What does the abdominal pain feel like?

[trine berry]

I know this is an old topic, but thought i'd share (now i've found you lot i am opening a wall inside me and everything is rushing to get out....):

I was sick and vomiting a lot through out my 25 week pregnancy. During the last 2-3 weeks, my hands and feet swelled enormously, and I hardly slept due to back pain. I was also on tons of medication, so was sleepy all the time, but unable to sleep more than an hour at the time due to the pains. I guess it was my lower back (is that where the Liver is?) and the only place I was confortable was in a hot bath, expecially at 4 am... it was horrendous.

I can't really remember the last week or so, as my mind is so blurred, ubt my husband tells me i got more and more distant, more and more pale, and in the end he dind't recognise the person resting on the bed, which is why he took me in to the hospital. Thank god he did...

http://www.davidandtrine.org

[annegarrett]

Youtan--just so you know--"right shoulder pain" is specifically listed in our main website under Signs & Symptoms. This is usually caused by referred pain from the liver--it is very specifically the RIGHT shoulder and it is acute. I had it with my third and refer to it as the Vulcan Death Grip. I couldn't even wear a bra (TMI?) because the pain was so intense.

Anne Garrett
Executive Director
Preeclampsia Foundation

[juspeachy]

My daughter is having this same kind of pain on her left side right under the ribs. It is tender to the touch. She said it hurts to breath, move, etc. She said the pain is very intense. When I asked her on a scale of 1-10 how much it hurt, she said 12. She has been diagnosed with mild pre-eclampsia. Can this pain be due to that? I keep reading pain on the right side that is why I am asking. They have told her it could be gas or the baby kicking there but she said it is not those kind of pains that it is different from anything she has ever felt. She is currently hospitalized on total bedrest until she has the baby, it is due in four weeks. Thanks in advance for any responses.

[catherine]

JusPeachy... I sent you a quick email.

Catherine
Mom to Finn, Lucy (preeclampsia and HELLP) and Chloe.
Moderator HELLP Syndrome Survivors

[nat31]

I experienced a very powerfull pain at the sternum level (epigastric pain) that came suddenly whitout any warning. I had a very hard time breathing and could not stand still for the pain was too accute. I looked pretty much like a crazy person my husband told me. I knew I was in trouble when the Demerol injections they gave me at the obstetrical emergency unit didn't have any effect over the pain. I had the most severe form of HELLP and almost died. Most women will have some kind of pain in a more mild form before coming up to that stage.

Nathalie (33)
Sophia (2) HELLP-Pree 27 5/7 weeks 1 pound 3 ounces 15/06/2002

[lfogel]

I had stomach pain that started after eating crab cakes, which I assumed just weren't "sitting well" with me. The pain got steadily worse through the night. It was all across the upper abdomen and had me doubled over. The next morning I call my doc who had me come to the hosp. immediately. They first thought I was dehydrated and tried fluids, which did nothing of course. But they ran a series of quick tests through the lab and did an immediate c-section. My BP had been perfectly normal - low, even - until right before the surgery occurred.

[christmasmommie]

My pain was spread across my entire belly... it just hurt. Like Catherine, instead of nausea & vommiting, I had bad diareah (sp?) all day. I also was unable to sleep at night... I was very uncomfortable and felt like I couldn't breathe. I could also barely pee. When I had to take the urine test... I could hardly get enough for a sample... even after drinking LOTS.

DS 7.27.04 32weeker due to Severe preeclampsia / Class II HELLP (62K platelets)

Hopefully TTC #2 later in 2005

[diane culkin]

I had a little different pain. I have survived HELLP twice. My liver basically enlarged & pressed on the internal organs. My pain was very intense not only slightly under but between the breast but the biggest pain was in my upper back. It started very mild & grew intense. This was the liver enlarging & putting pressure on the lungs & kidneys.

I also had headaches which is very common when you have the high blood pressure with this.

I had dry heaves from the liver also putting pressure on the stomach.

Mine was severe both times, but these are the symptoms I had before they delivered both my daughters at 27wks weighing 2lbs 4 ozs & my other daughter at 28 wks at 1lb 11 ozs.....they both spent 55 & 56 days in the NICU but both are doing fine now. I stay away from any type of liquor since the liver can be so delicate from the trama still 3 years later. Doctor said no more babies....

Diane Casali-Culkin

[whosures]

Boy, this is bringing back some symptoms. My first symptoms of PE were the spots in my eyes, swelling, not going to the bathroom, weight gain. I went to the doctor and was put in the hospital. Within two days I had hyperreflexivity (loss of central nervous system), blind in one eye, hallucinations, was on oxygen, horrid headaches, vomiting and my bp was 230/180. Finally, the doctor told me to tell her immediately if my stomach started to hurt. I hadn't had a BM (TMI??)in 5 days so initially, I thought that's what the pain was. Eventually it got so severe that my foot was rubbing up and down the bed. They gave me some pain meds but it didn't really help. My pain felt like a band across my chest that was tightening so that I couldn't breathe in. Then I had pain on the right of my belly button and in my lower back. It was HORRIBLE. I didn't realize until later how sick I really was.

[emily_985]

Just wanted to add my experience in case it helps anyone. I woke up in the night on a couple occasions with stomach pain during the last month of my pregnancy. I mentioned it to my nurse and she said it was probably gastritis.

On the morning I delivered I woke up again and had the stomach pain but a lot worse. I thought I was going into labor since I had never felt that before. I also threw up. By the time I got to the hospital I was doubled over and couldn't think straight it hurt so bad. I just kept asking for pain meds and a c-section.

All I can compare it to is the feeling of your stomach hurting from the flu but of course A LOT worse.