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What Do My Lab Test Reports Indicate?
Posted on
Sun, 15 Oct 2017
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sun, 15 Oct 2017
Answered on
Thu, 9 Nov 2017
Last reviewed on
Question : Hey doctor,
For the last 4 months I have been having this pain under my left rib cage that sometimes extends to my back. The pain feels like a dull ache that is there all day constantly no matter what I do and is sometimes accompanied by itching that feels like its under my skin inside me and extends over to the middle of my stomach at times. I have noticed my appetite has changed mainly over the last couple of months I am not able to eat like I could at the start of the year. I used to be able to eat like a whole pizza with no issues but now I can barely have a couple of pieces. I also feel full after only having a very small amount, the pain under my ribs intensifies at that point and feels like its going to burst open because how full it is. I have tried heartburn medications which don't do much for me at all like PPI's and H2 blockers and I have had an ultrasound of my abdomen along with a gastrosopcy/colonoscopy and blood tests which have all come up perfectly normal. Is there any other tests I can do I feel as if it has something to do with my pancreas could this be the case could it be pancreas cancer or is it maybe just anxiety? I have a family history of gallbladder problems but the pain is only on my left side only thus why I feel it is my pancreas?
Thank you for your help in advance.
For the last 4 months I have been having this pain under my left rib cage that sometimes extends to my back. The pain feels like a dull ache that is there all day constantly no matter what I do and is sometimes accompanied by itching that feels like its under my skin inside me and extends over to the middle of my stomach at times. I have noticed my appetite has changed mainly over the last couple of months I am not able to eat like I could at the start of the year. I used to be able to eat like a whole pizza with no issues but now I can barely have a couple of pieces. I also feel full after only having a very small amount, the pain under my ribs intensifies at that point and feels like its going to burst open because how full it is. I have tried heartburn medications which don't do much for me at all like PPI's and H2 blockers and I have had an ultrasound of my abdomen along with a gastrosopcy/colonoscopy and blood tests which have all come up perfectly normal. Is there any other tests I can do I feel as if it has something to do with my pancreas could this be the case could it be pancreas cancer or is it maybe just anxiety? I have a family history of gallbladder problems but the pain is only on my left side only thus why I feel it is my pancreas?
Thank you for your help in advance.
Brief Answer:
Please give additional information
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
Noted the history, seen the photos and understood your concerns.
Please give me some additional information for me to assist you better since all the tests mentioned by you all normal.
- How was the pain started?
- Any accident, back injury or strain, anything that strained the lower chest or upper abdominal muscles like sudden fright or fight movement?
- Any factors that increase this specific pain (except on eating casing fullness and pain as you have mentioned) that you have pointed the finger at? Looks to be over lowest rib.
- Any medicines or factors that reduce or abolish the pain?
- Factors increasing your anxiety?
- Significance of the two photos other than abdomen that you have posted? Any specific history?
- Any other information that you would like to share.
Age of 20 - not to worry about pancreatic cancer.
Awaiting for your details.
Please give additional information
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
Noted the history, seen the photos and understood your concerns.
Please give me some additional information for me to assist you better since all the tests mentioned by you all normal.
- How was the pain started?
- Any accident, back injury or strain, anything that strained the lower chest or upper abdominal muscles like sudden fright or fight movement?
- Any factors that increase this specific pain (except on eating casing fullness and pain as you have mentioned) that you have pointed the finger at? Looks to be over lowest rib.
- Any medicines or factors that reduce or abolish the pain?
- Factors increasing your anxiety?
- Significance of the two photos other than abdomen that you have posted? Any specific history?
- Any other information that you would like to share.
Age of 20 - not to worry about pancreatic cancer.
Awaiting for your details.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
- The pain first started 4 months ago whilst I was working at night time. I do camera work and it was about 3 hours after eating fish and chips for dinner and I was using my camera leaning backwards when all of sudden the pain came on and I had this massive surge of acid reflux that came up my throat.
- Sitting down or lying down flat on my back makes the pain a lot worse, but when I am standing up moving around it isn't as bad.
- No matter what I do to keep my mind occupied the pain is still there and it's hard to keep my mind away from it.
- I have had health anxiety for a number of years, but after this pain started I have become really anxious about it being something bad especially since all the tests I have done have come up clear, my gp doesn't want to do any further testing either.
- I haven't found any medications that have helped thus far at all and I do not want to take any anti-depressants/anti-anxiety.
- I still feel that it is something that my gp has missed since before this pain came up my I was fine and my anxiety was not bad at all.
- So at 20 years of age can you still get pancreatic cancer is there any recorded cases of it?
Another thing I forgot to mention is that I have had this weird metallic taste in my mouth mainly when I lick my lips and I have had a big loss of appetite where I am forcing my self to eat. Along with what I think is GERD with pain in esophagus after I swallow it just feels kind of clogged and heavy.
- Sitting down or lying down flat on my back makes the pain a lot worse, but when I am standing up moving around it isn't as bad.
- No matter what I do to keep my mind occupied the pain is still there and it's hard to keep my mind away from it.
- I have had health anxiety for a number of years, but after this pain started I have become really anxious about it being something bad especially since all the tests I have done have come up clear, my gp doesn't want to do any further testing either.
- I haven't found any medications that have helped thus far at all and I do not want to take any anti-depressants/anti-anxiety.
- I still feel that it is something that my gp has missed since before this pain came up my I was fine and my anxiety was not bad at all.
- So at 20 years of age can you still get pancreatic cancer is there any recorded cases of it?
Another thing I forgot to mention is that I have had this weird metallic taste in my mouth mainly when I lick my lips and I have had a big loss of appetite where I am forcing my self to eat. Along with what I think is GERD with pain in esophagus after I swallow it just feels kind of clogged and heavy.
Brief Answer:
As discussed in details below.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for a reasonably good feedback.
I can think of the possible causes as follows:
This looks to be started with a condition called costochondritis pain with or without nearby muscles inflammation. It was severe enough to have reflex vomiting due to pain causing symptoms of reflux esophagitis which has continued as GERD.
You have given a classical history of pointed pain at the lowest rib that is sometimes referred to the back and traverses to the mid-line of abdomen with a typical feeling of itching that is under the skin.
This can be due to the nerve involvement in the inflammatory tissues.
I would advise you the following in such a situation:
First of all discuss these points, particularly costochondritis with your Doctor and get examined accordingly.
Strapping of the affected area with Leucoplast - a skin adhesive tape used in medical cases. This is applied in deep expiration and see the results, the pain will reduce a lot.
Anxiety is surely on of the causative factors for costochondritis and GERD too.
Anti-inflammatory medications that suit you and the stomach.
Pain-killer.
A short course of steroids helps a lot.
If the pain goes from the back to the front in a single line, it may sometimes be better to get the MRI of the thoracic spine done as there can be a nerve entrapment casing you the symptoms.
The pain in the chest due to GERD can be settled with:
Continue PPI/ Ranitidine.
Antacid liquid whenever you are on empty stomach.
Domperidone at 8 hourly interval helps to avoid reflux - may need a prescription.
Soft bland diet.
No smoking/drinking alcohol or aerated beverages.
Soft bland diet - small frequent meals.
- Difficult to say why there is metallic taste. May be due to reflux and changes gastrointestinal function.
Appetite may come back to normal once a proper diagnosis and management is done.
Cancer pancreas does not occur so early and has different sets of symptoms.
I hope this answers your queries.
Please feel free to ask for further relevant queries if you feel that there is a gap of communication.
As discussed in details below.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for a reasonably good feedback.
I can think of the possible causes as follows:
This looks to be started with a condition called costochondritis pain with or without nearby muscles inflammation. It was severe enough to have reflex vomiting due to pain causing symptoms of reflux esophagitis which has continued as GERD.
You have given a classical history of pointed pain at the lowest rib that is sometimes referred to the back and traverses to the mid-line of abdomen with a typical feeling of itching that is under the skin.
This can be due to the nerve involvement in the inflammatory tissues.
I would advise you the following in such a situation:
First of all discuss these points, particularly costochondritis with your Doctor and get examined accordingly.
Strapping of the affected area with Leucoplast - a skin adhesive tape used in medical cases. This is applied in deep expiration and see the results, the pain will reduce a lot.
Anxiety is surely on of the causative factors for costochondritis and GERD too.
Anti-inflammatory medications that suit you and the stomach.
Pain-killer.
A short course of steroids helps a lot.
If the pain goes from the back to the front in a single line, it may sometimes be better to get the MRI of the thoracic spine done as there can be a nerve entrapment casing you the symptoms.
The pain in the chest due to GERD can be settled with:
Continue PPI/ Ranitidine.
Antacid liquid whenever you are on empty stomach.
Domperidone at 8 hourly interval helps to avoid reflux - may need a prescription.
Soft bland diet.
No smoking/drinking alcohol or aerated beverages.
Soft bland diet - small frequent meals.
- Difficult to say why there is metallic taste. May be due to reflux and changes gastrointestinal function.
Appetite may come back to normal once a proper diagnosis and management is done.
Cancer pancreas does not occur so early and has different sets of symptoms.
I hope this answers your queries.
Please feel free to ask for further relevant queries if you feel that there is a gap of communication.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for that doctor I will follow it up with my gp, if I did have pancreas problems/or cancer though I wouldn't be able to tolerate things like alchool for example and my blood tests would have come up abnormal right they all seemed to be normal? I also seemed to be able to have a few drinks a couple weeks back just fine, but its mainly my appetite for food that changed a lot and I just feel that I can't digest certain foods like I used to with the pizza example I first mentioned.
The pain is predominately under my left rib cage as well and sometimes extends to the back but it's mainly the rib cage do you think a physio might be of better help?
My gp also referred me to a psychologist do you think that would really help the symptoms that I am having my gp has kind of given up with me and thinks that there is nothing wrong just anxiety.In terms of the costochondritis as well most of my life is quite sedentary where I am sitting down in an office chair working and I will also go out and camera operate but the large majority of it is sitting down could that may be related to it not having the muscle strength when I switch to doing camera work? I am quite a skinny person as well I only weigh 54kg and am 175cm in height. I also seemed to have lost some weight since the pain came on I used to weigh around 57-58kg but have gone down a bit is that normal or a cause for concern?I have also attached an image of where the back pain is for reference but basically in line of where the rib pain is.
The pain is predominately under my left rib cage as well and sometimes extends to the back but it's mainly the rib cage do you think a physio might be of better help?
My gp also referred me to a psychologist do you think that would really help the symptoms that I am having my gp has kind of given up with me and thinks that there is nothing wrong just anxiety.In terms of the costochondritis as well most of my life is quite sedentary where I am sitting down in an office chair working and I will also go out and camera operate but the large majority of it is sitting down could that may be related to it not having the muscle strength when I switch to doing camera work? I am quite a skinny person as well I only weigh 54kg and am 175cm in height. I also seemed to have lost some weight since the pain came on I used to weigh around 57-58kg but have gone down a bit is that normal or a cause for concern?I have also attached an image of where the back pain is for reference but basically in line of where the rib pain is.
Brief Answer:
What is the scar at the back?
Detailed Answer:
Can see the scar at back. Why has it occurred?
Please give details.
Alcohol is not good for GERD.
Physio will not help for costochondritis.
Anxiety can be the cause for reduced appetite and GERD and costochondritis like pain not getting a relief.
Rest of the management as already discussed above.
What is the scar at the back?
Detailed Answer:
Can see the scar at back. Why has it occurred?
Please give details.
Alcohol is not good for GERD.
Physio will not help for costochondritis.
Anxiety can be the cause for reduced appetite and GERD and costochondritis like pain not getting a relief.
Rest of the management as already discussed above.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
I attached some images of it but I am actually unsure what caused that scar on my back but I have had it for a long time at least 6 or 7 years now since I first noticed it and I went to the doctor about it a while back and they just said it was stretch marks from growing up? I have never had any type of surgery or anything so I am unsure?
Brief Answer:
As discussed in details below.
Detailed Answer:
Thank for your feedback and photos.
May be a stretch mark if there is no history of any injury or surgery.
Get the diagnosis of Costochondritis confirmed by your Doctor and if he think this to be radiculopathy that is related to nerve pain, MRI of the thoracic spine may be needed as well as opinion of a Specialist for second opinion.
As discussed in details below.
Detailed Answer:
Thank for your feedback and photos.
May be a stretch mark if there is no history of any injury or surgery.
Get the diagnosis of Costochondritis confirmed by your Doctor and if he think this to be radiculopathy that is related to nerve pain, MRI of the thoracic spine may be needed as well as opinion of a Specialist for second opinion.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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