Hi I'm new to this whole thing so I am looking for some sort of advice here...
In the middle of October - I started to get these really bad cramps on my side (sorta in my flanks but a little bit lower above the hips)...I had these same cramps although more severe back in April 08 and the ER did urine and blood tests, gave me aspirin, and sent me on my way home.
This time I went to the ER after 3 days of the cramps because I didn't want to mess around trying to guess what is going on. The doctor put pressure around my stomach and told her what hurts and what doesn't, she had me do a urine test and that came back negative. She also tapped on my kidneys and felt no pain - but right on my lower back she tapped and that hurt quite badly...I did left some heavy totes a few days prior but she didn't see how this would cause my abdominal pains. I also explained my bowel movements have been less frequent. She diagnosed me with constipation, told me to go buy some ex-lax at the store and get a heat pack for my back. Which I did, my bowel movements started getting more normal again and the cramps seemed to go away.
About a week later - I had a more intense pain right by my appendix area and I was having a hard time walking around but it was fine if I laid still. It hurt the most whenever I would bend over to reach for something or started getting active like on my treadmill. I went back to the ER around Nov 7 and they rushed me back to a room - started an IV - took 2 blood samples, urine sample, doc came in and felt around for pressure, they gave me some sort of pain medication can't remember the name and I was feeling a little bit better...all the tests came back clean so they gave me a full CT scan to look for hernias, appendix, kidney stones, gall stones, looked at my colon and intestines for any obstructions, the works...every single thing came back clean looked fine no problems. They gave me a less harsh stool softener and an anti-inflammatory drug to ease the pain (they said I did have a high white blood cell count but it was only a little bit).
So it's been about 2 weeks since that - I took all of my medications - I still have some stool softener left - I have no more pains down there anymore but I'm still examining my bowel movements because now I sometimes miss a day - I have also changed my diet to a more high fiber diet - starting gradually (I know I am very out of shape and don't eat as well as I should so I'm trying to change that)...
So with all that out of the way - NOW - I am having a mild pressure/bloating feeling right under my ribcage where the top ab muscles start - I noticed I gained 10 pounds but I don't know how gradually that has been since the last time I checked my weight was probably 4-5 months ago...a lot of the time I don't even want to think about food anymore, and if I start to eat something or eat a rather large meal - I'll get a really full feeling halfway through my meal (and I'm trying to cut my proportions even) and I get a little bit nauseated afterwards - so I drink a full glass of water right away to sort of flush everything down. The pressure only really happens when I am sitting in a chair or slightly leaning back in my chair. If I am laying down on my back or side or I like to sleep on my stomach, it doesn't bother me at all. Yesterday and today I have also started to experience some tightening in my chest (nothing too severe) and a slight shortness in breath - I really noticed that this morning and laid down and slept for about 5 hours feeling pretty good - the pain started to come back and I got on the treadmill for 20 min today and now I'm feeling a bit better - but still a little short of breath.
I have been diagnosed in the past with some xanax for panic attacks related to strokes and I was also given an inhaler...but that was 2 years ago and really went away...is it possible that stress is causing all these problems for me, and should I consider looking into something for panic disorders or depression? Or does this sound more like a gastro problem that is being aggrivated by some sort of infection or diet habit? Sorry for being so long about this - but this has been driving me absolutely crazy and it's starting to interfere with my day to day life. Thanks for any help
In the middle of October - I started to get these really bad cramps on my side (sorta in my flanks but a little bit lower above the hips)...I had these same cramps although more severe back in April 08 and the ER did urine and blood tests, gave me aspirin, and sent me on my way home.
This time I went to the ER after 3 days of the cramps because I didn't want to mess around trying to guess what is going on. The doctor put pressure around my stomach and told her what hurts and what doesn't, she had me do a urine test and that came back negative. She also tapped on my kidneys and felt no pain - but right on my lower back she tapped and that hurt quite badly...I did left some heavy totes a few days prior but she didn't see how this would cause my abdominal pains. I also explained my bowel movements have been less frequent. She diagnosed me with constipation, told me to go buy some ex-lax at the store and get a heat pack for my back. Which I did, my bowel movements started getting more normal again and the cramps seemed to go away.
About a week later - I had a more intense pain right by my appendix area and I was having a hard time walking around but it was fine if I laid still. It hurt the most whenever I would bend over to reach for something or started getting active like on my treadmill. I went back to the ER around Nov 7 and they rushed me back to a room - started an IV - took 2 blood samples, urine sample, doc came in and felt around for pressure, they gave me some sort of pain medication can't remember the name and I was feeling a little bit better...all the tests came back clean so they gave me a full CT scan to look for hernias, appendix, kidney stones, gall stones, looked at my colon and intestines for any obstructions, the works...every single thing came back clean looked fine no problems. They gave me a less harsh stool softener and an anti-inflammatory drug to ease the pain (they said I did have a high white blood cell count but it was only a little bit).
So it's been about 2 weeks since that - I took all of my medications - I still have some stool softener left - I have no more pains down there anymore but I'm still examining my bowel movements because now I sometimes miss a day - I have also changed my diet to a more high fiber diet - starting gradually (I know I am very out of shape and don't eat as well as I should so I'm trying to change that)...
So with all that out of the way - NOW - I am having a mild pressure/bloating feeling right under my ribcage where the top ab muscles start - I noticed I gained 10 pounds but I don't know how gradually that has been since the last time I checked my weight was probably 4-5 months ago...a lot of the time I don't even want to think about food anymore, and if I start to eat something or eat a rather large meal - I'll get a really full feeling halfway through my meal (and I'm trying to cut my proportions even) and I get a little bit nauseated afterwards - so I drink a full glass of water right away to sort of flush everything down. The pressure only really happens when I am sitting in a chair or slightly leaning back in my chair. If I am laying down on my back or side or I like to sleep on my stomach, it doesn't bother me at all. Yesterday and today I have also started to experience some tightening in my chest (nothing too severe) and a slight shortness in breath - I really noticed that this morning and laid down and slept for about 5 hours feeling pretty good - the pain started to come back and I got on the treadmill for 20 min today and now I'm feeling a bit better - but still a little short of breath.
I have been diagnosed in the past with some xanax for panic attacks related to strokes and I was also given an inhaler...but that was 2 years ago and really went away...is it possible that stress is causing all these problems for me, and should I consider looking into something for panic disorders or depression? Or does this sound more like a gastro problem that is being aggrivated by some sort of infection or diet habit? Sorry for being so long about this - but this has been driving me absolutely crazy and it's starting to interfere with my day to day life. Thanks for any help
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By the way I forgot to mention my last ER visit the doctor said if my conditions didn't get any better as far as the cramps that I could be suffering from IBS - but now obviously I'm not having those cramps anymore...
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sorry I just realized I said that I was prescribed xanax related to strokes - I meant to type in STRESS not strokes XD
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I know this was a year ago but I was wondering if this ever got solved. I have the same exact problems. Started with pain on my left side, then really bad pain on my right, that lasted only 3 days, and now the pressure/ bloating. And I'm a very petite female. 5'2 and 105 -110lbs but now I look like I'm 4 months pregnant. I also get a long bulge on my left lower side. Had that for about 6 months. I'm just so sick of this mysterious thing that's happening. My doctor felt my belly and said its nothing so i don't want to bother with her anymore so I'm hoping someone has a diagnosis
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I'm hoping that you've gotten an answer as well because I'm experiencing these symptoms as well... it's awful I don't have insurance!
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Sadly no. I no longer have the pain and have lost a lot of weight. I'm 103lbs but somehow still feel bloated a lot, still have that bulge on my left side. Something that I did have done though, I had to get an ultra sound to check my kidneys and the tech was nice enough to check my belly when i explained my symptoms to her. She said everything looked fine, but on my left side over my left 'bulge' it was just air. She wanted to give it a minute saying it will move in a second, so then she could check my ovaries. The air never moved. I haven't had a second ultrasound to check my left side sadly, but Im not going to completely give up. Sorry I don't have the answers you were hoping for. But whatever this is I think its making me unable to get pregnant (TTC for a year) so it will get solved I just don't know when.
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Alright I know it has been awhile, but I think I figured it out. I started taking percocets in December 2012 due to degenerative discs in my neck. I think most of you know that opiates cause constipation. I noticed that bulge on my left side would get really hard and tender. Then after I had a bowel movement it would either get smaller or go away completely. Since my last post, I have started college, my major is apart of the medical field so I have learned a lot. Where that bulge is, is your large intestine, which is the last part of your intestines, that leads to your anal cavity. I have never been regular with bowel movements and now with the opiates, it has just gotten worse, so I take stool softener and a colon cleanse. Try it, and if the bulge shrinks or goes away, it is constipation.
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I am a 42 year old female with the same symptoms. Mine would not be from opiates or any other drug side effect. Has anyone else with these symptoms received a different diagnosis? Thank you!
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