View Full Version : Very worried about upper left sided pain
I am experiencing pain in my upper left side, around the rib area. The location of the pain keeps changing from under the front lower ribs to pain in my side (about 5 inches below armpit, but still on ribs), but it pretty much constant and has been going on for days now. I've committed the cardinal sin and googled and I keep thinking it's either something to do with my spleen or pancreatic cancer :unsure:. It's really doing my head in. I've had a bit in the past (a few months ago) but it seems more intense now and I can't stop thinking about it. Anyone think of any benign reasons for this? I don't think it can be IBS because I don't have any bowel or digestive symtoms.
Thanks guys
I've had similar to this last year, left side rib area and it seemed to go away but came back, I had trouble lifting my arm above my head too, one night I had a sudden servere pain, saw the doc the following morning (I already had an appointment booked for other reasons so I was lucky) who said she thought it was shingles...gave me a course of tablets which I had to take exactly as directed for a week and the problem disappeared.
It may not be the same for you and I would see your GP for a check and I think you will find its just something simple and easily treated, don't do the google it just puts things in your head which are 99% wrong!
J.xx
Hey! This is EXACTLY what I went to my doctor for- I'd had it for weeks (pain under my left ribs which sometimes felt like it was spreading down my left side or the left side of my stomach) before I eventually went and had never had anything that hadn't eventually gone away before, so I convinced myself it was something serious- mostly likely bowel or pancreatic cancer. I was sent for a chest X-ray which came back clear, as did full blood tests and an abdominal ultrasound. Apparently these pains are really typical of IBS and particularly of trapped wind. As I wasn't really having too many bowel difficulties, I thought this was unlikely but I've started some meds for anxiety and am watching what I eat and sure enough, after 2.5 months, the pain has gone. It's hard to accept that pain isn't a sign of something serious, but as my doctor says, the body is an extremely complex machine, made up of thousands of parts. Sometimes something will hurt, for absolutely no good reason and it's just one of those things. Always good to get it checked, but always good to remember that actually, it's just one of those things...
I COMPLETELY understand the tendency to think it's something awful, I still have days where I'm convinced they've missed something but you do need to remember how extremely rare it is for people under 60 to get these kinds of cancers and there are a host of really worrying symptoms that you'd have if you had either of these conditions, none of which you mention (and trust me, I know them all off by heart!) Please go and see your doctor and put your mind at rest- it's scary to face it but remember that you'll feel better once you know you're ok. Talk to them about your HA as now I have started the process of taking some gentle anxiety meds and I'm starting CBT this has stopped ruining my life. It's too short to feel this scared all the time, so take this chance to do something about it!
Good luck...
Thank you for your replies Bruno and Button. Bruno, I have had shingles before, but that kind of pain was more skin based (although still very painful!), if you get what I mean. This seems to go a bit deeper.
Button, I know what you mean about knowing symptoms by heart! I once made the 'mistake' of telling my doctor I suffer from HA and he hasn't taken me seriously since, even though I very rarely go to the docs. At the time, I thought I was suffering from a neuro disease (had loads of strange symptoms) and asked him if he'd refer me to a neurologist to put my mind at rest. He replied "I don't think it's a neurologist you need, more like a psychiatrist'. He referred me for CBT, whuich I had 4 years ago. It was good at the time, but I can't seem to transfer what I learned into every situation, especially when I am in pain.
When you had your pain, was it constant or on and off? Mine is pretty constant, that's why I'm thinking it can't be IBS.
I think you need to find a new doctor- I know it's really difficult, I saw 5 different GP's, (all very unsympathetic) at my practice before chancing on the one I'm with now and she really has been a godsend. You shouldn't have to go through this on your own. It might be worth seeing if you can be referred for some more CBT or other counselling? I had an initial consultation with a CBT person yesterday and they said that sometimes you do need to go back for a 'top up'. And certainly ask about anxiety meds- I was very hesitant about going on these but I've been put on a low dose and it just stops the panic dead. You don't stop worrying entirely but those can't eat, can't sleep, can't concentrate attacks disappear and mean that you can get on with something more like a normal life!
As for my symptoms, initially I had them pretty constantly (for about 4-6 weeks), which I too felt couldn't be IBS. But apparently IBS can do what it wants! Push for tests because that has helped rule out the bigger things I was worried I was suffering from (the pancreatic cancer mainly!) But you need to treat the anxiety because you won't always be referred for tests to make you feel reassured. My doctor won't test me for anything else because the only other options are quite invasive (colonoscopy or endoscopy) and she doesn't want to put me through that when I'm not presenting with anything she feels is concerning. That's really hard to deal with but concentrating on dealing with my head is helping...
Keep me updated!
Thanks Button. I'm glad you're getting on top of your anxiety. I did find CBT helpful and it teaches you good techniques to help you rationalise your fears. I find I lurch from one illness to another (like I said, I don't usually bother with the Dr), and it's usually time passing that makes me realise that it can't be that serious.
Unfortunately I am waiting to see a gastroenterologist for something else (have got 2 different types of anaemia so will probably end up with an endoscopy :scared15:) That is another thing: I went to my Drs (bearing in mind it had been a year since my last visit) and asked him to do blood tests for anaemia and thyroid. He looked at me and siad "you don't look anaemic". I've suffered anaemia many times, so I know how I feel when I have it. Anyway, he eventually agreed to the tests which came back saying I was anaemic and I had got a thyroid problem. I then asked him to do one for b12 deficiency. He asked why and I said it often goes hand in hand with thyroid problems. Sure enough, I am very deficient in b12...I just don't really trust the docs any more
Then I think you really do need to change your doctor! He really doesn't sound very helpful and although I'm sure he's really busy, you deserve better than that.
I hope everything goes OK with your endoscopy and anaemia- let me know!
Hey Darwin, perhaps you should have someone take a look at your neck. The nerves that serve the upper left side of your body originate there. Perhaps you have a compressed or degenerating disc that is applying pressure to these nerves? I struggle with similar pain/sensations and seeing a chiropractor has done me a world of good. Turned out that I have a degenerated disc in my neck which is impinging on this nerve group. Not saying that my troubles are your troubles, of course, but it might be worth having someone check.
That is worth bearing in mind, thanks MikeyJon. I do a lot of lifting, and have had prolapsed discs in my lower back before, and recently have noticed shooting pains in my upper back, so there is no reason to suppose something like this couldn't be causing my pain. It does feel neural in nature, like something is pressing on different nerves.
MrsNonSmoker
19-10-11, 22:23
Hi Darwin, I've had this sort of pain for nearly 3 months - had an endoscopy, nothing showed up, now am awaiting an ultrasound. My pain is left upper, under ribs, sometimes in the armpit, around the side into my back and lower back and then sometimes round to the groin. My stomach is tender and if I push on it I can feel something move from one side of the abdomen to the other. I've lost about a stone, yet my waist has increased by an inch - all this started on 29th July and the pain has been constant from that day to this. Pain is not terrible but still wakes me up every hour or so at night. GP was initially very dismissive, consultant was even worse! If you google pain in left side etc you get loads of forums discussing just that, people who have had this for years without answers. So does that mean we should say phew, its nothing to worry about, or make a fuss on the grounds that it could be a cancerous tumour waiting to grow?! Anyway do let us know if you have any more news, good luck,
Hey I have just joined.
I am a 29 year old male with apparent anxiety, stress and mild depression suffering from IBS (a mouthful i know). The IBS is 3 year old now and started after a bad bout of diarrhea on return from holiday to Bulgaria. Symptoms included bloating, diarrhea and constipation.
I have something very similar - i started experiencing pain in my upper abdomen coinciding with an ache in my middle left back. I felt very worried about this and it got to the point that i was going to bed before 8pm in the hope of falling asleep to forget about everything.
My appetite went completely (I am a big guy and this has never happened before) and i was spending most of the day nauseous with vomiting and diarrhea (sorry it's disgusting). The worrying thing for me is that i slept - o mean i was sleeping 18 odd hours a day. After meals i had to go back to bed for feeling sick.
At this point i should point out that i had a barium meal 2 years ago and a colonoscopy (Cancer at young age in family prompted the consultant to rule out). Both came back clear as a whistle. I got on with my life until now.
It's been nearly 3 weeks and there is no change, my bloods all came back normal - i went through them with the doc and although a few were slightly outside the range, she was satisfied that i didn't have pancreatic cancer (i have to admit she was sympathetic to my hypochondria).
She prescribed omeprazole - a drug that inhibits stomach acid formation. I found this strange as i do not have acid reflux (one of the few blessings since IBS).
Today i decided i am not longer taking it, my symptoms are not getting any worse or better and i can't see her logic. She has ordered an endoscopy and abdomen ultrasound to put my mind at ease but said she couldn't put them through as urgent as i dont appear to be dying.
The strangest thing i have noticed throughout all this is:
After about 6pm i feel about 90% fine, my nuasea disappears and my appetite somewhat returns. I had a terrible sweet tooth since i was a child but this has completely disappeared. I am struggling to comprehend that this has all been caused by my head (anxiety), even with the anxiousness of IBS i was always happy to eat quite alot. I have lost over half a stone in 2 weeks as a result.
Thanks for listening to me have a moan! I hope you feel better! :)
Hi MrsNonSmoker, I have read some of your recent posts when typing in my own symptoms and I can really relate to some of your current concerns, particularly the pancreas ones. My pain is very similar to yours -constant- but stays in the upper left quadrant. It does migrate round to my back, my side and different parts of my left ribs too. if I push certain areas of my ribs (front and at the side, below armpit) it is very tender and painful. It is making me tired and irritable having this pain all the time and wondering what's causing it and whether it's going to kill me. I haven't lost or gained weight though (not that I've weighed myself recently). I've also found those forums where people have been having pain for years, but I just don't believe there isn't a reason for this. Good luck to you too, and keep me informed.
MrHen, welcome! As an anxiety sufferer, you have definately come to the right place! I can totally relate to the going to bed early in the hope of falling asleep to forget things. I don't know much about omeprazole, but believe it can be prescribed for symptoms other than acid reflux (such as nausea), so maybe that was your GP's reasoning.
It is hard to attribute some of our symtoms to anxiety, but I can see (kind of) how worrying and focusing on something makes it seem worse (at least that is what I'm telling myself!). Hope you feel better soon too!
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.