huge discomfort blow left rib
Posted , 128 users are following.
31/2 yrs ago I had a mild stroke. The morning after I felt a small discomfort on my left side just below my rib. The dr looked and felt but could see or feel nothing. Said it may just go away. Gradually the discomfort got worse and now is sometimes unbearable. It is always present and has indeed reduced my quality of life to a great degree.
I have had CT scan, virtual colonoscopy, endoscopy, chest xray and ultrasound. All negative. I have seen a neurologist and 2 x gut consultants, again nothing.
After all that NOBODY has the slightest idea what is wrong. (this is a time when everybody seems to give up on a patient!)
The discomfort is just like as if someone is pushing their first firmy into the area immediately beneath my left lower rib and I tend to be automatically holding my hand, with some pressure on it, all day for somekind of relief.
Is this a nerve or a gut problem, or anything else and perhaps npthing to do with my stroke after all?
I now have to 'get out of my pram' to get any further tests done. Doctors switch off. Have you tried to push treacle through dry sand?!
I am 67. Has anyone else suffered this problem please?
James
7 likes, 222 replies
wendy80842 e64335
Posted
I'm sorry if I'm just repeating something from another poster, but, have you heard of 'MS hug'. I have MS (multiple sclerosis), your symptom does sound similar. Again, sorry if this repeats others, muscle relaxants are the only thing that relieves my MS hug symptom.
MELEKIE e64335
Posted
What about crones desease small bowel I had same problem under right ribs Ct scans colonoscpy showed up nothing only small amount dervertticulitus desease. I'm now waiting a camera capsule my small bowel as endoscopy doesn't reach all small bowel I have high calperprectin in my poo which indicates crones desease. Ct scans are just exrays why haven't you had MRI shows everything I ended up in.hospital stomach bleed because for 8 months though had a rib fracture but was my stomach.
MELEKIE e64335
Posted
What about crones desease small bowel I had same problem under right ribs Ct scans colonoscpy showed up nothing only small amount dervertticulitus desease. I'm now waiting a camera capsule my small bowel as endoscopy doesn't reach all small bowel I have high calperprectin in my poo which indicates crones desease. Ct scans are just exrays why haven't you had MRI shows everything I ended up in.hospital stomach bleed because for 8 months though had a rib fracture but was my stomach.
brianthesnail MELEKIE
Posted
hi ... ive considered crones and dervertticulitus however the pressure feeling is there all the time and if anything when i eat it eases ( but by not much ) .... im also hopefully having a capsule endoscopy which will show any probs .. also had ct,ultrasound and barium meal which showed no ulcers including duodeneal ulcers ... however gallstones were found with one huge 20mm stone present ....
since the gallbladder "oils" the small intestine then less bile may cause food to get stuck creating the pressure feeling as it struggles to move down the bowel ( taking mild laxatives prescribed by my gp along with fybogel and buscopan have made symptoms managable )
best of luck
brianthesnail e64335
Edited
some have stated that gallstones can cause the pressure(pushing) feeling and removal of the gallstones will aleviate the left side discomfort ...however i beleive the pancreas ( as this is on the left ) is also worth investigating
the symptoms are medicated using cosmocol ( laxative ) and fybogel shachets .... i also take busopan which is a stomach/bowel relaxant ( 8 per day ) .....
you need to remember that the gallbladder is connected to the pancreas and problems with the gallbladder may present problems on the left side under the ribs
when you eat do you feel like your stomach is really full .. and does the discomfort ease at the end of the day ( after a few meals )
if you havent been checked for gallstones i would see about that,however they would appear on both the CT scan and ultrasound
anyway its made me feel slightly better knowing theres others feeling the same way ... finally do you also get tired ( not all the time but on some days ) ..
i hope you get this sorted .. im seeing my consultant on the 8th aug 2016 .... and will let you know what happens ( my gp has recommended a capsule endoscopy ... camera you swallow which goes right through your stomach and bowels )
best of luck my friend
michele9612 brianthesnail
Posted
Hi there, I had my gb removed in feb2016 because of family history I had no stones and my gb funtioned very well, however I had much pain there and burning in my back so I knew something was wrong although imaging did not see what was wrong which I will tell u in a moment. I also had pain in the left side under rib which stayed after surgery. When they went in they found adhesions connecting my gb to my small intestine which was causing the pain.., yanking pulling burning feeling, very happy on the right side now after removing it, they said gb was very inflamed although tests were great, ha! It was that scar tissue which is either due from irritation or infection they don't know. I did get a MRCP which I highly recommend it shows everything except scar tissue, and I had no major surgeries until this by the way. They found that I had a genetic problem called Pancreatic Divisum, read about it. The radiologist said it was also hard to see the duct in my pancreas, at least the one that is working, mine is very small and when it drains it could cause the pain. They can cut it but I will not do that as I've heard horror stories that the pain can become worse... This PD could be the cause of my left side pain although its controversial. I do want to say that when all of this happened I was taking too many NSAIDs which is the devil to me now. I think this started it all. Don't take all those meds if you can help it. I was taking protonix which helped but I felt like I was masking the issue, after surgery I no longer take anything except probiotics. I also think food intake is important. I notice the pain come on the next day if I ate cheese and or sweets. Keep a food log. I'm going to go take lots of food sensitivity tests soon because this may help as well. With the log you may find what is bothering you. Hope I've said something here to trigger a thought that may help you ease the pain, good luck! Let me know if something in common here, take care
brianthesnail michele9612
Edited
Hi michele
Thanks for your quick response .... its hard to describe my symptoms ... heres how it all began
it was a sunday morning and i was in the kitchen feeding our cats when i had a severe spasm in the low left of my stomach and my arm and leg had pins and needles ( which dissapeared after a few minutes )
however apart from the pressure in the left side my left leg is weaker than it was and the bottom of my foot is numb ....this has been untreated for 12 months now and all my own gp can say is "its nothing serious " .. but thats because i just get on with it but i would pay a million quid ( if i had it ) to get one doctor to listen to me
im going to see a consultant ( who was refered to me when they found gallstones ) and they will be doing a "capsule endoscopy" so if theres any bowel related issues this will be found ... ive allready had a barium meal which showed no stomach ulcers or duodenam ulcers
another thing thats changed is my overall fitness .. i used to be a army pti(physical training instructor ) and up to 5 years ago would run 50 miles a week ... since ive had this issue i cant run at all ... if i try my legs are extremely heavy and become weak .... and this isnt me ... ive been active up to a year ago and this has knocked me for a six
the gp says its nothing serious but i know different ... im not a person who does "doctors",,, prior to this i hadnt seen a gp in 12 years .... in the last year ive seen the gp 15 times .......and to be honest im losing my patience with the gp,s as they dont seem to take me serious ... if i was royalty or a private patient would i be treated the same way ......
anyway im happy you seem to have got your life back on track .. just hope im the next one to follow
best wishes michele
brian
michele9612 brianthesnail
Posted
Just have peace of mind if cat scan or MRI shows nothing,I hope you figure it out, I've learned that the doctors don't know everything, listen to your body and eat well, all the best
debbie75601 brianthesnail
Posted
I, too, have the left side rib area pain. Had gallbladder out in March 2016, but did not ease my symptoms. Also have the weak arms and legs, with the pins and needles. Have seen numerous specialists and lots of scans and tests, no explanation. My GI did suggest the capsule swallow, but I'm holding off for now, due to waiting on date for a surgery, and a needed MRI of my lumbar area. Had a colonoscopy, endoscopy, and just had an endoscopic ultrasound. Normal. While I am relieved, I know they are missing something, because I have so many different symptoms. Keep us updated on what you find.
kelly35772 brianthesnail
Posted
did you find relief Brian?? I hope so.. I have the same going on for me with my left ribs atm.. i suffer from GERD so maybe something to do with that?? I don't know, but I too am very weak now.. mowing my lawns has become hard, like running a marathon! Im intrigued to know your results 🤔 🙂
kelly35772 debbie75601
Posted
I am wearing my partners kidney belt, really tightly cause I feel like it helps a tiny bit when I press on the inflamed
wendy80842 e64335
Posted
Hi Brian, I'm on a flying visit to the site today, I'm sorry if I'm repeating anyone elses post (at the point of this post, there are 155 responses, I could only read a couple). There's a weird symptom I, and many others, who, like me, have multiple sclerosis, it known as 'MS hug', I'm certainly not suggesting that's what you have, but, as you've had a stroke, you might experience something similar to 'MS HUG'. These types of things that damage our central nervous systems can kick up some really strange symptoms, that can sound familiar to people with different conditions.
brianthesnail wendy80842
Posted
Hi wendy
i havent had a stroke ... the pins and needles and spasm which happened when everything started did feel like a stroke but nothing has been diagnosed
personally i think the gp,s ive seen are not good enough .... one male gp just sat there scratching his had and i got the feeling i was wasting his time .... the problem then was i couldnt specificly describe the symptoms i had ..... now if i had to describe them i would say
1) pressure on left side below the ribs
2) legs are weak
3) bottom of foot permanently numb
4) general lethargy and no "get up and go" ( unlike me )
5) slight anxiety
the same doctor put me on anti-depressants which sent me up the wall ... they felt like someone had injected fire into my viens .... is that what a gp does when he cant get a diagnosis ... treat him for depression and hope they will mask the symptoms
the MS hug is actually a good point ... i described to another doctor that i felt like someone had a "belt around my body " and that was months ago .... also with the leg weakness
i should also point out i had a drug problem which im being treated for however i know the difference between opiate withdrawl and other symptoms ....
that said the leg weakness could be associated with the drug problem but not the pressure in the side ..... another possible cause could be diverticulitis which does present symptoms including pressure pain/discomfort
anyway thanks for the advice and i will keep you posted
best wishes
brian
wendy80842 brianthesnail
Posted
brianthesnail wendy80842
Posted
however if they sorted the problems quicker they could save the NHS millions ( if not billions ) of pounds .... as i mentioned in a previous post i was a army physical training instructor ( PTI) so i was until 2 years ago a relatively fit and active guy
however on turning 49 this has hit me like a right hook ... knocked me down and i cant get up ... but hey theres got to be a light at the end of the tunnel
thanks again and best wishes
brian
wendy80842 brianthesnail
Posted
Unfortunately, I'd guess that voting ourselves into the 'group of islands Europe wants nothing to do with' category isn't going to do the NHS any good. I hate to think how it's going to impact us all, in the future. Cheery, huh?!