Pain in one spot just below my left ribs. I've given up on doctors help.

[JeffMitchell]

I have this one spot just below my left ribs about 3 inches left from the middle of my abdomen and about 4 inches above my belly button. It's been like this since the beginning of February, after I had my gall bladder removed.

I had mutiple CT scans and x-rays which showed up nothing.

It feels like it's in the muscle (right under my skin), but it's hard to tell. Sometimes my lower left ribs ache, but I find myself rubbing it constantly.

I had one doctor feel it and said it felt like a small tear in the muscle and fixing it might make me feel worse. My regular doctor told me he was wrong and that he wasn't sure what it was. He gave me some cream (Voltaren Gel) which does not work. He told me if it still felt the same in 2 weeks to come back and he'd give me a steroid shot.

No weight loss (I'm, actually, gaining weight), no loss of appetite, I do have a bit of acid reflux, but I always have had that.

I'm just curious if anyone else might no which direction to steer me in. I look at all the forums and none really match my problem.

I know this **** is driving me crazy. Nothing seems to really work at all.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Thanks for keeping me posted!
There is a strong possibility it is costochondritis (inflammation of the joint between rib and sternum. The inflammation around the joint area gives sharp pain on taking a breath. This can also cause tenderness on pressing the area which pains. A lump like feeling is also possible. If this involves the last joint between rib and sternum then it can give a feeling of pain on the underside of skin. An orthopedic doctor can diagnose this for you.
Another possibility is paresthesia or abnormal sensation following a surgery. There is no cure for this. This is generally due to nerve irritation during surgery.
Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!

[JeffMitchell]

I t feels like is right under the skin in the muscle in one specific spot, although it aches around that spotand my left bottom ribs ache right next to the spot.

I have no problem eating and I'm not losing weight.

If you touch the spot you can feel a small abnormality like bump and of course my ribs just ache at the bottom.

It just doesn't feel like it's inside. It feels more on the surface. I have no indegestion type symptoms. Like I said it's just left of the upper gall blader incisions (had that surgery January 29)

I've asked 2 doctors to looks down in my stomach, but the say there is no need to.

One mentioned doing a bone scan on my ribs, I guess to check for a hair line fracture or whatever. ( i did have a fall last January right before my surgery where I feel completely on left side.

I'm just lost. All I know is this pain is driving me nuts and I just want it to stop.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Thanks for writing to the forum!
Generally after any surgery, it is normal to have a sore or tender point. This apart from infection of the surgical wound (may not be in your case) is also due to adhesions that develop post surgery. This can be verified only by laprotomy.
Another cause of pain is duodenal or stomach ulcer. Duodenal ulcer can cause pin like feelings in the stomach.
It is difficult to comment beyond this at this stage. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!

[JeffMitchell]

anybody?

:(