Hi,

For the past 9 months or so, I have been experiencing discomfort/pain in my abdomen. I have visited my doctor on 4 or 5 occasions, initially the pain started in my back and moved round to my front. The doctor put this down to muscle strain and for the best part of 5/6 months, I didn't have any problems.

However since September, I have had a pain in my sides and sometimes across the front just below my ribs. When I went back to the doctor, he felt my stomach and lower abdomen area and couldn't feel anything. He ordered blood tests to check liver, kidney and some test that checked for any internal swelling - all came back clear. He was still claiming it was muscular.

I went to a chiropractor who said I was very tight in my diaphragm and when he applied any pressure on my upper rib across breastbone area, it was very painful. He treated me for 3/4 weeks and whilst I did get some relief, the pain then restarted a few days after my last session without any warning. When I went back to chiropractor, he thinks now that his work might be providing relief but it's probably secondary to the main problem and advised me to go back to doctor.

For the past fortnight, the pain has been predominantly in my left side around my rib area although there is discomfort on the right side rib as well. Occassionally the pain moves lower down beneath belly button and it can sometimes feel like there is something there, though when I gently feel around and push down, I can't sense anything. The pain is there pretty much all of the time and I get no relief during the day, it is just as painful lying in bed as when I'm moving around. It feels like I've overworked a muscle after exercise or strained myself but I know this is not the case. In the past month or so, my period has become irregular as well and I have passed a little bit of blood (although the doctor said this could just be a tear and gave me cream and said it wasn't anything to worry about).

I have another appointment with my doctor next week but it's very difficult not to be thinking the worst at this stage.

Has anyone any idea what this might be? Do any of the symptoms sound familiar?

Any advice / sharing of experiences would be great!

Thanks