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Could Pain In Rib Cage Be Caused After Taking Hydrocodone With Alcohol?
Hi, I took hydrocodone for a while and did a lot of drinking simultaneously. I began to notice a pain in my right side at the base of my rib cage. I stopped taking medication and drank much less. Still noticed the pain after a few beers, but tried to keep drinking to a minimum. I recently hurt myself and was prescribed percocet. I mentioned the pain in my right side to the surgeon, but he said there aren't good pain meds without acetaminophen. Now i'm taking percocet with 325mg acetaminophen every 5 hours. The Pain in my right side is increasing with each pill, but the pain due to surgery is intolerable without the percocet. Any advice?
posted on
Fri, 14 Mar 2014
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sat, 24 May 2014
Answered on
Mon, 26 May 2014
Last reviewed on
Hi,
Discuss with your surgeon the possible reasons for the pain in your right upper abdomen. Since you mention heavy alcohol and opioid use, liver damage is a possibility. Gall stones and inflammation of the gall bladder can also cause this. Blood tests to assess liver function and an ultrasound examination of the abdomen must be done. Once the cause of the pain is known, then only it can be decided if you should continue with acetaminophen or not.
Best wishes.
Discuss with your surgeon the possible reasons for the pain in your right upper abdomen. Since you mention heavy alcohol and opioid use, liver damage is a possibility. Gall stones and inflammation of the gall bladder can also cause this. Blood tests to assess liver function and an ultrasound examination of the abdomen must be done. Once the cause of the pain is known, then only it can be decided if you should continue with acetaminophen or not.
Best wishes.
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