abdominal pain can have many causes. please see a doctor.
if yiou are experiencing fever along with pain don't wait.

Hi dmtexas,

PKD can involve pain, regardless of the level of kidney function. Pain can come from cyst formation or expansion (which can give you an uncomfortable sort of stretching feeling), cyst rupture or infection. If you feel ill with the pain, it's important to see a doctor to check for infection, which will need specific antibiotics.

Sometimes pain that's not from an infection can last for a while. It can make you think that this is the way that things will always be now, but many will tell you that this is not necessarily the case. I have bouts of more severe pain from time to time, for no clear reason. I've learned that this does not mean that the pain will always be like that. It changes in intensity and moves around. Sometimes you just have to sit it out and wait for it to subside. It may be that something you are doing is making it worse. I realised that heavy lifting was a very bad idea some years ago. Even wearing the wrong shoes with hard soles that don't absorb the shocks when you walk can set me off. Try to think about what you might need to change to reduce your pain.

I hope your pain improves soon, and if you are worried, you should see a doctor.

Chewitt

Hi chewitt,
thank you, at the moment i don't feel ill. I feel like i can escalate mountains if i don't have this abdominal pain.

I'm only scared that could be an infection but, at the moment i don't have other problems.

The pain increase if i eat a lot, because i feel my abdomen strectched.

Do you also experience pain in the front part of the abdomen? Just under the lungs, on the right part?

My kidney are not so big they are just 2cm bigger than normal, each one. So i think that could be cysts in my liver.

I don't know what i can change to reduce pain.. this lasts from one month. I noticed that it increase if i'm sitted for a long time. But i do office work so i don't move very much.

Sorry for my english

Thank you for your replies

Hi dmtexas,

The pain you describe could be from any one of a number of things. It could possibly be from you liver, but could also be from the gallbladder or simply indigestion. Sitting for long periods of time squashes everything up and could worsen pain, including from indigestion. The stretching feeling you mention could be bloating from excess abdominal gas. Do you suffer from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)? I've had this since my teens and it can be very painful. We must remember that not all of our problems stem from the PKD so must not dismiss other possible causes. You could try a food diary to see whether any particular foods make the pain worse and also try to stand up and move around more often, even for just a minute. Adjusting your sitting position may also help . In addition, try smaller, more frequent meals. If your symptoms persist, you should see a doctor to check out the cause.

Chewitt

Hi all,
i need to know if someone of you with pkd has chronic abdominal pain coming from cyst or other.

I can't say that mine is a hard pain, because i can live normally with it (even if it's causing depression), but i can't understand if it comes from cysts.

My sensation is always like when you eat a lot and you feel your belly verry stretched. The problem is that i feel like this even if i don't eat.

I made an ecography and all that we can see are cysts.

I wrote an email to my neph, he say that eco and blood exams are ok. He say that maybe i can hear also an hepatologist or grastroenterologist.... what do you think i can do?

The doctor that made my ecography said that it's not necessary to do any other exams.

Thank for your help

Hi dmtexas, I agree with Chewitt that your abdominal pain could be from excess abdominal gas. I have a lot of food allergies and intolerances and depending on what I eat my belly can be rock hard at times but is from bloating and returns to normal after a while. And it is very painful while my belly is all stretched out. Maybe your dr might send you for allergy testing. Hope this helps. kendie

Hi dmtexas,
When you had your ultrasound scan, did they look at your liver? It doesn't really make sense that you should have this stretched feeling if your kidneys are not very enlarged, so I'm wondering if there might be cysts on your liver. My enormous liver and kidneys cause me to have something like the feeling you describe, along with pain, which is made worse by eating because of the further crushing that this produces. Perhaps a gastroenterologist might help you towards finding the answers you would like regarding the cause of your discomfort.

Chewitt

Hi kendie and chewitt and thanks for your reply.

Yes i have cysts in my liver, but the doctors don't say that it is very enlarged.

i think i will do an allergy test to exclude an abdominal gas problem, and then have a visit to a gastroenterologist.

i hope to solve this discomfort soon :( it is lasting from too much time....

have you ever been to a gastroenterologist? which kind of exams does he asks for? (maybe i can do some exams before to see him)

Thank you again
regards
Davide

Hi Davide,

I think your plan of action is good. I saw a gastroenterologist once, but was quickly referred on to a specialist liver unit so did not have any tests. I have intestinal issues, but I'm guessing this is because everything is so very crushed in there, so not much can be done. I think you'll have to wait and see what the doctor says rather than have tests in advance.

Good luck,

Chewitt

I agree with the others, see your doctor cause abdominal pain can have many causes. All I can add is that I sometimes have pain on my left side below where my lungs are I guess. I believe it is caused by my kidney, perhaps there's a cyst up there, but it only bothers me if I've been sitting for a long time. And it doesn't bother me for a month at a time. Other than that I don't have problems. Given your screen name I assume you live in the States. I don't know how much it costs you for a doctor appointment but it's your life you're talking about and there's no shame in going to a doctor and the cost is certainly worth it. I ended up in emergency last week thinking I was having a heart attack. Turned out it was just a huge panic attack but better safe than sorry.