Question:
What is the cause of pain just below the sternum bone?

severe pain 3 hours after eating will not let up , feels like a heart attack. The pain is straight through to the center of the back , like a knife being twisted in me. If i eat it will make the pain less severe but still there. the pressure on the breast bone is horrible. doctor out of office till next week then i can have it checked. could this be gallbladder? pain has been intermitant for 3 weeks getting more severe daily and happening more often .    — rhondan (posted on January 23, 2003)

January 23, 2003
Yes, it sounds like gallbladder to me. The pain you're describing sounds a lot like the pain I had with mine. If the pain gets to bad, go to the ER. You don't want a stone to get stuck. My pain came & went in an hour or so, but if it lasts longer than that, get to the ER just in case.
   — KelBurt

January 23, 2003
I have experienced that same kind of pain... right in the middle (or a little lower) of my breast bone and goes straight through to my back. I thought that was just air bubbles getting stuck or something. I have found with myself that vomiting seemed to help sometimes. Kelli, how long did you notice this pain before you found out it was gallstones? And a dumb question... where is the gallbladder? I was cleared when I had all of my preop tests and I am only 4.5 weeks postop.
   — Angela D.

January 23, 2003
See a doctor ASAP. I always described my gallbladder pain as "being run through with a sword just under my breastbone clear thru to my back." GET IT TAKEN CARE OF!
   — Carolyn I.