Epigastric pain - I think it's cycle related...

[butterfly8537]

Hi I'm 28yrs old and I've had this problem for some time except it's come back again.

Well, I first became aware of it in 2010. I think I was 2 weeks away from my period when I became are of this brief sharp pain in my upper abdomen, just below my diaphragm. I simply thought, 'oh I'm ovulating' and thought no more of it.

A year later the pain reappeared around about the same time, again only once and 2 weeks away from my period, but the pain began to shoot into my right wrist, which confused me since this pain correlated with and appeared at the same time as the pain in the epigastric area. I spoke to a nurse at the practice I was registered with at the time and she said the pain is indeed connected to my cycle and said the only way to confirm that it is, is if I have a laparoscopy done.  Well, imagine my dismay at that as I hadn't long had an operation done on my hip. I want expecting to be cut open again!

Well, the reason I'm now asking this question is because I haven't had the pain for a while and it's now come back. Also I've now got a strange sharp pain in my right arm whenever I learn forwards and to the right as if I go to pick something up. I'm wondering if this is related?

Also I have no chest symptoms like coughing up blood or being short of breath, which is all the more confusing, just the one acute and brief short stab of pain under my diaphragm.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

[butterfly8537]

Hi,  thanks for your answer.

Arm is fine when I sleep on it, no numbness or tingling but it does go numb very easily if I were to sleep on it. It's also a little fatter than my left and although I'm slim I've got pretty good muscle there. There seems to be more fat.

Could it be down to my hypothyroidism? Doctor says that it causes outward signs to the skin but all I have is a bit more fat there and the pain.

Thanks!

[betterforme]

There could be many answers to this question. You could have something already inflamed (like a section of bowel)and when your swelling from your period, your swelling could be pushing on it.  Or endometriosis could be causing it. I also knew a woman who had to get a whole hysterectomy because every month her blood was going into a sack and was causing her much pain up under her diaphragm....there is so many things it could be ....surgery is the best way to look and not test you over and over again.  As for your arm .....that sounds like also could be related but also maybe not. Could be referred pain.  Ovary pain can sometimes cause shoulder pain, but I have never heard of the arm.  I know sometimes when there is swelling around a nerve that it can produce what you are feeling. How does the arm feel when your sleeping? Does it go numb easily if you sleep on it? I know this doesnt help much, but I guess I am just trying to say there is too much that it could be to be specific....I would have the surgery. Good Luck!  

[butterfly8537]

Thanks for your answer. I had an ultrasound done a year ago when I still had this problem to check for ovarian cysts. Scan came back normal and doctors would not scan anywhere else on my abdomen. I get this pain every month around about the time I ovulate, so it comes 12 times a year just to clarify.

Thanks

[NurseGayle]

Usually ovarian/ovulation pain is lower on either side & comes more often than yearly, but you never know.  My husband has a hiatal hernia (located between the diaphragm & stomach) & these sound like a lot of the symptoms he has. It can be diagnosed with Xray or Ultrasound.  That would be a first step before surgery. They can also do an Upper GI (UGI) study in Xray which would also diagnose problems with the same area (ulcers, reflux etc).  An ultrasound would be an ideal test to start with & less invasive than starting with laproscopy from my experience. Good luck to you.