Hoping someone will have heard of this before..

[ames]

Background:  My family thinks this pain started either in HS/college-I'm 25 yrs old now.  I have had asthema since 8thgr but an allgergist said it was related to an allergy although I only showed a small allgery to dogs out of the ones he tested.  The pain comes and goes very quickly about once-twice a month.
  
Pain Located: left side/below rib cage, like where my lung might end
  
Description: Sometimes it's a sharp stabbing pain and other times it's a dull throbbing. I think of it as being similar to a cramp.  The other side effect is that it's hard to breathe.  Specifically, I breathe in a little and the pain sharpens.
  
Also, I met biological sister aftering both of us being adopted into seperate families after birth.  She is about 2 years younger than me.  One day after meeting it happened to her!!!  She doubled over and grabbed her left side!!  I asked what it was and she said it's like a heart attack if your heart was on your left-middle part of your body.  I told her I had the *exact* same problem.
  
My sister however, has a long bump over the area.  Her physician took xrays and saw nothing wrong with her rib structure and sent her to stomach & orthopedic docs.  Both had no idea.  She is going to a repiratory doc next.  I am letting her go first cuz her parents will pay and I can't afford it do it all.  Also, she has a bump so it seems more advanced.  Although, maybe they are not related???
  
We are healthy (don't smoke, 5'10 145 lbs.) Twice docs have found that i had low potassium. Could be a difficency in that or like iron?  
  
Thank you!!

[kiki2444]

Same thing happens to me...usually catches me off guard, like when I'm yawning- sharp, scary pain.  If anyone has any idea, please let us know.  Pretty soon I'll have to buckle down and go to my doctor. I just pray that it's something minor.

[ames]

Thanks for your help....

It occurs when we breathe in.  Breathe in, sharp pain - which makes us stop short because of the jabbing pain.

I had one the other day and actually felt it up my side too.  That never happened before.  Kind of felt it up my ribs on the left side, starting from below the rib cage up to about the chest.  

[mj31]

Does this pain occur when you are inhaling or exhaling?  Your liver and gallblader are on the right side, so I don't think it could be that.  Below your lungs on the left side of your body below the diaphragm is the stomach and the spleen.  Your diaphragm stretches when you breathe, so if it only occurs during inhales or exhales, you should ask a doctor about the diaphragm.  I'm not a doctor, but I'm just trying to give you helpful suggestions.  

Mike