chronic left-sided pain + other symptoms

[tylerr]

Hello.  I'm a 39 year old female with a history of anxiety and a self-diagnosed hypochodriac.....For the past 6 weeks, I've had pain on my left side, mainly up and to the left of my belly button, under my left ribs, and around to the back.  I've had a lot of gas I can hear on my left side, and my bowel movements have been very loose, where they pretty much just break apart in the toilet bowl and then look like diarreah.  There is no blood in them, but occassionally mucos. I had something similar about 4 years ago, had a stool test done, and an abdominal ultrasound.  My doctor at the time said it was probably IBS or diverticulitis.  2 weeks ago, I had blood taken and an abdominal CT scan.  The doctor said that I again, have diverticulitis and prescribed two antibiotics, both of which I took according to the strict guidelines, yet they did not help one bit.  I still have the pain, the loose bowels, and I've lost about 5 pounds in 2 weeks, probably just from all the anxiety I feel over this.  I went back to the doctor who could offer no other insights and am now scheduled for a colonoscopy in about 4 weeks.  I'm wondering if you can help shed any light on this for me. Do CT scans misinterpret diverticulitis?  Or is it pretty recognizable?  In reading about diverticulitis, my symptoms just don't seem to match up.  My family has no history of digestive problems, and I'm wondering how likely it is that this may be something serious like colon cancer.  Thank you for your comments.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

A CT scan would be sensitive for diverticulitis.  If that test is negative, a colonoscopy would be a reasonable next step.  

If the pain is in the upper abdomen, you can consider an upper endoscopy to exclude other causes of dyspepsia, such as an ulcer or inflammation of the stomach or esophagus.

I would also obtain blood tests to exclude celiac disease, and stool tests to look for malabsorption.

These options can be discussed with a GI consultant.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin Pho, M.D.

KevinMD.com
Twitter.com/kevinmd

[FTB4]

I have the exact same symptoms as you, pain at or under the left rib cage, just left of the breast bone and sometimes around the left side, I also have pain that moves from one side or the other from the center of the stomach, and the BM's are the same also, I cannot eat anything that does not bring on the pain. I had a Colonoscopy done on August 12th, and they only found one small polyp (4cm) and removed it. Pathology came out benign, I am scheduled for an abdominal ultrasound next Tuesday, I  have signs of yellow fluid (Bile) during or after Bm,s? I don't know what is causing this condition either, I have been tested for C-Diff and H-Pylori, Did they check out your Pancreas and Gallblatter on the ultrasoumd? The location of the left rib area seems to be where the spleen is? Sorry I don't have any answers for you, but you are not alone, I also have a Thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) that is a struggle, and wonder if this has anything to do with this condition. Good Luck FTB4