Found relieft for persistent post treatment RUQ discomfort

[RiverRock]

I participated in the Gilead trial for sofosbuvir and ledipasvir and have been disease free for years since. However, like many I continued to have chronic pain in the upper right quadrant.

Finally, I have found relief from the discomfort. It was found by using a cheap diabetes drug that has been used for decades, metformin.

My interest in metformin emerged from several years of research in oncology. My spouse developed breast cancer nine years ago. She is also taking metformin for its anti-cancer stem properties (she started on metformin after two recurrences). As it turns out the biology of aging and cancer have lot in common.

I started taking metformin not because have diabetes but because of my interest in longevity and a desire to delay or lessen the ravages of aging. Every year since the Gilead trial have had annual metabolic profiles done and the results are all in normal ranges.

I was not expecting metformin to change how my liver felt.  I was taking it because of the evidence of its effect on cancer and longevity.

Initially on I wasn't consistent about taking it daily. Over time I became more disciplined, taking one 850mg instant release tablet once daily. In time I realized that the liver pain had subsided and that it was due to the metformin. Stopping the drug the discomfort would gradually return. Back on it the pain goes away. 

Recently I was reading about the action of metformin and how the drug decreases the size of hepatocytes. I suspect this may be the mechanism behind the pain relief. If there is scaring and the liver swells it would explain the relief.

For some people metformin has the side effect of intestinal cramping, my spouse has this but I do not. It seems that circadian rhythms play a role in preventing or lessening this side effect. We have found that taking it in the evening around 8:00 - 9:00 pm eliminates this side effect.

I hope this information may help others in finding relief.

[Mugwump]

Interesting. The discomfort associated with an inflamed liver is something which a few of us have experienced. My situation was interesting in as much as it mostly happened when I had gas. I could feel it worsen as a larger gas bubble rounded the loop on its way out, then POOF as soon as I farted the pain in my upper right quadrant would pass.

This went on for years prior to treatment and has only subsided significantly in the last two years. According to my last ultrasound the size of my liver has reduced somewhat and my last fibroscan results were almost normal.
Other things of significance that I have noticed are also signs of the easing off cirrhosis symptoms. My cirrhosis associated halitosis has gone, my gums bleed much less and I have normal (salvation??)  again. So for me the cure has been an eye opener as to how bad things were getting to say the least.
(edit) HOLY COW BATMAN THAT WAS A DOOSY OF AN AUTOCORRECT MALAPROPISM!!!  salivation is the word that I INTENDED you stupid computer!!!(/edit)
Welcome to this forum and thanks for the information RiverRock.
 Glucophage is another common name for this drug, a bit of a warning should be heeded here though especially if it is taken in higher doses. If the individual is undernourished this drug can cause dangerous hypoglycemia, which happened to my father years ago when he would take the drug then and then not eat soon enough. So using it can be a bit tricky to say the least.

[Lynn K]

I believe metformin is only available by prescription. Did your doctor prescribe this for you?

I did see it may help in NAFLD but is contraindicated in patients with advanced cirrhosis. Do you have cirrhosis?

[LindaBalz]

My dad took that stuff for diabetes, and he did need a script.

LB

[tmf2]

Lynn is correct in the US it is RX only.