One-sided rib pain at 30 weeks: any experience??

[littlebid]

Hi there,

I'd love to know if anyone's had a similar experience or any tips to get me through the next 10 weeks! I'm having a really sharp pain in my back, upper right hand side, right on my ribs. Sometimes it stretches around to the front, under my bra line. My liver function tests were normal and the doc I saw just said it was muscular-skeletal and needed conservative management. But it's got worse since then, and especially when I'm sat down: no position seems to give me any relief and it's impossible to rest on an evening when I can't sit or lie on the sofa. It's now waking me up in the night and preventing me from driving very far...it almost feels like I'm being cut open, it's so sharp: the pain is hard to breathe through, if that doesn't sound too dramatic!

Has anyone had this? Any amazingly clever advice, or do I just need to grin and bear it til the baby's here?

I've been suffering the exact same pain Hun, it's quite difficult to describe. I've mentioned it to MW and Consultant both of whom were no help, I was given Codydramol at 20wks but these don't help at all. Sitting up straight gives me some relief, but I dread shopping as that's when it's worse plus evenings when doing dinner, it's agony isn't it. Hopefully someone will come along with more advice for you, but I just wanted to say I'm experiencing it too. X

I had very similar. Turned out to be gallstones. Any yellowing of skin/ eyes, pale poos? Found hot water bottle was the best pain relief until baby was born then morphine and lots of it. Hope you find the cause(and it's not gallbladder related) xx

I've had same. Rib pain since 20 weeks. Signed off work at 25 weeks with it. Now week 32. I've seen physios and an osteopath once a week and sadly it's not made any difference. The pain is excruciating and unrelenting. I believe the only hope is the baby dropping and/or being born. I'm really worried it's now affecting my mental health as I can't drive, can't walk for more than about ten mins, am sleeping badly and can't even sit and watch tv or knit.

Sorry to just join in with moaning. It IS awful and I wish someone had a solution. I think we just have to bear it.

LittleRed your pain sounds absolutely awful Hun.

Oh, I'm sorry but relieved to hear I'm not going mad. It's so hard to describe without sounding like a drama queen but it's quite wearing, being unable to get any rest or find a position I can relax in. I'm worried I'll end up signed off too, as I have a 40 minute drive to and from work and I'm having to pull over a few times each way to be able to bear it (before I even try to sit at my desk for any length of time!) But there's nothing I can physically do at home: not even relish the duvet days!

Tiddles, I think they tested for gallbladder too and thankfully not. They thought the baby might be lying transverse but if it was, it's definitely shifted downwards since then and it's only gotten worse.

40 min drive to work is exactly what I was doing too! I realised I couldn't take it anymore when I was in tears with the pain on the way home with one arm over my head to try to alleviate it. I also found that come about midday I couldn't focus on the most basic tasks and could feel myself losing patience with people as I was so agitated with the pain.

I wish they'd invent a decent painkiller that pregnant women could take. Paracetamol doesn't touch it and I've been prescribed codeine but I googled it and the baby can go through withdrawal so that sounds like something to avoid! I would SO love a couple of voltarol and a glass of wine!

I've driven one-handed, with the other behind my back trying to rub it out. Paracetamol just doesn't touch it though. I started pregnancy yoga this week and was in pain again from the moment I got back in the car afterwards :-(

If this is just 'one of those things', at least we're nearly there. Maybe?

sob

Yup. Costochondritis. Inflammation of the tissue between the ribs. I was tested for gallbladder function too. It's a bugger, a bit like a hot white poker jabbing you. It goes away when the baby is born.