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My right abdomen feels a bit firme than my left

Posted , 3 users are following.

katykat1234
katykat1234

im 14 and I'm a girl. Im waiting for a diagnostic of IBS so I still have a little doubt and worries. Ok so I was looking at colon cancer symptoms and those things (my anxiety is REALLY affected now and my symptoms is a bit worst from the amount of stress). It's says lump in the abdomen is a symptom so I started feeling my abdomen. Well I found that my right abdomen part is slight firmer than left. I'm kinda constipated and can't really empty my bowels. I couldn't find a "lump", it's the whole side that's firmer than the left. Does this happen to anyone else? I'm a bit scared.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • martin31040
    martin31040 katykat1234

    Posted

    Hi, very very unlikely to be cancer, if you are slim and press on your abdomen you will likely feel all sorts of lumps, and if you are constipated you can feel the contents of your colon if you press in that area, I certainly can, I can feel my aorta artery, so don't worry.

    • katykat1234
      katykat1234 martin31040

      Posted

      Everyone told me it's EXTREMELY unlikely to be cancer even my doctor! But sometimes google just makes you more and more stressed out (I read an article about colon cancer and a symptoms is a lump or something like that. I'm not exactly slim, a bit of fat/meat in the abdominal. When I wake up sometimes, I see this bump in the middle (lower) of my stomach like all the fat had gone there overnight or something (sometimes tilting to the side if I'm laying on one side). I've been trying to hula hoop and all that to slim down my mid section, which I think is working but I definitely need to work harder. The "bump" kinda disappears when I'm staying up or not laying on my back. 

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 katykat1234

      Posted

      Listen to all the reasurances that you are getting from your doctor.  Your doctor is the expert. Dr Google will not help you! It will turbo charge your anxiety.  Only listen to your doctor and trust what you are told!
  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 katykat1234

    Posted

    If you are waiting for a diagnosis of IBS, this is more likely than colon cancer which is very rare at your age   It would also suggest your doctor is not concerned about anything threatening if he is considering IBS. .Do not google your symptoms or feel around your abdomen.  Your doctor will do an abdominal examination and will know what to check for. You cannot be sure by doing these examinations yourself.  You will only get yourself into a panic.  Google gives very general informstion and does not take individual cases into account.  If you have IBS, a tell tale sign of it is stress and panic making your symptoms worse.

    The firmer feeling on one side could be due to any number of things including being constipated and not emptying your bowels.   Concentrate on simpler, non threatening explanations; there is no point in thinking about scenarios that have not happened yet or may never happen.   

    I went through the exact same panic when waiting for three and a half months for an IBS diagnosis.  No doctor could diagnose me so I turned to Google to give them more to work on.  My panic increased and significantly worsened my symptoms.  My diagnosis of IBS got rid of my health anxiety and much improved my IBS.  Go back to your doctor and ask him or her to examine your abdomen and discuss all your worries.  

    • katykat1234
      katykat1234 pippa58442

      Posted

      Went to the doctors a few times recently. Some times for a shot (had to get 10 for school!!!!!), some times because I'm sick and every single time, they feel my belly. It sometimes tickles and I'm assuming there isn't nothing serious because they just smile and say ok, or good, or other words then proceed to check other stuff.

      My constipation is easing a bit. Is it this normal that I feel like I'm constipated and having diarrhea at the same time? The easing constipation made my right side feel less firmer than last night. Now, I'm experiencing more pain on the left. My pain almost always happen to be the lower, upper, lower left/mid-ish left. Rarely on the right side but I do feel some pain there (it's hurt less and is gone faster than left). 

      About the anxiety, it really messes with my mind sometimes. I feel more tired, stressed out, and too worried to be happy or do something without thinking too much about my worries. I feel like the worse my anxiety, the more symptoms show/the worse the symptoms get. I'm not sure whether more symptoms are showing or I'm just too caught up in my symptoms and worry about every single bit or every single slight change. My anxiety-basically my BRAIN automatically jump to cancer, cancer, cancer, I'm gonna die, I'm not going to be alive in maybe 5 years. Just...UGHHHH 

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 katykat1234

      Posted

      Your symptoms sound like IBS.  It can come and go or be constant.  You may be having fecal impaction which causes hard stools first and then diarrhoea.  Try lots of fruit for constipation or a stool softener.  Try Imodium for diarrhoea.  Bowel habit change is typical of IBS.

      IBS is a more likely explanation for your symptoms at your young age.  Pain shifts about your abdomen with IBS.  IBS can cause severe health anxiety.  Anxiety will make symptoms so much worse.  Keep going back to your doctor to get a firm diagnosis. You may need tests to rule out other causes and confirm IBS.

      A diagnosis will help with your health anxiety and symptoms.  An antispasmodic can help with the pain; you may have to try several,  Diet changes may also be advised such as trying a food diary or The Low Fodmap Diet.  You may also be given tips to help with your anxiety.  In the meantime try distraction techniques to take your mind off your symptoms.  This will help.  When I was with friends, I had no symptoms.  When I was on my own again, my anxiety came back and so did my symptoms.

      My IBS diagnosis cleared up my three and a half month long health anxiety and massively improved my IBS. See different doctors if necessary.  I did this and it worked for me.  Tell your doctor all your symptoms and especially about your anxiety which can trigger IBS. I listed all my symptoms on my eighth visit to my doctor and mentioned my stress and anxiety. When he heard about my anxiety, my IBS was diagnosed.

      Don’t focus on serious causes; concentrate on the simpler explanation of IBS.  You would always be told if something serious was suspected. This has happened, so do not worry.

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