Anyone else have this pain/soreness ?

[2Young4This31]

hello im a 32 y/o female ive been having these pains under my left ribcage and at the bottem base of ribcage and  i can also feel it in my back also same area as the front. ive been feeling this on and off for the last 3 yrs i thought it was because of my fibroid tumors pushing everything up , but when i had my hysterectomy done last yr i was still having these pains it comes and goes . and when i sit is  when i feel it the most . it feels like something is there like its pushing against my front left ribs and back . its very sore to touch  both front and back. i was thinking maybe its my spleen or my kidney i just dont know . is anyone else having these same feelings and if so what might it be ? im also starting to bruise easy on my legs i had gotten several of them within the last 2wks and dont know how . unless its from me scratching because my legs have been itchy lately also . i havent change any of my soaps or laundry soaps or anytihng and i know i dont have any skin disorders . i am a smoker  been smoking on and off for the last 19 yrs about 1/2 to one pk a day . i rarely drink . diabetisis runs in my family , my great grand mother and great great grandmother died of liver cancer , my grand mother died of lung and bone cancer . and this is all on my mothers side of the family . if anyone has any ideas as to what i should look for  as to what this might be pls i would like to know. before i go to any docs . or if anyone else is expereancing these same or simalier pains  pls i would like to hear your story as to whats going on !..... thank you !

[Matthew007]

well there are different names but one is called a specialist in 'internal medicine' or 'internal specialist' or 'internest' something like that, basically it's a step above a normal family doctor who is a specialist on a wide range of internal problems like you're having so that would be a good idea.. for GI related problems doctors will send you to a gastro specialist..for kidney bladder it's urologist ect. ect. but even a gastro doctor could order you tests.

yours though, either an internal specialist or GI..or really anyone..someone willing to test instead of your last doctor.

that's crazy though.. my family doctor makes me do a urine test every time I go in even after I've been tested a million times.  Which isn't a bad thing to make sure that medicine or whatever you're taking isn't taking a toal on your kidneys.  It's a simple dip stick test that takes like 2 min. to do and it's cheap.  Looks for white blood cells so just a simple test like that would eliminate kidney problems on your left side like a stuck stone and such because you'd have either white blood cells or red blood cells shedding in your urine.  Also a simple blood test would look at your white and red blood cell count looking for problems if your immune system is workign on something or some problem.  Wherever there is inflammation, normally the body tries to heal it by sending white blood cells thinking there's an infection (or to control an infection) so no doubt you probably have white blood cells near you pain area and a blood test would either show raised white blood cells..or lowered ect ect..

Anyway yeah a good doctor is what you need and I still think you need some form of imaging like a cheap xray OR better a ctscan to find out if you have some structure problem or it's a spleen or stone stuck in your pancrease..or pancrease inflammed...or very least a blood/urine test to check for any signs of inflammation.  If you're drinking i'd avoid it till you figure out whats up.  

Yeah keep at it and keep pushing for answers :)

[2Young4This31]

a good what?  you mean physician ?

[MollyBG]

Please find yourself a good internist as soon as you can.  If you are having pain that severe, blood work and xrays should be done.

MBG

[2Young4This31]

Well thank you for all your advice , and btw my doctor didnt do a dang thing , NO urine test, NO blood test, NO x-ray , nothing but just tell me its muscle again . But i will most deffentally seek another opion . Again thank you for all your advice and i will keep ya posted as to what is going on !

[Matthew007]

ahhh then yeah that's.. yeah I still.. like I said i'm not a doctor in any way but you got some issue I think with your spleen and the stress might be causing digestive issues but the spleen if I remember right from my anatomy classes is generally protected by the left rib cage but when it gets swollen inlammed near rupturing it really causes lots of pain swelling on your left side.  *could* be some kidney issure but that would show up in urine tests normally.. i've heard of a kidney (rare thing) being tilted...usually this sort of thing happens after 'mono' but goes away but severe long standing pain usually means it's inflammed (spleen) from listening to other people..i've heard some people can't even sleep on that side or lay on it.

Yeah xray/ct scan for you I think.. again don't be afraid to get into a ER room (they would rule it out real quick if that was the case but yeah don't delay if it gets bad)..wouldn't sit around on that too long hate to say it.  Be careful and don't let anyone punch you as a joke on that side or Bear hug you...

[2Young4This31]

its more towards the bottem of ribcage towards the side waistline , and wrapps around towards the back , ive noticed also that theside of my ribcage is sore when touched and the back , my hubby touched in the back area and i about jumped out the bed. anyways ill get some tums or zantac and try that and see if the pain goes away if it doesnt ill make another apt with my doc and demand some blood work and an x-ray . and go from there . and my family doc is a D.O  not an M.D  if that is at all any differance .

[Matthew007]

orr..call your doctor and ask to be tested for h. ploryi if you haven't already...

reflux/heartburn/left sided abdominal pain sounds ulcer..simple blood test would show you have an ulcer.

[Matthew007]

mm might be ulcer then.. is the pain like.. anywhere near the center below the breast plate of the chest?  That's also felt in the back as well..makes you sort of insomniac but I still think spleen but it could be an ulcer as well.  Stomach is center/semi left just below the ribcage if I remember right.  

What you could do..is go to the store and buy some prilosec and I don't remember what my GI told me exactly but I think it's 2 a day in the morning every day (30 min. before breakfast on a empty stomach for like 2 weeks) to take care of GERD/ulcer issues (it's a cheapie route but an idea, usually they give carafate or acidphex after a positive blood test for h. ploryi..) IF you can't find a Gi doctor...OR test yourself and take some tums just as a short trial...do you feel better after you eat?  Usually you do.. ...that's probably what your doctor is thinking is some sort of issue in your stomach/IBS if he's sending you to a GI specialist.  But then again he should have done a blood test for h. plori...mmm..


Well like I said that's an idea...a cheap route but yeah wait until you see your gi I guess..but I sitll have a hunch on spleen with that amount of pain.  If it gets super bad don't hold off and get into the ER room.  (I feel like a lecturing parent...sorry!)

[2Young4This31]

He did ask if i had a hystory of an enlarged spleen , soon as i said no there wasnt anymore mention on that ! i did notice on one of my ribs left side , there like this fatty tumor or a cyst or something on it , it hurts when touched , its all squishy and it moves its about the size of a small peach seed . im wondering if thats what is hurting when im sitting ! anyways about the gi doc well im gonna have to look hard cause there arent any in my city , i looked in the phone book and found only 1 which is in another state, city and is about an hour away . and im not good with traveling long ways .i do notice also i do burp quet a bit and sometimes buke , i know thats gross ! lol  and sometimes i get  bad heartburn . but not too bad to where i need meds .

[Matthew007]

oh I agree missy i'm trying everything including different opinions even from this site (from the experts forum) :S yeah 3 years..ugh... the guessing game stinks...good luck!  Not fun being chronically sick good luck to you to!

To toyoungforthis...yeah it seriously sounds like either a bad bad muslcle pull sore rib or you got something with that spleen.  I still think ... I mean..i'm not a doctor and i'm sure he's trying to help you but if you're that sore I think a ct scan might be a good idea..or even a xray or mri or some imaging to see if that spleen is inflammed.  Hopefully your GI will help you out ASAP because that's something you don't put off. :S

[missy72450]

Get another opinion....and not from his partner!!!! Without any test at all that was a guessing game at best. 3 years is a long time for pain of that nature to go undiagnosed and untreated. Life is too short to not live it as comfortably as possible. With what you described, easily brusied, dry skin, pain ect this could be auto immune but without any test I too am playing a guessing game. See a GOOD internist and good luck.

[2Young4This31]

Hello , i went and all he said was sounds like i have a misplaced rib ! asked if i had any history of enlarged spleen i said umm not that i know of  . anyways he bent me like a pretzel and rocked me like a chiroprator does  then pressed his fingers up agaisnt my back while i layed flat , it still hurts like a sob and now over top of that its sore all over my back and neck ! and gave me frigging naproxen again !!! which i didnt fill because i still have like 2 other bottles from him prescribing them to me !  he said its a musculer skelator thing ! what ever that means . should i go with his theory  or should i find another doc ?

[Matthew007]

it's true..3 years is totally too long.  If it was a UTI/kidney stone you would have severe fever..kidney failure and all sorts of issues.  But the doctor will check your urine i'm sure.  Simple 5 min. test.  Maaaaaybe some food intolerance could cause some pain but normally you'd have severe IBS issues.  If youv'e been drinking a lot could be something with your pancrease...

Most likely he'll do a blood test checking the basics..and probably will tell you to eat fiber and exercise but who knows.  You're welcome..post back when you figure out what it is or what he/she says :)

[2Young4This31]

thank you for responding to me , i did make a docs apt. for today , ill let you all know what he says . all i know is i cant sit for too long then i start to feel the pressure on my left side /back . and mathew you said something about a kidney stone , i do get uti very easy also . so maybe u r right maybe it is a kidney stone . because someone else said the same thing to me about that. but i cant see for having the thing for 3 yrs . thats a very long time to have one ! anyways like i said ill update you both on whats going on ! and thank you for your response

[mammo]

I think the fact that you can feel this pressure, it may be your liver.  But since this has been going on for 3 years, you really need to see a doctor and get a good check-up.  Early diagnosis is everything, you can put your mind at ease or head off something serious.  You seem to have several things going on, and are very worried.  See your doctor so you can put this to rest.  

[Matthew007]

I have the same left sided pain that wraps around the front and back...base of ribs.. mines def. colon related.  I've had tests on my pancrease/ct scans/mri and there's nothing wrong with my kidneys/pancrease.  I've got white blood cells in my stool..not sure what it is that's causing my problems...possible c.difficile..

I've had doctors tell me that's IBS/spastic colon and to increase fiber but i've done that with no luck.. I did mass antibiotics before and I think it *could* be an infection of some kind in the colon.  If you haven't done a stool study that might be a decent idea.. or colonoscopy looking for a problem like colitis or something in that area.  Are your bowel habits ok?  Any nausea?

Bruising problems.. like easy to bruise usually suggests kidney issues..could be a kidney stone too as well.  

Probably a urine test/blood test function on kidney..and some fiber/probiotics/exercise/water is what i'd do.  Probably should go see a doctor (hate to say that because I can't stand them but yeah you probably should..)

BUUUT the cheap cheap (gonna save you a lecture from the doctor)  first thing to do is to go to the store and buy some fiber like citrucel..start slowly..half a cup or whatever and keep increasing because if all tests come up negative they'll just suggest you have IBS.  You could try that before going to the doctor.  Good luck!