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Spleen pain rather than what I have presumed for ages was stomach?

Messages
77
Hello,

I wasn't quite sure where to post this so I posted here.


I have posted a few times about stomach problems which I certainly do have, or general gastrointestinal issues, nausea etc.


But I do seem to have this constant dull ache on my left side of my lower ribcage and as I have lots of stomach problems I assumed it was my stomach.


But just this morning I was flicking through a book and got to a section I assume must have been about the lymphatic system and is showed a diagram of a body with main sections highlighted (like you see in diagrams for things like digestion or respiratory).


And right where I have my pain and discomfort on the diagram was the spleen and it just seems to fit in right where I am experiencing these symptoms were as with my stomach I have sometimes thought it seems too localised in a smaller spot and it doesn't seem to quite spread to the whole size of the stomach (if that makes sense) and also I think when my stomach is worse I actually feel a separate discomfort which is in a slightly different location so maybe that is my stomach.


Anyway I was just wondering if anyone else experienced this or had any idea about it or how it can affect you or what can be done. If it makes a difference my ME was triggered by glandular fever and before we knew about ME we heard there could be some spleen issues involved in it.



Thank you for reading the post.
 

August59

Daughters High School Graduation
Messages
1,617
Location
Upstate SC, USA
I had a CT Scan done not to long ago and my liver turned out to be severely fatty. My spleen has a lot of calcified granulomas. I have a lot of nausea as well.
 
Messages
77
And did that come about because of ME? Or was it a problem before, how does the liver get fatty and and the spleen contain calcified granulomas? I hope you have managed to get some treatment and are feeling improved.
 
Messages
5,238
Location
Sofa, UK
I had a CT Scan done not to long ago and my liver turned out to be severely fatty. My spleen has a lot of calcified granulomas. I have a lot of nausea as well.
Coincidentally, I got my ultrasound results today and fatty liver was the main finding, I've had pain in liver and spleen for last few weeks though it now seems to be a generalised muscular thing because there were loads of really sensitive spots during the scan (which was very painful). Don't know what it all means yet but doc suggested fatty liver could be a consequence of high cholesterol or high-fat diet and he's going to test that next. The only fatty food I eat really is cheese, but I do eat a lot of cheese so I'm going to cut back on that.
 

August59

Daughters High School Graduation
Messages
1,617
Location
Upstate SC, USA
My appetite has gone downhill to as I can really want something to eat, but when I get it I might eat one or two bites. If I eat more it comes back up. I keep telling myself that there is not much more that can go wrong in there without severe dire consequences.
And did that come about because of ME? Or was it a problem before, how does the liver get fatty and and the spleen contain calcified granulomas? I hope you have managed to get some treatment and are feeling improved.

They think the granulomas in my spleen came from when I was young and got a severe case of Meningococcemia and was quarantined in the hospital for 10 days.

My fatty liver is definitely contributed to my present state of health. First it was testosterone, very high triglycerides, thyroid, Type 2 diabetes and now the fatty liver. Except for testosterone everything has been in the last year.
 

anne_likes_red

Senior Member
Messages
1,103
Spleen pain, yes I'm familiar with some version of it anyway. I used to regularly get pain (a tender,bruised feeling) under and around the bottom left ribs. I asked my doctor about it and he felt my spleen and said it was swollen. That pain often seemed to coincide with swollen glands around the neck, and was worse coming into Winter.
(I never had a scan so don't know specifically what caused it.)
 
Messages
77
I might be way off the mark in terms of what causes a fatty liver but I am only 18 and up until I was ill was very active and had a healthy diet and lifestyle as far as I know, and even since I have become ill I have actually lost weight even though I was very slim before, could I still have a fatty liver? The two might be completely unrelated I don't know.
 
Messages
77
Spleen pain, yes I'm familiar with some version of it anyway. I used to regularly get pain (a tender,bruised feeling) under and around the bottom left ribs. I asked my doctor about it and he felt my spleen and said it was swollen. That pain often seemed to coincide with swollen glands around the neck, and was worse coming into Winter.
(I never had a scan so don't know specifically what caused it.)

I practically always have swollen glands (although for a while I almost always have this discomfort) and what you describe does sound pretty similar to me.

A second thing I experience which originally made me think it was my stomach was on the day or so leading to a bad day (or a bad night in my case, waking up feeling extremely sick etc.) my spleen area was in more discomfort than normal and also I didn't go to the bathroom were as normally I would do everyday.

Anyway I came to the conclusion that because I didn't go to the bathroom maybe it was that the toxins has built up in me and made me feel bad and I was getting rid of them on the worst days, because the morning everything would generally come out and I would feel better, but now I wonder if it wasn't my stomach feeling more tender the day before, but my spleen because my body had extra toxins in it that weren't leaving?
 

Sean

Senior Member
Messages
7,378
There are many possible causes for pain in the central region of the torso, ranging from deadly serious to trivial, and which are independent of ME.

You probably should see your doctor about it.
 

LisaGoddard

Senior Member
Messages
284
Hi, I get pain in my spleen area. Sometimes a dull aching and at others sharp pains.
I also get pain in my other lymph nodes - groin especially but also under my arms and have had a sore throat for about 4 years.
I have found that cold baths help the pain in my groin but not sure they have benefitted my spleen.
 
Messages
77
Just to be sure, have you had your gallbladder checked out?
No I haven't, is this a relatively easy thing to do or does it require something invasive or generally difficult? Gallbladder issues have been suggested to me before but I never seem to get pain in gallbladder area, (although maybe I do and like this I was mixing it up with gastrointestinal issues again).
 
Messages
77
Hi, I get pain in my spleen area. Sometimes a dull aching and at others sharp pains.
I also get pain in my other lymph nodes - groin especially but also under my arms and have had a sore throat for about 4 years.
I have found that cold baths help the pain in my groin but not sure they have benefitted my spleen.
I think mine is mainly dull ache but I have noticed it gets worse straight away pretty much when I am particularly stressed, does anyway else experience this? I think all of my lymph node areas are tender but this area seems to be in constant discomfort nowadays.
 
Messages
77
There are many possible causes for pain in the central region of the torso, ranging from deadly serious to trivial, and which are independent of ME.

You probably should see your doctor about it.
Hopefully I will be seeing the doctor about, I don't know when though, it's tough for me to go out at all.
 
Messages
64
They can check for gallstones with sonar, and functionality with a HIDA scan. You're a bit a young and don't fit the profile of someone with GB issues.

How long does the pain last?
 
Messages
77
They can check for gallstones with sonar, and functionality with a HIDA scan. You're a bit a young and don't fit the profile of someone with GB issues.

How long does the pain last?
In the general area of my spleen or more the gallbladder area?

With my spleen it is pretty much a constant discomfort, same for the rest of the general area spreading across just below my ribcage it is in a state of discomfort, especially if I stand or walk (I am now in a wheelchair) and it gets worse when I feel more ill too, or have eaten too much or done too much even if it's just at home as I am pretty much housebound. But like I said the spleen area is in the most discomfort and it is pretty much always present.
 

Daffodil

Senior Member
Messages
5,875
fatty liver is from chronic inflammation. I have that, too.

my spleen is inflamed too. it shows up as subclinically enlarged in ultrasound.
 
Messages
14
Coincidentally, I got my ultrasound results today and fatty liver was the main finding, I've had pain in liver and spleen for last few weeks though it now seems to be a generalised muscular thing because there were loads of really sensitive spots during the scan (which was very painful). Don't know what it all means yet but doc suggested fatty liver could be a consequence of high cholesterol or high-fat diet and he's going to test that next. The only fatty food I eat really is cheese, but I do eat a lot of cheese so I'm going to cut back on that.


wow i dont think cheese would cause that unless your eating it by the pounds per day maybe more genetic high cholesterol