Scared out of my mind, mass under ribs

Hello everyone, I will try to make this as brief as possible. I am 35 year old female looking for someone/someone's who are or have been where I am now.

A few weeks before Easter while in the shower I felt a lump under my ribs on the left side. I called my primary for an appt and found out my insurance assigned me to a new primary Dr. I called my new primary and was given an appt for May 1st (over a month and a half away) because I was a new patient they had nothing sooner. I called ever morning trying to get in sooner but had no luck. May 1st comes, I go to my appt, Dr says he feels something there and orders chest x ray, x ray of ribs, basic blood work and a cat scan of my abdomen without contrast. On May 9th I go for my follow up appt and am told x rays were normal, blood work was normal except high triglycerides and low good cholesterol and cat scan is normal other then a kidney stone and a small umbilical hernia. I am very confused by this because the lump can be felt when felt for and I can also feel it inside my body when it's touched. My Dr tells me he will refer me to a general surgeon and I get an appt for May 22nd.

Since I first found this thing, it has gotten bigger and for weeks now I can feel it without having to touch it. It feels very uncomfortable and awkward. I am guessing because of it's location. The lump/mass itself does not hurt when touched but for the last week and a half the area it's in is becoming somewhat painful, also on my back level with where this thing can be felt from the front has been numb going on 2 weeks and it feels like something is putting pressure on my ribs back there from the inside and the numbness is also somewhat present on my side at the same level. The numbness started off and on a little over 2 weeks ago but has been constant for the most part for almost 2 weeks now. 

When the numbness first started I went to the emergency room cause it was a weekend. I explained everything that had been going on. They did a cat scan of my chest without contrast which came back normal.

I am very afraid and this is starting to cause me great anxiety. I think its absurd the amount of time I had to wait to see a Dr and it worries me that if it's something bad it would have been better off figuring it out sooner and I don't understand why these scans are not showing anything. Perhaps it's because they were done without the use of contrast but surely the DR must have known this would be the case.. Please has anyone been through similar? I have 3 kids that need me to be well and the worry is starting to cause me depression.

  • Hey

    It's extraordinary that you have literally gone through the exact same symptoms, visits to ER etc. However, I haven't yet had a CAT scan. 

    I've had 3 xrays and 3 MRIs for my full spinal areas.

    Basically its showed up an old, healed vertebral compression fracture in my thoratic area which I knew about since 2009.

    My spinal Consultant said its muscle problems and I have muscular atrophy and need to build them up via Physiotherapy and excercise. 

    However, ive been in this position for nearly a year and still feel like theres a mass of something on my left rib area. When I get up to go to the bathroom in the morning, my torso,sternum, shoulder and upper arm tighten up and stay like that all day. Tight and compressed. 

    I've had lots of anxiety, as no one will perform exercise or massage etc until ive had a scan to determine what's happening inside of my upper body. 

    My GP is seeing me Tuesday next, as she's reluctant to send me for any more scans. I fail to understand how she feels she can see inside my body and determine what's going on without a scan. No one can. No matter how professional and from whatever medical area. 

    Basically its common sense to look inside before treating.

    I suspect I'll have to be extremely assertive regarding a scan. 

    I sincerely hope it's just like yours and nothing to get anxious about. I'd be over the moon with your results.

  • Hey, sorry this is a super late response! I just can't believe how similar our symptoms are (yours were to mine). At the start of August 2021 I started experiencing severe pains in my upper/middle abdomen and couldn't move properly for about a week. I consulted with drs etc however they couldn't determine the cause. One of my urine tests came back to have a trace of blood in, but then it cleared with the next test. I used strong painkillers until a couple of weeks ago (Mid September) I discovered a very small round lump underneath the skin where I had to really push down to find it. I showed this to the doctor and he said he couldn't feel much, perhaps some inflammation. He referred me for an ultrasound scan that came back normal. The pains continued to worsen and the lump has become much easier to find, I don't need to press down as much anymore and I'm constantly conscious that it's there. Dr has requested another ultrasound and I'm still waiting for the appointment letter about 2 weeks later! I am so well and truly scared. My friends and family probably think I'm a broken record but I am just so scared and feel like it's something terrible. 

  • Hi 

    I know it's an old post but I'm going through the same thing at the moment.Did you get to the bottom of it ? 

  • Hi carful1, 

    I too am in a similar situation as you were in.

    I have a hard bone like lump under my right rib cage at the bottom of my ribcage.

    I can barely feel this when standing straight, however feels more exposed when bent to the side and as I stand back up it seems to slide under again. Is this the same as you? My lump is painless and solid (I can't move it with my fingers)
    Also I'm wondering did your right kidney twitch a lot (feels like muscle spasms? 
    many thanks

  • i,ve just discoved one on each side . no idea what they are 

  • Hello this is what I'm getting right now though this happen suddenly out of no where after doing stuff that tired me out because im super low iron right now so I cough hard and breathing more harder after going up stairs so I'm wondering if I've pulled something but not sure. have you had any updates yet?

  • Hi, 

    If you have concerns it's always best to just get a check up and be sure. 
    I have occasionally the same Symptoms, usually when moving quickly I feel dizziness and my vision blurs a little. 
    And thank you for your concerns, I have learnt my symptoms are all related to chronic Kidney Disease instead, but shows similar symptoms. So look up the symptoms for this and see if any match your situation.

    best of luck.