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Uncomfortable feeling Under Left Lower Ribs and varying bowel movements

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someboy
someboy

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

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  • Bigredox
    Bigredox someboy

    Posted

    I'm having very similar experience. Two years ago it started; had ultrasound, x-rays, blood tests, urine test. Only issues found were slightly high leukocytes and low sodium. Pain went away. Same thing about 8 months ago. This time is different. Pain has steadily increased in intensity and size of affected area for last 5 weeks. I've lost 25 pounds for no apparent reason, but I still weigh in at 320 pounds, 145 kilos. Feels like I have an American football lodged under my rib cage on my left side. Tired of doctor visits and hospitals. I've lost 7 close family members in the last 22 months. 6 to cancer and my oldest brother to sepsis from infected cancerous prostrate. I'm scared to even go outside for fear of carcinogens.

    • Bigredox
      Bigredox

      Posted

      Clear colonoscopy 3 months ago. I'm a 49 year old male, 22 year Navy Veteran. Two very painful and slow-growing benign "giant cell tumors" removed a few years ago from right hand (GCT). I'm concerned that my pain is spleen- specific.

  • sean50811
    sean50811 someboy

    Posted

    Hey guys. Had my colonoscopy yesterday. For those who say the prep is the worst part you were right!! Turrable!!! The colonoscopy the put me to sleep in seconds, before I realized I was asleep it was over. And I was awake and alert very quickly. They found 3 polyps that were non cancerous and internal hemmeroids that may have been from the prep or may have been there for a while. Either way I am ship shape!! My mind was really messing with me. There were times I was certain I had colon cancer, even after my Dr did an occult blood test, then after that I did my own! They both came back no blood, even then, it brought me comfort but only temporary. I feel better now but the thoughts still haunt me. Just do you guys know, the mind is a very powerful thing! Try not looking up symptoms on the internet and see your Dr with concerns. Good luck and health to all of you.
    • royalty
      royalty sean50811

      Posted

      I had colonoscopy a couple of years ago I've had three in all over the years and two awful experiences but last one so different seemed over very quickly hated the moviprep though yuk and yes I agree that's worse than the actual test it is so hard not to look on internet when you are suffering with pain and other horrible symptoms, and totally agree the mind is a powerful thing 

  • ram_dayal00725
    ram_dayal00725 someboy

    Posted

    Hello I am from India, I have been having pain under left lower ribs since 3 months. Pain in not intense but remains all the time. I feel little pain in ribs when I press. Pain area is just below chest to below ribs on left side only.

    I have done 2D Echo, ECG, TMT but normal.

    Cholesterol, uric acid, CBC normal.

    Chest x-ray normal.

    Ultra Sonography normal.

    Appetite has been low from last one month.

    I used to have sprouted chickpeas since one year with milk but stopped after it started.

    I hv consulted to cardiologist to gastroenterologist & chest specialist , psychiatrist as well but still having same problem.

    Pl reply if you got relief of your problem.

    Thanks

  • tony29545
    tony29545 someboy

    Posted

    I have had the same uncomfortable feeling (Pressure) under my lower left rib cage and constipation for the past 3 to 4 months.  I had blood work done, a CAT scan, & a colonoscopy.  All were good.  It has been very uncomfortable and worrying.

    After the colonoscopy last week, the doctor who was puzzled prescribed Dycyclomine 10 MG to be taken twice a day.  It has worked wonders.  After the 1st day the pressure was very sporadic and one week later I have not had the constant pressure for days and my bowel movements are back to normal.

    Dicyclomine is used to treat the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Dicyclomine is in a class of medications called anticholinergics. It relieves muscle spasms in the gastrointestinal tract by blocking the activity of a certain natural substance in the body.

    I hope someone finds this helpful.  It has worked wonders for me.

  • valarie
    valarie someboy

    Posted

    I'm on 2years now with the same issues. I have had 2 CT , all types of blood work, x-ray, ultrasound. Doing colonoscopy in a couple weeks.

    So pain left middle to lower rib cage pain. Varying degrees of pain. Sometimes because I ate sometimes not. Bloating with any ingestion of food. Unpredictable BM.

    I take an anxiety pill that lessons the pain but it Never goes away. If I push on my rib cage it hurts like it's bruised.

    It is so frustrating.

  • mr.me51593
    mr.me51593 someboy

    Posted

    i had the tiredness and brain fog for 2 years , lyme disease symptoms , but just a month ago i got a pain under my left rib and cant poop or fart only in very small amounts , if i lay on my left side it hurts , had the doctor ran many tests , i even stopped eating foods for 6 days , just water , apple juice and chicken broth , still the pain , i was told i had diverticulitis , but still had pain , the gave me antibotics , but the tore up my stomach , it have been 3 months and lost 25 lbs , from my no fiber diet , it hurts more when i sit , im fine working all day till i sit , all the docs ive seen cant figure it out , 
  • traci_31787
    traci_31787 someboy

    Posted

    Hi there!  I read your comments last week because I am experiencing the same thing.  I go to a naturopath regularly..so I went and asked about it.  It is called Costochondritis.  I am experiencing the exact same things as you described - to a tee! .  She said it can be related to acid reflux, and also is worse when you are trying to fight off a cold or infection of some sort.   I experienced horrible acid reflux over the summer months.. and although that seems to be gone (I had too little acid as opposed to too much acid) the pain and tenderness under my left rib remains.  She said it will eventually go away on its own...and it is due to inflammation in and around that area.  The important thing is that it is not serious.. and you can take things to fight inflammation - curcumin for example.  Good luck, and I hope this helps!  It is frustrating for me to go to the doctor.  When I go to the Naturopath..she seems to have all the answers for me and I leave feeling confident about what is going on in my body!

    Good luck!

    • royalty
      royalty traci_31787

      Posted

      Hi traci would you mind telling me how yours started I've been suffering this for several months did your start with hard pressure pain does it affect your breathing and is yours round n under left rib as this is my problem it did go into lower back arms and shoulders. Did you have any tests from drs

    • traci_31787
      traci_31787 royalty

      Posted

      Mine started with a small pain under my lowest rib during a time where I was experiencing acid reflux.  It would come and go.. I didn't concern myself with it too much.  It hurts a little more now and is tender to the touch at times.  Feels bruised almost, but no actual bruise.  I don't feel it in m lower back arms or shoulders though.. but definitely in my ribs and even on my side a bit.

      I had an xray of that area and blood work done.. all is normal! 

  • anonymous80567
    anonymous80567 someboy

    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. I really hope it's nothing major and it will go away but my mind tends to wander.

  • stan09864
    stan09864 someboy

    Posted

    I've had some of the issues.

    Random Bowel Movements, for last 6 months. Lots of sounds coming from abdominal regions.

    Pain (not intense) just feels like something is there like a bubble or balloon in my left side right under the rib cage. Worse when sitting, driving and laying on my left side.

    Sometimes the pain goes to the back and lower left side.

    Had Xray of chest and abdominal, no issues. No CT scan yet.

    Ultrasound of my left area showed no issues, other then non-obstructive stones in my left kidney

    Had all bloodwork, including digestive bloodwork, no issues.

    No colon exam yet, or any scopes.

    Convinced myself I have PC cancer/tumor

    I'll keep you guys updated after my next visits.

     

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