ask: I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, but now because my pain is in the upper left quadrant of my stomach, the doctor tells me it can't be IBS because the pain is too high in my stomach.

Hi Anon,

Thanks for your question.

The signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can vary widely from person to person and often resemble those of other diseases. Among the most common are:

Abdominal pain or cramping
A bloated feeling
Gas (flatulence)
Diarrhea or constipation — sometimes alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea
Mucus in the stool

Causes of upper abdominal pain include:

Angina (reduced blood flow to the heart)
Appendicitis
Cholangitis (bile duct inflammation)
Cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation)
Duodenitis (inflammation of the initial portion of the small intestine)
Gallstones
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
Heart attack
Hepatitis (liver inflammation)
Intestinal obstruction
Mesenteric ischemia (decreased blood flow to the intestines)
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Nonulcer stomach pain
Pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation)
Peptic ulcer
Pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue around the heart)
Pleurisy (inflammation of the membrane surrounding the lungs)
Pneumonia
Pneumothorax (lung collapse caused by air that leaks inside chest wall)
Thoracic aortic aneurysm

Of course based on ALL of your symptoms and tests, your doctor will determine what is causing the ULQ pain.

Hope this helps,

Rosa