Why am I having severe pain on my left side rib area?

[Judybugtwo]

About six months ago I started having pain mostly at the end of the day on my left side right where my rib area is. The pain sometimes radiates around to my back area. I will be in the kitchen trying to fix dinner or do the dishes and the pain gets so bad I have to either lean over on the counter or go sit down for awhile to get it to stop. It is a dull pain but very painful. It seems to start every evening after I have been up all day doing things. I do have acid reflux and gurd. but I have had that all my life. I have never had this kind of pain on my left side. I was a heavy drinker but quit 4 years ago and have not drank since. The pain is interfering with my housework. Could it be a Hiatel Hernia are they that painful and only at night. It never hurts during the day. Just when i am using my hands to do dishes are cook. I am having a ultra sound done of my stomach and esophagus. I have to drink some white stuff while they take x rays with this machine. I had it a two months ago but ate the night before and it was no good. Will that show a hernia if one is there. And if not a hernia how can the diagnose what is wrong??  It is really beginning to be a problem for me. I am 66 years old and it only starts hurting in the evening. The pain is so severe I have to stop what I am doing come to think. It is really on my left side below my breast. Anyone that could tell me what they think it could be??

[specialmom]

I am sorry you are having this condition and on such a regular basis.  We have a lot to do in life and when a problem keeps impacting us and keeping us from being able to do it easily, it's frustrating.  So, in the area you speak of, our pancreas is there.  If this happens after a large meal such as dinner, pancreatitis could be the culprit.  Your spleen is in that area as well but normally you have issues with an enlarged spleen and you'd feel that (and it usually means you have an infection somewhere in your body so you'd have some other symptoms).  Part of your stomach is in that area, liver, etc.  That this is chronic but with a pattern, you really need to see your doctor for a complete physical to go over this issue. I think this is urgent and would do this sooner rather than later.  This is the type of thing that needs thorough investigation.  Likely it is not serious but you want to make sure.  Let us know!