Severe pain under left ribs up in to shoulder.

I have been told I have IBS, but have also been told my liver function is seriously off. I have been feeling really tired and sick since January, with loads of bloating, nausea, cramps, and diarrhoea. Recently I can't seem to eat anything, but today, I got a really severe pain under my left ribs which feels like a bad muscle cramp. It is also aching at my shoulder blade and really sharp pain on my left shoulder. Is this normal for IBS, or should I be worried? (I do tend to panic over things like this!!) Right now, I'm thinking bleeding ulcers or pancreatic cancer!! Can anyone help, or reassure me please? This is my first time to post here.

[gfmum1]

Have you been to see your GP? Have you had any more tests to find out why your liver function is off? Gallstones can cause that, I think. I know the gallbladder is on the right but I've read of some people having gallstones pain on the left, and that pain is similar to what you describe.

But you need to see your GP to find out what's going on.

[sandra1958 in reply to gfmum1]

Pain in your shoulder blade and ribs may also be a lung condition, you need to get checked out x

[JAJJV]

This really sounds liver related. Could even be a type of hepatitis. Start an investigation in earnest, find out for sure what it is, treat it and get better.

Wishing you all the best!

[Hidden]

Thanks for all the replies! I am having blood tests on Monday, and hopefully will get to have some scans after that. It feels like more than IBS

[dedeottie]

There is something called splenic flexure syndrome which is sometimes classed as I.B.S. it is gas caught in the part of the colon where the transverse colon goes into decending colon. It causes pain under ribs on left side and can spread to the back. Im not sure about the shoulders though. I have it and it is like a niggling stitch pain all the time. Some people have severe pain with this. Sounds like you need to see a doctor though. X

[Chad01 in reply to dedeottie]

Hi,Apologies for jumping in, I just thought your comment on splenic flexure syndrome was really interesting.

For the last 6 years I’ve been experiencing upper left abdominal pain moving from a central epigastric area across the left side. In and out of hospital, various tests and mis diagnoses etc but no conclusions.

It is always worse first thing in the am when I wake up and takes a couple of hours to fade before getting up - often accompanied by gas - and I was just wondering if your pain is worse in the mornings?

Many thanks

C

[dedeottie in reply to Chad01]

Hi. I am really happy to report that I am mostly on top of this problem now! It hasn’t gone totally but is completely manageable.

I did an elimination diet cutting out glutten( easy as Hubby is celiac) lactose and some fruit and veg and some pulses. I spent evenings with ahot water bottle over the area to help relax the bowel and gradually over the course of a year my pain reduced from being all the time to being more specific. Usually in evenings but sometimes in the morning before going to the toilet ,and usually eliminated by hot water bottle. I can actually feel the colon starting to become less rigid and the gas then starts moving along and not staying stuck in that corner. I then reintroduced the foods eliminated and now have a fairly normal diet. If I have a lot of beans I pay dearly but I think that is to be expected!

So, in conclusion it hasn’t gone away but is so manageable that it is just an inconvenience.

Sometimes I feel like my colon is too big for abdominal cavity and that it is pressing on my diaphram, again a hot water bottle helps…. Not easy in the summer!

I hope this is helpful. X

[Chad01 in reply to dedeottie]

Thanks!

Yes, that’s very helpful.

Having run the gamut of diagnoses from pancreatitis to hypersensitive esophagus I’ve mostly given up trying to look for answers but this popped up in my feed and thought it was interesting.

Initially pain was constant, hence a bunch of stats in hospital but is now mainly in the am and occasionally in the middle of the night. So manageable.

I do find in the mornings that I feel a sort of ‘gurgling’ as if my system is working air through itself, before the pain calms down and I can get up and about.

I haven’t tried much in the way of diets, although when I was initially given a possible pancreatitis dx I did spend several months on a ridiculously low fat diet, which might have helped somewhat.

I find that alcohol really exacerbates things - especially beer - which is why I hardly drink now, but I’m guessing might have some connection to creating additional gas - and more pain…

I also find that working hunched over a desk can make things worse, which again might have some bearing on things, and connect to the condition your talking about.

Oddly enough one of the few memorable mornings I woke up with no pain was after taking a laxative in the evening to prep for a colonoscopy the next day.

Anyway, thanks ever so much for responding. It’s a condition I hadn’t been aware of before, I’ll look into this further and perhaps try the diet you mention to see if that helps.

Have a great rest of the weekend.

Best,

C

[dedeottie]

Yes hunched up at AC desk, drinking fizzy drinks and wearing tight clothing are all things that make it worse for me too. Sounds very similar. X