Discomfort below left rib cage

[SEAN]

My father passed away on 9/30 of colon cancer, we were really close and I am depressed but getting out of it. I am on Lorazepam for the anxiety. Since his death I have had a little discomfort almost right on the bottom part of the left rib. If I stand or lay down absolutely no discomfort, when I sit for about 4 hours over a desk the discomfort arrives, not a bad pain, just there. If I stand or lay down the discomfort goes away. Of coarse I am paranoid I am getting colon cancer and I am scheduled for a colonoscopy in January. I had an "occult" test done and it was negative. I am am embarrassed to say I am scared silly of getting the colonoscopy and I know I have to go. But I was hoping here for a reasurrance that chance of that discomfort are not from colon cancer. It hasn't gotton worse in 3 months, just there. When I rub the bottom of my left rib I can feel like little glands(are they supposed to be there), I rubbed my right rib and they are there also, just not as pronounced, it is as though they are inflamed on the left side. I asked my doctor about it and he first thought a pulled diaphram and then when that didn't go away in a month, he thought divicultis(sp).
I am 41 and my father was 66 when he passed.
Thanks in advance for you help.

[Dr. Joshua]

Dr. Sinuhe has answered your question here:
http://askdoctorjoshua.com/2007/01/09/family-history-of-cancer-colon-cancer/

[SEAN]

Thanks for you reply Dr. Joshua. My colonoscopy was Friday Jan 5 and all the doctor found was a 2millimeter polyp in the descending colon, otherwise he said I had a very healthy colon. Easy procedure, about 10-15 minutes of actual scoping, the purging the night before was a experience. That is a big load off the shoulders, but the discomfort is still there, he also said it was probably muscles because that area is laced with muscles and I probably pulled or irritated something in the area. I will wait another month or two before pressuring my general practitioner for X-rays or ultrasound if the discomfort persists. I will try and do what doesn't irritate it and maybe it can heal.
Thanks again.
Sean

[Dr. Joshua]

Great to hear it! Thanks for writing back.

Dr Joshua