Is this an urgent care situation?
September 6, 2011 6:25 AM Subscribe
Medical Question: Persistent pain in the upper left abdomen and side. Is this an urgent care situation?
I know that the general answer to this is going to be "go to the doctor." However, my doctor left her practice about a year ago, and I never replaced her. I can make an appointment with a new doctor, but that may take a few days. In the meantime, I want to know if this pain is serious enough that I need an urgent care visit. I've read the previous askme questions about this subject, but I hoped for some more specific feedback.
The symptoms:
I've been experiencing some pain in MY upper left abdominal area (so, if you are looking at me face-on, it would be right) and side for nearly 48 hours. The pain is not constant, nor does it often become painful when I am simply sitting around. Usually, it needs to be provoked in some way: when I breathe in deeply or eat a large meal, the area becomes more uncomfortable. If I am laying on that side, the pain is usually fine. When my left side becomes more compressed by laying on the opposite side, then I experience some pain. It is also painful if you manipulate the area physically with your hands. This isn't an excruciating pain. I'd describe it as closer to persistently annoying. I haven't done any extraordinary physical activity or anything like that recently.
I know that I'm not going to get a definitive answer out of this askme. I just want to know if I should go to urgent care tonight or wait until a doc can see me.
I'll be at work today, but I will check this as often as I can. Thanks for any help you can provide!
I know that the general answer to this is going to be "go to the doctor." However, my doctor left her practice about a year ago, and I never replaced her. I can make an appointment with a new doctor, but that may take a few days. In the meantime, I want to know if this pain is serious enough that I need an urgent care visit. I've read the previous askme questions about this subject, but I hoped for some more specific feedback.
The symptoms:
I've been experiencing some pain in MY upper left abdominal area (so, if you are looking at me face-on, it would be right) and side for nearly 48 hours. The pain is not constant, nor does it often become painful when I am simply sitting around. Usually, it needs to be provoked in some way: when I breathe in deeply or eat a large meal, the area becomes more uncomfortable. If I am laying on that side, the pain is usually fine. When my left side becomes more compressed by laying on the opposite side, then I experience some pain. It is also painful if you manipulate the area physically with your hands. This isn't an excruciating pain. I'd describe it as closer to persistently annoying. I haven't done any extraordinary physical activity or anything like that recently.
I know that I'm not going to get a definitive answer out of this askme. I just want to know if I should go to urgent care tonight or wait until a doc can see me.
I'll be at work today, but I will check this as often as I can. Thanks for any help you can provide!
Why wouldn't you go to the doctor? There are alot of organs there and alot of reasons they could be causing you pain. Wouldn't you rather go now to an urgent care then to have to be rushed to the emergency room later because something burst and you now have sepsis?!
Quit talking to people on the internet about this and go take care of yourself.
posted by TheBones at 6:42 AM on September 6, 2011
Quit talking to people on the internet about this and go take care of yourself.
posted by TheBones at 6:42 AM on September 6, 2011
IANAD. I just took my teen son to urgent care for this. He was full of s***. She put him on a laxative
and explained as she examined him that there is nothing on the left side except intestine. If the pain is on the right side get thee to ER.
posted by jara1953 at 6:52 AM on September 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
and explained as she examined him that there is nothing on the left side except intestine. If the pain is on the right side get thee to ER.
posted by jara1953 at 6:52 AM on September 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
There is more than just intestine on the left side if you are female. Is your gyn available, or was it the same as your primary clinician? If your gyn is available, she or he might be able to rule out gyn concerns and give you a general clinical diagnosis, or refer you to a generalist directly.
posted by cobaltnine at 7:08 AM on September 6, 2011
posted by cobaltnine at 7:08 AM on September 6, 2011
i dealt with this issue for a couple of years. it was always constipation. i finally went to the doctor and it was nice to have it confirmed, but if it's just been 48 hours, get some miralax, drink some soup for dinner, drink lots of water, and see if it resolves itself. if it hasn't after another couple of days, go to the doctor.
posted by nadawi at 7:13 AM on September 6, 2011
posted by nadawi at 7:13 AM on September 6, 2011
oh, and i'm female. my pain started seemingly underneath my bottom rib and went to somewhere in/above my hip bone. it was my side, abdomen, and a little in the lower back. it was nothing at all like cramps or girlie type pain.
posted by nadawi at 7:14 AM on September 6, 2011
posted by nadawi at 7:14 AM on September 6, 2011
Urgent care? Mmmmeh.
Splenomegaly
Viral gastroenteritis
Irritable bowel syndrome
Acute pancreatitis
Indigestion
From my experience with mid, upper, stabbing, vomiting, classic gallstone/actue pancreatitis symptoms three trips to the ER = a whole shitload of med bills, maloxx with lidocaine, and a look of "you're crazy".
I wouldn't say urgent care. I would say calling the doc and getting in for a full blood panel and possibly an ultrasound.
posted by stormpooper at 7:26 AM on September 6, 2011
Splenomegaly
Viral gastroenteritis
Irritable bowel syndrome
Acute pancreatitis
Indigestion
From my experience with mid, upper, stabbing, vomiting, classic gallstone/actue pancreatitis symptoms three trips to the ER = a whole shitload of med bills, maloxx with lidocaine, and a look of "you're crazy".
I wouldn't say urgent care. I would say calling the doc and getting in for a full blood panel and possibly an ultrasound.
posted by stormpooper at 7:26 AM on September 6, 2011
Is there a reason you can't go to urgent care today? Or does your insurance company have a nurse line you could call and ask? Sure, most abdominal pain ends up not being serious, but there are some serious things it could be.
Just to provide a bit of counterpoint to the left-side-is-never-serious point of view: Things potentially located on the left side of the intestine include diverticulitis, which is an infection of the intestine (specifically, of diverticulae in the colon) that can be extremely serious.
posted by pie ninja at 8:07 AM on September 6, 2011
Just to provide a bit of counterpoint to the left-side-is-never-serious point of view: Things potentially located on the left side of the intestine include diverticulitis, which is an infection of the intestine (specifically, of diverticulae in the colon) that can be extremely serious.
posted by pie ninja at 8:07 AM on September 6, 2011
Given that you're in your old doc's practice records, I'd call and see if you can get in with a sick visit with one of the other doctors.
And remember, if it hurts too much to sleep, go to the ER.
posted by leahwrenn at 8:22 AM on September 6, 2011
And remember, if it hurts too much to sleep, go to the ER.
posted by leahwrenn at 8:22 AM on September 6, 2011
When I was having these symptoms, it turned out to be nothing, but my doctor sent me in for a series of tests right away. The body is a strange machine. What you're experiencing could be absolutely nothing, or it could be the first symptom of something life threatening. Go to a doctor.
posted by 256 at 9:05 AM on September 6, 2011
posted by 256 at 9:05 AM on September 6, 2011
If it were me, I would make this decision based on how long it had been since a bowel movement. If it's been 2-3 days, I'd take some miralax tonight and drink lots of water (and not schedule anything outside the house for tomorrow morning). If it's been longer than that (indicating a potentially more major bowel problem), or BMs have been happening regularly (indicating something other than a bowel problem), then I'd be concerned about a more serious issue and try to get a same-day or next-day visit at my old clinic. If you start having nausea or diarrhea, definitely head to urgent care ASAP.
posted by vytae at 9:42 AM on September 6, 2011
posted by vytae at 9:42 AM on September 6, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks for all these responses! Initially, I thought it might be a gastrointestinal issue as well, but I've been going to the bathroom as normal, so I doubt it's constipation. I completely forgot that I had a campus health center available to me, so I made a quick appointment there. They were, thankfully, able to get me in today! I'll try to update this if I find out an answer in case anyone else has similar issues in the future. Thanks for all of your input!
posted by theantikitty at 10:40 AM on September 6, 2011
posted by theantikitty at 10:40 AM on September 6, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Even if it is "just annoying," wouldn't it be better to have an annoyance cleared up?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:30 AM on September 6, 2011