Stomach burning, Severe Heartburn, Lump at bottom of ribcage

I am a 44 year old female. For the last two years, I have had heartburn while sleeping. In the past three months, this has increased to constant heartburn and a feeling of burning in the stomach. Last week I noticed a lump between my lower rib cage. It is painful to the touch.

I tested positive and was treated h. pylori four years ago. I went to my primary care two weeks ago, who put me on zantac 150 and tested me for h. pylor, which came back negative. The zantac has reduced the symptoms, but I am still fairly uncomfortable. I am considered slightly overweight on the bmi scale. I am 5'9, 180 pounds. I have had four pregnancies, two surviving children, an emergency ectopic and a miscarriage.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Elliot R Goodman, MD]

Sounds very much like GERD

Work up should include an upper endoscopy and pH/manometry if necessary (especially if you do not respond well to the medication)

You can increase the zantac to 300mg twice a day for full effect
Other meds e.g. Prilosec may work better


GERD which fails medical/dietary/behavioral therapy may need surgery

PS - where is the lump you say you feel - in the abdomen or on the chest wall?
How big is it?

[teach1965]

The lump is in between my ribcage, in the middle at the bottom. It is definitely on the chest wall, not the abdomen. It is slightly smaller than a golf ball.

[pkingonu]

I have that same bump under my sternum. I just had an ultrasound done to test my gallbladder thinking that may be the problem, but all it gave me was one painful experience of the tech pushing on that sore area. I felt like crying, and she kept telling me "I don't see anything there that would be causing pain." It came back negative, but that doesn't explain the obvious bump that hurts. Mine radiates to the right under my ribs as well.