Question: I am a 37 yo female. I have been having stomach pain off and on for 9 months. At first, it was occasional and would go away after a few days. Now it is constant, with me being in pain 70% of the time. The pain is normally tolerable, but when it is at its worst, it seems loosely associated with a large lump that appears on my rib just below my left breast. The pain is mostly in my upper left quadrant, but I feel it in my right side and into my back too. Activity is becoming difficult for me, because i get dizzy and the pain gets worse. When I went to the doctor, she said the lump was my stomach; she was sure I had gastritis that was causing inflammation to the point it could be seen under my shirt. She prescribed acid reducers, but after 2 months, I have had little relief. She finally agreed to send me for an upper endoscopy, and the results were 100% normal and the doctor who did the test told me it is impossible for the lump to be my stomach. I have no idea what to do now. My husband wants me to find a new doctor who will perform a physical exam because he thinks I have a broken rib (original doctor looked but did touch or really examine the lump); my best friend is certain that I need to demand gallbladder testing; everything I've found online leads me to believe I need to be prepared to hear the pain is in my head because stomach issues are so hard to diagnose. Suggestions?

Thank you for the information. Unfortunately the pain became so awful that I ended up in the emergency room. Many tests later (blood tests; ultrasounds; etc), here is the update: my liver is a bit enlarged (per the ultrasound and the HIDA test); and my gallbladder has an ejection factor of 31% (per the HIDA). Is that enough to warrant surgery and explain my symptoms? They noted significant referred pain in the ER, which could explain the left side complaints.