Pain on left side, near bottom rib.

[tammib]

Hi,

I have recently been diagnosed with PBC. Im waiting for my liver biopsy results to come back to stage it. I originally went to the doctor because I was having stomach pain and had convinced myself I had an ulcer. The camera thing says I do not, and they didnt find much wrong with my stomach. The liver numbers were off though, so here I am today with PBC when I thought I had an ulcer. Since finding this my Dr. has only been focused on getting the information together for PBC, and getting it staged, which I do understand, but I'm still hurting on the left along my bottom rib. Does anyone else have any kind of pain like this? Its just an always there, a dull pain, occassionly a sharp pain, but not often. It almost feels like something is being pinched inside me at times. Have any of you had any pain on the left side?

[Junolee]

Yes, I get that pain from time to time. I usually find its there after I eat a lot of rich food or if I overdo it energy wise or indeed if I'm anxious. I get regular blood test and I've had lots of Tests, scopes, ultra sounds, MRIs etc just routine over the years and it looks pretty stable so I try not to worry.

[Rockie]

Tammib. My first thought when I read your note was you should get a second opinion. Years ago when my liver enzyme readings were sky high, I was told by a gastronome (or whatever they call him ) after colonoscopy and gastro scope I should go to gynae. I had this pain in my right side. He totally ignored the high liver readings. After the biopsy and ERCP BPC was confirmed. Good luck. It is your body and have the right for 2nd opinion. Keep us posted.

[Kevviv]

Hello I have had PBC for 9 years,I used to get a lot of pain on my right side, but maybe the medication helped as I hardly suffer with it now. So hopefully the meds might help. Hope you get sorted

[Hidden]

I can't help with what the pain is on the left is, except to say you describe perfectly the feeling I get on the left from time to time. It's quite possibly food related as I have been following an elimination diet for IBS, and have only had it since then. Seems like messing with my diet has made everything worse but my next appointment with the dietitian is a couple of months away and with no way of checking with her.

I have an appointment with the Gp in a couple of weeks. I intend getting it checked out then as the pain seems to move from the front to the side and I do have a kidney cyst, so thought it was worth a visit but have had to wait ages for routine appointment.

[Debbiem40]

Pain on the right side just under your ribs can be gallstones. I have a gallstone, lots of people do apparently, they just don't know about it, I get pain when I have had a big meal, its happened the last couple of times I've eaten out but I don't know if that's coincidence - but my consultant said he was concerned in case my gallstone started moving and if the pain lasted for more than 24 hours then to go to A&E as it can need looking at straight away.

[dollydaydreams]

I regard pain on the left as food as it's where your bowel turns, i always think it's a food build op getting ready to escape. Pain on your right could be from your liver swelling in it's sack, they do say that you should sleep on your left hand side because the stuff in your stomach lies correctly, though I don't know why.

[Michiganpbc]

I had pain on the left under the rib line and saw my doctor I also notice my stools were fatty and light color I felt ill this was before finding out I had PBC, she said my food wasn't breaking down and to try Creon it's a enzyme the pancreas makes to break down your food . So the first day on Creon my pain is gone, ask your doctor for a fecal fat test and to check your pancreatic enzymes, in people with autoimmune disease this is not uncommon, good luck to you.

[Djscallan]

Your desending colon runs along the left side. If your bile production is not working correctly it caused a stool build up in my intestinal track. A test called a MRE shows if there are any blockages or stool build up.

[tammib]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I don't know anyone else that has PBC and i read everything I can on the internet. Sometimes it just leaves me even more confused. I am so glad I found this site and can ask questions and I do feel much better knowing that others have had the similar problems, not that I want anyone else to be in pain, but sometimes I get to thinking maybe I'm a little crazy or a hypochondriac. So it is nice to knowing I'm not the only one. Thank you for taking time to reply, and I am writing down the suggestions so I can talk to my doctor about them.

[emerich]

Hi tammid, Yes I get that pain a lot. It feels like a stitch. Also I often get a bad itch there too. I have pbc but no real symptoms so far.

[gowergirlie]

Me too me too! I put it down to my spleen being inflamed which has coincided with all the pbc stuff. It sits just behind the lower ribs on your left side. Could be that?

[tammib]

Gowergirlie, I think mine is related to my spleen also. I believe my doctor is going to order a ultrasound next time I'm in to see if it is enlarged/inflamed. I can deal with the pain, its more aggravating than anything. I just want to know why I'm hurting.