'flipping' organs!!

[chelseamorning]

Now you're probably thinking I'm off my rocker here but bear with me!

My DS is 3. Since I gave birth, I sometimes get a weird sensation in my chest/stomach which when I bend right over. The only way to describe it is that it feels like an organ or something is 'flipping'. It takes my breath away and I have to stand up carefully. Then I feel it 'flip' back into place. Usually there are no other after effects. Sometimes it leaves me a tiny bit tender in the area for a day or so.

Please, is there anyone else who has this sensation???!!!

Yes. That’s has happened to me also. What is it? It does take your breath away and sometimes if you try to move it gets worse. Then it just goes away

You're not alone. It's nice to see that others have this very strange sensation. If I find anything out about it I'll post it here.

Oh my godness how happy was I to find this thread this morning! I have been really struggling to understand what has been going on with my rib cage. I had come across slipping rib syndrome but it doesn't quite describe what I feel happens in my body. I have had a course of physio last month which seems to have made things more sensitive.

Can I ask does anyone actually have a bulge that pops out when they experience this painful sensation similar to muscle spasming.

I also really believe it has something to do with being pregnant or child birth as I has never experienced this before i had my son 2 years ago.

I do yoga and i find i can do any strenuous bends anymore or i end up in incredible pain trying to breathe the 'thing" that has popped out back in.

My physio didn't know what i was talking about and couldn't diagnose an issue either, another sign of the lack of study around women's bodies! It drives me nuts.

I have felt so much relief seeing other women here sharing their experience. Did anyone who mention going to see their Doctor get anywhere with it? I really want to be able to seek treatment for this issue. I am wary of tying my own shoe laces at the minute, for fear of ended up in agony.

Thank you thank you thank you to all who kept this post going!

Hello everyone, I have not had any children. I do have Endometrioses and Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome and have had 7 surgery to date for the disease. I have also had my appendix out and my left ovary removed and a bowel resection. You should also note I have lost 76kg and now weigh 60kg. This Flipping thing has been happening to me on and off for 3 years. And yes when I bend down. I thought I was going mad. So painful until it goes back and then just feels like someone punched me. I'm sure it has nothing to do with what size we are. So glad its not just me.

If you've skipped to the last page to see if someone posted an answer, I'll save you. I just read all 10 pages, and no one except one posted a specific diagnosis from a Dr.
I do not have a definitive diagnosis. I can share it is NOT simply from childbirth or being overweight. My children are 11 and 9. I'm 5'3 and 125lbs. Yet I suffer the same symptom everyone is here to discuss. My husband, as I saw other men commenting here too, also suffers with this. I did however notice something many people here shared in common, myself included, and that is - medical procedures involving the abdomen. My symptoms with the organ flipping/horrible pain did not begin until AFTER having my appendix removed (my pain is on my right side, where my appendix was removed). I noticed others here had commented various procedures such as gallbladder surgery, c-sections, appendectomy, liver surgery, recent childbirth etc. All things that move things about in the abdomen. THAT seems to be the only thing we all share in common. My surgery was 8 years ago. I had some right side pain prior to that, but nothing like this. Just recently the flipping feeling began when bent over to put on my shoes. I'm very active, so I don't think it's a matter of being out of shape. The only other thing I noticed some of us share is, I do suffer from constipation, occasional bloating, IBS, Gerd...basically a lot of gastrointestinal issues. So, what I've learned after reading all these comments is that it likely has something to do with medical conditions/surgeries that caused changes in our abdominal areas, and additional irritation seems to occur when you suffer from gastrointestinal issues. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Oh my, I've had years of this and was googling in sheer despair today because of rib ache, at least I'm happy that I'm not alone. I try to avoid bending over now as the 'catch/spasm' is so painful and can sometimes ache for ages afterwards. Like others I have history of abdominal surgery, hysterectomy and oophorectomy, plus IBS/GERD, and I'm overweight by about 18lbs. I definitely think rib slip or rib tip pain syndrome is a thing for me. I'm awaiting a callback from GP again but not holding out huge hope. Will of course let you know if something is formally diagnosed.

I posted a while back as someone who experiences this and I have no history of surgery or stomach issues. I do however have children but had straightforward pregnancies and deliveries and it started happening after my last child, albeit a few years after from what I remember so not sure it’s as a result. Have always been at a healthy weight and exercise regularly. Still none the wiser why it happens.

I have the same thing on my right side I haven't been diagnosed or even talked to my doctor about it but I've done a lot of research online it's called Organ Flipping it happens to people that have had cesareans or their intestines out on a table and put back in the operating room... hopefully in the operating room, lol.
It happens when you bend over and I can grab a hold of mine and push down and in to keep it from flipping. And none of your crazy and if your doctors make you feel crazy you need to get new doctors there's a piece of doctors out there anybody in powerful position has the potential of being an abuser don't put up with it. We all have to be proactive in our healthcare cuz nobody cares about our health like we do, so it's up to us to be proactive and if they make you feel bad for being proactive then they don't give a damn about you. Carry on!
Carry on!

I absolutely have this too! I've also consulted multiple doctors to no avail. It freaks me out in yoga when I lean forward and my organ flips out!

I’ve had ultrasound scans & seen a specialist to rule out an internal hernia. He suggested it could be muscle spasm / cramp, which is kind of how it feels. So maybe it’s just cramp?

Well, update, my GP was fairly sure it is was muscular strain and the 'catch' thing when you bend over is a spasm or cramp. My chiropractor was more specific. She said that there are a couple of muscle groups that attach to the ribs and spine in that area that might be problematic if weak or overused, but specifically mentioned the psoas muscle. Advice? "Just don't bend over like that!".

Glad to see this thread still running! At least that means we’re still alive and kicking years later ;)

I have had 3 kids (no c-sections) and this happens to me. While I was pregnant my babies were breech and very uncomfortable in the rib cage area, similar to the location where I feel this pain when bending over.

I have seen every doctor, had MRIs, ultrasounds, etc. and I decided to ask my OB during my recent visit. She said she’s heard of it from patients and that it could just be one of those weird things that happens during pregnancy. She suggested strengthening my core and that has since helped quite a bit. Still happens time to time. My PCP suggested talking with a general surgeon may help but short of exploratory surgery there’s not much more to do!

I have the same problem after I carried my son who was a huge baby. Ever since I have had this problem for years but on researching it - it is a rolling rib and is not serious - just painful and annoying!

Hey all I have this too, on the left side under my ribs. I would describe it like cramp, where it feels like something has pinched an organ or muscle and I have to stand up straight again to release it. It’s a horrible pain. I also have other pain in that area, also like a pinch but not as extreme. I’m waiting for a telephone consultation in two weeks with a specialist to discuss as it’s been there for two years now. I’ll update this thread when I know more!

I've posted on here previously, but I thought I'd update. Sorry, no Dr has been able to tell me what it is yet. I had 1 baby (almost 22 years ago & NOT by C-Section). The flipping pain didn't start until sometime when my daughter was a teenager, so many years later. I have IBS, GERD, & Barrett's Esophagus. I am 5'4, & my weight varies between 127-132 (it depends how bloated I am, etc.) I have never had any stomach surgeries, & no organs removed or operated on. The most I've had have been endoscopies, colonoscopy, a liver biopsy. (And ear surgeries.) (Which turned out fine except for an ulcer at one time.) The strange thing & why I'm updating/posting again is that I suffered from the flipping organ thingy for several years, then all of a sudden it went away (for like maybe a year or so.) Then recently, it came back again, but it's not as bad and doesn't happen every time I bend over now. There is no noticeable difference between when I had it, it went away, then came back except for that I'm a bit more active. (I have fibromyalgia & herniated discs in my back which make me not as active as I want to be.) From reading others posts, I don't think it's being active or inactive though because many people mentioned they work out regularly, etc. Like I said, I just wanted to update about it going away & coming back!

Does anyone else get a funny feeling whenever they stretch or bend down? I can feel something popping or moving whenever I do this. Most odd...

I have this exact thing happen. It’s not painful it’s scary. It feels like if it doesn’t correct it’s self you will die. The flipping actually feels like an organ getting flipped. You can feel blood cut off from whatever it is. I have tried telling my doctor they just skip over it like they have never heard of it. It’s not the same as most of these reply’s are talking about. It’s not something getting caught in a rib. It has nothing to do with the rib. @chelseamorning

Yea exactly! It’s not just a discomfort, it feels like impending death, lol.

I was on a hammock with my toddler last week with my feet hanging toward the ground on the side rather than the “long” way, how you may normally use a hammock. We and flipped off (gently) and I ended up sitting and folded down on the ground. I felt this feeling pretty intensely and almost had to push onto the area and it felt like something was physically there which shouldn’t be. Once I pushed on it, the pain went away, but it has been sore for a few days.

It almost makes me wonder if this is a hernia? It’s perplexing.

A Grady. That's more like what I get. I've wondered if it's a hernia then it goes away for ages..

I have had the same symptoms for the last four years since my second child. Any updates to the cause??

I'm coming to this thread very late but I was worried as I've just started experiencing same sensation on my left side. Definitely feels like something moves out of place when I bend over to put my shoes on. Along with that is a pinching pain which disappears when I stand up. I have put on weight round my tummy this past year. I am 62 and long past having kids so I think, after reading the other posts, that it may be caused by the extra fat getting in the way of all the other organs etc. Time to try a bit harder to lose those pounds!

Hello Since my first post years ago my flipping sensation still occurs , when I cough, or vomit , and sometimes when I bend forward . Over the past week I had a “bump” under my belly button which seems to be a hernia, when i pull up images of umbilical hernia the pictures seem to correspond with what I am feeling there. I definitely think it is related as I have been coughing a lot lately with all the damn viruses going around and also nausea and dry heaves caused by a medication I take. The flipping has been occurring and now this. Appt with my GP in 2 weeks I’ll be back to post

@melapowers good luck! Report back. It’s been 5+ years for me with nothing and actually feeling the same nauseous/gross feeling with all that’s going around now, too. I hope you find some answers!

I have the same exact thing, and I too am long past child bearing age. I too have gained some weight recently around my stomach. Weirdly, my pinching/flipping pain went away for like a year, but then recently came back, but it's not as severe as it was before. I was convinced it didn't have to do with weight, because the pain was there even when I'm in good shape and have no extra fat around that area, or in my tummy. Also, the year it went away, I was probably at the lowest weight I've been at, for a while. Then the pain comes back, but I'm about 15lbs heavier and have been having bad bloating all the time. So idk what to think? Maybe it's just coincidence. Someone mentioned having a hernia, and that's plausible too, because I did have one as well, and don't anymore. It's possible maybe I've started developing another one? It'll be interesting to get answers, some day, I hope! Good luck and I hope it doesn't cause you too much discomfort!

I had a scan a couple years ago to look for a hernia in that area and it came up negative. But I do have a bellybutton hernia that doesn’t bother me. I wondered if it was related but it’s an entirely different spot. It 100% feels like a muscle twisting and spasming and then a definite release or “untwist” when I stretch upwards and push downwards on the lump. It sticks out enough to wrap my palm over it when it’s happening. I can physically feel the movement both inside and with my hand. So weird. The only think I can think to do is have a dr ultrasound or some kind of imaging to it while it’s happening. Any volunteers to do that? Haha