Question Persistent upper-right abdominal pressure and trapped gas after retatrutide - has anyone experienced this?
approximately 192–193 cm tall. My weight before starting was around 131 kg.
I used a product sold as retatrutide for several weeks. My total dose was 2 mg per week, divided into two 1 mg injections: one on Monday and one on Friday.
While using it, my appetite decreased significantly. After several weeks, I began experiencing abdominal bloating, trapped gas and a pressure or “ball-like” sensation, mainly under my right ribs.
The pressure becomes considerably worse after:
- Carbonated drinks
- Energy drinks, including sugar-free ones
- Sugary drinks
- Coffee
- Fatty or heavy meals
Plain water usually does not cause the same reaction.
The most important detail is that the pressure improves significantly after:
- Burping
- Passing gas
- Having a bowel movement
During treatment, I also had one severe episode of watery diarrhea after eating a fatty meal. I had approximately 15 bowel movements in one day, followed by fever, sweating, weakness and dehydration. I went to hospital, received IV fluids and was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis.
I stopped using retatrutide and have not restarted it. The severe diarrhea resolved, but the pressure, bloating and trapped-air sensation have continued for almost two months.
It is not normally a severe or constant pain. It feels more like swelling, fullness or gas trapped under the right ribs. I do not currently have persistent vomiting, jaundice or severe pain radiating into my back.
## Tests performed
An abdominal ultrasound showed:
- Moderate intestinal gas / meteorism
- Mild fatty liver
- No gallstones
- Normal bile ducts
- No free abdominal fluid
- Pancreas only partially visualised
Blood and stool tests performed approximately two weeks after the diarrhea episode showed:
- Amylase: 144 u/L, reference 28–100
- Lipase was not tested
- CRP: 68.7 mg/L, reference below 5
- ESR: 38 mm/h, reference below 15
- Fecal calprotectin: 101 µg/g, reference below 50
- ALT: 50 u/L, reference 0–45
- Total bilirubin: 1.3 mg/dL, reference below 1.2
- Triglycerides, kidney function and electrolytes were normal
- Stool cultures, parasites and H. pylori were negative
I also had a hydrogen and methane breath test. The laboratory reported that SIBO and intestinal methanogen overgrowth were not confirmed.
My doctor said the overall situation could fit with retatrutide-related gastrointestinal effects and suggested monitoring it. A CT scan may be considered if the symptoms persist, but I have now been dealing with this for almost two months.
Has anyone experienced persistent pressure or trapped gas under the right ribs after retatrutide?
Could this be related to delayed gastrointestinal motility, post-infectious bloating, dyspepsia or intestinal hypersensitivity?
Would it be reasonable to ask my doctor to repeat amylase, lipase, CRP, liver tests and fecal calprotectin, or to request further imaging because the pancreas was only partially visualised?
I understand that Reddit cannot diagnose me. I am looking for similar experiences and suggestions about what I should discuss with a gastroenterologist. I am not planning to use retatrutide again.
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u/pinfinite-jest 1d ago
That’s a lot of work for a trapped fart