I've been in pain since Friday afternoon. It hurts so bad that I went to the urgent care center yesterday, and I plan to get a second opinion from my primary care physician in the next day or so. In the meantime, here are my symptoms. What do you think I have?
- Friday afternoon (around 2pm), I was sitting at my desk at work and suddenly got a sharp pain in my right side, just under my ribs, like a stitch that you get when you’re running. It hurt only upon inhaling, and changing positions did not help. The discomfort continued into the evening but did not interfere with my activities (in fact, I went to the Eric Clapton concert with Mr. G, which I will post on later).
- Saturday morning, my side still hurt, and the pain increased as the day wore on. Again, changing positions or stretching did not help. By evening, the pain was constant and no longer caused only by inhaling. In fact, the pain was worst when I exhaled, especially when I coughed, sneezed, or laughed. I did not sleep well that night, waking up often due to pain in my side.
- Sunday morning, my side was slightly tender to the touch, and the pain had not abated. In addition, my right shoulder was feeling achey. I went to the urgent care center, thinking that my symptoms could indicate a gallbladder attack. However, the doctor said that my gallbladder was fine. The nurse took my temperature but did not tell me what it was, so I assume it was also normal. The doctor then gave me a possible diagnosis (to be verified only with the appearance of a symptom that I do not yet have) and instructed me to take Tylenol for the pain. I took some as soon as I got home; it helped for about an hour, and then the pain came back. I stayed in bed almost all day and felt better in the evening, but after sitting at the computer for about a half-hour, I started to hurt again. The pain got worse as the evening drew on and when I laid down to go to sleep, I had three very sharp pains that made me gasp. I thought I wouldn’t be able to sleep, but when I turned on my left side, the pain went away. I ended up sleeping very well.
- Today when I woke up, I felt that the pain was gone. However, by the time I was ready for work, I was in mild pain again. Now the pain in my side is duller and it feels a little deeper than before. My shoulder still feels tense and achey. And it is still painful to breathe deeply or to laugh.
