Swelled abdomen, feel grape size knot--what is this?

[cocotel]

I am a 36 year old female, 203 lbs.  For the last few months, I have had a feeling of fullness in the upper left side of my abdomen.  It feels like my upper abdomen is kind of swollen.   My stools have been kind of thin at times too.  I can feel a grape sized "knot" in this area too.  I can move it around--but I can't always feel it there.  I'm wondering if I have an intestinal obstruction.  No blood in stools except when I strained & "scratched" the inside of my rectum--this was bright red specks of blood.  I am feeling in the last few days a sensation of something there--not so much a pain but a "feeling" if you will.  I was told last year that I showed signs of gallstones from an x-ray.  The Dr. recommended I see a specialist but I never went--no health insurance then.  I have insurance now but it is only a temporary policy.  I am scared to death of what this could be.  Anyone have any comments?  Thanks for your help.

[sms18]

A related discussion, Abdominal tingling was started.

[kellykebby]

Hi, let me know what the doc says about it and what you finally find out because I have similar symptoms in two places in my abdomen. And yes, there are times you can feel things in the intestine or the intestine itself. It may be panniculitis, inflammation of fat. It may be an adhesion due to inflammation, where one organ sticks to something it shouldn't...could be many things.

[cocotel]

Thanks for replying.  While at my GYN the other day, I told him about what was going on.  He felt my abdomen but said he thought if it was some type of lump in the intestine you would not be able to feel it through the outside of the stomach since there are layers of fat, muscle, etc.  He said to see my family Dr.  Since seeing the GYN on Thursday, I have had a weird feeling of something being "attached" or "streched" in that area.  That's the best way I can explain it.  I am just going crazy trying to figure out what this can be.  It is in the upper part of my abdomen on the left side.  Sometimes when I am at the kitchen sink washing dishes, I get a sensation of something in there while I am leaning against the counter.  I'm not in any real pain, but I get a little zing in this spot sometimes.  I will be trying to get in to see a general practioner this week & then go from there.  Any advice from anyone on this board would be greatly appreciated from me.  Thanks & have a good day.

[kellykebby]

Hi, the first thing that you need is a gastroenterologist and a colonoscopy. If something is inside the colon this will tell you. And if something is on the outside, to find that out they might order an abdominal cat scan. There are tons of things that this could be so don't worry about worse cases. Just get it checked out. Maybe an adhesion on the outside of the colon. I think that is the name of it. A piece of fat might be attached from the colon to your abdominal wall causing your symptoms. Due to your weight, this is what I would guess. Please write back and let me know what it was. THanks,

[nadia]

It sounds like a bowel obstruction.  I have a friend that had a twisted bowel.  She left it and it became herniated and ruptured. This can be very dangerous due to peritonitis setting in.  I would think that you should have a CT scan or at least an ultrasound.  My friend is fine now but she did have a resection of her large intestine as a result of this condition. Please don't ignore it and seek medical attention.