painful left side of my body

Treatment and medication
1

some information that might be useful:

I'm female, 19, lead a healthy lifestyle (I take a lot of care in what I eat, vegetarian, and drink at least 3 litres of water a day) the only regular medication I have is the depo shot for contraception. 

this morning I woke up feeling like someone had punched me on the left hand side of my back - exactly in line with my waistline, below the ribcage. It wasn't too unbearable, just felt 'bruised' and sensitive. Later on, the bruised sensation was still there but accompanied by a sharp 'stitch' like pain, not excruitating but enough to cause major discomfort. I couldn't turn my body to the left but could easily turn to my right. I began to feel light headed and a little nauseaous (I can be a bit of a panicky one so this might have been something I brought on myself.) 

I have taken some painkillers to ease the pain, which seems to be working but I'm on this forum because I suffer from something like this quite often. I haven't been keeping track of it specifically but I usually get incredible pains, always different but usually on my left side (not regularly on my back like this time, although sometimes I do also have a slight 'punched in the back' feeling - never this bad though.) The 'type' of pain can change, it sometimes moves over to the right hand side and can last a long time. 

It's not continuous, it can come in waves over a few days (but then again, I'm not too sure as I take stuff to get rid of the pain) or it can just be one day. I have had an experience where this lasted 2 weeks - the pain moved from back left, to front left, to lower front left, to lower front right, to front right, to back right (you get the idea) and constantly different types of pain - shooting, sharp, sensitive, dull, stabbing, throbbing, bruised etc. 

Is there any idea what might cause this? I'd hate to think it's my 'time of the month' because then mother nature is a right b with an itch, but it doesn't seem too normal.

Any help or advice would be great. I know how to get rid of this pain but I can't seem to pinpoint what the cause of it might be, especially as all the details of it change each time.

Thanks

 

2

Hi Sid;  as not being able to actually feel/see you when these episodes start, it is hard....originally when I started to read, with the pain starting in L) side and then into L) front groin, I was thinking of kidney stone....but then you said it radiates, sometimes, onto R) side and up into R) back....have you seen your GP?  have you had an Ultrasound for these areas?....it may possibly be related to your Ovaries, as you also mentioned your monthly cycle....when there are cysts on the ovaries, they begin with a nigling pain and build into a Crescendo of Sharp pain,which is when the cyst is "torting" (turning and then rupturing), and then it dies down...and usually in the middle of the month around the time of "normal" ovulation, but as you will not be ovulating as such, due to your Contraception, but these cysts will still be there and will rupture..  (I should also add, that Ovarian pain always radiates up into the sub-rib area, often confuses drs, thinking it is Gallbladder)......I do think you need, firstly speak to your GP, talk this through with him, and have an Ultrasound of Loin area, and also a Vaginal Ultrasound, to ensure it is not cysts....then be referred to a Specialist (which ever Ultrasound comes back positive???)  either an Urologist/Gynaecologist.....do you think these answers are in accordance with your pain??....let me know....Bron

3

that's brilliant thank you! I think I might just have to go to my GP. I did have an ultrasound a little while ago but that was for a slightly different situation (I was bleeding for a year non stop due to contraception) and nothing bad was found. My mother is set on endeometriosis being a factor mainly because we know someone with it and there is a fine line where my pains and symptoms could be but also might not be. 

The pain doesn't always relocate itself, it moved around like that once, when this lasted 2 weeks straight. It was just that I was constantly in some sort of pain somewhere in my stomach. All the variations of the pain and places is was in those two weeks, it is now just one combination of horrid pain.

The bruised feeling is sometimes there, yesterday it was the worst it had been and it even my strongest painkillers eventually stopped working on taking the pain away. I will go to my GP and discuss this, thanks for your help!

4

Are your pains above or below the belly button

5

it varies each time i get them, currently it's located on my back and on the left side, so kind of inline with my belly button. but yeah, thats why it's so hard working this all out, because the pain sensation changes and so does the location. my left side is the most commonly painful one. 

6

Do you ever feel any dull aches under your sternum in the abdomen area.

7

good idea Sid, to go and seek ALL the professional help that you can, as we can only give you ideas, which may lead to a Mis-diagnosis....but please do get back to us, when you have been given direction/treatment that you are happy with, and solves your pain probs....I am very interested to see how you get on.... (I've actually grown to like these faces, too, after seeing others use them).....xx and a warm wish for your getting better....Bron

8

I'm not too sure, I am very familiar with pains in my stomach, it's always been my problem area, literally, my stomach is always in twists and turns and playing up all sorts for all sorts of reasons! do you happen to have any suggestions of things I should start looking out for/taking note of? 

I used to get terrible abdominal pains but these have been under control for a long time, all my major pains now are located mainly at the sides of my body. 

9

Hi have any of you googled fibromyalgia... This may be something to look in to. Symptoms sound a lot like this

Get well soon 😃

10

i also have this problem with the punching on the left side . i have been to the doc and they dont know what it is ! Did u get any help ? I have had mine for 5 months now .