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
Whyisitsohard someboy
Posted
This discussion picked my interest since i got one pretty uncomfortable symptome which is the uncomfort feeling under my left ribs.
I should say that there is fortunately no other symptome apart from this. I also get a high pulse whenever i read or think about it which is probably due to anxiety ?
I am a 17 yo guy who has been suffering from this for 6 days (chronic) and i just dont know wether your symptomes or other symptomes may show up on me or not.
Any thought is appreciable.
hannah9151 Whyisitsohard
Posted
Okay so about 4-5 months ago im out in the yard throwing a football.. i try to throw it extra far and a sharp pain catches me in my left side, lower left rib area. So obviously i go sit down and chill to ease the pain.the pain subsides and within a week i begin to notice this "uncomfortableness" in my lower left side of the abdomen. Sometimes it bothers my side for my shirt to even touch it, but there is no severe sorness just a nagging discomfort. Also when i lay on my right side it is super uncomfortable due to it feeling like there is something heavy laying in thw issue spot... sometimes randomely it does sting or tingle as if its my nerve bothering me idk. Im super scared to go to the doctor but im going this week finally. My bf really wants me to get it checked!
tracied30 hannah9151
Posted
Hi Hannah9151. My name is Tracie and you are the only one who has mentioned the tingling sensation.
I had very low energy and had a host of blood work done. Turned out I had b12 deficiency and Vitamin d deficiency as well. My complaints were thinning hair, no energy, feeling like crap, aching bones, etc. My side issue was not even an issue until 3 weeks into therapy on High dose vitamin d and daily interval to weekly interval B12 injections. Three weeks into therapy, all my bones and spine was cracking and popping and my muscles twitching and tingling in various places. Most all have resolved, but the left side pressure/annoyance remains. Sometimes I feel a numb sensation or tingling. My internal med doc said it is parethesis from my deficiency (as I am still below normal and still under VitD therapy currently). I have had this complaint for 4 weeks now. My internal med doc did a kidney and metabolic panel which came back normal. I was thinking maybe I was calcifying my organs with the excess Vitd (which creates too much Calcium in the body) but my calcium levels and organs came back fine. He thinks this is my body's reaction to a refiring of nerves from getting the nutrients again. Some of what he says makes sense, but a part of me is concerned. Really, the only thing in that area on us is the intestines. The kidneys are further back as is the spleen, to the left behind the stomach. The Stomach really lies below the heart almost near centrally located whereas most people think it's on the upper left side. The stomach is almost protected fully by the lower ribs. So I am at a loss for whyt the pressure on that part of the anatomy. I feel it is intestinally related but nothing has really changed there. However, I have normal length, color and sized stools. They are normal consitancy but occassionally have bouts of diarrhea because I over think everything and my diagnosis has been crippling for me (Pernicious anemia). In addition, Low Vitamin d causes anxiety and depression so when I get worked up, it's easy for me to get nervous gut. If I cry today, I can assure you I will have a normal BM tomorrow and then follow up with a runny one. Never any blood, never any nausea, never anything out of the ordinary. I also should mention I currently have a 4.2 cm cyst on my right ovary but that's the other side. He said it could be leaking causing fluids to irritate the organs. I can't sleep on my right side because I have thoracic outlet syndrome in my shoulder from poor posture (thanks to b12) and poor sleeping habits. I have been sleeping a lot on my left side since disgnosis because I am a side sleeper and my preferred side is the right where I have TOS. He thinks the fluids may be pooling over there on that side irritating tissues. It's never painful. I'm just hyper aware. I also notice that I am so tense in the abdomen. When stressed, like even writing this, I feel my abdominals are tense and contracted. I remind myself to let go and loosen up. Now all this being said, I have been having increased pains from the cyst growing larger and have another ultrasound on the 20th of April for this. I know that when I feel like if I am backed up in the bowels, I notice it more. But just like you, If I twist, or turn or lean over in a certain fashion, it feels like something like a rock is there....just pressure but not pain. That being said, I have been having back popping and there is a possibility that I have impinged a nerve in my spine that goes to that area (t10 and t9 zone). The tingling would indicate a nerve issue as that is a neurological sysmptom. It is frustrating....this was never an issue until I started my vitamin therapy. So I have to have faith that my doctor has seen this before...as I am "remineralizing" my muscles and bones and everytime I bring it up, he says it's normal. Now I know this doesn't help much for all the other posters, but your tingling and pressure, could be something like a disc in your back that may have twisted wrong...wrong enough to cause a nerve response in the coordinated nerve area but not enough to really inflict pain that you may normally be accustomed to. I suppose if you have had other stuff looked at, it can't hurt to ask for a spine xray to see if something is compressed. Good luck everyone.....
jenny1885 someboy
Edited
I've been tracking my symptoms against other variables like stress, posture, etc and seem to be able to correlate the feeling under my ribs with muscle spasms and something similar to a floating rib. I've found that actively managing my posture (including sitting up straight at my desk job and sleeping flat on my back instead of my side at night) seems to improve my symptoms. Also, massage therapy to prevent the muscle spasms and to release some of the trigger points that intensify the symptoms when I'm stressed. This with exercise seems to be the best recipe for controlling my lower rib symptoms.
Hope this helps someone!
Guest someboy
Edited
Hi everybody
I wanted to share with an update to my problem.
After having a great deal of blood tests (celiac, liver function, h pylori, etc), stool and urine tests, abdominal ultrasound, finding everything normal. I decided to take actions in my own hands and I'm trilled to say it has worked so far!!
My symptoms for two months were: pain/discomfort in my left side under the ribs, feeling more constipated than usual but still would go almost every day, bad acid reflux, nausea, in the last weeks also dizziness and night sweats (that I now believe to be result of my anxiety of not having an answer to my problem)
This is what I've done so far:
- Convinced myself after having a lot of tests done that I would STOP WORRYING, STOP ANXIETY.
-Started taking fiber supplement daily for 2 weeks now.
-Started taking pantoprazole 30 mins before breakfast every day.
-Drank yakult (probiotics) for 6 days.
-No food after 8 pm
-Large amounts of water (around 3/4 gallons a day)
My symptoms seem to be dissapearing I no longer feel the discomfort under my left ribcage so much anymore just sporadically. I don't know which of the things I did was the one that worked or if it was a combination of all. What I'm sure of is that CONTROLLING ANXIETY and getting my normal routine back was a key factor in my recovery.
I wish the best to you all.
jenny1885 Guest
Posted
Agree!!! I think I have a similar case in that it's really about balancing several variables, but couldn't agree more that anxiety makes everything compound and snowball and just creates a viscious cycle.
Hopefully it keeps working well for you.
JG
mwenn2017 Guest
Posted
Hello ......
Let me start by saying I am Not a Drinker or a Smoker ....
I am 56 and in Great Shape ( Work out about 6-7 days a week)
I dont have Bad Genetics -- No Cancer in the Family -- which I dont know if that means much ....
I seem to have a lot of tenderness to touch on the two ribs under my left Nipple .....
1. Multiple Blood Tests --- All Clear -- Everything is Good
2. Chext X Ray -- Clear
3. Ultrasound -- Entire Neck and ribs -- Clear
4. Went to ENT -- Says I have Very Mild Silent Reflux
5. Colonoscopy -- Clear
I don't know what else to do .... I am so Scared to see a GP because I also suffer from Tinnitus ( Ringing in the Ears) so I am avoiding doing any scoping because any of the Drugs that knock you out elevates the ringing of my ears....
I also do Suffer from Severe Anxiety and OCD ......
I am at my wits end ..... I am know listening to TOO MANY Fuctional Doctors and have about $4000.00 of Supplements sitting in the Kitchen and Dont know who's advice to take as Everybody has different Protocols ....
Any Help will Help !!!
mwenn2017
Posted
youngatheart1 mwenn2017
Posted
barbara89295 youngatheart1
Posted
This is exactly what I believe it to be as well...though I don't believe in self diagnosis....I too share the same symptoms and have yet to be professionally diagnosed...(not due to lack of trying), having ruled so many other possible conclusions out....this, to me, seems to fit perfectly! It's an inflammation problem and when I began taking a simple ANTI INFLAMMATORY, the symptoms reduced greatly....though my symptoms are "flare up" like symptoms, I don't suffer from them constantly....thank you universe!!!
Health is so important and I hope everyone continues seeking answers, as well as staying healthy and happy!!!!
youngatheart1 barbara89295
Posted
Kimghds Guest
Edited
Thank you for sharing, I'm feeling like I'm at the same point... uncomfortable/like a tennis ball feeling under left rib cage in the center and on the left side... started like a stitch under the left rib and when it's not a stitch, it feels like something's there... had blood tests for liver, pancreas, etc. Had endoscopy and colonoscopy, ultrasound on upper abdomen all results are normal... some gas, stools are all normal... I am health anxious !!!! So I have to follow your example because when I am very occupied mentally it seems to subside, I was started on an antacid and Metamucil with the hope that this is stress/anxiety related as the tests are showing nothing... I will look for your progress and I will post mine as well. This is very frustrating as I am 58 yr old female, otherwise healthy and just wanting to feel normal...
mwenn2017 youngatheart1
Posted
alinah43 Kimghds
Posted
Ask your doctor to requst a HIDA scan for your gallbladder. All my tests, including the abdominal ultrasound and labs came back normal but the HIDA scan showed my gallbladder was only functioning at 8% (normal is 40%). The surgeon said that many times, the gallstones are too small to see by ultrasound and are found when the gallbladder is removed hiding in the duct. I asked why my pain is on my left side and he said it's because your gallbladder is under your liver towards the center and some people feel the pain on their left instead of their right side.
danielsocal Kimghds
Posted
Hi Kimghds, I have been looking for someone to describe the stitch feeling on the left side under the ribs. I've had this feeling for about 2 years now. I actually have a bruise right where the stitch feeling is occuring, but several tests including CT Scan, colonoscopy, endoscopy, blood work, have revealed nothing. I did feel better a few months back being on the Keto diet, but was not able to stay on that due to so many restrictions. My thoughts were to remove all carbs from diet, except for vegetables. Hope we find out how to cure our issues.
shelley85069 Guest
Posted
Great tips, thx for sharing. Are you finding that you are still improving?