Weight loss causing achy ribs??

I've lost 11 pounds kind of quickly from a juice cleanse and then using myfitnesspal for post-cleanse food tracking. A couple of days ago my ribs really started to ache. It isn't the same pain as a chest pain, which is sharp and acute. It's kind of a broader area and a duller ache, more annoying than painful but it still hurts. It mostly happens on my sides. I haven't been exercising at all so I know it isn't muscle soreness, and it feels different anyway. I'm drinking plenty of water and sleeping well, too.

Has anyone experienced this before? Any suggestions? Thanks!

Replies

  • PunkyDucky
    PunkyDucky Posts: 283 Member
    Never experienced it but i will say...

    Please Go See A Doctor!

    Best of luck to you. :flowerforyou:
  • Delaware_Jen
    Delaware_Jen Posts: 5 Member
    Are you sure it's not hunger? I have had that sensation before even when my stomach felt fine, and that's what was causing it.
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  • MaggieLoo79
    MaggieLoo79 Posts: 288 Member
    gas???
  • tpt1950
    tpt1950 Posts: 292 Member
    Not all chest pain is acute - it can be a dull pain and still be quite serious

    aksmedadvice_zps78d583e9.jpg
  • nonacgp
    nonacgp Posts: 132
    I've lost 11 pounds kind of quickly from a juice cleanse and then using myfitnesspal for post-cleanse food tracking. A couple of days ago my ribs really started to ache. It isn't the same pain as a chest pain, which is sharp and acute. It's kind of a broader area and a duller ache, more annoying than painful but it still hurts. It mostly happens on my sides. I haven't been exercising at all so I know it isn't muscle soreness, and it feels different anyway. I'm drinking plenty of water and sleeping well, too.

    Has anyone experienced this before? Any suggestions? Thanks!

    Absolutely get to a health care professional! Chest pain is nothing to ignore. Having done a juice cleanse, your electrolytes could be in a deficit and if so, can have dangerous consequences. NA and K+ are extremely important for muscle function. K+ is especially important for your heart and even a small upwards or downwards measurement in it can hinder your heart's ability to pump effectively. Calcium may also be depleted. Please get to a doctor.
  • joep1968
    joep1968 Posts: 2
    fat turns into muscle which weighs more and tightens as you gain it. regardless whether you think you are not exercising you are. the simple things we do each day from getting out of bed to walking from room to room.

    as to the soreness the skin is shrinking back around the muscle you are now formig and can cause some discomfort,as well as the growth of muscle stretching out ward.. if it concerns you i would see a doctor for advice.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    fat turns into muscle which weighs more and tightens as you gain it. regardless whether you think you are not exercising you are. the simple things we do each day from getting out of bed to walking from room to room.

    as to the soreness the skin is shrinking back around the muscle you are now formig and can cause some discomfort,as well as the growth of muscle stretching out ward.. if it concerns you i would see a doctor for advice.

    no. Fat does not "turn into muscle," nor does muscle weigh more than fat. Actually your whole post is nonsense.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    no. Fat does not "turn into muscle," nor does muscle weigh more than fat. Actually your whole post is nonsense.
    Would you say that air weighs the same as lead? Or that "lighter than air" doesn't exist?
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Not all chest pain is acute - it can be a dull pain and still be quite serious

    aksmedadvice_zps78d583e9.jpg
    This. And I'd say go to the emergency room.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Would you say that air weighs the same as lead? Or that "lighter than air" doesn't exist?
    Okay, where do you come up with these silly illogical tidbits that make no sense?
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Would you say that air weighs the same as lead? Or that "lighter than air" doesn't exist?
    Okay, where do you come up with these silly illogical tidbits that make no sense?
    What's illogical about it?

    If you asked 1000 people if lead and air weigh the same, how many do you think would say they did?
  • kickanddown
    kickanddown Posts: 6 Member
    I said it is NOT chest pain. It is much lower on my torso and on my sides, closer to my stomach than my chest. I've been looking it up, it seems I'm not alone. Other people report experiencing achy ribs with weight loss too. I'm just curious about how it works and if I should be doing something different (like drink electrolytes or eat more bananas, that sort of thing). In all the other situations i read, no one seems to have an answer.
  • kickanddown
    kickanddown Posts: 6 Member
    Are you sure it's not hunger? I have had that sensation before even when my stomach felt fine, and that's what was causing it.

    This is the most reasonable and likely thing I've seen yet! It does seem to happen more easily when I am hungry, like normal hungry just before lunch time. I'm really trying to eat smaller meals more frequently through the day, maybe it will help. And thanks for saying you've felt it before, I know this is tied to my change in eating habits somehow, it's just nice that someone understands. :smile:
  • Numberwang22
    Numberwang22 Posts: 213 Member
    I have this too, although it's more just sore to the touch around the bottom of my rib cage where the muscles attach. Was going to see if it settles otherwise phone docs..
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    I've lost 11 pounds kind of quickly from a juice cleanse and then using myfitnesspal for post-cleanse food tracking. A couple of days ago my ribs really started to ache. It isn't the same pain as a chest pain, which is sharp and acute. It's kind of a broader area and a duller ache, more annoying than painful but it still hurts. It mostly happens on my sides. I haven't been exercising at all so I know it isn't muscle soreness, and it feels different anyway. I'm drinking plenty of water and sleeping well, too.

    Has anyone experienced this before? Any suggestions? Thanks!

    achy ribs usually result from an elbow in the gut, but this kinda sounds serious.
    you really should go have that checked out :ohwell:
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Would you say that air weighs the same as lead? Or that "lighter than air" doesn't exist?
    Okay, where do you come up with these silly illogical tidbits that make no sense?
    What's illogical about it?

    If you asked 1000 people if lead and air weigh the same, how many do you think would say they did?
    Well, I'd say it doesn't matter, because this is the same as asking how many people rotate the air in their tires, or some other silly thing. In the context of the discussion, it appears that you are trying to be obtuse.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Are you sure it's not hunger? I have had that sensation before even when my stomach felt fine, and that's what was causing it.

    This is the most reasonable and likely thing I've seen yet! It does seem to happen more easily when I am hungry, like normal hungry just before lunch time. I'm really trying to eat smaller meals more frequently through the day, maybe it will help. And thanks for saying you've felt it before, I know this is tied to my change in eating habits somehow, it's just nice that someone understands. :smile:
    No, actually-and no offense intended-this is not the most reasonable reply here, it's just the one that most fits what you wanted to hear, that nothing is really wrong. You also don't know it is tied to your change in eating habits, but you suspect it is.

    Really, I would email, call, or go to the doctor because what you are describing is not normal. It could be nothing, or it could be something that needs attention.
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  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    never heard of this but again I have never lost big amount of weight either.
  • JaneLane33
    JaneLane33 Posts: 80 Member
    The gallbladder can cause pain around the ribs on the right side. rapid weight loss is a factor for gallstones.
    You should go see a doctor and get accurate medical advice. After all I've only watched medical tv dramas and discovery health network.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Doctor.
    And maybe eat real food.
  • kickanddown
    kickanddown Posts: 6 Member
    I've had this exact thing for quite a while. Maybe over a year. I've been to many doctors. I recently had a high contrast CT Scan and they said there is nothing wrong at all. So......why do I have pain, doc? The doc can't figure it out. It is very sensitive to touch. He barely touched it and I wince. It really sucks. So, far, I've been to 3 doctors. None of them have a clue, nor have suggestions. My current doctor suggested it could be spinal and that I should see a orthopedic doctor. It's just a guess. So, while I think it's nonsense, there is no other explanation. I have to eliminate possibilities or the doctor will always point to the one thing I didn't go check out. If the ortho cures me or figures out what it is, I'll let you know. I do take solace in the fact that the CT scan was clean. At first, my doc thought it was either torn muscle, or something to do with my pancreas. But, all blood work and scans are clean, and there was no evidence of torn muscle. So, it's a mystery. I live with it. But, it sucks. I have absolutely no clue what it could be. I may just have to live with it.

    Wow that sounds really rough I'm sorry. Thankfully mine isn't that severe, it isnt sensitive to touch, just minor annoying achiness eveyr now and then. I'm not surprised that doctors couldn't figure it out. 3 doctors couldn't figure out my stomach problems also which is why I am here in the first place!
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I said it is NOT chest pain. It is much lower on my torso and on my sides, closer to my stomach than my chest. I've been looking it up, it seems I'm not alone. Other people report experiencing achy ribs with weight loss too. I'm just curious about how it works and if I should be doing something different (like drink electrolytes or eat more bananas, that sort of thing). In all the other situations i read, no one seems to have an answer.

    It's most likely caused by the cleanse. That area has your colon and your kidneys both of which don't feel too happy about having nothing but juice for days, not to mention electrolyte imbalances which could cause random spasms. Gallbladder is another suspect. but serious conditions like a heart attack could manifest in all kinds of symptoms, especially for women. Some women have a heart attack and don't know it for days because they think that general fatigue and slight shortness of breath is nothing serious.

    It's probably not serious, but why take your chances? Visit a doctor and see what could be causing this AND STOP DOING CLEANSES!
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Ribs have all kinds of tricky things going on. They are attached to your spine, attached to the sternum and have muscles and tendons, both of which can become injured or strained.

    I agree with those who said that rib pain could be referred chest pain, and you need to get it checked out. As far as ribs and injuries go I found this: http://www.online-family-doctor.com/injuries/rib-strain.html

    Best of luck to you!
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    I've had this exact thing for quite a while. Maybe over a year. I've been to many doctors. I recently had a high contrast CT Scan and they said there is nothing wrong at all. So......why do I have pain, doc? The doc can't figure it out. It is very sensitive to touch. He barely touched it and I wince. It really sucks. So, far, I've been to 3 doctors. None of them have a clue, nor have suggestions. My current doctor suggested it could be spinal and that I should see a orthopedic doctor. It's just a guess. So, while I think it's nonsense, there is no other explanation. I have to eliminate possibilities or the doctor will always point to the one thing I didn't go check out. If the ortho cures me or figures out what it is, I'll let you know. I do take solace in the fact that the CT scan was clean. At first, my doc thought it was either torn muscle, or something to do with my pancreas. But, all blood work and scans are clean, and there was no evidence of torn muscle. So, it's a mystery. I live with it. But, it sucks. I have absolutely no clue what it could be. I may just have to live with it.

    Hey Jerry, you might want to consider trying a chiropractor. I was tried one years ago after getting fed up with all the doctors trying to diagnose my back pain. The chiro used heat, manipulation, massage and assigned me exercises to address a muscular imbalance caused by my slight scoliosis. He picked up the scoliosis that the medical doctors missed. That was 20 years ago - I've been a believer ever since (and pain free except when I over do). And even then, now I know what stretches to do to set things to rights again. The scoliosis is real too, and hereditary. My father had to have a couple of vertebrae fused last year due to the same spinal twist I have. He has always poo poo'd chiropractors, but I can't help wondering if he could have avoided needing the surgery if it had been diagnosed and addressed when the pain first started many years ago.
  • kickanddown
    kickanddown Posts: 6 Member
    Are you sure it's not hunger? I have had that sensation before even when my stomach felt fine, and that's what was causing it.

    This is the most reasonable and likely thing I've seen yet! It does seem to happen more easily when I am hungry, like normal hungry just before lunch time. I'm really trying to eat smaller meals more frequently through the day, maybe it will help. And thanks for saying you've felt it before, I know this is tied to my change in eating habits somehow, it's just nice that someone understands. :smile:
    No, actually-and no offense intended-this is not the most reasonable reply here, it's just the one that most fits what you wanted to hear, that nothing is really wrong. You also don't know it is tied to your change in eating habits, but you suspect it is.

    Really, I would email, call, or go to the doctor because what you are describing is not normal. It could be nothing, or it could be something that needs attention.

    I am a little offended but not because of that. So far very few people have actually read what I posted and jumped straight to "chest pains." Unless you consider your chest to be below your sternum and on your sides, this isn't even possible.

    Thank you to the people who actually took the time to read and understand my post. Extra thanks to those who said they've experienced this too, at least I know it's not just me.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Are you sure it's not hunger? I have had that sensation before even when my stomach felt fine, and that's what was causing it.

    This is the most reasonable and likely thing I've seen yet! It does seem to happen more easily when I am hungry, like normal hungry just before lunch time. I'm really trying to eat smaller meals more frequently through the day, maybe it will help. And thanks for saying you've felt it before, I know this is tied to my change in eating habits somehow, it's just nice that someone understands. :smile:
    No, actually-and no offense intended-this is not the most reasonable reply here, it's just the one that most fits what you wanted to hear, that nothing is really wrong. You also don't know it is tied to your change in eating habits, but you suspect it is.

    Really, I would email, call, or go to the doctor because what you are describing is not normal. It could be nothing, or it could be something that needs attention.

    I am a little offended but not because of that. So far very few people have actually read what I posted and jumped straight to "chest pains." Unless you consider your chest to be below your sternum and on your sides, this isn't even possible.

    Thank you to the people who actually took the time to read and understand my post. Extra thanks to those who said they've experienced this too, at least I know it's not just me.

    But why would that offend you? Heart attack pain can be felt in your jaw, back, arms, etc. You never know, and when someone posts they are experiencing 'rib pain', the safest advice to give is to tell them to check with a doctor.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Are you sure it's not hunger? I have had that sensation before even when my stomach felt fine, and that's what was causing it.

    This is the most reasonable and likely thing I've seen yet! It does seem to happen more easily when I am hungry, like normal hungry just before lunch time. I'm really trying to eat smaller meals more frequently through the day, maybe it will help. And thanks for saying you've felt it before, I know this is tied to my change in eating habits somehow, it's just nice that someone understands. :smile:
    No, actually-and no offense intended-this is not the most reasonable reply here, it's just the one that most fits what you wanted to hear, that nothing is really wrong. You also don't know it is tied to your change in eating habits, but you suspect it is.

    Really, I would email, call, or go to the doctor because what you are describing is not normal. It could be nothing, or it could be something that needs attention.

    I am a little offended but not because of that. So far very few people have actually read what I posted and jumped straight to "chest pains." Unless you consider your chest to be below your sternum and on your sides, this isn't even possible.

    Thank you to the people who actually took the time to read and understand my post. Extra thanks to those who said they've experienced this too, at least I know it's not just me.
    Well, you chose to be offended. I read your post, and I'm sure others did too, and even if it's not chest pain you need to get this checked out.
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