Absolute agony

[buddhababy2019]

I'm really at my wits end. I've got this wicked pain around my rib area (right side) that's just getting worse and worse. It's like a constant gnawing pain accompanied by regular (what feels like) electric shocks so I guess baby is hititing a nerve or something. Didn't sleep a wink last night because it didn't matter what side I slept on, it was absolute agony. I spoke to midwife a fortnight ago and was told "it's just baby position", phoned the GP last week when it was getting worse and was told "speak to the pregnancy assessment line", spoke to the pregnancy assessment line to be to told "not concerned as there are no bp issues or headaches". Told to take paracetamol even though I've been doing that and they're not helping in the slightest. Even warm baths aren't doing much any more ☹️
Has anyone else experienced this? I can't imagine another three weeks of this getting even worse. Any tips for easing it in any way?
Thanks

I think it’s very wrong of the GP to assume that the pain is pregnancy related, without even checking you over! I would make another appointment, be explicit about how much pain you are in and how long it’s been going on for.

My first thought was that it could be your gallbladder.

Keep persevering at the doctors, I've heard of someone getting their bowel stuck under the ribs as the baby grew, none of the doctors believered her as it's so rare (1 in 3 million pregnancies) but she nearly died after labour from complications. It's so rare so unlikely you have that of course but it's a lesson that doctors don't always know best!

Thanks for the responses. I don't think it's gallbladder as I've suffered with my gallbladder before and it's a different kind of pain ☹️ it definitely feels like there's something going on with a nerve as it's often like electric shock sensations on top of feeling like everything is really bruised and tender!!
I can't wait til this little one is here!

Can you try and get the baby to shift a bit? Maybe nudge that area a bit gently when baby is awake combined with bouncing on a ball/ kneeling on all fours etc. Maybe baby has their foot or something wedged and just needs to move a little for you to be comfortable. Fingers crossed you feel better soon.

I've had this the last few days! It went away eventually. Best thing to do is rest, if your still worried then speak to midwife. I am quite relaxed about it and just assumed baby's foot was there or something.

Have you tried an ice pack on the area? I had this around New Year (same area though possibly not as intense as you), and it really encouraged baby to move enough that the pain subsided a bit. It got a lot better after baby start to drop around 38 weeks.

I suffer with this. In both sides of my ribs from about 12 weeks. It’s agony by the 3rd trimester. It’s called rib flare. I had it with my first as well. I cry every day in the car on my way home from work as the pain is ridiculous. My ribs themselves is a kinda severe cramp like pain but I also get the weird electric shock/pins & needles pain all the way across the top of my bump.

If it makes you feel better, I’m only 32 weeks. 8 more weeks of this delight to go

Relief wise, not much. I tend to find peculiar positions on the sofa help a bit. Sleeping is hard. I’ve not slept well for weeks. I wake up every hour or so in pain & have to roll to the other side!

I do promise it immediately goes after birth. I can distinctly remember the sheer relief at my ribs not hurting anymore!

The only caveat I’d make is right rib pain specifically can, along with other symptoms, be a sign of pre-eclampsia. So it could be worth getting your blood pressure & protein checked just to be on the safe side!

Thanks everyone. Today has been by far the worst - been in a warm bath three times and sounded like an old woman every time I've had to get up!
I've got an appt with fetal medicine on Thursday and midwife so I'll ask then!
Hope you all feel better soon too x

I had this when pregnant with my DTs! Dt2 was helpfully lying across the top of my bump and it was painful generally, at its worst it felt like I was being stabbed. The drs prescribed me a weeks worth of painkillers (they thought it was something but I can’t remember what!) and it did eventually go away I think. It was mainly on my right hand side.

I did end up with severe pe in the end, no idea if the pain was related, but my major symptom of the pe was horrific water retention.

I had right rib pain, DS was rather shoehorned in there and liked to kick but couldn’t move sideways at all. He kicked the same bit of rib for a month and it was agony. About three weeks before my due date he dropped down a bit and kicked another bit of rib and that was much better for a while.
I used to put my hand on my bump so he kicked that rather than the ribs.