Uncomfortable feeling Under Left Lower Ribs and varying bowel movements
Posted , 173 users are following.
To try cut a long story as short as I can I have basically had an uncomfortable feeling under my lower left ribs and some irregular bowel movements for the last 3 months that don't seem to show any signs of disappearing. Just wondered if anyone has experienced anything similar?
With regards to the feeling in the ribs at no point has it been massively painful to the point where I have needed to take any pain killers or anything like that. It just feels more uncomfortable than anything else rather than painful as if there is something under my ribs that should be there. The lower left ribs feel bruised to touch but again not that painful.
I play football and go to the gym and have been able to continue both without any trouble or issues.
With regards to my bowels they have just been a bit all over the place since it started really. At first I kind of felt constipated and was having bowel movements but size and quantity wise there wasn't as much coming out as normal or as expected and had a feeling of not fully emptying.
In the last month that has changed slightly in that I have had a couple of what I would call regular sized and quantity movements but they seem to happen every 3 or 4 days and in between the movements are the fairly small quantities mentioned and usually very irregular shapes and sizes although the feeling of not emptying seems to have gone or reduced.
I have been to see my GP 3 or four times since this started. First couple of times they had a feel around and couldn't feel anything untoward and suggested it was just a bit of constipation so suggest some over the counter laxitives and then when that didnt work prescribed some Laxido sachets which again didnt do anything really.
I have now had a blood test and an chest xray that I am awaiting the results of and have an ultrasound booked in but that isn't for another 3 weeks.
In the meantime I just really suffering a bit mentally not knowing what this is and obviously worrying this could be something serious. Just keep searching and searching online and must have diagnosed myself with about 25 different things which I know is silly but can't help it. I am someone that never usually gets ill so this is very out of the ordinary for me.
I am only 32 and lead a pretty active lifestyle, eat well, don't smoke and don't drink too much, weight and BMI is all in the decent range - all things which my GP keeps telling me means that it being something serious is unlikely but at the same time it doesn't show any sign of easing up.
Not had any diarrhea at all in the 3 months although stools have been pretty soft the whole time even when not much is coming out. Not had any blood in my stools that I have been able to notice.
Its just so frustrating as for 3 months whilst I have been able to go to work etc I just feel like I am constantly at about 70%. I feel ok physically but not great and mentally I just feel shot to pieces.
Obviously I need to wait for my results and take from there but just seems such a drawn out affair to try and convince GP that something just doesn't feel right and just wondered if anyone had suffered anything similar to this?
8 likes, 434 replies
littleman031103 someboy
Posted
Thank you for your post and for continuing to provide updates.
I have been having a sensation which seems to be similar to what you are describing. For me, it is located in the uppermost part of my abdomen to the left of midline & directly underneath the bottom of my ribcage. It is not pain so much as a relatively intense pressure as if something is pushing up from below. I had the same feeling years ago when I was 8-9 months pregnant & assumed it was just the baby pushing up into my ribcage. I am definitely not pregnant now, but have recently begun experiencing the same sensation and so am concerned with what is truly causing it.
My question for you is, does what I describe sound similar to the pain/pressure you have had? I have looked at symptoms for a few different diagnoses, including IBS & the pain they describe sounds quite different from what I am feeling. If you have experienced relief following a change in diet, though, then perhaps that will work for me as well.
Please let me know if this sounds like what you have been feeling & continue to update on your condition. Too many people on sites like this post their problem & never provide a follow-up. Thanks!
someboy littleman031103
Posted
Sorry for delay in replying. What you are experiencing certainly sounds similar in terms of the location, was literally below my ribs on the left side.
Also sounds similar with regards to the fact that it certainly isn't an excruitiating pain, more of an annoying pressure for me.
Obviously may not be IBS or diet related for you but one thing I would say from what I have read and spoken to the doctor about is that IBS can be very different for different people as obviously its not really something specific.
jenny1885 someboy
Edited
I have been having the same sensations for about 3-4 weeks now. It is such an annoying and discomforting feeling and extremely difficult to explain. I feel like my left rib is almost catching or folding on my insides and it's worse when I'm sitting. I've also had muscle and back pain as well. I went to my GP who pushed on me all up and down my spine, in my abdomen and along my ribs, but no real pain to speak of onset by those tests. She told me to chalk it up to stress and muscle tension (I had a major back spasm about 6 weeks ago that's still working it's way out).
The worst part about it to me is the not knowing what it is. I've seen every possible sickness it could be which only increases anxiety and likely makes it worse. Google is not your friend either. So I'm going to keep watching it. I sit at a desk all day and have not been exercising lately so im hoping I'm just underestimating what years of compounding posture from sitting at a long hours desk job can do. I'm a 31 year old female and otherwise healthy with no other concerning symptoms. Also, I think one big thing to consider which may lead you down one road or another is whether your pain/discomfort intensifies right after eating/drinking or not. Mine doesn't. Just seems to hang around nagging constantly.
I have read other threads that for women state the feelings come along with ovarian cysts. I have an appt with my GYN next month and will ask her to specifically check that out.
In the meantime just doing what my GP advised which is exercising (yoga or something to strengthen and lengthen your muscles) and massage therapy. She also suggested physical therapy but I'm going to really focus on exercise and eating well next few weeks. If anything gets worse I'll be heading back in to ask for an ultrasound.
Here's to hoping everyone figures out this mystery!
anonymous80567 jenny1885
Posted
Mine just started happening last week while I was sitting in a car for a long period of time. I'm not sure what could've caused it. I did have some pretty bad anxiety during the trip that could've caused it. It also could be because I always sleep on my side. For me it feels kind of tingling sometimes and a weird bulging feeling. It only happens in certain positions when I'm sitting or lying down. It's slowly becoming more and more noticeable.
shelley85069 jenny1885
Posted
I hope you have found some answers ans are feeling better. I am having the same feeling and gets worse after sitting. My dr seems to think Nexium will help. So confused and drs just camt seem to pinpoint anything.
noslen43032 someboy
Posted
eric06529 someboy
Posted
Glad I found this post. I'm 21 years old and I've been having this uncomfortable feeling (I guess you can say) under my left ribs. No pain, no burning, no symptoms of any kind. It just feels like something is there. I've had it for about 6-7 months and I'm getting really worried about it? Thinking the worse, is it cancer? (I hope not!!!) someone please reply!!!
someboy eric06529
Posted
Obviously I would recommend speaking to your GP if you haven't already but one thing I would say to hopefully try to ease your worries slightly that my GP emphasised to me is that given your age and the fact you have no other symptoms then unless there is a big history of something like cancer in your family then it is highly unlikely to be that.
I was exactly the same as you, without any real explanation I think it is natural to jump to the worst conclusion.
Like I say if you haven't seen a doctor yet then I would go speak to one as its always best to get checked out if you are worried but there are a certainly a whole host of things it could be.
Blitz95 eric06529
Posted
I have the exact same symptoms as you. Did you find a solution to your problem? please let me know because the anxiety is annoying me.
Light1971 eric06529
Posted
Dud you ever find out what was going on?
evetar someboy
Edited
I'm really happy to have found this thread. I have a sometimes sharp but persistent pain under my left ribs with very limited other symptoms occasionally it will "move" more towards the center but usually it's under the middle ribs. I have talked to two doctors about this and they seem completely unconcerned. They put me on some pills for acid reflux but I feel no differently.
I am 24, eat well (no dairy or meat), and am active. This pain wasn't caused by anything significant, I was just sitting at work and it began and hasn't stopped. Now I can't tell if I'm just distracted by having a constant pain in my side but I have been pretty mentally foggy, like I'm not all the way present. I have been really fatigued. Bowel movements have just been all over the place like really big then a day or two of really small but always something. I gave up coffee because I thought it might be related and so that could be part of the fatigue but it seems like more than that. I've been belching more than normal but it doesn't cause any relief.
The area isn't sensitive to touch, it doesn't radiate to my back, and it doesn't seem to be helped by eating or not eating anything. Both doctors have told me that it's my nerves and that I'm stressed. But, honestly, I'm not more nervous/stressed than I've ever been before and this is only a thing now. The only thing that I find comforting is that (hopefully) the limited symptoms means that no internal organ is about to explode or anything but I just want some relief.
I'm interested that your giving up breakfast cereals helped, do you think it was the wheat? Do you eat other forms of wheat? No foods are helping/not helping but I've taken out the simple wheat like pasta and bread but still no changes.
CBDyogi evetar
Edited
Did you ever find out an answer? Your symptoms weren't brought on by eating, sleep/wake cycles, etc. Does the pain change when you change positions (seating, standing, lying down)? Lay down on your back and take a deep inhale and hold your breathe... do you feel any pressure or pain?
If you're a smoker or on birth control, I'd consider CT with and w/out contrast to rule our blood clots. However-- that's a pretty major diagnosis. (I've had no-lateral pulmonary emboli and bi-lateral feel vein thrombosis-- and I didn't present like a text book patient would).
It honestly sounds like you could use a chiropractic adjustment and some yoga! Move around a bit. If you notice it most while in a specific position-- probably a pinched nerve or misalignment.
CBDyogi
Posted
Multiple, Bi-lateral Pulmonary Emboli & muliple, bi-lateral deep vein thrombosis
I am not a medical doctor. I am a yoga teacher.
katabira36770 someboy
Posted
tristan84702 someboy
Posted
Hi someboy.
Just came across this thread and wondering if you have been tested for Coeliac disease? Its caused by a reaction to gluten (a protein in wheat, barley and Rye) and can lead to loss of energy, bowel problems and a whole host of other symptoms. It affects around 1 in 100 people so is more common than people think.
No idea, if this what's causing your problem but its just a simple blood test to rule out and given your cutting out of cereal, I thought it worth mentioning. You can do an online assessment here - www.isitceliacdisease.org.uk
All the best and I hope you feel better soon,