Abdominal pain associated with bloating and black stool diarrhea.!

Hi,
I have been having a severe constant pain on my right side under my ribs, It is swollen and feels like someone kicked me in my ribs. At times I have a hard time coughing, breathing or laughing without a stabbing pain. I have black stools, mostly diarhea (diarrhea) with severe abdominal pain and low back pain. Once the low back pain and abdominal pain begin(which are very painful) I must use the bathroom. My right side under my ribs is swollen and feels like I have a big knot under my rib cage. The pain persist even after using the bathroom and I feel bloated all the time. I am naustious all the time. Help my pain is getting worse. I would like to have an idea of what my symptoms would be before my doctors appointment on 12/08/2011

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, without a clinical evaluation it would be difficult to determine the cause of your symptoms. Pain on the right side below the ribs can be caused due to issues like lung/ pleural infections/ inflammations, gastritis, cholecystitis, liver/ related issues etc. With associated swelling, growths/ masses like cysts, malignancies etc may need to be ruled out as well. The occurrence of black stools is known as melaena in medical terms and indicates the presence of blood (oxidized haemoglobin) from an upper GI bleed or the presence of a coloring agent like beet root or iron supplements in it. Possible causes include GI infections (dysentery etc), parasitic infestations, GI inflammations (ulcerative colitis/ crohn’s disease etc), gastric/ GI ulcers, oesophageal varices, GI growths/ polyps, diverticulosis, fistulas, fissures, AV malformation, GI ischaemia and necrosis, initial symptom of necrotizing enterocolitis, colon cancer etc. Liquid stools could occur from a few of these like infections (diarrhoea or dysentery), inflammations, malabsorption, hypersensitivity, motility disorders, few medications etc. Even the presence of excessive blood in stools can cause GI irritation and increased motility causing loose stools. It would be difficult to comment further on the situation. You may like to discuss these possibilities in detail with your doctor.
Hope this helps.

Take care!