pain under right side of rib cage??

[misdee]

has been there a few days now. very uncomfortable. surely the baby cant be that high up already (25 weeks?).

I'm 29 weeks and have been suffering with this for a few weeks now. Gosh, I never knew it affected so many of us! You all have my deepest sympathy. It does seem to come and go, and the midwife said the other day that my baby is head down with his back along my left side. He's always kicking me in the right side of my ribs, but when he's asleep or quiet it's not so bad and I can sit straight or even - gasp - lean forwards a bit.
It's a real bummer though, and I'm hoping it will subside when I get to 34 weeks and the baby drops down a bit...

lilapple if it is rib flare you may find it passes soon as your ribs actually move out to make way for the baby, and the baby finds different positions
I found I was getting it a lot a few weeks ago and now only rarely
don't assume it will carry on being as painful as it is now

you may find sitting with feet up helps you

DS1 was oblique, with a huge head, and this type of pain cursed me throughout pregnancy.

Thank you FrannyandZucchini - I hope I get the same reprieve as you!

As an additional note, I am short waisted with H-cup boobs so the weight on my ribs combined with lack of abdominal space probably isn't helping. Surprisingly, not one of the professionals I've seen about this has mentioned my body shape as a possible cause.

I went to my doctor yesterday, to ask about this rib flare and see whether it was costochondritis - just wanted to be reassured. He said he didn't think I had that exactly, but another common problem in pregnancy was the flat muscles at the top of the stomach having to stretch in a weird way to make room for everything. He said he couldn't remember exactly what it was called (! - I let him off though, as it was the end of a long, sweltering day) but that my midwife would. Seeing her in 2 weeks, will report back!

Im 30wks today and had my left side in a right pain today,as if she was digging me, but i couldn't see anyhitng poking out, but it really hurts. This is only the first time it's happened, only last for about 5mins, but it really did hurt

Im 31 weeks today and have had pain at the top of my ribs on the right hand side for about 4 weeks now. It normally starts in the afternoon and then I have it right up until I go to bed. It kills when I sit down all day because I work full time in a office but seems to disappear when I go swimming, its all very strange. I have spoken to my midwife who has said its probably rib flare and its just one of those things that some Mums suffer with...oh the joys of pregnancy!!

Anyone notice it gets worse in the car???

I had this occasionally, would just come on suddenly like a burning, stabbing pain and I wouldn't be able to walk, i'd have to carefully lie down on one side until it faded away, never knew what it was but presumed it was just my ribs being stretched or something to do with my liver, think it's quite common.
If it's any consolation I never had it once after ds was born, it went away all together.

Im 35+4 now and the baby has dropped 3/5 ths and FINALLY no rib flare!!! I cant believe it. Such a relief. Only thing now is it's been replaced with swollen ankles and fingers! deep joy eh ?

SO pleased to have found this thread.
I think I have just started to suffer from rib flare yesterday morning. It's just like some of you have said - a red hot poker under my ribs on my right side.

I'm ok as long as I sit dead still - but any sideways twisting (or getting in/out of the car) is agony.

Hoping it doesn't last until 40 weeks - I'm only 23...

I too am so happy to have found this thread ! I now no longer feel like I'm the only one going though this as for 6 weeks, I've had pain under my ribs and no-one seems to know what it could be - the docs, midwife, physios, consultants in the hospital and my GP have all given me different opinions!

I've been told it could be a hernia, gallstones, liver problems, lung blood clot, muscular skeletal, the baby's foot(!), and inflammation of the ribs.

It feels like there is barbed wire under my right breast or that I'm being stabbed/sliced apart - it's the most pain I've ever experienced (not yet been through childbirth - I'm 28 weeks pregnant).

I have been in tears because of the pain and cos I wasn't been taken seriously as the baby was fine (which is wonderful but it meant that everytime I saw or spoke to a doc they just fobbed me off and told me to go home and rest). I have an office job so I couldn't just rest all the time and not being able to sit at all was seriously hindering my ability to carrying on as normal. I know pregnancy has its ups and downs but being in almost constant pain is not a normal pregnancy .

I have been so bad that I have been in hospital for a few days as I couln't sit or stand and lying down was ok but sometimes even lying down was not good although nothing like sitting!

The baby has been fine throughout and kicking loads which is very reassuring!

I'm now home and I had an OK day but still not able to do much - lying down most of the time and standing and walking as much as I can take, but still can't sit at all.

From what I have read in this thread it sounds like I have a bad case of rib-flare. I've also been told my stomach muscles have split (divarification) as there is a bump on the top of my bump when I attempt to get up from lying down - not sure if one caused the other! There are also other bumps which could be a hernia but they aren't sure....

But the rib-flare is the most distressing. I've now not been able to work for 3 or 4 weeks and I'm hoping that the pain won't stay with me until the birth....do you think it will get any better ? Will I be able to return to work before I have the baby? I'M SO BORED BEING HOME ALL DAY!

Been to hospital and its confirmed I have costochondritis. Relieved that I don't need surgery and glad I know what it is.

Gonna take a while (6-12 months!) to get better as ribs/muscles are chronically inflammed but glad its nothing permanent !!!

Baby doing very well too!

I think that gall bladder pain is felt under the right rib cage.

Am reading this with right hand stretched up in the air...thank goodness its not just me then! I am 28 weeks and have had it for about a month, went to hosp at 25 or so as it was so bad - can make me cry and I feel like such a wimp...

Hi dan39, I have an eye gel mask which I've been putting on my ribs when it really hurts - it does help especially if you are getting the burning sensation as well as it helps to soothe it. My skin gets unbearable to touch, even my clothes seem to sting me so putting the mask on helps me .

I know what you mean about feeling like a wimp as there are a number of pregnant women at work and they all seem to cope with their aches and pains reasonably well. I guess this is an extreme pain and means we just can't carry on normally. Believe me, I have been fairly useless for a few weeks, not been able to go to work, or cook or anything - just lying down all the time which is incredibly boring. My DH and mum have been brilliant at looking after me though so have been v lucky.

How are you today?

Has anyone had this and how long does it take to go away...?

Ooh poppy I think I have an eye gel thing somewhere - will go see if I can find it! It gets worse as day goes on and I keep thinking gaviscon will help. I am feling kinda worse on the 'people thinking you are a wimp' front as I saw dr today about this and pelvic pain, she wasn't that interested in this, but did say she would refer me for physio for spd/pgp and also signed me off for 2 eweeks cos of it. I feel a bit rubbish largely cos work know I have been away for weekend and it makes me feel even more of a skiver!

From what I have read on here and elsewhere, I don't think it does go away...please please someone tell me I am wrong? Surely it will ease when baby grows/moves?

BTW I am 28 weeks too poppy! Maybe we can commiserate together for the next few godawful months weeks?

My pain also got worse and worse but today I'm having a relatively good day. Still got the pain but I'm a bit more mobile - I've been able to put washing in the machine - nothing too extreme I know but it's a step forward from not being able to do anything. I put this down to the fact that I've been resting for a while and I think the imflammation might be decreasing slightly - at least that's what I'm assuming.

So I can not stress enough that lying down really does help as I wasn't doing that at first and that is why it got so bad. So if you can try and lie down on your back for the 2 weeks you have signed off as it might improve....?

I've been told that as soon as I have the baby I can be given anti-inflammatory drugs which will help loads, but that's 12 weeks away for us!!! At least we are now in the third trimester now . I'm sorry you are going through this too but agree that it's good to know I'm not alone and that we can whinge together .

It's funny you mention Gaviscon as I tried that at the beginning too but to no effect.

It took the docs 6 weeks to finally diagnose me so keep at them as I was so distraught too as I knew it wasn't 'normal pregnancy' pains. If you do have costochondritis then your midwife and docs will state this in your medical notes and you can get a docs note to take to work. That way they will be able to see that you aren't slacking off.

I really do feel for you as my stomach muscles have split and I have costochondritis but not got pelvic pain as well - poor you! Rest, rest, rest! You might not improve in 2 weeks but its important that it doesn't get any worse as you want to be able to look after the baby when its born and not be completely bedridden - that's higher priority than what peeps at work think. I've had all these thoughts too and its perfectly natural but my dh and mum have helped me get some perspective.

Take care sweetie x

I had something similar with ds2 from 20 weeks (big boy). Was agony. Was still agony (for me) for a couple of weeks afterwards, but did settle and eventually go away. Not pleasant though. Put it down to "one of those things they never tell you". Kept telling everyone I saw about it (was a big thing for me) and no-one was bothered in the slightest so assume it's very common.

hi y

good to hear that it finally went away.

have you had other probs since with your ribs? docs have said that i could be prone to probs going forward too....?

poppy I wanted to say ta for the eye gel mask tip - its fab!! I am still really suffering with this rib buisness, I hate it and hae been in tears most of today. I want to know there is an end in sight! (other tahb the one that is 12 weeks away...)

Glad it helped you.

Today I'm feeling the best I've felt for AGES - having a good day and hope that means its starting to ease off.....

Could this mean that we might not have to wait 11 weeks to feel totally better - hope so! I guess I shouldn't run before I can walk!

Resting has definitely finally helped me! How are you doing dan39?

I had a good day too - I think I am either adjusting my pain threshold, OR its moving. I saw the mw today (have had a succession of not very good ones, not seen same one twice, grr, not terrifically impressed) and she sort of described it for me, which reassured me I am not mad (tho had already been reassured by this thread of course!) MInd you, I forgot to specifically mention the costo word (not least of all cos I forget it!!) to see if I can have the 'label' to help with the work negativity..

I also saw physio yesterday for the spd thing and she has given me a HUGE tubigrip bandage to wear to ease pelvic pressure, and I am thinking it is helping the rib thing too. Or maybe its the resting. Or its just co-incidence. But I have doen a lot of walking today and not been doubled over...maybe there is hope!!

Also got really nice snowsuit from charity shop for £2.50 which pleased me as we have just bought the most expensive pram in the world!!

I got it on the left side. Can feel the pain thinking about it, lol.