left side pain

Question

Hi,
I am a 37 year old female! I have been having pain in my left side near the kidney area for the past 7 months. It comes everynight when I lay down, keeps me up all night in pain. I try to sleep half sitting up in bed but the pain does not subside. I am a wreck by morning and having trouble functioning at work any more. I have been to the hospital emergency several times with no diagnosis. I have had blood tests, urine tests, ultra sound, ct scan, colonoscopy in the past few months. All the results have come back normal! My doctor says there is nothing more he can do and is baffled by my pain. I am not imagining this pain, it is very severe and real. I wake up crying and my nerves are shot. I don't take any medications for it as not a pill popper! Can anyone help out there...any ideas?? I just want to find out what the problem is and deal with it but don't know where to turn now that my Doctor has given up too! He tells me that no specialist will find anything either but he believes my pain is real!! I welcome any advice!

This discussion is related to Left-side abdominal pain when lying down.

bevylou · Answer

Thanks for your imput. I appreciate any ideas you may have and have read up on all your possible causes. My doctor says I definately do not have kidney stones and no sign of kidney infection. I had severe itching, all over my body but he didn't seem concerned. The itching has now subsided but still have occasional itchy skin. I also experienced dreadful bladder infections for 2 years prior to the left side pain, even ended up in a hospital in Mexico and had thorough tests done there, which I brought back to my Doctor. I am wondering if maybe the bladder infections have something to do with the accute pain I am now experiencing?? My pain is not in the abdomen but more in the left side towards my back and is not tender to the touch, only in the lying down position.  I am upset that I have no where to go now and just want to get a diagnosis soon. In Canada to see a specialist you have to be refered by your Family Doctor!  It is a shame that one has to suffer so long and sit back and wait for some more symtoms to develop!

KMathurMD · Answer

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
There are various causes for left lower abdominal pain. I understand you have undergone several investigations. Please go through this and see if something was missed . Pain and discomfort on the lower left side of abdomen just below and to the left of  navel can be due to several causes such as Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, infection in kidney, kidney stones, constipation (this you do not have), and an abscess in rectus abdominis muscle or psoas muscle. Since you do not have a lump or a tender hot spot, in all probability it is not a muscle. It could also be a periumbilical hernia that has got trapped resulting in small bowel obstruction or mesenteric ischemia. There is a possibility that there is a stone in the urinary system. This also causes pain that can be felt in groin and hip area. Aortic aneurysm too can present this way. In women other causes can be ovary involvement, or endometriosis.
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!

bevylou · Answer

Thanks for the reply aquamarine_moon! No, I have never had lung problems, Ibuprophen has not helped with the pain so far! I have have been checked by a OB-GYN, had 2 colposcopys for cervical cancer cells in the past year. He has checked the overies and says they are fine! Had ultra sound done just recently on them so Docs don't think they are the problem!  Such a mystery to what is going on!  Will read up on the pluersy though.  Thanks again!

aquamarine_moon · Answer

Have you ever had lung problems?  If the pain is in your side, it could be pluersy (the lining of the lung rubbing against the lining of the heart).  Big doses of anti-inflammatories (Ibuprophen) helps this so much.  It will bring the swelling down and reduce the rubbing (and thus the pain). 
Have you been checked by an OB-GYN?  An unruptured cyst or inflamed ovaries could explain it too.  It wouldn't show up on other tests unless they were really looking for it. 

Good luck!