Posted 2/9/2011 1:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,
Just over six months ago I was going through a lot of stress. I am meant to have an annual checkup for a supposedly benign kidney condition which I have. Due to a really bad fear of needles, I put this off for a number of years. However, I started having some funny chest pains (put down to stress) and I persuaded myself to go and get my checkup done, as I was getting very paranoid about my health.
I had the blood test one morning and I remember laying down at home that afternoon and noticing pains in the sides of my abdomen. These pains increased to the point where I had them when standing, sitting and laying, literally from the moment I woke up to the moment I fell to sleep. This was making me very worried and adding to my stress.
The blood tests came back normal, aside from a slightly low red blood count (yet the haemoglobin level was normal) and the doctor said there was nothing wrong. Later that week I had another bout of chest pains one night and drove myself to A&E. I had another blood test and again I was told my results were normal and to take paracetamol for the pains.
This didn't help and I was further hindered by a scare over my urine test result, which later was found out to be fine.
Not long after this, my pains lessened and in the 6 or so months since this time, I'm now in a position where I experience two different pains:
1 - When sitting down, I get a right-sided pain just beneath the rib cage (never on the left side). It feels a little like something squashing and seems to be aggravated by leaning to one side, so perhaps posture aggravates it? I've also noticed this pain can be more sensitive to stress, but whether that's my mind worrying about it, I don't know. This pain happens a few times a day, however I've noticed that when I'm occupied in something, I can go through a whole day without feeling it.
2 - My other pain is when laying down. If I lay on either side, the pain tends to come from the opposite side, rather than the one I am laying on. I've also noticed recently that I feel uncomfortable on the side I'm laying on too, but I didn't notice this when the pains started. I've had this pain ever since they first started and it's every night without fail. There are times when it's felt slighly more mild and sometimes I've woken up at night or in the morning and it's felt almost non-existant (but this is rare). On occassions, it's felt like my trousers are too tight (which they aren't). By simply lifting them slightly, I get some pain relief. I can also get relief by putting my hand onto the area.
These pain patterns have been present for probably 5 months out of the 6 and haven't really changed from above.
The doctor hasn't gone as far as saying it's definitely IBS. I was sent for an ultrasound which showed everything was normal, but the doctor operating it did mention in passing that I looked a bit constipated (although I hadn't had any movement for a couple of days, which may explain it). The doctor is referring me for CBT in the hope that it will help, but this will take some months to happen.
Like most on here, I'm worried that my discomforts are something serious. I can only take comfort in the knowledge that this only started when I was under exceptional stress and that the doctors haven't found anything serious. I've tried some peppermint capsules, made my diet more healthy, drunk plenty of water etc, but nothing has yet helped.
Has anyone else on here had anything similar or can anyone offer some advice?