Abdominal pain

[Daveyo]

Hi folks, I'm David, I'm 52 and live near Glasgow. I was diagnosed with CLL almost 8 years ago. I've been on watch and wait for most of that time, apart from a course of Rituximab about 3 years ago as my platelets had gone thru the floor and my WBC had more than doubled in the space of 6 months.

Recently I've been getting sharp pains in my left abdomen, just under the bottom rib. My doctor sent me immediately for an x-ray and bloods but nothing turned and said it was muscular, I'm not so sure. Has anyone else had this problem? Thanks

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

How enlarged is your spleen...? You should request a contrast CTscan to really have a good look inside...

There may be enlarged nodes not seen on an xray...

~chris

[Name-1 in reply to Cllcanada]

I will try to answer...

Pain in left abdomen can occur for number of reasons:

-enlarged of the spleen

-enlarged lymph nodes

-due to bowel disordes (possibly constipation or gases),because there is a flexura of the colon from the transferse to the distal part.

-haernia

-pancreatitis

Maybe it is only digestiv problem?

[Daveyo in reply to Cllcanada]

Thanks Chris, I'll request an ultrasound when I'm at my next clinic appointment

[Jm954 Administrator]

It could well be muscular and hopefully he palpated your abdomen to see if he could feel your spleen and check if it was enlarged. Other symptoms of an enlarged spleen include a feeling of fullness and possibly not able to eat as much as before.

Have you got any other symptoms, apart from the pain?

[Daveyo]

I have an appointment for my consultant on November 1st. I'll get a better idea then I think, the pain is like a sharp cramp or stitch and only last for a few seconds. I'm also waiting for an ultrasound scan

[Jm954 Administrator in reply to Daveyo]

The ultrasound is good and will show if your spleen is enlarged.

Spleens don't tend to cause much trouble unless they are quite big and everyone is different, but my enlarged spleen (25cm) gave me a dull ache on that side. I don't recall any sharp stitch like pains.

Hopefully it's nothing and you can be are reassured that all is well.

[Daveyo]

Thanks, hopefully it's nothing. Dr Google always seems to always leave more questions than answers lol

[Cmac70]

Hi David, I have had the same pain you are talking about in my left side under my rib. I just had an ultra sound and my spleen was at the high end of normal size. My pain comes and goes everything seems fine else where. I do sleep on my side alot and was wondering if its from that or some form of gastrointestinal issue. I find when i am stressed alot its more frequent, after all your mind and body can do some weird things when one is stressed. If any more cimes of it i will be sure to post. Good luck.

Chris

[Ezjacobs]

I have the same kind of pain you are talking about - under my right side ribs. Mine varies from sharp to Duluth.It comes and goes. Right now it seems to be with me quite often. I have what I hope is a morning cough from GERD. I thought it might be from that. Neither my oncologist nor my gastroenterologist have been able to shed any light on this.

I am concerned since it is with me quite often in the last month. Any thoughts?

[Austin55]

Hi Davey

I had the same sort of pain, got sent for x ray only showed up the arthritis in joints, so got an ultrasound of spleen done, it was fine so it was probably wind, cramp, or indigestion, it comes and goes so am not worried when it happens now.

Hope you get answers for your discomfort and take Dr Google outcof the equation.

All the best

Willie

[Daveyo in reply to Austin55]

Cheers Willie, I'm gonna request an ultrasound when I go to my clinic next month. I'm never going to A and E again, 7 hours, 4 sets of bloods (2 lost and 1 clotted) and problems locating veins. A nitemare of a day

[fussybritches]

My husband has had similar, but his was an enlarged spleen. Has recently started IB which hopefully will reduce spleen size

[Hazel33]

I had pains under my ribs, felt full and quite unwell. Scan showed marginally enlarged spleen, which was of no great concern to my oncologist. I saw a gastroenterologist and he said down to stress and could be IBS. Pain now subsided. Just learning to live with it. It is uncomfortable. I have been on WW for 6.5 years

[Shedman]

How did your consult go on 1st Nov?

Do you know: are you classified as having SLL (where the duff tumour B-cells clog the lymph nodes, spleen, etc, leading to lumpy neck and swollen spleen) or simply CLL?

It alarms me that GP sent you for X-Ray without palpating spleen by hands to assess swelling/size first...

My interest: started having sharp pain at lower left ribs 10 days ago, and it proves to be all about swollen spleen ('3-finger palpable spleen' said GP') with my SLL.

My consultation in haematology has been brought forward for a fortnight so time. Still hoping the pain eases and becomes manageable..

My bloods were done and did not show worrying results, so we'll see what is to be done.