Pain under my xiphoid process

Question

For the past several years I have been having a sharp, sudden onset, stabbing pain right under my xiphoid process. The pain radiates around my lower rib margin, into my back, and at about my 12th thoracic vetebrae. When the pain is radiating to my back it's a sharp tightening pain, almost like my muscle is tightening or spasm pain. I will try and extend my back and stretch to relieve the pain, but as soon as I relax from the stretch it's as though the pain gets worse. But if I flex into a ball or the fetal position and lay on one side or the other the pain starts to ease off slowly, it has taken anywhere from 5 minutes up to 30 minutes for it to ease off at times. The pain even makes me break out into cold sweats at times. The pain has been on and off over the years. But here lately it has been happening a little more than usual. I'm not on any kind of medications at all. I will barely even take tylenol for a headache. I've tried to find a pattern in the attacks, but the only thing that I've noticed is that, SOMETIMES, they will occur when I haven't ate in the last 5-6 hours and I'm past the hungry point. But they don't always occur that way. Sometimes they will happen and I would have just ate few hours before and not be hungry. I had my gallbladder removed back in 2006, so I know that's not the problem. If anyone has any idea what this could be or what is causing it could you please let me know. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and answering to it.

This discussion is related to Pain in upper-mid right abdomen.

turtles6594 · Answer

I know it's been a long time since this post, but your situation sounds exactly like mine. Had my gall bladder out also. Only happens when I'm sitting. Can happen out of nowhere. The symptoms sound identical. I've even had a blood test right after the pain and had raised AST and ALT enzymes that went right back to normal a couple of weeks later. Had an ultrasound in that area but it turned up normal. My doc keeps saying I'll just have to live with the pain! I've been researching for months now. So, to get to the point, did you get any answers, or does anyone have any answers? Thanks!

Gelswick · Answer

I passed kidney stones about a year ago. This has been going on though before I had or passed them and after. It's been about 2 months now since I last had an episode. Good luck to you though. If you do go to the doctor please post what was said. Thanks.

GoldRiverNYC · Answer

As I type this I am going thru the pain...a few weeks ago is honestly thought it was hunger pain because it would go away and come back hours after eating. I've tried a heating pad and I am seriously thinking of going to see my doc on Monday.  In January I had passed a kidney stone...so Now I'm concerned.

Gelswick · Answer

Thank you so much for the information. It doesn't really feel the same as my GB did before I had it taken out. Most of my pain then was in my back and was constant, this pain comes and goes, I can go for months at a time and not feel any pain. Here lately its just been happening more often. But it does sound reasonable cause my pain then wasn't just sudden and onset then either. Thank you, it is definitely something I want to have checked out by a doctor.

CalGal · Answer

Gelswick, it sounds a bit like gallbladder pain. Is that what it feels like to you? Unfortunately, just because the GB is gone doesn't always mean the problems have stopped. There is a condition in which the common bile duct or the sphincter of Oddi (SOD) can spasm and cause absolutely miserable pain. You can also develop 'gall stones' even after the GB is gone, so that needs to be investigated. 

Check with your doctor and request that some tests be done to check on the state of your biliary system and also on the state of your stomach. The pain could also be due to acid reflux problems.