Abdominal pain - 32 weeks - no response from weekend, could use some advice!

[Mitsouko]

Hi everyone, sorry to post again but really suffering here and could do with some help. I'm 32 weeks today and for the past 3-4 days have been having a very sharp, stabbing pain in my right groin, just above my hip. The whole area feels very tender and sore. My baby has been kicking there, and it's absolute agony. At one point I was in tears and just thought I was going to pass out it hurt so much.

Thought it might be constipation, trapped wind, but I've been to the loo a few time now so don't think so. I'm on spatone for anaemia but prune juice seems to be doing its job for the most part.

Midwife says to take paracetemol, but not having any affect. My next antenatal check is a week away and the only other option to be seen would be to go into triage at the labour ward and wait for hours and hours to be seen. I went in a few weeks back for a pain in my rib, was there for eight hours - four hours to be seen and four hours for blood tests to come back. Really want to avoid that again if at all possible.

Anyone experienced similar and know what it might be? This is my first pregnancy that has gone beyond 12 weeks.

Thanks!

Has anyone mentioned SPD (symphis pubis dysfunction) or also known as PGP (pelvic girdle pain)?

Its as a result of the hormone designed to loosen your pelvis in readiness for birth, but sometimes it relaxes it too much and can cause all kinds of pain and discomfort!

I have had this in 3/4 of my pregnancies, even had to use crutches when I could hardly walk!

The pain I get at the moment is all radiating on the left hand side of my groin into and under my thigh, agony when turning over in bed.

The Pelvic Partnership have a good website have a look and see if its similar to your symptoms. Your midwife can refer you for Physio assessment and possible aids to assist with the pain.

Otherwise I would maybe book an earlier appointment with your midwife as soon as you can, or your GP before Triage?

Good luck x

Go see your GP. It could be round ligament pain. I have lots of aches and pains too (30wks) and get pain like you describe if I have to walk far. If you're really worried you should see a doctor.

Good luck

I would follow the advice given by morethemerrier, and I'd also ask to be tested for Group B Strep (if you are refused this on the NHS then you can order a free kit online and then pay the £35(ish) lab fees yourself). I developed the infection during pregnancy and it felt like a UTI but with sharp stabbing pains radiating towards my left hip bone. A short course of penicillin cleared the infection within a week and now I know that I'm a carrier it means I can protect baby and myself during delivery.

Really hope you feel better soon!

Thanks ladies, much appreciated. I think I'm going to have to go to triage as it's getting quite bad. I'm familiar with SPD / PGP as I've had some problems with my sacroiliac joint this pregnancy, but the pain I've been having the past few days is very different than what I've experienced with that so far. It's very sharp, stabbing and sporadic - really makes me cry out when it comes on. I think I was tested for Group B Strep at my booking in, will have to ask about that.

I wish care in my area was a little better. All emergency appointments with GP today are taken. Their advice is usually to take a paracetemol anyway, so I don't think they'd be too useful. It's not possible to speak directly to midwives - you have to leave a message with the community office, and they'll generally ring you back within a day or two. For any immediate advice or care, the only recourse is triage at the labour ward. Which is fine, but will involve an all day wait at hospital.

Thanks again, wish me luck!

Best of luck, Mitsouko. I too wish it wasn't such a battle to try and get seen quickly, the care in my area is also poor.

Well, as things turn out I've been admitted to hospital and have to stay overnight! Wasn't expecting this at all. They are running blood tests to check for infections and have a scan at first opportunity tomorrow.

I dont want to scare you but I had terrible abdominal pain and sickness at 30weeks, turned out I had to have my appendix out! Go to hospital and see the doctors, you may have to wait all day but it'll be worth it either way.

I got sent home the first time, they told me I had a stomach bug. But the pain was so intense and so strong, especially when baby kicked that I went back the next day. Thank god I did! It's not worth the risk

Strangely enough, it feels almost exactly like the pain I had from appendicitis...but no chance of that as I had it taken out 15 years ago! I'm in hospital now though and will be here overnight for obs and scan tomorrow.

The hospital is the best place to be if you're not sure what's wrong. How is your pain now?

Hope all goes well for you :)

Hope it all goes ok. At least you are in the right place and they can find out what it is and get you the best possible relief.

Thanks! Yes, a bit dismayed at having to spend the night here but oh well. The pain comes and goes but does get quite severe at times. Actually ok at the moment, just very sore under my bump. They have given me paracetemol but not too sure how much that's helped. Could probably request cocodomol but would.rather avoid as it gives me terrible nausea...and I feel bad enough at the moment.

How are you this morning? Did they manage to find out what the problem was?

I'm still in hospital, just got back from having a scan and relieved that all is well with the baby...that's good to know. Haven't had any feedback yet about what may be causing the pain though. Blood tests are fine, so that rules out infection, baby fine too so no problems there. My mum suggested round ligaments, but I thought that was more of a second trimester complaint. Can it cause very Sharp stabbing pains in groin? It comes and goes but can get very painful at times.

Hoping to go home soon and get some rest. No sleep last night as 2 women on this little 6 bed ward were in early stages of labour and really struggling.

Oh good to know baby is ok, that must be a weight off your mind. Hope they manage to give you something for the pain

I second mince.

Thanks ladies for your support...I'm home now and as scan and blood tests checked out fine the pain is probably ligament strain. Not much to do about it but rest and take paracetemol I guess. I'm just relieved that its nothing serious as I was more worried about what the pain might mean and possible complications than anything else. So long as I know its nothing to ce concerned about, I can manage. roll on March!

What a relief, Mitsouko! So pleased it's nothing sinister, but so sorry you're still in pain. You haven't got long to go now, so best of luck :)

Yes, not long now. Hope everything goes well

Ok, so i am back in hospital...and awfully worried and exhausted.

For the most part I've been fine the past 10 days with only some occasional stitchy pains underneath and to side of bump. But last night was truly horrible. I was finishing up at work around 5 pm when I started to get a stitch in my groin on the right side. This grew worse over an hour and by 6 I had collapsed on the floor in the basement of the shop where I work, completely unable to move, crying and really out
of my mind with agony.

This went on for over 2 hours until my husband arrived and called an ambulance. The last few episodes only lasted 30 minutes or so and I was able to get a taxi to hospital. Last night was off the scale though. Nearly 4 hours of feeling like there was a hot knife constantly plunging into my side. Made worse by any attempts at movement or when baby moved.

It has settled down now, I still have a little stitchy pain
but nothing like last night.

Am bring kept on a ward for observation. Neither drs nor midwife know what pain might be as all scans and tests fine.

Any ideas really appreciated, thanks!

Hi ladies, thanks again for all the advice and sorry so long with the update.

I've actually spent a small fortune on Osteopath...both cranial and the standard variety. Very relaxing but otherwise not effective so far.

I spent another week inpatient on the hospital ante natal ward. After a second ambulance transfer. This time I collapsed at home and couldn't move for about 8 hours from severe, stabbing pains all through my right side. Had all the rounds of tests and scans again, and once more everything fine. Pain settled down at the weekend and I was discharged.

Now I'm home and its back as of last night. I can just about manage if I lie propped up in bed and don't move much.

morning. that sounds really rubbish for you. the not knowing what it is part is enough to drive anyone into a spin isn't it. I don't have any experience of this, it's my first and am 23 weeks, but needed my hand held last night and so thought I would pass this on to you,

Thanks so much...appreciate the support.

I am just so exhausted as pain started kicking off at bedtime last night and is still ongoing. Couldn't sleep, just had to doze sitting up as lying down was unbearable. Husband was so worried and wanted to take me back to hospital, but I don't think there's much they fan do and I've been reassured several times that this isn't anything threatening to baby or myself.

Hopefully it will settle soon. Typical pattern is a couple of bad days followed by a couple of better ones until it flares up again.

Wish I knew what it was though. Drs best guess has been something vaguely ligament, muscular, nerve related...whatever that might mean. Or possibly some problem with abdominal scar tissue from appendectomy 20 years ago. I just don't know. And neither does anyone else it seems.

It sounds awful, poor you. SPD can be unbearably painful but it doesn't sound like the areas you get pain in are the usual ones. Pop over to the new sdp sofa thread on here & have a read through, see if any of it sounds familiar.
Last pregnancy I had lot's of problems with trapped nerves related to SPD which was agony. The best way to discribe my SPD pain is that I feel like I'm being punched in my pelvis/privates from the inside then having it radiate out from there. Sorry if thats TMI.
You could have codine as pain relief, that might help. Good luck x

Thanks! Sorry to hear you're suffering as well. Yes, have read lots of info about spd and pgp. I had a little back pain from sacroiliac joint at around 20 weeks which resolved itself at about 25 with help of a nice Osteopath. This however feels totally different, very abdominal centred and pain much sharper and sporadic.

I'm doing a lot better today though. Was able to lie down last night and sleep certainly helps. Baby was very active but movements weren't causing much pain through the night. I feel quite sore and bruised all around my bump, especially on right side, but its manageable.

I'm a little worried about this weekend, as I have a nhs antenatal class booked at hospital. This is my first baby, so really wanted to go. But it will be all day from 10-5 and I'm concerned that could result in another 24 hour flare up or worse another stay in hospital.

Will I be missing much? I've read a lot about childbirth and breastfeeding, but maybe that's no replacement for a proper antenatal course. Just a little worried what the consequences of a full day out might be!