Feels like my ribs are bruised, but did nothing to make it that way

[christiereschke]

I woke up from a dead sleep Fri. night. It felt like my right lower front rib cage was bruised. It is now Tues. and I still have a lot of pain. Not so bad that I can't deal, but it is a constant pain, it hurts more if I stretch up or bend over. It now seems a little swollen where the pain is (right where your ribs start to curve up to form around the diaphragm). I have had almost constant diarrhea or pasty b.m. for many months now. I had my gallbladder removed 20 yrs. ago. It is very tender to the touch, and if I do a lot of activity (walking around a mall, etc) it REALLY starts hurting. I do drink alcohol and have acid reflux. I am very seriously considering going to a doctor, but I have no health insurance and already have many dr. bills due to a broken vertebrae in my lower back area, so I don't want to go unless I have to. Any ideas on what this might be?

[Fuzzz]

Once every few years, since I was in grade school, I get a tenderness of the cartilage of my ribs in the arch under the sternum.  It has always gone away after several days.  It seems to be a musculoskeletal thing, and I hope that's all yours is.  If you are able to take ibuprofen, see if that brings relief.  Even acetaminophen should help some if that's all it is.  

[Darplus]

Sternum pain often is a symptom of iodine deficiency. Get checked.

[k_man]

could be appendicitis, or symptom of GERD i would definetly go to the doc.