Question for the doctors here

[1fastredsc]

So for the past month or so i've had this chronic discomfort in my lower left abdominal area. At certain times of the day, usually a while after i eat, i get this very light dull pain in the area. Then at some point it just goes away. Any takers as to what it could be and if i should be concerned? Last time i mentioned this to a doctor she said that it's in the area of the exit of my intestines and that i shouldn't be that worried.

Little Background:
I'm 24, 6ft tall, 210lbs, hispanic male. About 6 weeks ago i was also diagnosed with a mono like virus. Basically my mono blood test came back negative, but i had a showing of lymph something or other in my blood, which indicates some sort of mono virus according to the doctor. Also last semester i was having problems with heart burn. I would get it about once a day before sleeping. I would also pop rolaids like candy so that it would subside and i could sleep. Doctor said that it was a result of bad dietary habits and eating late at night before sleeping.

[Noah930]

You're a bit young to have diverticulitis. That's the first thing I thought of when you mentioned left lower quadrant (LLQ) pain after eating. But diverticulitis is usually a disease of the 50+ crowd. At the same time, I have seen it in people in their 30s (severe enough that the couple guys I'm thinking of had partial colectomies). Sometimes (more rarely) diverticulitis can be congenital, but that's still not very common. What about family history? Anyone with cancer or similar GI problems? Crohns? Ulcerative colitis?

Sometimes viral infections can cause odd GI problems.

The heartburn could be nothing (most likely), or something potentially quite severe. Unless it's still bothering you a lot, it might not be worth it to pursue a full-blown work-up.

[1fastredsc]

Well the heartburn seems to have almost fully subsided these days which i think is because of my dietary habits returning to normal.

The viral infection is something a little strange to me to be honest. I don't understand the idea of being mono-like but not exactly mono. Could you explain this to me?

Also, i should have elaborated on this earlier. When i say lower left area, that is from my POV, which would actually be the lower right area from the outsiders POV looking at me. I thought i would mention this just to make sure we are on the same page.

Family history:
Great grand parents where strong as bulls and died of natural causes as far as i know. Grand parents; one died of heart attack (smoking and drinking heavily), the other lung cancer (second hand smoke from #1), one is still alive but has high blood pressure and panic problems (i got the panic part), and the last i don't remember what he died of. My mother was told that she is borderline diabetic but not quite there yet, my dad has an irregular heart beat but is otherwise healthy as can be. Also, with the diabetes, i have uncles, aunts, and a cousin with diabetes problems all coming from my mothers side. There were also one or two instances of cancer other than what's mentioned above but on my mothers side involving distant relatives.

I haven't gotten blood work for a general check up in a while (about a year or two) but it's always been at or near perfect when i did get it.

[1fastredsc]

bump for ideas

[M.D. Holloway]

Oh boy, thats not good. It has to come out. - Opps, wrong thread, I thought thiswas the engine rebuild...

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Welcome to old age.

In another few years you and your friends will sit around discussing the day's bowel movement...

[1fastredsc]

So i tried going to our student health center today, but they were so jam packed that i couldn't be seen so i'll have to wait till tomorrow.

[M.D. Holloway]

Your a student? Well why didn't you say so! You prolly eat some of that "Class 3, Eidable But Not Advisable" meat from the cafe and now your lower GI is riddled with parasites!

Rub a little dirt on it, it'll go away...