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Original poster

Upper abdominal pain - 31 weeks pregnant

39 replies

ActonBell · 19/10/2021 18:57

I’m feeling really rough today with dull but persistent pain in my upper abdomen - top of my bump, all across. It’s been on and off the past few days but today it seems to be all day.

Is it baby pressing on things? Something I ate? Third trimester indigestion? I have reduced appetite and I’m a little nauseous but no vomiting or diarrhoea. I’ve been taking Gaviscon and paracetamol but nothing much seems to help.

I was worried the pain was a sign of early labour or something as I’m at high risk of a preterm birth (cervical incompetence) but I can’t see any worrying signs. I’ve had a few braxton hicks but nothing else. No bleeding. Checked my blood pressure at home and it’s fine. Baby is moving as usual.

I’m seeing my midwife on Thursday but this is really, really getting me down today. I’m not sleeping well and I’m so tired of being uncomfortable. Does anyone have an idea what it could be/tips to ease it?

OP posts:
Dustingiseasy · 19/10/2021 19:18

If in any doubt call your midwife or maternity unit for advice tonight, rather than waiting till Thursday or relying on advice from an online forum.

Original poster
ActonBell · 19/10/2021 19:35

Thanks @Dustingiseasy - if I was really worried I would call straight away but at the moment I’m just uncomfortable, tired and a bit puzzled. I’ve been in and out of mau because of my cervix and have a list of things to watch out for that I would be straight in for.
I just wondered if this was a normal 3rd trimester thing for some people.
It’s my second baby but my first was 4.5 years ago and I don’t remember this as a symptom.

OP posts:
Atla · 19/10/2021 19:43

I had this and it was start of pre-eclampsia, although I was 36/37 weeks . My BP didn't go up right away.

I'd phone midwife and see if they will assess you before Thurs. It might well be that your baby is just in a funny position/indigestion but it will do no harm to get checked out, especially if you are high risk. When you phone them don't sugar coat it - tell them you are worried/not feeling well.

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Atla · 19/10/2021 19:46

I can remember lying awake all night before my midwife appt, really uncomfortable, feeling sick etc. She gave me such a telling off for not phoning earlier - I thought I was being over anxious!

Original poster
ActonBell · 19/10/2021 19:46

Thank you @Atla - if it’s worse overnight I will call Mau otherwise I will give the midwife a ring in the morning. I hadn’t realised it could be a sign of that.

OP posts:
Atla · 19/10/2021 19:47

On the other hand, with ds1 I had a lot of discomfort in 3rd trimester because he wedged his feet right under my ribs - but you won't know until you get checked out.

Tomnooktoldmeto · 19/10/2021 19:54

You need to ring the midwife not ask on mumsnet, it could be pregnancy, gall bladder or a number of other problems both serious or not!

Be safe and get seen, don’t be an if only….

Original poster
ActonBell · 19/10/2021 20:05

Okay! I’m not using mumsnet instead of medical advice. I genuinely wasn’t sure if this merited seeking any medical advice before Thursday when I was planning to raise it with the midwife.

OP posts:
birdling · 19/10/2021 21:56

This is what I had as a symptom when I had severe preeclampsia. Please contact your midwife first thing, or antenatal unit at hospital now, if you get any other symptoms. I was sent immediately to hospital from the midwife's office. Wasn't even allowed to go home first as things can deteriorate rapidly. This was at 28 weeks. Please get checked out, even if the pain goes again. I had it on and off for a week or so, before it became constant and severe because I didn't realise what it was.

uncomfortablydumb53 · 19/10/2021 22:12

I had this Felt generally rough with epigastric pain
My blood pressure was high and blood tests showed the beginnings of pre eclampsia and I was then induced
Do ring midwife as soon as possible

Original poster
ActonBell · 19/10/2021 22:32

Thanks all. I’m at MAU now. Baby has been monitored and all looks good. Blood pressure is 126/89, which is a bit high for me but they took it when I’d just arrived and was a bit stressed. I think urine is clear.
It’s a bit of a mystery. Just waiting to see doctor now.

OP posts:
Tomnooktoldmeto · 19/10/2021 22:40

Well done, I wasn’t meaning to be unkind just I’ve seen this go wrong professionally and so would always want people to be checked in person than fall through the cracks

Original poster
ActonBell · 20/10/2021 01:40

Back home - still in pain, still a mystery. No indicators of pre-eclampsia, tested for pre-term labour because of my history and test was negative.
Was given some super strong indigestion stuff, painkillers and instructions to take it easy and come back if it gets worse.
Everyone was lovely about it so I do feel reassured. I really hope this settles now.

OP posts:
Original poster
ActonBell · 29/10/2021 14:30

Back again - don’t know whether anyone’s around to chat? This hasn’t settled. It’s been pretty much constant - though felt a little better over the weekend - and nothing seems to help much. On midwife’s advice I’ve been to GP today and they are a bit mystified. They’re going to try to speak to the on call obstetrician to see if they have any thoughts.

Still consistently have protein in my urine but blood pressure is fine and every time they send a urine sample to the lab they say not to worry.

Getting a bit stressed now. We also had a growth scan this week that showed fetal macrosomia (aka big baby) but so far all gestational diabetes tests coming back negative. So that adds another puzzle.

OP posts:
makelovenotpetrol · 29/10/2021 14:49

I had this and it's a symptom of Intrahepatic Choleostasis of pregnancy, (ICP). This is a liver disease that you can get during pregnancy. It usually also causes itching of the soles of your feet and palms of your hands so if you don't have any itching it may well not be this.
However ICP can be serious so I would ask to have your bile acids tested.

ICP can also cause symptoms of gestational diabetes without you actually having it, and big babies.

Don't be fobbed off by them just doing liver function tests you MUST have bile acids tested as well. Bile acids above 10 is ICP.

Original poster
ActonBell · 29/10/2021 14:58

Thank you @makelovenotpetrol - that’s really interesting. The doctor asked a lot about itching but I haven’t had that so I don’t know whether it could be icp.
I haven’t had any blood tests yet despite being to MAU, midwife and now GP. GP said he would recommend them but they would take a while to come back so it would be better to get some immediate obstetric advice, which is why I’m waiting for the call back.

I had bloods last month to check for anaemia and I can see I did come back a bit low on red blood cells and haemoglobin but it can’t be that low as no one has said anything to me about it needing treating.

32, nearly 33, weeks now and 2 weeks of unexplained pain Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
ActonBell · 29/10/2021 14:59

*going to

OP posts:
Starcaller · 29/10/2021 15:00

Gallbladder? Quite common in pregnancy. When I had gallstones with a previous pregnancy it was at the top of my stomach kind of under my ribs, and was pretty painful.

Starcaller · 29/10/2021 15:01

Keep a food diary and stick to low-fat food and see if that makes any difference. Stuff like butter was my trigger.

ShatParp · 29/10/2021 15:03

@ActonBell where is your placenta?

makelovenotpetrol · 29/10/2021 15:05

@ActonBell

Thank you *@makelovenotpetrol* - that’s really interesting. The doctor asked a lot about itching but I haven’t had that so I don’t know whether it could be icp. I haven’t had any blood tests yet despite being to MAU, midwife and now GP. GP said he would recommend them but they would take a while to come back so it would be better to get some immediate obstetric advice, which is why I’m waiting for the call back.

I had bloods last month to check for anaemia and I can see I did come back a bit low on red blood cells and haemoglobin but it can’t be that low as no one has said anything to me about it needing treating.

32, nearly 33, weeks now and 2 weeks of unexplained pain Sad

ICP is incredibly under diagnosed and not understood by many many many midwives and Drs. Even extremely experienced Professors of obs/gyn.

If I were you I would push for a bile acid test, and these should, if following the RCOG guidelines on ICP be done and returned to you in 24 hours, due to the nature of ICP.

I have had the worst possible experience with this illness, and whilst what happened to me is highly unlikely to happen to anyone, I will always do anything I can to educate people on ICP, as Drs very very easily miss it.

Original poster
ActonBell · 29/10/2021 15:17

@Starcaller - thanks. Gallbladder removed 5 years ago! So it could be a blocked bile duct possibly - I think you can still have that even when you don’t have a gallbladder. I’m not sure. I don’t know how they check for that.

@ShatParp - placenta is high posterior. They did check the cord blood flow at my growth scan this week and said it looked good. Are there other tubs they should look at do you know?

@makelovenotpetrol - thanks. I will try to be as pushy as I can! I feel the same about ectopic pregnancy. I had one in January that was misdiagnosed so I am always trying to make people aware of the signs.

OP posts:
Original poster
ActonBell · 29/10/2021 15:17

Don’t know why it says ‘tubs’ - should say ‘things’!

OP posts:
Original poster
ActonBell · 29/10/2021 15:22

Actually I just noticed one scan report says placenta posterior high and the next says placenta fundal.

OP posts:
ShatParp · 29/10/2021 18:46

@ActonBell ah that's good, was just checking it wasn't where your pain is. Plus it's been checked since the pain started so you're fine on that front! Hope you get an answer soon and of course that the pain goes away too!!

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