I have had sickle cell all my life 45 years but only did I discover it in the last few years mainly just an ache in the lower region and then later when I was doing boot camp exercises.
I had been seeing a physio for 2 years and always monthly I had my lower section re-adjusted but then it moved to upper region and this was where the pain got between the ribs but although my doctor said that it wasn't sickle cell as he didn't know any how anything about this problem and said it was a rib that had moved.
Of course he was wrong as My wife had first known about this and had read many write ups when we arrived in this country 10 years ago. until this time I had never had any pain and why I never knew about it.
My Turkish family never told me about this sickle cell although my mother had the sickle cell anemia so it was a surprise later after years of no pain to discover this.
If it is any help I went back to my physio who by this time began to look into this problem and one suggestion they made was that my tummy must always be flat not bulging and that diet was important. Six months have past and it has worked but the diet is very ridged especially the last meal will consist of raw veg every night.
Obviously there are many different types of this sickle cell not just one type as I have discovered and finding the best way is to make an effort to try the best way but think weight and sugar play a big part in this discovery.