I had my 27 week OB appointment this morning, and my glucose test. And while I was there, I told my doctor that my right side pain was getting pretty unbearable. While it didn't get too bad over the weekend, I already had an attack this morning.
She asked me all about it and based on my symptoms (and lack thereof - no throwing up, for instance) and explanation, she doesn't think it has anything to do with the baby, praise God. She thinks it could possibly be a few things - my uterus causing normal, albeit severe, pain; adhesions from my three previous surgeries stretching as my uterus grows; or possibly a cyst on my right ovary.
The thing is, I don't tend to grow regular cysts. I grow endometriomas. But I know, and my doctor reiterated, that endometriosis is supposed to be helped by pregnancy. So why would one grow now? And if it's a regular corpus luteum that has been growing since my last ovulation, why wouldn't it have been seen on one of my three previous pregnancy ultrasounds?
Adhesions seem like they would make sense, but a year ago after my last surgery, the surgeon told me I didn't have any adhesions from my first two surgeries. I guess it's possible I now have some from the third.
So she wants me to have an ultrasound tomorrow (the first I could get in). I'm trying to think positively, and focus on the fact that I get an ultrasound when I thought the one at 20 weeks was my last. But that's actually what worries me - my doctor told me early on I should be glad if my last u/s is at 20 weeks because that will mean that I had a non-eventful pregnancy.
She didn't act worried at all, but my paranoid self passes that off as her trying not to get me all upset. I cried when I left the office and Ryan probably thinks I'm nuts (but he's used to it).
I do have a bad habit of blowing things (especially medical things) completely out of proportion and letting my imagination get the best of me. I'm fearing the worst (the worst outside of something being wrong with the baby, of course, which she successfully convinced me not to worry about) - that there's some massive tumor in there causing the pain. I'm also concerned it's my ovary twisting and I'll need surgery to remove it (can I have surgery this late?).
Hopefully it's just pain from a growing uterus that means nothing. Or, my first instinct, trapped gas. Hopefully Ryan is right and I'm overreacting.
I guess we'll know tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
A little worried
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I'll say a prayer to St. Gerard, and I'm praying that everything is fine!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry. Lousy OB appointments stink.
ReplyDeleteHi hon. You can count on prayers here.
ReplyDeleteNow, to add a bit of levity to the situation-- have you been eating Fiber One Bars, by any chance? B/c according to me and many others those cause PAINFUL gas!!! (or other fiber bars from different brands!)
Ok, now for actual googleable issues-- appendicitis is right side pain, but comes on quick and with more severe symptoms, so probably not your isseu. But I had mine out, so I always think of it.
Also, right side (high on the right side) pain that comes and goes could be gallstones in your gallbladder. Pretty common in pregnancy (more likely to form b/c of hormonal changes, I think I heard). They can see the stones on an ultrasound, usually. If it's not acute pain- best to leave the surgery for after you give birth. That's what I did (had my gallbladder removed 6 mo after birth-- the pain subsided completely after having my daughter).
And, lots of "routine" ultrasounds are given in the last weeks- to check fluid levels and somewhat mundane things like that-- it's not a big deal that this issue warrants another one-- just revel in the fact that you get to see the babe again!!
Sorry for the ramble-- know you are held close in prayer esp. that it's not an ovary or tumor issue.
praying for you!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the upsetting news. Hopefully it turns out to be nothing! Praying for you and the baby.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the prayers!
ReplyDeleteKerry - I also have had my appendix out so we know it's not that. And my dr. said based on what I told her, she doesn't think it's gallbladder. As for fiber, that is what I've been thinking it might be (I don't eat the bars, but do eat other high fiber foods), but she thinks it probably isn't intestinal (based on the type of pain it is and bc tylenol helps it). That surprised me, because I really thought it was gas. Although I didn't have a lot of fiber yesterday and it's bad today.
You are in my thoughts. I hope all goes well tomorrow and you start to feel better!
ReplyDeleteHi, I've read your blog for quite some time, and have been so thrilled for you this past year.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the reason that I am commenting is because I also had a severed pain on my right side during my pregnancy. After various tests and many puzzled looks from my OB, it was determined that I had hydronephrosis on my right kidney. It was because the baby was lying on my right ureter. The pain wasn't in my kidney, but rather in the ureter where it wrapped around to my bladder. Perhaps you could suggest that they do a renal ultrasound if nothing is immediately obvious in tomorrow's ob u/s. Until the 36th week of my pregnancy, I basically had to just deal with the pain or treat it with pain killers (which I didn't like to do). At 36.5 weeks, the hydro became severe enough that they had to induce me because it was damaging my kidney.
The good news is that it doesn't affect the baby at all!! Feel free to email me if you want to know anything else. sagessner at gmail dot com
I too have had pain in what I think is my ovaries this entire pregnancy. The continually check me with ultrasounds and there is nothing there. I don't get it, but it comes and goes on its own and I think it's hormonal fluctuations. I've had this pain ever since starting on clomid. Not fun, but good results! I'm sure if you had a tumor or something serious they would have seen it by now in one of your previous u/s's. Try not to worry and know we're praying for you :)
ReplyDeleteUgh. Pain of any kind - especially in pregnancy - worries the heck out of me. Because I thought pregnancy was not supposed to hurt!!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think my pain will also be just plain bad bc of all the surgeries I've had in the not so distant past. And my known adhesions. I can literally feel my ovaries being torn because I swear they are attached by adhesions. Don't get me wrong, stretching out adhesions is a GOOD thing but man its painful. Also, even if the uterus is just sitting on those ovaries, what if yours are still tender from being operated on? Maybe your uterus is putting pressure right on that tender spot and your ovaries are not liking it!
I will be praying for you that they can see whatever is causing all this pain on ultrasound and put your mind at ease.
WHAT? Praying for you!!!!
ReplyDeleteI was given advice that I have clung to:
God doesn't give us grace for our imaginations.
He's not there- in our imaginery future. He's HERE and now. If the situation arises- He'll provide grace abundantly as we need it- but not for imaginign we'll need it.
All that said- I totally, totally, totally get freak outs!!!! Praying for you, girl!!!
Prayers for you!!!
ReplyDeleteI think it's your body stretching and stretching for your little one. Does it help at all for you to lie on one side, like your left side?
Does it hurt at night when you sleep?
Saying a rosary for you right NOW.
LJ - Yes, it usually helps when I lie on my left, which is why I hadn't called before about the pain. It seemed normal
ReplyDeleteif it could be relieved like that. And it's only hurt while sleeping a total of three times, and each time it woke me up around 6 a.m., it wasn't all night or anything.
Also fyi for those of us with endo - I found a message board where women with endo posted about their pregnancy pain. I'm actually hoping that's what it is.. just a lot of stretching and tightness!
Let us remember the prayer the priest says after the Our Father; "...In your mercy keep us free from sin and protet us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope..." Praying for you...
ReplyDeleteI'll be praying for you and your little one.
ReplyDeleteIf it helps to lay on your left, it definitely might be the kidney thing. Again, exactly like mine. Just somethinn to consider, I've heard that it's not that uncommon
ReplyDeletePraying for you and your baby boy! I get the weirdest pain sometimes too but it is on my left side because of the removal of the left tube and all of the scar tissue that went with that surgery.
ReplyDeleteGod's grace will cover you!
I will pray for you!! We women do tend to obsess on things, always going places our minds shouldn't go. I am glad I am not alone in doing that, ha!! Praying!!
ReplyDeleteI'm offering up some prayers for you when I say my rosary tonight!!!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Oh girl, hang in there. Worry is natural when you have unexplained pain. I get that AWFUL trapped gas when I am pregnant - to the point that I get nauseous from the pain. I hope the problem is that simple...thinking of you.....
ReplyDeletePraying that all goes well tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteok, sweets... prayers abound...
ReplyDeletePraying for you! I had bouts of fairly severe R side pain with Maggs that we never found a cause for so assumed it was just stretching. It was definitely unnerving.
ReplyDeletePrayers for you and happy anniversary. Give your anxieties to God (way easier said than done); the odds are way in your favor for the pain to not be something serious, and thank goodness your little boy is growing well and healthy!
ReplyDeleteI love your comments on how the blessings in your life are healing you from the pains/wounds of infertility. Your faith is beautiful and inspiring.