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I started writing a diary of my symptoms on my phone when my symptoms worsened and before I knew I had SRS. I kept this diary almost daily for 2 months in the hope that it might help to diagnose me. I wanted to include it here in case reading it ever helps someone else with similar symptoms.

From 23rd October severe pain in right flank and lower back made much worse by walking, also same area at the front under my ribcage. Feels like a stitch but deeper inside. Pain under right shoulder blade (burning sensation) plus sharp pain (very quick then goes, or pulses) between shoulder blades.

Flank hurts more when moving around, feels like something is moving inside.

Very tender between ribs when touched at back where pain is.

29th October.

20:03: Dull pulsing pain 1 inch right of bellybutton. Ate half an hr ago.

30th October. 

00.46: Woken by 10/10 pain. Goes intensity goes from 1 to 10, stays at 10 for about 10 seconds and decreases back to 1 like an air raid siren. So much pain, doubled over. In bathroom for 30 mins in agony unable to walk.

09.41am: Back and front of right side (lower mid back and right of bellybutton, pain right through, worse when walking. Feels like cross between a stitch and pressing on a bruise.

09.47: throbbing pain 1 inch right of bellybutton.

14.59: pain under left ribcage far left side, and under right ribcage nearer to the chest as well as the left side of my back in the same spot.

Jolting pain in my back going when going over hills or speedbumps in the tour bus.

Diarrhoea x2 after just a handful of nuts.

Dull but localised pain 2 inches up diagonally left side from belly button. After eating intensified. Deep dull stitch like pain in lower right back/right flank.

Pain under right collarbone towards armpit. Same stitch like feeling where shoulder meets breastbone. Dull and constant.

No appetite.

3rd November. 

14.13 pain in side (right) gets progressively worse slowly over time when standing or walking.

4th November.

Sharp pain in mid back when urinating.

6nov Side/back pain excruciating. Shooting pain up back when pressed. Feels like something protruding.

7th November. 

00.14 pain in right chest under ribs. Pulsing sensation. Lasted about 20 secs.

15.12 nausea 20 m after eating coconut based yogurt. Feeling very weak and tired today. Pain under right shoulder blade like a burning sensation.

18.38 back pain excruciating. Paracetamol no effect.

8th November.

 Pulsing in right shoulder, dull.

Boring pain in right side

Pain lower left by bladder and lower right 2 inches down from bellybutton.

9th Nov: Pulsing pain left of bellybutton 2 hrs after eating

10th November.

Diarrhoea (not eaten yet)

Feels like something is poking out in my right side flank where I get pain when walking.

Dull pain right side 1 inch from bellybutton and 2 inches diagonally up to the left.

Flank pain very bad today.

11th November. 

Immense pressure in back and dull pain left of bellybutton.

Same pain on right flank plus sharp pain going into right shoulder blade.

Pain now also in left side, same place, back, side and stomach simultaneously.

Struggling with stairs - pain worsens. Also when sat down, and lying down.

My ribs are very tender to touch, pain when breathing in on my left side.

Very sore behind my bottom right floating rib on flank. Worsens when walking.

Pain in upper back right of left shoulder blade.

15th November. 

19.55: Still not eaten yet. not able to eat more than a banana today. Diarrhoea.

Jolting pains in my spine when I am sitting down, standing up, and getting into bed past few days. Mid lower. Feels like a strong electric shock that made me shout out at its worst.

Sharp pulsing pain in mid back right side.

16th November .

Started Amitriptyline

20th November.

I Cried three times. I Can't walk without excruciating pain. My whole torso feels bruised inside. Front and back, and feels worse standing and walking.

Tight chest after eating past 2 days for around 30 mins plus pain in right shoulder blade. Able to eat much less now. Uncomfortably full after 4 mini sausage rolls and a packet of crisps. Have gone down another belt size in 2 weeks.

No appetite. Still got chest tightness 4.5 hours after eating.

22nd November.

I woke up with pain at the base of my ribcage on both sides at the back, 1 inch of my belly button is very tender when moving.

I have a pulsing pain 1 inch to the right of my bellybutton. I feel a need to hold and press it when I am walking as if to stop something moving.

Started Buscopan and came off Mebeverine.

I have slightly less wind but tight chest 40minutes after eating. It is eased slightly by burping but then comes back.

I had to lie down in work as my back pain was horrific but lying made my made stomach and side pain worse. My torso is very very tender today.

23rd November. 

The Buscopan seems to be reacting with the Amitriptyline. I am very very drowsy, my mouth is dry with light-headedness, paraesthesia in the top of my head and slight balance issues.

I struggled massively in work. 11hr shift. I came home, collapsed on the floor and sobbed. The pain is unbearable now.

My whole torso is painful in the front, sides and back. Everywhere. My stomach, lower and upper back and chest. It's hard to describe pain other than it feels like been hit hard all over with a mallet and have bruising that is being pressed hard and constantly.

Even a light hug from my partner hurt and being touched on my torso is agonising.

I struggled getting into bed. The pain is worse. I could only lie on my back couldn't hug my partner as contact was too painful. I couldn't sleep until the Amitriptyline took effect.

24th November. 

I was woken up by pain. I couldn't move. It feels like last night but worse. Every part of my torso is in 10/10 pain. The parts in contact with bed were worse. Inside and out. It took 15 minutes to be able to get out of bed and stand up, and I can only walk very slowly. I am feeling strange electrical like pains all over but mainly in my spine are and left of my stomach intermittently with no pattern.

Pain in left stomach when breathing in.

21.29 I've still not eaten more than a banana and some crackers today. I Have no appetite. The Buscopan is giving me a very fast heart rate, paraesthesia in my head and face and more of a dry mouth than amitriptyline on its own so I'm going to revert back to Mebeverine tomorrow.

22.56. I have just managed to eat small plate of carrot, broccoli, sausage, and potato and finished 20 minutes ago. I have sharp spasms in my lower chest and all over my abdomen during and after eating plus sharp "electrical throbbing" pain in my back afterwards. Had mebeverine before. Lots of "squidgy" and "sloshing" sounds from my stomach around every 5 seconds (like liquid moving around) and can feel movement inside upper stomach on both sides. spasms? Not painful at the moment, just odd.

Burping a lot and extreme flatulence which eased after 3hrs.

25th November. 

I have the Usual pain when walking. I have pain in my sides and my left hip is very stiff. Had a vertigo episode 1hr after waking up. Pain in right and left flanks despite not having walked today other than to sit in different rooms.

Pulsing and "pinching pain" near my left shoulder blade along with same pain in my right abdomen 1 inch right of my bellybutton. My lymph nodes in my groin/top of legs are swollen today.

Only ate a banana all day then rice and prawns at 10pm. Immediate pains in lower left stomach after eating plus upper left back pain, usual burping etc. Shooting pain left lower back and very tender ribs/flank.

26th November.

Ribs extremely painful. Difficulty with stairs and showering today. I cried again because of the pain.

Pain in my lower right abdomen after eating just a small tangerine.

The rib pain is bad today mainly right side front, flank and back. Jolting pains in my spine when getting up out of the chair. I have pain in my lower back when exhaling after a deep breath.

Severe abdominal pain 2 inches right of my scar, into my flank and back. After eating, the pain moved 1 inch left of my bellybutton. Chest tightness. Jolting pain. Lots of burping after eating.

27th November. I Woke up with pain in the lower left bottom of my ribcage inside. I also woke up in night with right abdominal pain. Bad diarrhoea x4 (black liquid) preceded by extreme flatulence.

I have a huge feeling of pressure under my left ribcage at the bottom. 3pm: Intense lower left abdominal and flank pain. I walked to Morrisons (200metres). Severe pain right of spine mid back. Burning sensation under right shoulder blade.

21.33 tight chest.

Chest pain subsided after 1 hour.

A Deep breath in caused quick sharp pain in upper mid spine, my whole body jolted.

28th November. 

Spine hurts, and my whole torso feels bruised again, especially at the side. Diarrhoea x3. Sat all day. I don't feel like I can walk.

29th November. 

Dull pulsing pain near my right shoulder blade. Discomfort in lower abdomen when lying down. Finding it extremely painful to walk. I went to osteopath today. I have noticed I am getting paraesthesia that lasts a few minutes at the top of my head every time I go to the bathroom over the past few days.

The pain under my ribcage is more severe tonight. Sat down, I moved only slightly and winced with pain.

The same dull pulsing pain near right shoulder blade/spine as earlier.

30th November. 

Usual morning pains. Walked to chiropractor. Approximately 300m, with aid of my umbrella as a "walking stick". I developed right flank pain in the usual spot when walking. The Chiropractor said everything was very tense on my right side and she thinks I have a possible jarred ribcage.

I have a dull slow pulsing in my mid right back like yesterday but lower. My ribs feel trapped and uncomfortable when I am sat down.

I have horrendous mid back/spine pain after putting a blanket on the bed. I had to lie on the floor.

Chest pain and tightness. I have horrific pain in right flank near floating rib. This is the worst it has been since the start of this diary.

Pain in mid spine in evening and the same slow pulsing pain as last night, but this time to the left of the spine. I spoke to the Dr. Referral to Rheumatology and they increased the dosage of Amitriptyline from 10mg to 20mg.

I have a slow throbbing pain in my mid back left of my spine. Sharp pain when I raised my arms to hug my partner. This made me cry out. Severe sharp pain in right flank when getting into bed.

Dull pulsing chest pain localised in left side when trying to sleep. Feels like my ribcage, close to my sternum. It only lasted around 1 minute followed by the same sort of pain but left abdomen, 2 inches diagonally up and left of my bellybutton. I couldn't get to sleep for a while due to throbbing pain mid back left of my spine.

1st December.

Pain in spine and ribcage.

Pulsing pain in left flank, lower ribcage.

I am only abke to move very very slowly today. Stabbing pain in left abdomen 2 inches left of bellybutton and diagonally up. Also,

Shooting pains in my lower stomach on the left side and my mid back right of the spine.

No diarrhoea today.

Slow dull pulsing pain in the lower left of my abdomen.

2nd December.

Pain in my ribcage and in my right flank when waking and lower right abdominal pain. Diarrhoea.

Pulsing pain bottom of left ribcage at the side.

I have swollen and tender lymph nodes both sides of chest towards armpits.

3rd December. 

Severe right abdominal pain and flank pain when walking plus burning sensation under my right shoulder blade followed by pain.

Spine pain in my mid back.

4th December. 

I woke up with pain in the lower right part of my ribcage followed by a painful throbbing sensation in my lower left ribcage.

Walking slowly just from my friends car to the ultrasound department in the hospital has brought on the lower back/flank pain.

Lower back and flank pain in eve right side.

Pulsing pain upper back right side near my shoulder blade.

6th December. 

Pain in my right shoulder blade area as well as continuous burning sensation and "pulsing pains".

Diarrhoea. Flank pain right side.

Very tight feeling in left glute area.

Throbbing pain left upper back near my shoulder blade.

7th December. 

I woke with pain in the lower left part of my stomach.

Pulsing pain left of my spine in my upper back.

Severe pain in the right flank and in my upper spine, preceded by burning pain left of my shoulder blade.

8th December. 

I woke up with pain in my right flank, and the bottom of my ribcage. Tried to go back to work today on part time basis with 5hr shifts. Managed 2.5 hours and burst into tears with pain. Started as burning in right shoulder blade followed by pain in upper spine that increased with time standing. A very heavy pain, difficult to describe other than agonising. Difficult to walk with pain being so bad. I had to go home.

9th December.

I woke up with pain in my ribs and right flank.

I have pain in my stomach, right side 2 inches from my bellybutton. Spine pain and difficulty walking today.

Pulsing pain in upper back, 2 inches left of my spine towards the shoulder blade.

10th December. 

I Woke up with pain in mid and lower spine.

Pain in my lower stomach on the right side and flank. Diarrhoea.

Flank pain worsened in the evening.

Pulsing pain left of spine.

Discomfort under left side of ribcage and pain in middle of my spine.

11th December. 

The Flank pain much worse today. Feels like huge pressure at side of my ribcage.

I Stood up for 30 minutes without support which resulted in severe upper spine pain.

It worsened. It feels like my mid to upper spine is in a vice. I tried to wrap some presents whilst sat down but I had to stop as I was in too much pain.

Pain in ribcage.

Worsened. Pain in ribcage and whole torso like bruising. It drove me to tears.

12th December.

I woke up with lower back and flank pain. The flank pain at its worst. It feels like something is trapped/stuck in my side and it gets worse with movement.

Sharp pain in ribs, front, right side.

Pulsing pain in my ribs on the right side (elbow level when arms down and sat)

Difficult to get to sleep as any part of my torso touching the bed is painful.

13th December.

Pain in flank and ribcage.

I had to walk to the post-box approximately 40 metres away. Burning Shoulder blade and vice like spine pain started on the way back. I Could barely walk when I got home, I had to lie on the floor, struggled to get back up, I had to crawl up the stairs on my hands and knees and struggled to get my socks on. I cried because walking from the kitchen to the living room was so painful.

90 mins later, still in pain. I can't walk. I have pain in my upper spine plus a pinching sensation slightly left of my spine in my upper middle back.

14th December. 

I woke up at 1am with pulsing pain.

2am still awake. Pulsing pain near my left shoulder blade.

My right side ribs feel bruised and tender. Paraesthesia in head (usually only when using toilet). Diarrhoea x7 after only eating half a sausage roll (immediate).

Pulsing pain right of spine, mid back.

Discomfort followed by pain in the left ribcage, at the back. I had to lie on floor, then I had a tingling and cold sensation in left arm and leg which subsided after a few minutes.

My ribcage feels very uncomfortable, it is as if one set of ribs is sliding under the set above when I am sat.

15th December. 

I woke up several times with lower back and buttock pain and discomfort in my ribs.

16th December. 

I woke up again with lower back and buttock pain. MY Whole back feels very stiff. Diarrhoea.

I had to go to Morrisons 200 metres away for food. I went with the stick and felt the pain coming on after about 20 metres. I had to sit down at a bus stop to rest on the way and on a bench when I got there. On the way back the pain in my spine worsened very quickly and I was having to walk very slowly as a result. I am able to walk less and less as time progresses. It feels like huge pressure in the middle of my spine, like a crushing sensation. Also pulsing pain to the right of my spine. I was in tears when I got home and had to lie down. I had cold pins and needles in left arm whilst lying.

Flank pain.

17th December.

I Woke with flank/rib pain. Diarrhoea. Pulsing pain right of spine near shoulder blade.

Same on left side but 2 hrs later.

18th. December. 

I woke with spine pain (middle). Flank and rib pain. Sharp stabbing pains 3 inches from my bellybutton and up right diagonally. Pulsing pain in my left leg.

19th December.

I awoke with my usual spine pain. Went for my vaccination booster. I only walked about 40metres which was enough to worsen thr flank pain. Pulsing pain right of spine.

20th December.

Horrendous spine pain after food shopping. I had to lie down and could barely walk or stand up straight. Flank and rib pain. Difficult to get to sleep.

21st December.

Flank and rib pain worse than yesterday.

Swollen and tender lymph nodes in groin and under arms on both sides.

22nd December.

I woke up with flank pain. Left hip and groin area v sore. Constant dull pain, like pressure. Lasted all day. Mid back pain when sat down (usually only walking, or standing).

23rd December. 

I had a very bad nights sleep. I am now sleeping on my stomach to avoid the majority of pain in my ribs on contact with bed but still waking up with rib/flank pain when I move in my sleep. The pain is worse getting in and out of bed. Spine pain in mid back later on following standing for half an hour, radiating to my right shoulder, shoulder blade and neck. I had to sit to avoid it getting to its worst. I had to ask my partner to go to the post box 40m away as I couldn't face the pain from walking. I bought some laundry downstairs which set the pain off to its worst. Now I can't even stand to make dinner.

I ate reluctantly after sitting for 2 hours. Standing briefly made the spine pain (and radiating into right shoulder blade) much worse. My flank is very tender.

Not working, being stuck in the house, and being able to do very little, physically, along with the pain, is now really starting to affect me emotionally.

Pulsing pain left of spine near shoulder blade then same on right 30 minutes later.

24th December.

I have pain in my upper abdomen, which went away when I changed position. Mid spine and flower flank (back) pain. Pulsing pains right of spine near my shoulder blade.

25th December.

I spent several hours yesterday examining my ribcage after reading several papers on Slipping Rib Syndrome. I seem to have aggravated everything, but I now know that everything I have experienced relates to this.