About 7 days ago while at work my lower back started hurting slightly. From what I could tell it wasn’t related to anything I was doing at work. After an hour or so of slight pain, it started to increase and started to make me nauseous. I managed to get off work early and came home and took some ibuprofen which made the pain stop. I got some sleep, etc, but the next morning the pain was still there, though it had shifted to the right side of my stomach. I took some more ibuprofen and that made it stop. After the ibuprofen wore off, the pain is now centralized on my right side, about where the side seam of a pair of jeans would lead, and right over my hip. The pain feels inside, and I can put pressure on the area quite a bit before it causes any additional pain. A few days ago some red marks showed up over the area, they are not painful to the touch, the are asymmetrical and slightly raised. My side also seems to be a little swollen. I have no fever.

A few days prior to this I started to fall into a deep phase of depression and had lost my appetite. I am taking Wellbutrin and Lamictal, generic brands of both. And my appetite still has not returned. I am slightly overweight, female, 24 years old, with no previous medical conditions beyond a diagnosis of depression.

The pain continues. If I lay on my right side it make the pain grow much more, and sometimes sitting causes it to have short stabbing pains. It seems to hurt less if Im moving, be it walking, or rocking myself while laying down.

Answered by: Maria/MD Health Forum.com Team

Thanks for your question. There are many underlying conditions that could cause back pain. It may result from sudden movements or improper lifting. Irregularities in the structures that form the spine and support the back are also known to cause back pain. Abnormal curvature of the spine, for example, could put pressure on the joints, muscles, ligaments and this can lead to discomfort.

Problems in internal organs could also trigger back pain. The location, intensity and quality of pain (sharp, dull, stabbing, burning, etc) could give a clue on which organ is affected. Pain in the flank area, for example, could indicate disorders in the kidneys or urinary tract.

You can get proper treatment once the root of the problem has been identified, it is therefore necessary to seek medical consultation.
Uncovering possible causes of back pain would require health history taking, physical examination, and some diagnostic procedures such as x-ray or ultrasound.

When you go to your doctor, it is important to mention your other symptoms such as skin changes, nausea, and loss of appetite. These are common side effects of many medications including the ones that you have been taking. I’ve read that body aches, back pain, nausea, and skin changes such as rash, spots on the skin, and blister are among the possible side effects of lamotrigine (Lamictal). Skin changes may also occur as a side effect of buproprion (Wellbutrin) and patients are advised to immediately notify their doctors about the symptoms.

This blog entry is for your general information only. I recommend that you consult your doctor to find out what has been causing your back pain and other symptoms.

References:
http://www.drugs.com/cons/lamictal.html
http://www.drugs.com/wellbutrin.html
http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/sec11/ch142/ch142b.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/back-pain/DS00171

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