Pregnant, But Not Paranoid

At about four months pregnant (almost 2 months ago), my back started aching. Even though it hurt – like sharp, stabbing pains – most people, if I complained, would tell me “Oh, that’s NORMAL!” despite the fact that it was not my lower back hurting, it was my middle-back – between my shoulder blades. For some time now, I have also been experiencing pain in my upper abdominal area, just below my rib cage. One person told me it was my stomach muscles stretching, but, for the most part, any time I mention it to someone who’s had kids, they look at me like I’m crazy. Their response is usually, “Hmmm….well….I don’t really remember having pain there.”

At my last doctor’s appointment, three weeks ago, I mentioned the back and abdominal pain to my doctor. She glazed over it like a donut. “Oh it’s probably just your stomach muscles stretching. And that back pain, yes, it’s normal.”

Normal. I hate that word. Everything you read says that each pregnancy is different, women’s bodies respond differently, baby’s develop at different rates, and then doctors want to lump you in a category like “Normal.” Yah-right.

So, anyway, trying not to be a paranoid baby about it, I figured it would eventually get better, and I should just shut up about it, be happy that I’m feeling that precious little boy move about inside of me, and deal with the pain, as I suspect it’s going to get aLOT worse!

With the holidays here, there have been several days at work where people have brought in goodies, not to mention the holiday luncheon last week in which turkey was provided and everyone else brought in their favorite side dish. Oh Man! There was some yummy stuff on that table! I couldn’t stop eating! It was all so delicious, I wanted more, and (being pregnant, felt completely entitled and) got more!! Two plates of food, and a plate of dessert later, I was feeling like an over-inflated balloon about to pop.

Then…Oh. My. Gosh! The PAAAAAIN! It started after I ate and just got progressively worse. It got so bad I decided to go home because I just could not sit here at my desk any longer. It throbbed and burned like hot coals sitting underneath my ribcage. Nothing would make it stop. Laying down = no help. Sitting up = no help. Reclining = no help. Just burning, flaming, PAIN!!!

I went home and had a massage. This helped, some, but it took hours to get over the real intense portion of that episode.

Since then, it seems the pain just continues to get worse. I’ve even noticed in the last few days that when the back pain is most severe, so is the abdominal pain (and vice-versa). Also, it gets worse after I eat, especially, if I eat a lot at once. To boot, sitting in this friggin’ chair hunched over a computer all day, also does not seem to be doing me any favors. I don’t want to incessantly complain about something that is “normal”. But! I also do not want to overlook (and have to deal with) something that is not.

So? I called my doctor yesterday. The nurse listened and suggested I go ahead and come in to have the doctor check me out. I made the appointment, hesitantly since I’m already scheduled for my regular monthly check and glucose test next week, for today. And, I am so glad I went!

I saw a different doc today – there’s three in the practice, so they rotate seeing the pregnant so that when you deliver you are familiar with whoever is on call. The doc listened to my symptoms and suggested the possibility of two problems:
1. a gall bladder problem – i.e. stones, sludge, infection
2. a stomach problem – i.e. acid reflux, heartburn

He went on to mention that with gall bladder problems, the pain often radiates to your back. Between your shoulder blades.

Huh! Good to know.

So, after two vials of blood for tests and an appointment scheduled for a gall bladder sonogram on Saturday, I am completely looking forward to finding out what type of problem my gall bladder is having.

Thankfully, it has nothing to do with and is not affecting the baby whatsoever. So, as long as he’s kickin’, I’ll tough it out, whatever the result. May make eating Christmas dinner a little more painful though…