Visible upper abdominal swelling and pain on both sides. Painful with light prodding under sternum too.

[Poppyfields65]

Can abdominal serositis /Peritonitis cause visible swelling or does it just cause pain?

I often have constant dull type moderate upper abdo pain and can get breathless with little activity.

Today the pain has been getting worse and ive noticed swelling as well.

Can anyone relate?

[Natura]

Love to hear more responses to this one. I have a bloated belly from time to time. And that pain right under the sternum . Breathlessness. I have not been able to pinpoint.

Just had a sono on my enitre upper right quadrant from discomfort under my ribcage. Dr said everything fine. It even hurt when technician was pressing down in the area right at the end of my sternum.

I find it amazing that these tests come back fine, but still dont feel well.

I dont know that a sono shows inflammation. I asked a dr can you see inflammation with an xray because he ordered one because I have trouble breathing. He said no. You would need a cat scan. (I dont really want to do that chalk thing). So, why am I getting a chest xray? Do I need an xray?

My father had an appendicitis and peritonitis in his late 70s. So, I am also a bit concerned with the bloating. Oh, one dr suggested I take gas x. Ugh!

[Poppyfields65 in reply to Natura]

I'm having a chest xray next month, last one was in 2015. I've had this pain for years but it's getting gradually worse but it's the first time I've noticed swelling or fullness. Hopefully it will go down over night.

[Natura in reply to Poppyfields65]

Mine goes down over night, which makes me wonder if it is gas. But, pain associated with it is not good. Please let me know what the chest x ray shows, as I am holding on to my referral. Not sure I want to do a chest xray.

[Poppyfields65 in reply to Natura]

Swelling and pain still there this am. It's not bloating. I dovery occasionally get bloating lower down but this is just under the rib cage on either side.

I'll report back on the xray.

[happysally72 in reply to Natura]

The 'chalk thing' (the drink required to show up things on scan) is really not that bad. I've recently done it and just drank it quickly. It's not anywhere as bad as people expect. You can always hold your nose while you drink to stop yourself tasting anything (I think they have improved it as whilst I didn't think 'yummy' I didn't find it disgusting).

Your father would have got the peritonitis as a result of the appendix bursting or leaking & I believe most people get the appendix removed prior to this happening, since appendicitis is very painful & people usually seek medical advice fairly quickly.

Peritonitis is beyond the worst pain you could ever imagine (I know as have had it). It is usually caused secondary to something else, like appendicitis or bowel problem etc. It did cause my stomach to swell and go hard but in all honesty you'd be usually in hospital from the primary condition before it started or in early stages, plus you'd know about it, its excruciating & you'd be unable to do anything but scream and cry.

The chest X-ray will be to exclude any lung problems, since you reported breathlessness. I've suffered breathlessness in addition to my tummy problems and they did chest X-ray, which was fine (with the exception of scarring from previous P.E.'s -blood clots on my lungs).

See my reply to the main post for further info about my experience with similar pain and problems I've had).

[happysally72]

I have SLE and have been getting similar symptoms for several years. I was found to have a diseased gall bladder that was shrunken & contained a gritty substance but no gall stones, so they removed the gall bladder. Unfortunately I suffered a bile leak after surgery and subsequently peritonitis & sepsis. This was extremely painful, I was screaming and groaning. Believe me, you had peritonitis you would know it, you'd be incapable of doing anything & would be in hospital by now. (I'm not medically trained so this is just my personal experience, so if ever unsure it's best to seek medical advice).

Despite my gall bladder being removed, I still have the same symptoms (plus additional pain caused by the damage of the bile leak etc). My worse pain is in my upper right quadrant but is also on the left & just below sternum. I am on omeprazole for stomach acid & do have a small hiatus hernia, so I suspect some of the pain is from that but in all honesty I think it's just another problem caused as I've had many tests & scans excluding other conditions. Lupus can affect the digestive tract, intestines & bowel, sometimes causing inflammation and also IBS symptoms & as many of us also have fibromyalgia, possibly nerve pain chucked into the mix. (I also have Sjögren's syndrome, anti-phospholipid syndrome, RA & OA, so who knows what else it could be. I was told once that the problems with my spine could cause abdominal pain, but this does not cause any swelling or bloating.

I would suggest to anyone, go & see your GP if you have any ongoing symptoms & pain or if the pain is severe, get yourself to A&E. You know your own body, so if it doesn't feel right or if you are suffering, make sure you get seen & if needed referred to the appropriate department.

[Poppyfields65]

Ok. Thanks for your comments. I have inflammatory bowel disease, i suffer intestinal pain from that but this feels different, ive had it at various pain levels for years and ive not had this swelling before. I was just wondering if it could be inflammation being caused by something else., id always assumed it was the IBD but now im not so sure. I had a ct scan with contrast in 2015 which didnt show anything and chest xray was clear then too. This is just one of many long term systemic symptoms which may or may not be caused by the IBD. Ill go to my gp if it worsens and ill follow up on it with my rheumatologist in May anyway when i go back for the blood and xray results. She suspects connective tissue disease. I have diverticulos, arthitis, b12 deficiency and dry eyes diagnosed. Positive ANA for past 3 years getting stronger positive ( i know this may not mean anything) and some of my symptoms such as all over paresthesias and constant dizziness and vertigo attacks resolve when im taking corticosteroids prescribed for the IBD except the paresthesias worsen in heat. Im plagued with fatigue sometimes debilitating and all over achiness like flu symptoms, migraine, chronic headaches which i think are caused by my cervical spondylosis but it hasnt been confirmed yet and my symptoms worsen in the sun, not good as i live in a hot country but will be moving back to uk this summer . Lots of other symptoms too many to list.

Amongst many other bloods the Ena panel and antiphosphilipid antibodies have been re done last week as previously negative when done by neurologist last year and shes doing lupus anticoagulant as well i assume to defo rule out hughes as it wasnt done before as part of whatever they do under the antiphosphilipid antibodies title on the bloods form here.

[Natura in reply to Poppyfields65]

Oh geez Mickyaela...sounds awful. I have many of the symtpoms you have. Just got bloodwork done. Got tested for RA, which I know I have. Chiropractor saw in my spine and neck in an xray years ago. GP sort of doesn't believe me. What else is new. When you hear the list of symptoms, sometimes I feel like there are so many I must be making it up.

I believe I have fibro too, achy joints everywhere. I have prothrombin gene mutation which makes me susceptible to clots. My brother has the lupus anticoagulant. Is that Hughes syndrome? He is just on an anti coagulant med. My cousin has sjorgens. I also have dry eye.

Makes you wonder what the heck this is right?

Genetic? Environmental? Both.

Some days I get so distressed about it. I am trying to get a job and I have an interview this week. I am very worried about my ability to work full time and take care of the home, shopping etc. We need the money as my husband has taken a lesser paying job because of his physical and mental health. He is only 51, and I am seeing dementia symptoms already. Ugh! Feel like we never get a break.

Plus, I have 2 sisters that dont believe I have lupus. I have no parents. Thank God we have the support here. I dont know how I would get through my day without everyone's care here.

[Chanpreet_Walia LUPUS UK]

Hi Mickyaela,

Have you spoken to your doctor or rheumatologist about this?

According to The Lupus Encyclopaedia, peritonitis can cause both pain and inflammation of the abdominal area. The encyclopaedia states that “autopsy studies show that 70% of SLE patients have evidence of having had peritonitis during their lives”. Peritonitis can be treated with steroids prescribed by your doctor.

The NHS Choices’ website lists ‘swelling of the abdomen’ as one of the symptoms associated with peritonitis, to find out more about the symptoms click here: nhs.uk/Conditions/Peritonit...

[Poppyfields65 in reply to Chanpreet_Walia]

Hi. Yes, they both know about the chronic pain and discomfort but the swelling and worse pain started a few days after my rheumatology appointment. It lasted about 3 days and then subsided.

The rheumatologist did examine me and prod around on my abdomen and it was tender to the touch then which she knew.

On the referral form for the chest xray in the reason for test box she wrote suspected connective tissue disease - lupus? So I assume my symptoms were indicating lupus to her.

I didn't go to my GP as the swelling subsided and the pain settled back down to its normal level.

I guess it's not really clear to me from the NHS site and others what level of pain comes with peritonitis although a previous responder indicated it would be extremely severe which mine wasn't...

If it returns very bad I will see my GP.

Thanks very much.