Pain Under My Ribs on Left Side

[Penpen 28]

Hi all!

I started having pains right under the bottom part of my ribs on the left side of my body 2 nights ago. They come and go but have for the most part, stuck around. It feels like a really bad runner's cramp. It hurts when I breath in or laugh. It hurts to walk, sleep, or lay on my side...or lay on my back for that matter. I called my doctor's office yesterday and they told me that it was just gas and that they get calls almost every day about the same pains from other people. They told me to take my Gas X strips. So, I have been and they are just not helping. I just don't think it is gas because I don't feel it in any other part of my body. Have you had the pain and did it ever go away? What did your doctor say it was? What can I do to not hurt so much? Help!!!

[Penpen 28]

Anyone?

[Khy 16]

I don't know how your doctor does the surgery but mine said that is the left side is where he removes the stomach. The incision is a little bigger and also they separate the muscle to allow the stomach to be pulled out. He puts stitches in the muscle afterwards. He said many of his patients complain of pain in that area. I don't know how long is normal for that pain to continue. You might want to give a quick call to the Dr. just to make sure he doesn't think anything else is going on.

Khy

[dargar27 2]

Hi Pen,

I ended up with a kidney infection from the catheter during the surgery. I had intense pain on the left side coupled with fever, back pain, and chills. If you get a fever or chills, get yourself to the hospital asap. I know this will sound weird, but if it's gas from your surgery the nurse told me to do this and it totally helped me. It's weird, but it works. Lay on your bed with your booty up in the air sort of like an infant would sleep, you know? It helps take the pressure and pushes it towards your rear and alleviates some of the pain. I had major gas pains after my 2nd C Section and the nurse was awesome. When did you have your surgery?

Hi all!

I started having pains right under the bottom part of my ribs on the left side of my body 2 nights ago. They come and go but have for the most part, stuck around. It feels like a really bad runner's cramp. It hurts when I breath in or laugh. It hurts to walk, sleep, or lay on my side...or lay on my back for that matter. I called my doctor's office yesterday and they told me that it was just gas and that they get calls almost every day about the same pains from other people. They told me to take my Gas X strips. So, I have been and they are just not helping. I just don't think it is gas because I don't feel it in any other part of my body. Have you had the pain and did it ever go away? What did your doctor say it was? What can I do to not hurt so much? Help!!!

[Penpen 28]

My surgery was 4 weeks ago tomorrow. I don't think they meant the gas from the surgery but instead the gas your body makes from food. In fact, they said that since I just started eating soft foods last week, that this would be the reason I'm so gassy now. But the only place I hurt is right under my rib cage on my left side...like a really bad runner's cramp. I think I may try your suggestion. We'll see! I think I'll wait until no one is looking. lol The only other thing I can think of is scar tissue and nerves growing/forming. But ... OUCH!

Hi Pen,

I ended up with a kidney infection from the catheter during the surgery. I had intense pain on the left side coupled with fever, back pain, and chills. If you get a fever or chills, get yourself to the hospital asap. I know this will sound weird, but if it's gas from your surgery the nurse told me to do this and it totally helped me. It's weird, but it works. Lay on your bed with your booty up in the air sort of like an infant would sleep, you know? It helps take the pressure and pushes it towards your rear and alleviates some of the pain. I had major gas pains after my 2nd C Section and the nurse was awesome. When did you have your surgery?

[Penpen 28]

Hi! Thanks for responding. I actually went through that pain and on occasion still feel a pain if I move a certain way. That was actually about 2 inches above and over to the left of my belly button. I had just started to kind of get over that when this new pain suddenly started. It's off and on and right underneath my left side rib cage....feels like a really bad runner's cramp. Who knows what it is? Ugh! I know others report having this sort of pain and I'm just curious as to what their doctor says it is.

I don't know how your doctor does the surgery but mine said that is the left side is where he removes the stomach. The incision is a little bigger and also they separate the muscle to allow the stomach to be pulled out. He puts stitches in the muscle afterwards. He said many of his patients complain of pain in that area. I don't know how long is normal for that pain to continue. You might want to give a quick call to the Dr. just to make sure he doesn't think anything else is going on.

Khy

[FindingReneeAgain 2]

I had extreme pain on my left side that lasted for weeks. Today I am four weeks out and the pain has finally stopped. I called my surgeon when it turned into something that felt like my skin was on fire in addition to the pain and I was told it would have to work itself out because there wasn't anything they could do and that it was a common complaint. It was on the left side below the largest incision. The surgeon said in the beginning that it was not uncommon to have pain in an area other than the incision site. I hope this helps. Good luck to you.

[MINI-Me 196]

I experienced the same kind of pain about a month out. I was told it was the nerves "waking up" and that all was fine. It took about a week, but it did finally go away.

Sorry to hear that you are going through the same thing.

[Chicadee 10]

Not trying to scare anyone but I just got out of the hospital for a similar pain on my left side under my ribs, it was a sharp stabbing pain that randomly came and went and I felt sore inside when I took a deep breath. A CT Scan showed my stomach was irritated that I may have had a small leak that had already healed itself. I was on a heavy duty antibiotics for three days at the hospital as a precaution and now I am back to liquid stage 1,2,3 for the next two weeks.

I posted about it here

[Penpen 28]

How strange! I'm sorry this happened to you. I'm glad you're okay. That is one of my biggest fears. When I called the doctor's office, they acted as if it were normal and not to worry about it. They said I would have a fever if it were a leak. That it was just gas. But then I hear stories like yours. Not everyone has a fever, some just have weird pains. My pains just all the sudden started and continued for 2 days off and on. It hurt to laugh, take a deep breath, sit, lay, etc. I would take the Gas X strips and sometimes they seemed as if they were helping but not for long, if at all. So far today, I haven't felt any of the pains. I actually feel pretty normal. Hopefully the pains were nothing to be alarmed about. And hopefully they stay away.

Not trying to scare anyone but I just got out of the hospital for a similar pain on my left side under my ribs, it was a sharp stabbing pain that randomly came and went and I felt sore inside when I took a deep breath. A CT Scan showed my stomach was irritated that I may have had a small leak that had already healed itself. I was on a heavy duty antibiotics for three days at the hospital as a precaution and now I am back to liquid stage 1,2,3 for the next two weeks.

I posted about it here

[SunnyinSD 0]

It could also be your gallbladder. The pain that you're describing is similar to what I had with gallstones. It was awful!

[Penpen 28]

That's actually on your right side and I had my gallbladder out back in July of 2008. Thanks for the suggestion though.

It could also be your gallbladder. The pain that you're describing is similar to what I had with gallstones. It was awful!

[MsDownToMe 2]

Well, I am a little over 2 weeks out and I have the same pain you are describing...I called my doc because it wasn't getting any better and he told me the same thing others have mentioned about the fact that the left side is where he had to seperate the muscle and remove the stomach. My pain is worse when I sneeze or cough, too. I still can't lay on my left side and it takes me a while to find a comfortable position in bed (I have taken over 99% of our pillows). So, you are not alone!!

[Ulrika 0]

I have same thing, it started one week out. And it feels bad in my lung. How did it go in the end for you?

[lessofmeismore 1,405]

I had the same pain and was told to take milk of magnesia.

I was so scared but trusted the nurse and took a dose and waited.

By the next day I was better.

Turns out it was gas and Constipation that I wasn't even aware of

Try the MOM see if it helps.

Keep us updated!