Lower Stomach Pain

[worried man]

I am 38 years old and am in good health. I am 6ft and 210lb. I know i am slightly overweight but am working on it.
The very first time this happened was Approx 8 months ago I was playing golf and i bent down to pick up a ball and it seemed that i pinched my colon or something, the following week the stomach seemed to swell up and there was a rash for 3 days and there was a pain in the centre area and the belly button started to protrude.
The doctor put me on anti biotics but they didn't do a thing, the swelling and the pain lasted approx 3 weeks.
The lower colon area has not felt the same since, small pains every now and again.
last week i was sitting down a lot and the pain came back severely. It feels like the stomach is bloated and now the pain is in the lower right region. constant slight throb pain and when i press it it hurts, there are no lumps. My stools look perfect, i feel like i am full of gas but am not flatuating too much.
I thought it might be appendicitis, but i am not sure.
I do feel bloated in the stomach area and the belly button is protuding more.
What do you think it is and can i get my belly button to go in again?
1.5 years ago i took a job that is more of an office job where i am sitting more.
Many thanks

[Squishy101]

A couple days ago i got this pain righ above my pelvis. I at firt thought it was cramps, but im not sure anymore. I've taken asprin, but that doesnt help. Everytime i walk it hurts, also when i sit down or cough, and sneeze, and even breathe sometimes. When i walk down the stairs it seems to get worse. And since im a very active person i dont know what it could be. It goes all the way across my stomach. No back pain is involved and sometimes i get dizzy or light headed.

Please any help would be greatly appreciated.
Aly

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Hello - thanks for asking your question.

Surgeon has kindly addressed your question below and I concur with his assessment.  

Another thought to work up your bloated feeling and increased gas would be a colonoscopy to ensure that there are no anatomical, or inflammatory bowel disease that could be causing your discomfort.  Another consideration would be an abdominal CT scan to make sure that there no masses that are causing your symptoms.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.

[surgeon]

It sounds like you definitely have an umbilical (belly-button) hernia, which might or might not be causing the pains you've been having. It would take an evaluation by a surgeon to help decide. If it's sticking out, the only way to fix it is with a minor operation. It's not possible from this side of your computer screen to help decide whether it's necessary or likely to help the other things. You'll need to see your doctor. I think it's pretty safe to say it's not appendicitis: that typically is a one time illness, with fever, nausea in addition to pain in the right lower abdomen; and if not diagnosed and treated within a couple of days it gets much worse and you'd be a lot sicker.