Lump in lower Stomach - Gp not treating as urgent what to do

Hi all,

I'm after some advice / experiences please. I'm a 35yo female & last xmas (over a year ago) I started with bloating to the point where clothes would not do up. Assumed it was festive overeating etc. Normally a size 10. Fast forward to mid Nov 2018 I was away on a course and noticed in the hotel long mirror that one side of my bloated stomach was sticking out noticeably more (it was left side) there was a distinct swelling on the lower left of my tummy amidst the bloating.

I visited the gp as had had some blood in stools and in the loo, plus constipation. He could see the swelling and thought it was perhaps near ovary - took til almost Xmas to get that scanned via ultrasound and ruled out as he couldn't put it through as urgent as he needed a female gp to examine me (he was junior & didn't feel he could check properly).

in the meantime general bloods have come back as normal aside from anemic (not very about 12.7) and vit D very low. Went back to gp again beginning of Jan 2019 and they were trying to blame it on ibs saying as bloods were OK and as I'm young there was no point in sending me for a scope. I again reiterated the blood in stools, constipation, a pain that had now started around the area of swelling and was getting worse and feeling sick, I asked him to get his superior in.

they eventually agreed to investigate it but he rang me later that day and said after a surgery review they had just decided to refer me to 'surgery' at my local hospital, so sounds like it wouldn't even be a scope on that day just consultation. That appt is not til 5th Feb.. So over a month from the last gp appt - clearly not in the 2 week urgent guidelines.

Having to take Senna each day just to get bowel movements... And pain around the swelling area getting more constant. Swelling doesn't feel hard to touch but even friends can see what I'm talking about. Doctors asked me to cough etc to rule out hernia and they can see it too - really baffled as to why they wouldn't put it through as urgent. 

what should I do? Is it safe to wait that long? Looked at a private check cheapest is around £875 for a virtual colonoscopy. :( 

sorry for the long post, I have two very young children and I'm sick with worry and feel I've been fobbed off & delayed by the gps at my surgery. 

Parents
  • This sounds exactly like me, what was your diagnosis actually called and if i might ask, how much olive oil to try at first? also did you ever find a cure and what was it. thankyou. 

    p.s. i cant tell you how much finding your post has helped me not feel alone. 

  • Im delighted to have found this.. im having all the same problems. Even took 8 pregnancy test in last 2 months thinking i was pregnant with all the pain and movement in my lower abdomen my doctor is saying IBS but the tablets are not helping and ive cleaned up my diet and still nothing.

  • Hi your post alerted me to this so thank you

    First try olive oil for a week of you have inflamed insides that can help

    Also later maybe try fiber gel about 1/2 a sachet a day for a while

    For me well at first they couldn't even get the tube passed my transverse colon, when they did well all went back into shape and all was well for two years

    I've had a good surgeon, a bad one that almost killed me and has wrecked my life, and a good one but the op she was just about to do has been put on hold now because of the virus.

    The bad one (who has been in the paper for problems and left before she was investigated) was a moo

    She came in said it's all IBS and the others were wrong and even calling a hernia that I just got a birth defect (i never had it before)

    She said she was giving me a virtual colonoscopy and there was no kink, it was IBS

    Then they couldn't do it as the kink stopped the gas so as well as the pain I blew up like a balloon

    My insides are wrecked and she and they covered it up

    So as said before if you feel there may be a link or blockage do not let them pump has in you

    The pain or lump is it hard like it's under pressure?

     

  • Hello Ladies, 

    Sorry to jump in on your post but I have been trialling the Internet for help but haven't got anywhere. Finally today came across this post.

    I am 35 yo female, I have been having Terrible stomach cramps for years but of late (last 3 years) they are getting significantly worse. Last week I ended up In Hospital (the one place no one wants to be at the minute with the virus). But the pain was so bad, and as usual they Checked my urine and sent me on my merry way!

    I have a constant pain in the bottom left of my stomach below belly button but above pubic bone, it feels like something is stuck in there. Today for the first time I can feel a lump when stood up but my husband can't feel it when I'm lying down? 

    I have tried altering my diet cutting out thingd like dairy etc, even though that had elevated the most of my average belly aches this particular pain is different from having milk for example. 

    I have now decided to contact a private hospital as I'm sick of being told by several GP's that I have ibs.

    Glad I'm not the only, and I get that sometimes we just deal with aches and pains as women but this does not feel right.

    Xx

  • 10 Jul 2020 03:09 in response to makotiB

    I cannot believe this this is exactly exactly to the absolute letter what is happening with me. I'm 33, always been very very slim. Cannot put weight on. 3 years now I have had a lump appearing all over my stomach it moves when I lie flat and turn, can go into my side sometimes.  I can push it around. I get bubbles all around it almost popping (little balls appear in my ovaries) and the most strangest noises ever. My partner and everyone I've shown freaks out about it. I went to the doctors and in turn the hospital about a year and a half ago. They gave me an ultrasound and they even gave me and mri. I stayed there a week. They told me it was poo and I was contstipated. How can the same mass (poo) live in someone's body for 3 years and not poison them? The nurses were also commenting on my size 6 figure with 0 bloating. Constipated and no bloating??? I I had been to the toilet (number 2) 11 times over the week hospital stay. They gave me fibrogel orange, buscopan and omeprazel. And said it was I.b.s. This thing moves, it's makes me feel physically sick, it feels like it has a pulse, it hardens and comes to the surface of my body when I'm lying flat. In the last month I have had al the symptoms of water infection, And more recently a kidney infection. However after a hospital visit last week they said my urine was clear and sent me home with antibiotics. I absolutely feel like I'm going crazy. I've looked I don't know if it's all just because I'm skinny else I wouldn't feel it, but this could be why I can't put weight on? I'm 7st6 and I'm 33 I've had 3 children I've been big before. But can never retain weight. If anyone gets any answers to anything like this please share. X

  • I have something that sounds so similar! Lump under my right rib area, can push it around, cant feel it when im lying down, its causes alot of pain and uncomfortable. Ive had ultra sounds and mri all coming back with nothing! Docs just want to say the same, it could be bowel and can feel it cos slim?! But feel the same how can somthing be stuck in bowel ?! I also dont suffer woth constipation so dont undwrstand how thwy cam say that! Isnt this strange??? Does yours cause u pain??? 

Reply
  • I have something that sounds so similar! Lump under my right rib area, can push it around, cant feel it when im lying down, its causes alot of pain and uncomfortable. Ive had ultra sounds and mri all coming back with nothing! Docs just want to say the same, it could be bowel and can feel it cos slim?! But feel the same how can somthing be stuck in bowel ?! I also dont suffer woth constipation so dont undwrstand how thwy cam say that! Isnt this strange??? Does yours cause u pain??? 

Children
  • Yes this can go as high as under the centre of my rib, I wouldn't say pain, it's the strangest feeling In the world, it sort of hardens up and feels like it's pushing everything else around it out of the way. I was previously pregnant with twins, and when they used to change position it is a similar feeling. I've been doing a lot of research, borderline ovarian cancer can go mia diagnosed as ibs for up to 10 years. And similar reports of a movable lump. There's not really a proper test for it except a CA125 test I'm not sure if the uk offer it but I am going to push for it. I have a massive family history of cancer and have previously had suspicious things removed so I'm hoping and praying they will do it. I have been a size 4 since the age of 14 without any real explanation other than I'm built that way. I really feel like there is an issue somewhere I just hope I can get to the bottom of it. I know of a lady who had exact similar problems on her 6th pregnancy they discovered she had stomach cancer she died when the baby was 3 weeks old. It's so worrying that it's my body and I have no idea what is going on with it x

  • yes push for the test, i had the ca125 blood test done amd came back fine and also they checked my ovaries as part of my ultra sound scan so they can check if you are concerned its that. it is scary, i feel so stressed with it, despite having tests and coming back fine i dont understabd how u can have a lump and thwy cant tell u what it is ?! 

  • I am also having this issue. I feel like I'm swollen on the inside and things are being pushed outward but only my on my left side. Not really in pain as much as it's just feels uncomfortable. Also massive decrease in appetite!  Lost 3lbs in the last week alone, although I am a larger lady. Don't know what to do about it. Pain can go from under left rib all the way down towards my hip, around the back a bit and even into the top of my thigh. Really worried it's something serious.

  • Hi guys, I just though I would message to suggest one possibility for you to look into if you haven't resolved the issue. I have a mass in my abdomen which is quite visibly noticable and has turned out to be a uterine fibroid. This may be worth checking out and discussing with your doctor if you think it is appropriate. They are supposedly relatively common and don't always need treatment. However, if they're causing symptoms there are medical or surgical options available.

  • I have this. Sounds like you're feeling your right kidney. Ask them for ultrasound and then ask to stand up, show them where the lump is. I did this, and sure enough, it was my kidney.. lower than it should be though.

  • Ive had a scan and strangely enough, when i was pushing the lump the lady said thats your kidney moving?? But then had an mri and they said my kidney was fine?! Its very weird 

  • Hiya, just read this thread and have a similar issue, I think mine could possibly be a hernia, I'm seeing my doctor this week and if I'm not happy with response (if I'm dismissed with no outcome) then I am going to book a private gp appointment . I know that will cost me but you can't put a price on your health. The only problem then is sorting treatment if they find something . Sometimes just knowing takes a lot of anxiety away x

  • Yes it really does, im v stressed with mine still. Hopefully if a hernia its easy to see from a ultra sound and fixable. Fingers crossed for you x

  • Have they ruled hernia out for you?  
    im unsure which scans show the most details, I've had two mri's this year and didn't enjoy that experience at all . Can you get a second opinion. ? X

  • They have, and one doc was convinced it wss my ascending colon. So weve been gping down the crohns and colitis route as i have ibs too but mostly ruled that out now. Waiting for last mri result back and if all ok im going to ask for another ultra sound for a srcond opinion. When i saw the consultant for gatrology, he said it felt like a hernia to him ?! Honestly its driving me mad and soo anxious all the time :( x did your mris not show anything up??