Any non-serious causes for left sided abdo pain?

[Darwin73]

I have been suffering from lower left sided abdo pain for nearly 2 weeks. Sometimes it feel almost muscular in nature, but it is always there and is scaring me. I am female and in my 30s. I don't think it's IBS, but I keep prodding and poking where the pain is, terrified I am going to feel a lump or something. I can't go to the doctor as I am phobic of them diagnosing something serious.

My question is really, can anyone think of something trivial that could cause this?

Thanks all

[j2]

I get pain there when I am constipated. My colon is always the first to go when i am having anxiety issues. Of course I then get more anxious and my colon has more spasm and then I get even worse. Is the pain constant or sharp, migrating or in the same place, are you able to stretch it out? These are all things that a doctor would ask and would all lead to it being something benign. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Darwin73]

Thanks for your reply j2. Pain is pretty constant, but does seem to recede a bit when I am not thinking about it. It is not a sharp pain and doesn't migrate. It's like a "presence" really. It does seem to get worse the more worked up I get and the more it's at the forefront of my mind.

[pollyanna]

Hi I too get low left sided pain, i have had it really since i was a teenager, and i am 41 now , and i am assured it is IBS, it fits totally in with that, gets worse when i am constipated and when i am stressed, can last for months at a time, and then disappear for a while and then come back.
I do get a bit stressed out about it when i seem to have it all the time, and tend to poke and prod too trying to convince myself thats all it is .sometimes i will go to my gp for some reassurance, and i feel better, but yes it could be due to something really simple, but its also really annoying.

hope it improves for you

Best wishes

P x

[j2]

For me, I take metamucil every morning. Just one heaping tsp with a glass of water seems to keep my colon from having too much trouble. I will warm you that the first few days you take it, you may have some extra dull pain in the side as your colon muscles finally start to relax. At least that is what happened for me.

[pollyanna]

just read your second post,

you sound very much like me, your right it is like a presence, its just there, i think too the more 'tuned in' to it ,the worse it gets, and then the more aware i become of it, and the worse it gets... and so on. i too am phobic about anything medical, its a long story, but it makes things like this very difficult to cope with.

anyway goodluck with it and try not too worry too much

P x

[Nordvest]

It can very well be muscular (tension from your anxiety) or just gas to put it bluntly..

[Darwin73]

Thanks for the positive replies guys - it really helps!

With IBS, can it be constant? I always assumed you'd get a gurgling sensation and a more crampy feeling with that. It is a dull pain, like j2 said.

Nordvest, I was wondering whether it could be muscular. I had a baby 6 months ago and have been told my abdo muscles are rubbish now. I was also thinking maybe a hernia, but there is no obvious protrusion.

Pollyanna, thanks for your reassurance. I have been terrified of going to the docs / tests/ anything medical for ages. I feel sick if I have to go to the GP. Even if I have to take one of my kids for something I feel really worked up.

[j2]

It's ok to be scared of the doctor. No one here will criticize. Your body and mind have been through a lot and you are adjusting to a lot of new realities. You WILL get through this and we are all here to help.

[Darwin73]

Thanks j2 .On other forums, people would just be telling me to get to a doctor. It's nice when others understand your fears.