left sided sharp stabbing pain, mid abdomen

by C H
(Woodburn, Oregon, USA)

I am a 65 year old post menopausal female. I have had this strange stabbing pain, on the left side of my abdomen.. It lasts 5-10 seconds and then goes away... It comes back in 30-40 seconds and repeats the sharp pain... This pattern has repeated all day long. My bowels are working just fine. I have been drinking plenty of water. My appetite is unchanged. I have mild hypertension controlled by 25 mg. Losartan, once per day...The only chronic illness that I have is chronic clinical depression... It is fully controlled by Cymbalta 60 mg. once a day... Wellbutrin 100 mg. Twice a day. I also take Fish Oil 1000 mg. twice a day. AND the Losartan once per day. I have no other chronic illnesses. In 2009 I had laproscopic hiatal hernia repair... Had 4 units of blood and many days of IV fluid therapy... I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia... Which is now controlled as well..... I am allergic to Amoxicillian in high doses.... Had my appendix out at age 18, and tonsils out at age 19. Had a normal pregnancy at age 35, with birth of a normal daughter. Had several broken ribs over the years, from falls, and a car accident. I am a retired nurse, and do not yet have Medicare... I do not want to go to the Doc unnecessarily.... THANKS for your help... Carol

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Dear Carol,

Thank you for your very detailed history. I can see that you have had two abdominal surgical interventions - appendectomy at age 18 and laparosocopic repair of hiatus hernia in 2009, otherwise no other particularly major bowel problems.

What you've described - intermittent sharp stabbing left sided abdominal pain lasting a few seconds is commonly seen with bowel conditions like trapped wind, or mild non-obstructing abdominal post surgical adhesion.

How is the pain now? Is it still there? I believe that it is unlikely to be due to something very serious. Should you still have the pain up till now, then it would be reasonably to get seen and examined by a doctor.

Thank you once more Carol, and we sincerely hope you get better soon.

Please do not hesitate to update us with how things went, if you can.

Best Wishes.

Abdopain Team.