Pain beneath lower lhs ribs - infarcts?

[LucyAshtonGeering]

Hi, it’s me again with another spleen-related question. Can anyone tell me what spleen infarct pain feels like?

[Peter18]

I too would be interested to hear comments on this question. An ultrasound revealed I had an enlarged spleen in February but apparently gave no measurements. Apart from sporadic but daily stinging sensations in left back, I have had nothing else until this last week: discomfort with occasional sharp pain in mid-lower left abdomen.

[LucyAshtonGeering in reply to Peter18]

Hmm, are you being given any treatment for your enlarged spleen? How are you managing it? Apparently mine isn’t enlarged, but I’ve had discomfort in the spleen area for 4 months and recently it’s become painful enough to stop me sleeping. My pain is like a snagging, pulling ache inside my ribs. Sometimes it’s acute and stabs, mostly it aches. It started in the lower front lhs rib area and has now spread round my side and back. I also feel full very quickly at mealtimes and can only eat halfsize portions. A haemo told me it might be infarcts. Atm I take paracetamol and am having an ultrasound this weekend.

[jane13]

no, but if u r worried try ringing NHS helpline? 911 I think (am in Wales)

[LucyAshtonGeering in reply to jane13]

Thanks Jane! My drs are on it; they suggested it might be infarcts and I’m having a scan in a couple of days. I just wondered if anyone had spleen infarcts and could describe what the pain felt like.

[Peter18 in reply to LucyAshtonGeering]

Sorry I can't help with your infarctus question. I'm on aspirin and hydroxy for PV. My understanding was that hydroxy could/should help alleviate the spleen problem. I aim to raise the issue again with GP and haemo clinic when I seen them a little later this month.

[monnywese]

Yes - I had one a year ago and ended up in hospital. The pain is like being run through with a sword - it was worse than childbirth. The paramedics were called to house and gave me morphine as I was in agonizing pain on the floor. Then to hospital. So -- it's bad. So glad yours is not like that and hopeful that it never is.

[LucyAshtonGeering in reply to monnywese]

Oh no! I hope you’re doing better now? My pain isn’t that acute atm - it’s been worse today but it’s not on that level. I hope you’re recovered from that now?

[LucyAshtonGeering in reply to monnywese]

Thank you for your reply, it’s very helpful. Sounds like my pain might be gastric rather than splenetic. Judging by your experience, I think I’d know by now if it was infarcts!

[ChelseaF]

I believe I have had two but they were not confirmed with imaging. It’s what led to discovering my high platelet count. I thought I had pancreatitis but didn’t. It was very severe pain that bored through my upper left side. I felt the worst pain under my ribs in the back side. It was severe pain for a few days and then was a deep ache that would intensify if I ate anything. It took six months or so to go away completely.

[LucyAshtonGeering in reply to ChelseaF]

Oh dear, I hope your condition has improved now? From these descriptions I don’t think I have infarcts, unless they can present less acutely. I’m having an ultrasound in 2 days time but I don’t think infarcts would show up on that anyway. Maybe my colon’s the culprit. Thank you for your reply, I appreciate it.

[ChelseaF in reply to LucyAshtonGeering]

I am sure an enlarging spleen causes a lot of discomfort also. It would be good to have it looked at. And like I said it was never confirmed that mine was an infarct. The MPN specialist said it sounded like one, but who knows? If I get another I will go straight to the ER and tell them what I think it is and see if we can confirm it.

[Rachelthepotter]

Hi Lucy. I’ve got MF and had some episodes of sudden chest pain severe enough to go to A and E. Not related to exercise. I was checked out for heart attacks but normal. Pain had gone by the time I got to A and E.

So , judging by some of the replies to you, maybe it was a spleen infarct I’ll try to check it out with my haematologist.

All the best.

[DENICE66 in reply to Rachelthepotter]

Hi Rachel. Is it possible you may have gall stones? I had a similar experience a few months ago - excruciating pain across my chest.... I really thought I was about to die from a heart attack! Turned out to be an inflamed gall bladder with two large (1.5cm) stones. I spent a week in hospital on IV antibiotics until it settled down, then put on waiting list for op to have GB removed. Then this week, same pain again, but only lasted for an hour or so. Scan showed one of the stones had traveled down the bile duct - which had caused the pain. Now bumped up the list and in for an MRI next week so they can work out exactly where the 'escapee' stone is. It's reassuring to know it's GB rather than heart. The pain was right across my chest, like someone tightening a rope across it, so it never occurred to me the origin was elsewhere. I've had babies at home with no drugs and, believe me, that was a walk in the park compared to this! If you experience similar pain again, maybe worth asking your GP about gall stones? Not related to MPD as far as I'm aware but I guess our 'special' conditions don't make us immune to more run of the mill stuff!

[Anneian in reply to DENICE66]

I was thinking the same thing. Pain from gallstones is sooo painful I would rather give birth than have that pain again.

[Rachelthepotter in reply to DENICE66]

Hi. Yes, its very like gall stone pain. That was awful. BUT I had my gall bladder removed 8 years ago. I’ve seen a gp and she suggested asking the haem next time I see him for an MRI which would show spleen infarcts if present. Don’t know what my present spleen size is so would be interesting to check anyway.

Thank you for your reply. Ended up in my junk folder nomidea why!

[Rachelthepotter in reply to DENICE66]

Hi. Your trapped in junk folder. As I said to Annian below, I’ve had my gall bladder out already. But will alert haem to it.

[Janlol]

Hi,

I suffered from a splenic infarct which led to my diagnosis of ET. The pain was intense, was taken to hospital via an ambulance with suspected bowel obstruction which they treated me for, discharged me and I was then readmitted a week later as the pain was still there, CT scan identified the infact which prompted the consultant to run blood tests to find I was JAK +. Unfortunately 2 days after diagnosis the same intense pain came back and I had another infarct. The pain was similar to a cramping /stabbing pain and on the same level as childbirth! Since these infarcts I have been troubled with left hand sided pain under my ribs and into my back, painkillers have not made any difference and a pain consultant even tried to administer a splenic nerve block which didn't help. This has left me with no choice but to have my spleen removed which is happening next week, not something I am looking forward to but hoping it may be the end to the daily pain!

Keep us posted on your outcome as I too would like to speak to others in a similar situation.

[LucyAshtonGeering in reply to Janlol]

Goodness, poor you Jan! That’s a tough time you’re going through. Good luck with your operation, please keep us posted. I hope it resolves the spleen pain for you once you’ve recovered from the op. What treatment are you on?

[LucyAshtonGeering]

Thanks everyone for all your comments! They’re very helpful.

I had my ultrasound today - my spleen is 12cm. The sonographer said it was at the larger end of the scale - of course I went away and Googled the average size of an adult’s spleen, which seems to be 11cm - and I think my symptoms certainly suggest a slight enlargement. There was no sign of bleeding, or presumably clots, so I think infarcts can be ruled out. It’s good to have a dimension for the old spleen now for future measuring, and I’ll monitor how it feels and if the symptoms change or progress. Happily my liver, gall bladder and kidneys all looked fine.