press or radiate out after? If the latter maybe appendicitis?

[goldengirlz]

Jul 28, 2020 18:39:58 GMT -5 rebneen said:

Does it hurt when you press or radiate out after? If the latter maybe appendicitis?

Both, kinda. It hurts immediately when I press and continues hurting for a few seconds after. I think it’s a bit high up for appendicitis, and the doctor didn’t seem to think it was a rush to the ER thing. But who knows! Stranger things have happened ...

[goldengirlz]

Jul 28, 2020 17:29:58 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

Hernia?
When I had what you describe, I had clear ultrasounds but then experienced greater pain and felt a lump. I had a CT and it was declared a hernia. Then I was getting my “hernia” fixed in surgery, it turned out to be a lipoma the size of a grapefruit in my abdominal muscle.
ETA: upper right quadrant of my abdomen. 

You were right. 😀

Not a lipoma, but very, very close.

Update in OP.

[goldengirlz]

Aug 6, 2020 21:16:35 GMT -5 mofongo said:

I missed your OP, but I’m happy you have a answers:) A coworker I used to have had the same thing, and I think she had scans either yearly or bi-annually? She’s had it for as long as I’ve known her which is 17yrs,

Can they do anything for the pain?

They’d have to do some sort of surgical procedure, either to inject it with something to cut off the blood supply or excise it. While it does hurt (I’ve actually described the pain as feeling like pressing on a bruise, so that’s kind of funny), I’m not sure whether it hurts so much that removing it would outweigh the potential risks of surgery. I may feel differently if it gets bigger though.

And thanks! Apparently it’s common to have them but less common for them to cause symptoms.

[Jalapeñomel]

Whoa crazy! I hope you start to feel better now that you have a diagnosis.

[mysteriouswife]

H has something similar on his lung. He only knows due to a kidney stone. He gets is scanned every three years.

I hope you can get relief from it.

[fivechickens]

My H has that which they found after trying to figure out why his liver enzymes were so high.