Sore left rib, told small hiatal hernia, small reflux, but no one knows why the left rib sticks out

Hi all, thanks for taking the time to read me complain, and thanks in advance for any suggestions, advice, sharing, and well-wishes. The well-wishes are automatically sent right back at you.

So around August I got the poke, reluctantly, but also feeling like I had too many older people I'd be around, and just wanted to make sure they were safe...so why not. I'm not against it, just don't agree with how people aren't free to make a decision. Sorry, just laying ground for my situation. That's about as far as that rant will go.

I got it. Arm blew up, and stayed that way for 3 weeks. Felt all sorts of terrible chest pains, and I powerlift, run, and have had no prior medical issues other than IBS, and severe allergies. (BTW, I've chilled off the powerlifting. Apparently, no bueno for hiatal hernia.

During the 2nd week of feeling horrible, I was woken up with a horrible stabbing pain in my left rib area, the part of the rib that ends, and runs down in line with my nipple. So bad, that for the first time I woke someone up (my wife), and she took me to the ER. I was 100% certain that this pain would require surgery, and thought to myself..."wow, this is going to be my first surgery."

Get to the hospital, they run tests, blood, chest x-ray, and finally the ER doctor comes to the conclusion that it's an ulcer. He also mentions that I have a small amount of blood in my urine. They gave me a drink that numbed my mouth, and gave me a prescription for Carafate (pill that pretty much starts to dissolve when you put it in your mouth, and a PPI). I didn't take the PPI, with fear of reading so much information about long term effects.

They released me, and that morning I think the shock of not needing surgery, and the pain residing, kind of invigorated me. I got my script filled, started on the Carafate, and all seemed fine. Until about 4-5 later.

While examining my sore arm that was now getting better, I started to feel pain again in that rib, where I couldn't even lift my arm above my head. I lifted my shirt and saw a fist size bruise, with redness.

Knowing that's not normal, I iced it, and took some Ibuprofen PM to help me sleep through the pain.

Since then, I've been to a GI (who insists on an endoscopy), my PCP (which is switched, because of all the negative effects I was having with the 1st shot, insisted I take the 2nd...btw, I am NOT), had a CT scan done (which found nothing, and was looked at by 3 Dr's), had an Esophagram (which showed a small hiatal hernia, and small reflux), seen a Cardiologist to preform a stress test, and upcoming echo (still waiting on the follow up to go over results).

I'm driving myself crazy, no one knows what this is. I showed it to my new PCP, and she said that's strange, and is waiting for the several image tests to get transferred to her so she can review them. Once she does that, and can't find anything, what is my next step? Should I request an ultrasound?

My worst fear is this is a tumor on my spleen or pancreas. In which case, that sends me to my Gastro? Ultimately, an Endoscopy is necessary for them to see an issue, in order to treat it.

I suffer from crazy reflux. Not to the point where I'm vomiting, but I'm having sleepless nights with this wedge I bought. I can't quite get a good night rest on it. I'll wake up only to find I've slid down to where my back is now bent at an angle, so I'll either prop myself back up, or lay down...and laying down results in discomfort that wakes me, and I start all over again.

Thanks again for taking the time to read this wall of text.

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