Pain underneath left breast, near ribs, history of same due to gall bladder problem, 8 months pregnant - Online Doctor Chats

User :   I have been having a pain underneath my left breast. Not on my breast but just below it where it feels like it is on my rib cage. It is bulged out some in a horizontal way. When I was 8 months pregnant 3 years ago I had this same pain and my doctors told me that it was probably due to my gallbladder. I have had pain in this area when my gastrointestinal reflux acts up. But it is now bothering me alot even when I am not having upper GI issues. I am worried about this. Can you please give me your insight on what you think it may be?
Doctor :   Hi
Doctor :   Pls. give me few secs. yo go through your query.
Doctor :   Ok, I have gone through the query.
User :   Will you please also reassure me that I am only paying the $15.95 for 30 minutes!! I do not want to get any other charges. Please tell me that is the only amount Iwill pay.
Doctor :   May I ask you a few questions pertaining to your problem to help you better ?
User :   Can you answer my question first?
Doctor :   Yes, you will not be paying anything else .
User :   Ask away then.
Doctor :   May I know if you have had any spicy. or oily diet before this problem started ?
User :   I love every and anything spicy but I don't necessarily eat it alot. Some oily foods also but not many.
Doctor :   Do you feel the pain increasing if you press over the affected area ?
Doctor :   Any underlyting tenderness ?
Doctor :   any signs of inflammtion ?
Doctor :   like redness, warmth or tenderness ?
User :   only sometimes. but i have noticed after i eat i feel sick to my stomache for a couple of hours along with some pain. no signs of inflammation other then tenderness.
Doctor :   Ok.
Doctor :   Usually the most common cause of pain after eating food is a Duodenal ulcer, and pain before eating food is a gasrtric ulcer.
Doctor :   As you are saying that you have been having pain after consuming food, i feel it might be a duodenal problem.
User :   yes and shortly after I eat I have to go # 2
Doctor :   Ok.
Doctor :   This is a very common symptom again for duodenal ulcer.
Have you consulted a GP or a Gastro previously for this problem?
User :   I also have pain in my back between my shoulder blades when I have that upper left GI pain.
Doctor :   Did you get an upper GI Endo scopy done ?
User :   No, I can't get into my doc until next wednesday.
User :   That is why I wanted to talk with you because I am worried about it.
Doctor :   Ok, Please do not worry.
Doctor :   I shall give you a few steps that can help you in releiving pain and the problem to some extent.
User :   I am a nursing student and also a bit of a hypochondriac, so I keep thinking it is an aortic aneurism.
Doctor :   But you have to get an endoscopy done after this.
User :   I am definetely going to ask my doc for an ultra sound. But I don't know if an endoscopy is uncomfortable.
Doctor :   Ok, This is very common in our medical fraternity as we know many diseases and have seen lot of cases, do not worry, lets rule out simple ones first.
Doctor :   Do you have any abdominal pulsation ?
Doctor :   Any low blood pressure ?
User :   No, any I do that is a sign of an aortic aneurism and I have pretty good blood pressure.
User :   sorry not a sign, a symptom lol
Doctor :   Please dont worry about that, you are absolutely fine, you have as small as something like a peptic ulcer and might be more than one ulcer and some amount of gastritis at the pyloric end.
User :   I don
User :   t know if it has anything to do with my problems but I did have pyloric stenosis at 6 months of age
Doctor :   Ok.
User :   And I did have surgery for it. It was pretty serious.
Doctor :   May I know if you also had GERD problems for long ?
Doctor :   Ok.
User :   Since I had my son 3 years ago I have had GERD and it has continued to get worse over time.
Doctor :   Oh, I can understand, GERD usually shows up in Pregnancy and stays for life in may mothers.
User :   It is absolutely aweful!
Doctor :   Do you still have constant belching or colic pain or vomitings now and then ?
User :   I constantly belch and have the hiccups.
Doctor :   Ok.
User :   I am also going through a divorce right now with two children involved and I am pretty stressed out.
Doctor :   I undersatnd th eproblem you are in right now. Stress, Imsomnia, and Anxiety as you know all increase GERD, Acidity, Gastritis and ulcers.
I would suggest and ultrasound and an endoscopy if you are comfortable with it as you know That they are the definitive investigations, if you do not want a endoscopy, i advise for a x-ray barium meal.
Doctor :   I want you to be more calm, ease out , to follow some mind relaxing techniques, have lots of fluids, juices, fresh fruits, and more veggies.
Doctor :   Do you consume alcohol ?
Doctor :   Or do you smoke ?
User :   Ok, I drink and smoke only on occasions when I go out with friends which I would love to say I got to do more often.
Doctor :   Ok.
Doctor :   I can understand , but you yourself might be knowing as a medical professional that the GERD is mor e complicated and worsened by Smoking and drinking.
Doctor :   I would not ask you to totally quit drinking, ocassional drinking is fine.
Doctor :   but not binge drinking.
Doctor :   But smoking has to be totally avoided, your symptoms will start decreaseing soon.
User :   Well that's good. So you don't think it could be a gallbladder issue?
Doctor :   In most of the gall bladder problems , we see vomitings, usually very forceful and there is green stool or pain in the lower or middle right quadrants rather than in the chest/breast region.
Doctor :   till you see a doctor or your physician.
Doctor :   Please use them for symptomatic relief
Doctor :   but please go to a Gastro to get done th etests that I recommended.
Doctor :   Hope you have followed.
Doctor :   Thank you for ocnsulting me
Doctor :   Take care
Doctor :   bye for now.