Advice about pain early pregnancy

[italianwifey]

Hi everyone,
Just hopefully looking for reassurance. Very early days for me, think I’m just 5 weeks today. Every now and then but at least a couple of times a day I am having some shooting/stabbing pains kind of where I usually get period pain but at the side. I am so anxious something will go wrong so just looking to hear if anyone had the same and if it’s normal. Sometimes it hurts a bit similarly to when I had my endometriosis pains so I’m just a bit worried.
Thanks for any advice.

I had this in my first pregnancy, sometimes made me gasp and I convinced myself it was ectopic. Had an early scan and all was fine. With my second pregnancy I had the same pains, but didn’t worry as much. It’s basically just everything stretching (the fetus is tiny but you’ll have increased blood flow to the surrounding area which is will expand everything, plus hormones play havoc with ligaments etc). I also think you notice normal twinges more when pregnant because your so anxious in those early weeks.

If it continues to worry you and you are think it might be ectopic, some hospitals allow you to self refer for early scans (kings college in south London do - just turn up at 8am and be prepared for a long wait) or maybe see your GP and ask for a scan referral.

I also had this when I was pregnant last year, along with some light spotting. I was only 5 weeks along. I went to the early pregnancy clinic at the hospital and unfortunately mine was ectopic and not viable. I think for piece of mind you should go and get it checked out as some ectopic pregnancies can cause you problems if not sorted out at the hospital.
P.s., fast forward to now and I am pregnant again
I hope all is ok for you.

Thanks both, I think I had convinced myself I was being a bit ridiculous but this makes me think maybe I should go and get checked out. Will give them a call as kings is so close to me and actually under Gynae there for my endometriosis anyway. Thank ou

Kings were lovely when I went and didn’t make me feel like I was being silly to worry. Echoing RivanQueen it’s good to get it checked out as worst case scenario and it is ectopic it’s best to catch it early and there’s a slight increased risk with endemitriosis. At kings definitely go as early as you can as they do stop scanning after about midday and it gets quite busy, I arrived st about 9:30 and there were people after me who were being turned away. I’m sure you’ll not be bothered but just FYI it will be a vaginal scan. Hope everything goes ok Xxx

Don’t mean to alarm you with the endo and increased risk comment Xxx

Thanks @bumbelinaaa, I called and she said to go in at 830 but might try Even earlier just to make sure. Fingers crossed, that’s okay don’t worry I would rather know! Hopefully it’s all okay but will try not to get hopes up too much.

Is the pain almost along where your knicker line is? If so it's probably normal stretching ligament pain. I got it really early on.

@butlerswharf yes it’s that low down, but every now and then Right or left hand side getting a sharp pain. I thought was just normal but maybe not. Really hoping it is

It definitely sounds like round ligament pain to me then. If you google it you'll see it's totally normal . Everything's just stretching to fit in your baby. It can be really quite painful but it always felt less uncomfortable if I laid on the sofa (rather conveniently!)

@butlerswharf thanks, I really hope so! I actually feel a bit of a fraud going to the EPU tomorrow as it reallyis only every now and then, but she sounded worried when I called which of course has worried me now!

I had this exact sensation, which in hindsight I think was made worse by IBS, at times it made me sweaty and breathless with the pain, sometimes for 15 minutes at a time. Went to my GP who booked me for an early scan as it was suspected ectopic. It was absolutely fine in the end, but please don’t feel silly for going, not one person there will judge you for checking. It is always better to play it safe. If you get the all clear from the scan, just be warned it might not go off quickly, I was experiencing those pains until the second trimester.

Sounds like round ligament pain. Very sharp and painful, I seem to get a bad shot of it when I sneeze

If it's worrying you then get checked out to be sure but if it's every now and again and just a short stab it does sound like round ligament pain :)

I'm 12 weeks and I had the kind of pain you described up until 10 weeks.
I was worried at first too, but it was just my body stretching.

Occasionally now I have a sharp pain on one side but baby is fine and I'm told it's all normal.

thanks so much everyone

Sometimes can be an ovarian cyst but usually it’s just the side you implanted from. Perfectly normal, I had it too.

Just to update everyone that I went to EPU today and they said pregnancy unknown location as they couldn’t see anything on the scan, but she dated me at 4 weeks from my dates and took some bloods, HCG was 452 and progesterone 77.. sounded like this was good and meant most likely just too early, so back next Monday for another scan

Hi @italianwifey - yes that sounds like it would probably be too early to pick up on the scan. If it’s any help between 4-6 weeks I had ‘shooting pains’ what I can only describe as contraction like pain very low down and in my sides. I was concerned it could be ectopic or that something was wrong but my midwife told me that it was everything stretching. I am nearly 8 weeks now and those types of pain have subsided, just dull cramps now. X