Sudden IBS flare up - is it anything more serious?

I've had minor IBS for about 12 years now, although it comes and goes. About 2 years ago, it was causing me stomach aches (central, pretty much underneath my tummy button area), rumbling gurgly noises and a need to go to the toilet. This was happening fairly regularly, so I started making changes to my diet, with the biggest change being going gluten free.

This seemed to make a difference, and I've actually been relatively fine for the last few years. Whenever I eat gluten now, I get some gurgly noises again, but I'm not sure if that's like a reverse placebo effect!

Anyway, my current problem;

About 2 weeks ago, I developed my ache in my right side, just above my hip bone, positioned in line with my tummy button. It was a weird ache, it was uncomfortable, and it felt almost exactly like a stitch pain. It was heavy and dull ache. The odd thing was, I couldn't make it worse by stretching or twisting or bending over, or pushing in on it. I thought it might be a muscle thing but surely that would hurt when I moved in a funny position?

The ache never got worse and was intermittent, so I left it for 10 days. Some days were fine with no ache at all, and others, it ached pretty much constantly, but never got more painful.

The last 2 days have changed a little bit. The ache is a fraction more painful and is now constant, and it feels like an area of my stomach is swollen. It doesn't look it, but it feels like it's bigger than the left side. I've tried to draw exactly where the ache and swollen area is:

http://s24.postimg.org/h62utapvl/Surface_projections_of_the_organs_of_the_trunk.jpg

http://s22.postimg.org/baew65cal/Diagram_of_human_abdomen.jpg

It feels like someone has punched me in that area.

So, my question is:

- Do you think this could be normal IBS? My bowels movement are consistent with IBS at the moment but I've never had this type of ache or swollen feeling

- Could it be anything more serious like a mass in my abdomen, or the "start" of appendix problems, or a intestine/colon issue? I don't actually know what organs are in the highlighted areas on my pictures - could someone explain what's there? It looks like the "ascending colon"?

- I did go and see the doctor, who examined me, pushed in on my entire stomach area, raised my legs up and down, and checked for lumps in groin, took my temperature and pulse, and said nothing was wrong.

- There are no other symptoms at all really. My temperature is fine, blood pressure fine, appetite fine, I can walk and run with no aches, there's no blood anywhere (he checked urine), my bowel movements are IBS-like but not severely so - I wouldn't call it diarrhea or constipation, it's fairly regular, and although loose, it's not diarrhea levels - ,there's no noticable swelling or bruising or lumps anywhere, and the ache isn't strong enough to require painkillers. I guess all of those things are good!

- Could this simply be health anxiety "creating" the pains? Obviously, it does worry me, and I keep reading about appendicitis or abdomen masses/cancers, especially the ones that don't have much symptoms, like stomach or colon cancer. Can anyone reassure me?

- How long do you think I should leave it now before going back to the doctors?

Thanks in advance.

0 likes, 4 replies