left side pain

Diseases & Conditions Irritable Bowel Syndrome
1
I Have just been diagnosed with ibs.  I was wondering if anyone else out there has a localized left side pain.  Does anyone know if this is normal?  I also have a slight bulge in this area...  I am hoping that this is part of the ibs and not something else. 
2

Hi!!  First off just let me say, sorry that you are feeling bad with the IBS and left side pain.  Which form of the IBS do you have, diarrhea or constipation?  Secondly, if you are hurting and worried, please call or go see your doctor and let them know about your concerns.  Now for my suggestion on what MIGHT be causing your pain.  Have you ever heard of something call diverticulitis?  From what I understand from my doc. sometimes little pockets form on your intestines and food can get stuck in there and get infected.  Maybe that could be causing your pain and bulge?  Again, I stress upon you, please call your doctor if you are worried, and if you are not pleased with you current doctor, get another one!!!!

Take care and let me know how you are doing.  (if you want to)

Hi All, I am Leigh from South Georgia.  I am looking to connect with people who share the same illness I have.  Irritable bowel syndrome has been a part of my life for 8 yrs.  I am looking for a place to connect with people to both give and receive advice and support.

3
Thanks for the advice. I had a colonoscopy, which has ruled out diverticulitis, colitis,.... now that they can definetly say it is ibs the left side pain is being ignored> To answer your question, I have alternating d and c, but predominently d. The pain is worse when I have c. Does this mean anything? I am not happy with my doctors at the present time. This has been going on too long, now that I actually go see someone they are quick to dismiss me. I have also had 2 miscarrages in the past year, and went into laybor early due to dehydration(3 years ago!) Does any of this sound familiar to anyone? Thanks for responding leigh.
4

I am glad that you have had the colonoscopy.  What was that like?  (I might have to have one sometime)  Why are your docs ignoring the left side pain?  I guess I am just one of these kinds of people that if I hurt some where, I want an explanation as to why, if I cant figured it our for myself.  I am usually an IBS-D, but after I came back from vacation a few weeks ago, I experienced the "lovely" constipation part.  I was so bloated and hurt so bad, it actually took me over a week to start feeling better!  If you feel like your doctors are not giving you the care you need, go find one that will!!!  PLEASE!  I am so sorry to hear about your miscarrages, I to have experienced that.  If you ever wanna chat/email whatever, my e-mail is jennyleigh1975@yahoo.com that is my yahoo messenger id also if you have that. 

Take Care,

Leigh

 

Hi All, I am Leigh from South Georgia.  I am looking to connect with people who share the same illness I have.  Irritable bowel syndrome has been a part of my life for 8 yrs.  I am looking for a place to connect with people to both give and receive advice and support.

5
Having the colonoscopy was not bad at all. I dont remember any of it. The worse part was the preperation. No food the day before, and constant trips to the bathroom after drinking the phospho soda( I call it liquid plummer!) How can they diagnose you with ibs if you havent had one? Dont they need to rule out other things that mimic ibs first? Like microscopic colitis? If you have not had one and you have ibs, you should ask your doctor. Do you have the left side pain or general all over pain? Was it worse when you have c? Do you think the miscarrages are related to the ibs? Thanks for responding
6
I'm glad that the colonoscopy wasn't bad.  My doctor has not recomended one for me yet, although we have discussed it as a possibility in the future.  I guess my symptoms are just classic IBS that she hasnt seen the need yet.  I have had my colon checked and had the screening for colon cancer.  When I am having the IBS-D, ususally my only major symptoms are having to go to the bathroom ALOT and cramping before I go.  When I had the IBS-C a few weeks ago, my stomach hurt all over, not just in one place.  However, during that time I had a gallbladder attack also.  I also have a hiatal hernia, so I will be having surgery on those two things here in the near future.  I dont know if the miscarrages could be related to the IBS.  I have a friend that has ulcerative colitis and she had two babies after she was diagnosed.  I only had one miscarrage and that was before I had IBS.  My IBS didn't really get bad until after the birth of my son four years ago.  Then it got ever worse after my daughter was born 2 1/2 years ago.  Mine kinda comes and goes, I'll have weeks where I can't leave the house hardly and then other times where its not so bad.  When I'm having one of my IBS-D bouts however, I do have alot of cramping and pain.  For me though, when I was having the IBS-C the pain and bloating was much worse!  My best advice to you right now would be to try not to let it get you down and rule your life anymore than it already does.  (Which I know is hard to do, cause I am such a worry wart myself!)
 
Take Care!
7
Thanks for the advice. I think hormonal changes can make ibs worse. It seems like that for me. Good luck on the surgeries. Wow, when it rains it pours!! Do you take anything for the ibs? My doctor said he has been reading about how lots of people are finding relief from anti depressents..ssri.. in particular. This is what i am trying now, but it is causing c. I think i will have to mess around and find the right dose. I dont think any of this should cause problems with pregnancy, but i was wondering if anyone has also had same situation. like i said, i usually have d, so i do get dehydrated allot. Mine has definetly been worse since having my first child, 6 years ago. I think i need to see him about the side pain, starting to think it is something else. It is'nt a hernia, but it does hurt more during c. oh well, thanks again for responding, and i hope all goes well for you.
8

Hi, I was just wondering how you are feeling these days.  Are you still having the left sided pain?  Have you found out what could be causing it?  Hope all is well!

                                                         -Leigh

Hi All, I am Leigh from South Georgia.  I am looking to connect with people who share the same illness I have.  Irritable bowel syndrome has been a part of my life for 8 yrs.  I am looking for a place to connect with people to both give and receive advice and support.

9

Hi, my name's Kay and I've had ibs and diverticulitis for some years now. I don't get to this site often or I would have answered sooner. I get left side pain quite often when I have an ibs attack. I have a book that describes the bowel activity of ibs and it says that the muscles of the colon can spasm uncontrollaby during an attack, causing considerable pain. The colon has muscles that run lengthwise and also ring like muscles that help squeeze out the stool like an icing squeezer. In ibs sufferers the timing of the ring muscle contractions gets messed up and if one spasms shut it can be painful enough in itself but it can also cause a blockage, trapping gas and stool. I've heard peppermint oil is a helpful antispasmodic that can help releive the pain but I've never tried it myself - I do drink peppermint tea though and I find it helps relax the bowel a bit. My doctor suggested an antiflammatory that I can't remember the name of as I can't take antiinflammatories due to another disease I have. But it sounded like it was a common treatment for ibs so your doctor should know about it.

I've found the best relief for ibs symptoms is to discover and avoid your trigger foods, it seems not all of us have them but a lot of us do. I only get attacks now when I can't control my impulses to have a few beers or chocolate - which is getting rarer and rarer as I prove it to myself over and over again.

Good luck finding some relief,

Kay

 

 

10
I too have diverticulosis.  I am so happy to hear for you that they have ruled this out.  The pain with diverticulosis for me is a very sharp pain that is almost unbearable.  But regardless if you have IBS, diverticulosis, or both; keep in mind that the last part of the bowel comes down on your left side.  Pain with constipation and even diarrhea can cause pain in that area.  I hope this helps you a little.
 
Hugs, dbab

"Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you."
- John De Paola

11
Hi new here. I am just so glad to have found you. I've been looking all over for people with left side pain. I just posted in another spot about it. Its also a new experience to me. Had always had abdominal cramping then d before but now its this sharp, spasmy left side pain. Started out like a side ache you'd get from running then spread to my back at times followed by the d. Its much more painful than what cramps I used to have. Also alot of gas. Did have some blood work done and they found a few abnormalities and want me to have another in a month. They also want to do the colonoscopy and ultra sound on back to rule out kidney problems but I've only done blood work so far as I have no insurance. Plus I'm really scared of the scope. I hope you stay in touch. I'd really like to know what you find out. I'll do the same. Take care
12
Hi all. I am 42 years old and all my life I have suffered on and off with bouts of diareaha, constipation and painful gas. Sometimes I have mucus on my stool (just a little). For the last couple of months I've experienced a dull pain very low on my right side that sometimes wraps around to low back (and buttocks are). The last 2 weeks I have experienced very painful gas in both upper stomach and lower intestines. It doesn't seem to want to go away. I'm not constipated, but I can tell I want to go more. My bowel movements hardly ever look the same each time I go! I went to my GYN and he did an internal and found everything to be ok, so he has prescribed an utra sound and barium enema. I'm scared to death it could be cancer...have any of you been through this and have been just as scared?
13
Thanks Wendy. Well I had D yesterday afternoon and then passed a lot of lower gas. Ate some rice and felt ok the rest of the evening. Woke up this morning and boy in the moring it's like I can almost feel my insides waking up. 2 trips to the bathroom, but not D though. My tummy just feels upset all over with gas in my tummy which leads to burping, no lower gas. My mother is a severe IBS sufferer. In the past my tummy has been driven by my nerves. For example if I was anxious or excited about something I knew the next morning to get up early because I would be in the bathroom at least 3 times before leaving the house. I've been through a lot this past year, marital problems that really upset me, and I lost my job after 14 years. I think it's all just taken a toll on my system. I've read about IBS symptoms and I have most of them, including the low pain on the right side. I haven't seen many people mention that, I've seen more left side pain mentioned, why is that? My mother also has some low left side pain. Also, does IBS effect the lower back and buttock area with pain?
14
Wendy, you are a doll!  I didn't sleep a wink last night, because of worrying!  So I had a very good cry today with my hubby.  My nerves are just shot from being scared of what I may have (I'm thinking the worse like cancer).  Today, I woke up and because I haven't been eating and a bit dehydrated (due to being afraid to eat anything) my lower right pain came and went all day and I was suffering from C with so much gas.  And passing down below was a chore!  After my cry, I ate a very big lunch (finally felt like eating) and took an Ibuprofen which by the way really elleviated the right side pain (is that unusual, since it works on swelling etc.?) My hubby is going to call the Doc tomorrow and see if I can get my baruim test moved up to this week, so I can have the ultra sound and baruim this week to calm my fears and nerves.  The not-knowing is destroying me, I'm in pieces and I think it's making everything worse.  I read so much stuff on the internet and I think the worst, even though I've been suffering from D and C bouts all my life!  And my mother has really bad IBS.  Wendy do all of these things sound pretty usual for IBS?  After you kindly answer my questions, I would like to hear of your IBS story and symptoms.  Thanks sweetie, Margo
PS-  you help me stay positive, U R an Angel for me.  ;-) 
15
Hi
I am a new member to this site. I want some body to help me to know what is going wrong with me. I am going to have a CT scan on wednesday and I am scared to death . I have had a mild left side pain in my lower abdominal part which goes down to my leg and my left lower back where the kidneys supposed to be. this pain comes and goes but I have it every day and to be honest with you I still don't know where the source of the pain is . is it my lower back or my lower abdominal in my left side of the body. I have always been constipated and it got worse when I had my first child because I got hemmorroid and the doctor recommended fiber for me every day to cure it . now without fiber I can't go. 3 years ago I had the same pain in same location , first I thought it is my left ovary and I was so scared because we have a history of ovarian cancer in our family , I did a transvaginal ultrasound they just found a small 2 cm fibroid in my uterus my doctor recommended barium enema but by the time the uthorization approved ( because I had kaiser at that time ) and I got app the pain was gone completely but I wanted to do the test any way but I found out that I was pregnant with my second child so I couldn't do the barium enema and because the pain was gone completely I never followed it up. now after 3 years the same pain came back. as I said on my left side and it has been going on for a month. again I did a pelvic ultrasound but transabdominal one because transvaginal needs uthorization and we have a HMO. result showed nothing wrong with ovaries and still 2 cm fibroid. and mentioned a probable cyst in mid right parapelvic but it is not certain. better to do a kidney ultrasound. but all my pain is in my left side I don't think this cyst (if it exists) has nothing to do with my pain. my doctor is sendign me for CT scan this wednesday and I am scard to death if it is something like colon cancer. I took some tylenol codein for pain which makes me sleepy and drowsy and for the past two days I had some nausea especially in the morning which remindes me the time that I was pregnant so I am not taking tylenol any more and the pain is not that bad but I've had several anxiety attacks for the past two days for the result that I don't know and doctor gave me Ativan but it makes me worse and I don't take this one either any more. sorry it gets too long.... I want some body to help me and give me some information . has any body experienced the same symptoms that I have? could it be IBS or some thing serious?just to let you know that we don't have a colon cancer in our family , I am 32 years old femal, I had done complete blood test and urine test about two months ago for check up which every thing was normal, I have not had a huge weight loss but I have noticed some weight loss for the past two days which might be becasue of the anxiety, my appetite is normal. please help. I am so worry.
thanks
16
hey everyone
ive been havin constant left side pain forever and the doctors DO NOT know what it is so i had it today and i complained to my fiancee and he said " oh you could have a blood clot" so i was researching blood clots and i found something that had my symtoms... ohh i was also diagnosed with IBS and the left side pain they didnt know what it was from
 
so here is a site for all of you
please check out the symtoms and read carefully there are different ones.. i have the colon on
its called
 
Ischemic colitis nono
yeah here is the site
 
 
and there is the one that you have to what you have to break down from
 
Intestinal ischemia
 
 
 
i definately know for sure that this is what i have now and i will go to the doctor and be like check me out for this ...
 
hope it works for all of you ... even though its been 3 years? best of luck
 
17
My mother has diverticulosis and was experiencing pain in her left side under her ribs yesterday afternoon into the night. She said it hurt to walk and lie in certain positions. We took her to the ER before sunrise this morning as the pain was not subsiding. We are, unfortunately, out of state on vacation (what timing!) so seeing her doctor was out of the question. After completing an x-ray and cat scan they determined that she has diverticulitis, an infected pocket on her colon. We are still waiting to hear whether or not she will need immediate surgery depending on whether or not her colon has been perforated.
18
Hi habibi & JesKaLee,

Welcome to Healingwell!!! :-)

Habibi, thank you for sharing those links. It's wise for those of us with "unknown IBS" to look into ALL the possibilities.

Jes, Murphy's Law is wonderful isn't it? NOT! I'm sorry to hear about your mother. I don't know much about deverticulitis but there are a few members on here who have it. I'm not sure any have had surgery though. Des, one of the other mods, has it and her doc told her the next time she gets an infection she will need surgery. Hopefully your mother will not need it. It will be important for her to stick to a strick diet (no seeds!) and eat lots of fiber and drink lots of water.
Wishing you and your mother well...
Lil

Co-Moderator for the IBS Forum
 
Please donate to help HealingWell continue to help us..... www.healingwell.com/donate

19

Hi All, I just Googled "left side ache" b/c I have it off and on for years and then found this site.  I haven't had it as much lately and, after reading your comments, I think I know why.  Almost 3 years ago, I had the ELISA blood test done because I was ALWAYS sick - either starting to get a sinus infection, bronchitis or pneumonia or just getting over one.  The purpose of the test is to check for delayed immune response allergies.  Basically, that means that it affects you further down the pipe; not usually immediately after you eat or touch what your body is intolerant to. 

The ELISA test results told me that I was allergic to eggs and bananas (which I was eating everyday), pineapple, asparagus and a few other minor ones.  I immediately started avoiding all the high reaction foods and within a couple of weeks was feeling amazingly improved and the cycle of repiratory illnesses subsided and then stopped.  I didn't know exactly how all the different foods affected me, but over the years as I've accidently eaten some of them I've found most of them out.  For me, I experience IBS symptoms when I eat oats.  For a while I was eating Cheerios almost everyday because I had been told to avoid eggs at all costs (oats was a "minor" allergy for me so I had overlooked it).  Once I got the major ones out of my diet I realized I was still feeling the IBS symptoms (which my naturopath has associated with a lot of food allergies), so we went through my list again and looked at the remaining ones.  I switched from multi-grain breads to only whole wheat and threw out the Cheerios.  Every once in a while, though, I get a major craving for them (don't know why but I do).  I had some soy milk I had bought when I couldn't have dairy b/c of a bout of colitis some anti-biotics had given me and decided to finish it off by getting a box of the multi-grain Cheerios, thinking that would be better than all oats.  I ate them 4 days in a row and for the last 2 days I have been having left side pain again along with gas and bloating.  After doing this a few times now, I know it's the oats!

All that to say that if you have IBS symptoms (or any inflammatory condition that won't go away) I would HIGHLY recommend that you ask your naturopath about the ELISA blood test.  The AMA is still behind the game on the concept and is frankly too proud to embrace something that the naturopaths discovered.  I am living, breathing proof that it works and I've had other friends who have had similar results.  It costs a couple hundred bucks (most insurance companies are too cheap and ignorant to cover it) but it's well worth the money.  I've saved many times that in copays for doctor appts and prescriptions over the last 3 years.  Here is a link to my naturopath's website... http://www.centerforfoodallergies.com/.  Best of luck in your search for good health!

20
"My pain is just underneath my last rib and down to around the hip bone, slightly towards the back. The one difference between this pain and ALL the pains in this general area from both websites is...it is worse while I am lying down to sleep and rolling over in the night is sometimes absolutely awful. Every doctor that I have come across could not offer any explanation. I have one small left kidney cyst and my urologist was very convincing that this cyst would not cause this specific pain"


I just read this and feel i have to reply because i have EXACTLY the same situation except on the right side. And by the way, i have a cyst on my right kidney as well as a kink in the ureter on that side, and i've always believed that is the explanation.

Doctors are often wrong!

~~~I learn by going where I have to go~~~