If its not gallstones, what then?

[Guest guest]

About 3 weeks ago I began having an aching pain in my upper right

chest area. It would come and go, but mainly at night when I went to

bed I would feel it. It only lasted for maybe 30 seconds. After

three days, I went to the doctor. I had also noticed that for a week

prior to the chest pains, I had been having more indigestion, acidy

stomach, a little acid reflux, and burping after I ate.

My doctor said it could be any of three things (inflammation of the

ribs, gallstones, anxiety). So she started me on a strong anti-

inflammatory to see if that helped with the chest pains and gave me

a strong antacid. The antacid helped with my indigestion (not with

the burping) and my chest pains went away gradually after a week.

However, a few days after seeing the doctor, I started having aches

in my lower back, sides, stomach/gut area .. but mainly on my right

side. So I went back to the doctor. She sent me to get an ultrasound

to check for gallstones. She also tested my white blood count

(normal .. so not fighting flu or infection) and my liver function.

All blood work came back showing normal liver function. The

ultrasound, which checked my stomach, liver, kidneys and gallbladder

and bile duct, came back clear.

Now, three weeks since the first symptom, the aching symptoms are

all gone. My right side still feels a little strange (I think I was

bruised from the ultrasound last week .. they have to " dig " in there

to find that darn bile duct). I do still have some moderate

indigestion and occasional burping. I have noticed that I have been

more hungry the past 2 weeks as well .. craving more fatty foods

that I usually never or rarely eat.

One other thing has changed. For many weeks before this started, my

stool was solid, yet soft and was a light brown sometimes with an

orangish tint. During the last three weeks, I did have one movement

where there was some floating stool (looked like several stones

pressed together?). For the last week, my stool has been much more

solid, less soft, but the color is still light brown with the

slightest orange to it.

So my question is .. could this have been my gallbadder? If a part

of my stool was floating, was that possibly some stones? If my

gallbladder is clear now .. maybe I just had a stone (group of

stones) lodged that finally passed? Its strange that I had all of

the classic symptoms of gallstones, but no stones. Maybe it is just

anxiety?? I'm just thankful my ultrasound was clear, but I now want

to make sure I take good care of my liver and gallbladder!