New User Here - Mass or Bulge on left side under ribs after eating

[Anne123]

Hi - 50 rys old and I have been diagnosed with a small hiatal hernia, diverticulitis (or osis - i forget which on, but the milder of the two), and a narrowing on the esophagus. Also am in need of a repeat colonospopy, which I really dont want to do, but must I guess. The main question is this; do any of you notice that after eating, when stomach is full that you have a large firm bulge under the rib cage that can be seem and felt? This is cooinciding with night sweats, so I've been worried. Its just so weird that I have not seems this bulge before, but I'm at least 20 or 25 lbs overweight, so maybe it just wasn't apparent or visible?
My Dr. thought it was stool, but really? It comes and goes after every medium or large meal. Thanks, and I hope everyone has a pain and worry-free day!

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Sorry, I don't share this experience but also don't know if that's normal with diverticulitis. I'm not sure how many here have knowledge of this particular condition. I would say anything out of the ordinary for you should be reported to your doctor. Hope others here can provide more of an answer. Best of luck!

 

[Anne123]

Thanks for the reply no guts! I went to the Dr. and of course it wasn't visible or palpable -- should have eaten a full meal, but at that time I didn't know the correlation. I forgot to mention that I also have mild GERD. I can go back to her and make sure its there by eating / drinking.

 

[DustyKat]

The fact that you have a hiatus hernia and is in relation to eating I would very much lean to that as being the cause of your problem, especially when it coincides with a medium to large meal and because it is the left side. Perfect environment for the hernia to appear.

The doctor is not totally wrong in thinking it may have been stool. Your Tranverse Colon runs across the top of your abdomen and problems there, including things like diverticulum, can cause issues up around the bottom of the rib cage area.

Good luck and I hope you soon have solid answers.

Dusty. xxx

 

[Anne123]

Just a quick update -- went to ER and they did an abdominal ultrasound on me -- found nothing. I'm relieved, but still wondering what it could be...maybe hernia . What kind of Dr. do you go to for hernia? Internist?
Thanks for the input!

 

[DustyKat]

Just edited my last post to say the doctor was NOT totally wrong. :facepalm:

It can be difficult for an ultrasound to pick up a hernia if it isn’t active at the time of the procedure.

I am not sure what an internist is as we don’t use the term here. Normally if being treated medically you would primarily deal with it through your GP but if needed you would be referred onto a gastroenterologist. If surgery was required then it would be done by either a general surgeon or a surgeon that specialises in the upper GI tract.

Dusty. xxx