I've had pain on the left side, under and near my ribs for 14 years. All the doctors ever wanted to do was give me pain pills and send me home. 9 years ago someone finally did a CT and said I had a pancreatic pseudocyst. The pain would come and go - but last around 2 weeks when I had it. It was so severe, I couldn't function. My gallbladder was removed in 2004 and the hope was, that it would stop the pancreas pain. It didn't. Last year, I spent 6 months in agnozing pain. Drugged up on pills and basically checked out of my life. Because I wouldn't stop pestering the doctors, I ended up having a endoscopy with ultrasound and biopsy. Turns out my pseudocyst, wasn't a pseudocyst at all, but a pre-cancerous cyst. I had 60% of my pancreas removed along with my spleen. Not fun!!!! I was warned there was no guarantee that was what caused the pain. Well guess what, a year later the pain has been coming back. I am so discouraged. I now have ulcers from all the pain meds, and still no answers on the rib pain. I can't even get my doctor to discuss it. It is encouraging to read all the older posts of people with similar pain. When is someone going to figure this out?
I sure hope someone answers you and gives you good advise. I have suffered from this same thing for about 2yrs now and have yet to find an answer. I have just had a loop lleostomy done 4 weeks ago and was in the er last night and they told me it was unspecified adominal pain. I know it hurts bad and its not in my head either. I wish you the best of luck and will keep an eye on your question to see if you get an answer. I also have a question like this out there and if I get an answer I will get ahold of you and let you know.