Anyone have pain in the upper left quadrant?

Hi there!
My main symptom since I started having stomach issues has been an intense pain underneath my ribs on the left side. Sometimes it feels like I have a rock lodged under there, sometimes it just a stinging kind of pain when I move certain ways or have just eaten.

I've never heard of this kind of pain being associated with acid reflux, but it all started at the same time. I have a hiatus hernia, GERD, and bile reflux, and I can't for the life of me understand how any of that would translate to this kind of pain. I've had an abdominal ultrasound (liver, gallbladder, kidneys etc.) and it didn't show anything.

Anyone of you dealing with the same thing? Or have any ideas of what it could be?

Not knowing is making me anxious and of course if you google any symptom, you instantly will be led to believe you have cancer

treeofstars said...
That sounds more like gastritis as that was my main problem when it started up.

But the bile reflux could be it.

Have you had an endoscopy to confirm it is bile reflux and GERD?

Yes, the endoscopy is what diagnosed it. I had a positive fecal occult blood test when my problems started and my doctor seems to think it was gastritis from the bile reflux that has now resolved itself, but no one understands where this particular pain is coming from.

I never had acid reflux problems until I started medications, and because that's the problem they see proof of in the endoscopy, they seem to think it's the only one I have.

The only medication I've been put on is Omeprazole, which in my opinion has only made everything worse

Have eliminated all grains and dairy products as I just can't tolerate them. I've tried lactose-free dairy a few times and it seems to go down alright. Have also eliminated most sugar (still eat the occasional fruit). Having trouble giving up my coffee but now I only have about one small cup every two days or so. I can't really eat much and I'm developing food-related anxiety because eating in general makes me feel so awful. But other than the things I've eliminated I try to just eat very very small meals.

Actually getting a hold of a doctor where I am is proving difficult, and when I do speak to one, they barely have time to explain things to me or make suggestions. I was actually told after my diagnosis to "just google it".

I suspect I'm having a not so great reaction to my current PPI, so I've decreased my dosage, which actually seems to make me feel marginally better, but I've been on the phone daily with the hospital trying to actually get an appointment with a doctor again to possibly get some additional/different meds.

Right quadrant pain is typically gall bladder. The stomach is on the left hand side, though it may be a duodenal ulcer. Have you checked your stools for blood? Carafate is worth a try, but you should also ask about a HIDA scan to check your gall bladder.

You can combine PPIs with Carafate, you just cant take them at the same time. I'd advise not taking Carafate for 6 hours before the PPI, and then leave another 2 hours after the PPI before taking. I found it did interfere with my PPI if I didnt give it a wide margin.

Andy1986 said...
Right quadrant pain is typically gall bladder. The stomach is on the left hand side, though it may be a duodenal ulcer. Have you checked your stools for blood? Carafate is worth a try, but you should also ask about a HIDA scan to check your gall bladder.

You can combine PPIs with Carafate, you just cant take them at the same time. I'd advise not taking Carafate for 6 hours before the PPI, and then leave another 2 hours after the PPI before taking. I found it did interfere with my PPI if I didnt give it a wide margin.

Had an ultrasound of my gallbladder/liver/kidneys and it came back fine. Have had positive occult blood tests multiple times, but no ulcers show up on a scope.

Doctors suspect this is all just GERD and bile reflux messing with my system, but I'm also having a small bowel scan to check so I don't have Chron's or something else as well. So, tests are happening, slowly but surely