What might cause these symptoms
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| Fri, 03-04-2005 - 8:06am |
Good Morning:
I am hoping somone might have experienced symptoms like these so that I might have a better idea what kind of doctor to see. I have made an appointment with a primary physician, but am wondering if I should see a specialist. I am not sure if this is digestive or a gynecological thing. These symptoms are intermittent and I can't seem to figure out a pattern, but when I am in pain, I can barely function. I often have attacks at night that will wake me and keep me from sleeping.
These are the symptoms:
-gripping upper abdominal pain just below my ribs where they meet in the middle
-the same gripping pain seems to go around to my mid to upper back as well
-no heart burn
-no gas ( or if so, not enough to notice)
-swelling /bloating (my waist, 27in and lower abs 31, will swell to 31 and 36)
-tender/sore to the touch at the site of pain
-water retention
-really fatigued (may be the sleep interruption?)
Eating will make the symptoms temporarily better, but a few hours later, the pain returns.
I am 31 years old, about 5.10 and am pretty fit. My body fat is somewhere between 15% and 18%. My weight seems to fluctuate with the swelling/bloating 6 to 10 pounds from 163 to 173. I experienced the same symptoms almost 8 years for about 3 months and then they went away, but this seems to be going on much longer this time.
Any suggestions would be great!
Thanks.

Hi and Welcome
It could be many things like GERD/Acid reflux, Gastritis, Gallbladder(I know that Gallbladder causes pain under the right rib cage that can radiate to your back and shoulder blades). Gastritis can cause pain in between your rib cages. I have both GB problems and mild Gastritis. Your best bet would be to see an Gastroenterologist(sp?) they deal with all sorts of digestive disorders. Also, like Wren said try keeping a food journal and see when and what brings on the pain. It could be something your eating.
Just my 2 cents...i'm not a doctor ;0)
-Donna
Hi and welcome to the board - they sound much like the symptoms I had before being dx w/ GB problems. However - they can also be signs of a number of other ailments.
I live in Canada and here you have to be refered to a specialist by your family doctor - so that's where my first visit is when I have problems. I guess if it is an option to go directly to a specialist - unless you know of a good one based on previous experience or personal recomendations I'd think going to the family doctor and getting a recomondation to someone he/she knows & trusts would be what I'd likely do.
Plesae post again & let us know how things are going,
Jo
I elimiminated a lot of food groups from my diet.
When the pain was really really bad I would pretty much exist on fat free broth, beans, lentils for protein, lots of fruit and veggies. Sometimes rice (wild or brown). No eggs, dairy, meat or bread or pasta type grains.
Spices never bothered me - so despite eliminating lots of stuff - there was still a lot of variety available.
Tylenol made it worse (it's processed via the liver I think - so that could be why). There really wasn't any Rx that helped me.
If you find you are looking yellow (eyes, gums, skin tone), or if you are vomiting or have diahrea to the point where you are dehydrayted (ie. only having a pee once or twice a day) or if you have a fever - then go to the ER. Any one of the above could be sign that there is infection going on and there is a risk of it spreading to panreas.
Also try to get your rest drink lots of water and find some food (even broth) that you can eat without things getting worse - a rested, well hydrayted and nurished body copes better than a tired dehydrayted body.
all the best - please keep us up todate,
Jo
HI and WElcome aboard!
Sounds like it could be gallbadder.