WTF is this pain in and under my ribs?

[Goawayangryman]

Posting here for traffic as well as in health.

I had bronchitis since new year's eve, acute symptoms of the cough have now gone though I am still snotty and coughing in the mornings and evenings. Yellowish sputum. Took medical advice when it was at its worst and they said, they wouldn't normally prescribe antibiotics or anything unless underlying conditions.

The cough I can (normally) cope with and I don't feel very systemically unwell, although I'm a bit fatigued.

However... I've now got the most godawful pain in my left hand side at the bottom of my rib cage. It's very tender to touch around the border of my lower ribs, ibuprofen takes the edge off but is not doing a great deal. Coughing and even blowing my nose is really painful and I'm usually made of fairly tough stuff. Leaning forward likewise.

Don't think it is costochondritis (sp?) as it is on the outside of my chest (where my arm hangs down if you see what I mean) and from what I can see online, that is normally near to your breastbone.

Obviously I will go see the doctor as it is really limiting what I can do. To make matters worse, I have a young, large breed, extremely strong dog and it is really hard to do any proper heelwork/ training with her at the moment - no partner to pick up the slack.....

But I am grateful for any advice or ideas as I wait for a GP appt.

I actually cracked a rib when I had bronchitis.

Hope you feel better soon op.

Hi, went to the GP who had a good listen and said it sounded clear. Thought it could potentially be costochondritis although less common around the side. Am having a chest x-ray this afternoon to check for ?? pleurisy. Presumably a cracked rib would show on that too.

Glad it is being properly investigated!

I have costochondritis. When diagnosing me my GP said one of the signs was pain in more than one area - I had pain in my collarbone, ribs and shoulder blade - especially when pressed on.

I have had pleurisy and pneumonia in a few repeated episodes about a decade ago.
One of the bouts of pneumonia was genuinely more painful than childbirth.
Antibiotics were magic though. I hope you get it sorted out ASAP OP.

Could also be simply inflammation in your lungs following an infection.

Definitely no pain in shoulders, collarbone, etc. It seems fairly localised to bottom left rib and round the side area.

It's really grim and I'm fed up of feeling fed up now!

update (well, not really).

GP has reviewed x ray and got a text asking to book a routine appt to discuss results. Whether this is because there is something but it's not urgent, or because it's nothing and he just wants to say as much, I don't know! And of course now it is Friday and there are no appointments left. Gah!

That must be frustrating. I hope you get the answers soon.

@WeAreTheHeroes I think I'm lucky because my GP is really prompt and pretty helpful :)

Anyhoo, x-ray suggest either consolidation or atelectasis (sp?) which apparently are both likely caused by trying to avoid coughing cos it bloody hurt so much! So antibiotics and re-x ray in 6 weeks to check my lung has un-concertina-d/ gone back to being translucent.

At least you now know the cause and hopefully the antibiotics will help. Once the pain goes you'll probably wonder how you put up with it.

yeah, it's really nice when you've been feeling ill and then turn a corner. Onward and upward, and back to vigorous dog walking soon.

Tell me about it! I had headaches daily for nearly a month and was at my wit's end before I finally got a diagnosis, the right kind of pain relief and a treatment plan.

You sometimes don't realise how much things are affecting you until they've resolved. Glad you got treatment in the end. Not fun.