Pain in the side???

[petes_dragon]

Evening Everyone,

I need a bit of medical advice please,

I've had a pain in my side, off and on for about 3 months now - kind of between the bottom of my ribs/top of my stomach & just near my hip/lower bowel (?) (on the left side) and it feels a bit like a stitch.

It's not an unbearable pain but its there all the time at the moment and is very uncomfortable and making me feel a bit sick now..........the only thing that seems to help a bit is a hot water bottle or sitting with my knees up!

I've been to the GP and had a check up and he can't find anything obvious, and in his words was 'a bit stumped' (really inspires confidence) - they checked my coil and did an internal exam for infection and have now been referred to the hospital for an abdominal scan......I can't think of anything else, toilet stuff is all fine (1's and 2's), periods are fine, I'm not pregnant,

I had an ultrasound scan about 4yrs ago and they found follicular cysts on my ovaries and I occasionally get a pain in my ovaries mid-cycle (when I'm ovulating) but this seems to be a bit higher up!

Any ideas??

A xXx

[steviep165]

hey pete's,
hope you realise i look a right wally sitting here following your directions and prodding bits of my body!!!
is it left or right hand side babes?

[Redbel]

Hi P_D....did your doctor ask you for a urine sample?......it could be a Urinary Tract Infection.

[petes_dragon]

hi stevie hunny, it's on the left hand side!

Yeh, urine sample was normal - also had a blood test and that was normal too (full blood count & iron levels)

A xXx

[Goodsoulette]

Also have you had a test for chlamydia (not making any presumptions about you), I know that can present those symptoms. Although I am having trouble identifying where you say the pain, if its just above the left hand side of your hip then thats what I am getting at.

I get pains when ovulating, so I dont know how your coil might be effecting that. Get rid of your coil and go get an implant.

[Eve]

I used to get a lot of pain in my side (more towards the back though) as I used to get loads of kidney infections when they were struggling to cope with me when I had an eating disorder.

Have they checked your kidneys?

[steviep165]

could be your liver pete's.

[petes_dragon]

thank for the answers so far,

I've been tested for Chlamidya (not been up to anything!!) when they did my internal & it was clear.

They didn't test for kidney function - but there is a family history of kidney problems - my sister was born with 1 instead of 2 and my dad has ongoing urinary/kidney infections and has been hospitalised about 3 times with it!

But the pain isn' t in the kidney area...........if you can imagine it.........split your abdomen into 4 sections (quarters) and the pain is in the upper left section (under the ribs) but spreads down to the lower left section (ovary area) - kind of a sharpand achey pain (similar to a stitch but not as intense)

A xXx

[Goodsoulette]

Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Do you eat stuff that might irritate this or smoke and drink alcohol?

[petes_dragon]

The GP said he thought it could be bowels related, but I don't have any other symptoms eg diarrhoea, constipation and it doesn't seem to get any better or worse depending on what I've eaten.

Guess, I'll just have to wait until my hospital referral comes through - don't want to go reading to much stuff on the internet and scaring myself!!

A xXx

[Eve]

Looks like you're not alone hon...

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/gastro/messages/ 30197.html

[petes_dragon]

Jenna, thanks for the link - I'm amazed, her description is almost identical to what my pain feels like!! (apart from te bit about the arm!)

A xXx

[Calaid]

Hi, this sounds like a pain I had when I had a mirena coil. I put up with it for ages because I has taken so long to get used to the coil and I wasn't sure if it was that because like you the pain was to the side which seemed not to be related. The doc said it was probably constipation (he didn't have a clue either). It got so unbearable that I decided to have the coil removed just to see if that was the problem. I have never had the pain since..I'm not saying you should do the same but you could maybe talk to the doc (or another one) and try to establish if this could be what's causing the pain. Take care.x

[crisgal]

I had gallstones and the pain was very similar. I suppose he checked for those too?

[Goodsoulette]

its the wrong side for gallstones.

[lainiej]

Hi Petes... I have exactly the same symptoms as you. I never know whether the pain is in my back and travelling through to my stomach or vice versa. I get it occasionally and have just recently had it but its gone now. I havent been to my docs cos I feel a bit of a hypochondriac. A couple of years ago I had appendicitis and a kidney infection togther and the pain was quite similar.
When you lie down and press your stomach to the left of your belly button is there a swelling and can you feel quite a strong pulse ?

[lainiej]

Hi Petes... I have exactly the same symptoms as you. I never know whether the pain is in my back and travelling through to my stomach or vice versa. I get it occasionally and have just recently had it but its gone now. I havent been to my docs cos I feel a bit of a hypochondriac. A couple of years ago I had appendicitis and a kidney infection togther and the pain was quite similar.
When you lie down and press your stomach to the left of your belly button is there a swelling and can you feel quite a strong pulse ?
ELAINE X

[lainiej]

Ooops why has that gone on twice ?!!

[crisgal]

i know it's the wrong side for gallstones, but so was mine. When i asked the doc why he i felt it there he said "pain is a funny thing"