Dear Welcome to HCM We understand your concerns I went through your description. I sincerely suggest that you don t worry. Your doctor must be doing all he can to treat you and alleviate the pain. She must have given some pathologicl examintion as well as some medicines. In the meantime, you should not worry. Most of the times such pains which starts from the rib cage could simply be due to acidity or acid reflux disease. Yes. They could be really painful. They can be termed as cramps rather than pain. And yes they also be intermittant sometimes. Bad smelling fart also accompany this pain often. Please, let your doctor identify and diagnose the problem. You don t worry about it for now, at least. Hope this clears your doubts. Available for further clarifications. Good luck. Get well soon.