What does the abdominal pain feel like?

[grantbugs]

I just found this section of the forum and I had the same pain. Mine was right below my right breast and felt like horrible horrible heartburn. I remember that night I had a dull headache at first and took Tylenol. Then the "heartburn" started. I couldn't lay down, couldn't stand up, nothing was comfortable. It almost felt like I had been on my left side for too long and my neck and back were out of whack because of it. Thank goodness I went into the hospital that night because when I got in, my BP was sky high. I had very low platelets, as did my son when he was born. For those of you who had HELLP, did your children have low platelets when they were born too? Eventually my son's levels increased, but they had to test him every few hours to make sure they were coming up. They didn't circumcise him in the hospital because of the low platelets, obviously.

[curlyqtoo]

I just found this forum as well. I had HELLP with my second pregnacy. It started as pain that was located right under my breast bone and after a few days was radiating to my back towards the right side. I have a really high pain tolerance, so the pain wasn't as bad as others have described it. My doctor thought it was heartburn, although Tums didn't help. Taking a hot shower helped with the pain, but it came back right after the shower. I went to the hospital and had elevated liver enzymes, low platlets (50) and a fever. My son was delivered at 38 weeks by emergency C-section. I really feel that one should keep in mind their tolerance to pain before letting the pain get so severe that it is too late. I went to the hospital on my own, my doctor didn't think it was necessary, but I knew something was wrong.

Nicolas - Born 12/10/2000, 25 weeks gestation, 1 lb. 1 oz. Healthy 5 year old. PE

Jonathan - Born 11/21/2005, 38 weeks gestation, 6 lbs. 14 oz. Healthy 3 month old. HELLP, Severe PE

[carissa]

quote:

---

Originally posted by angelical

The day I went into HELLP, I had the worst back pain I have ever known was possible. It hurt so much that I couldn't stand it. Most of the day, they were trying to get me on my left side, but my back hurt so bad I could hardly lay down.

It seemed to radiate from the center of my back.

---

Sharel -
I haven't read all these posts, but wanted to reply to you. My pain was like yours and it was HELLP. I normally have some back pain, so when this started -- in the center, kinda between my shoulder blades -- I didn't think much of it. At first, I thought it was from laying around so much. It got worse and worse as the day went on - nothing helped it - Tylenol, back rub, hot bath, heating pad, ice pack... nothing. That's when I realized it was not "just" back pain.

On our way into the hospital (45 minute drive), the pain started to move through the center of my chest and towards the front. That's when I really knew something was horribly wrong. It felt like a heart-attack or gallbladder pain. It wasn't until they had me getting doped up with Magnesium that I started feeling the pain on the right side...

I'm new here, so I guess I'll go introduce myself now! :) Just had to chime in on this one!

- Carissa

[tshoemake]

I had HELLP with my first pregnancy 8 year ago. I did not develop it until I went into labor, so the signs I never had. I am currently 35 weeks pregnant and I have been having upper right quadrant pain right under my breast for about 11 weeks. It has been coming and going. For the last week the pain has not went away. The severeness of the pain seems to come and go. The pain starts at my sternum and goes all the way around to my back. I have had a gallbladder ultrasound, blood test the whole nine yards, but it has been about 5 weeks ago. Everything was normal. My Dr says the pain is probably just the baby or it may be in my head since I have had this problem before...I was furious when she told me that. My husband told her that I was crying a night with the pain. I have even had pain that seemed like my skin was burned and raw under my right breast. My bra would hurt it so bad. Now the pain seems deep and like it goes through me. I also have a pretty high pain tolerance. I had my first child without any pain meds, but I just am soooo scared something is wrong, but everytime I mention it to my doc or call L&D they tell me to take a hot bath, a benodryl, and go to sleep. How long should I wait and how much pain should I endure? How do I know when my tests will start showing up signs? I have not had any other signs but the stabbing pain. On occasions I feel dizzy and nauseaus, but never vomit. Please let me know your thoughts!!!!
tasha.shoemake@ccbcc.com

[keneke68]

I would request that they run more tests on you. And as for your Doctor he/she does not sound to smart. Statements of oh might just be the baby or just in your head. HELLP is something you just don't mess with. Please have them run more tests on you. Demand it if you have to. Go to another Doctor if you have to. My experience with HELLP I was fine had a little swelling BP a little raised but not to bad all the normal stuff of pregnancy. My HELLP hit me fast and hard. Pain in the upper right quadrant is one of the signs. I had a little dizziness and nausea with mine. I thought I just had heartburn. But much to my surprise I was very very sick. And started going downhill really fast. They had to take our little girl. And know she is our Angel in Heaven. Please please get more tests run. I will be thinking of you.

[cassiemccaffrey]

Hi, I first started feeling pain on my right side around the 25th week. The best way to describe what I felt was that the baby used it's fingernails to scrape the inside of my abdomin (focusing mostly under my rib cage). It was painful and difficult to lay on my right side. I was not diagnosed with HELLP until it was time to deliver at 31.5 weeks.

I hope this helps and good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!

[lors63]

Well Anne you pretty much got it on the nose with the pain.
Is there a way we can get the PAIN and the COCA COLA PEE in the next brochure, I will hand out to the whole wide world, these two things are very very serious. Had I known I would have been in the hospital a day o r two prior to my event, would not have had all the trauma,morphine, nightmares, ICU experience, etc.

Can we work on this?

Thanks,
Lorraine IN Seabrook
Pre Ecl survivor, Miami Florida
12/20//01

[lors63]

Depending on where your baby lies, and your body frame I suppose it can be in a diffrent locale. It is your liver shutting down and it can be situated in a place it normally isnt due to the baby, weight gain , and other shifts in your body. It is extreme, dont let anyone tell you GAS, Get real!

Also pain in the shoulder blade area, we all get this from time to time but again, if you have to question it, trust your instinct and get to the dr ASAP!

[emrld_eyes76]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sarina

So, tell me your opinions please...

I keep getting this pain around my liver area. It's kind of like a "stitch" in my side, only it migrates from my side to under my ribs and then will go away for a bit. It is not severe...just conerning. My bp is fine (so far). I have had this pain coming and going for 2 weeks now. I am 30 weeks pregnant as of yesterday.

I have asked my doctor about this pain several times...even bringing up the fact that I had preeclampsia last pregnancy and wondering if they should test me for HELLP. They did a CBC last week and my platelets were fine. They would not do a liver enzyme test even though I asked them to (the CBC was just apart of my 28 week labs that they did late along with my glucose tolerance test).

I am very concerned about this pain, but my OB (who is a high risk specialist) thinks I am being paranoid. He said the pain would be very severe (although in the first post above I read it might feel like a pulled muscle which is what mine sort of feels like) and I would probably develop nausea or vomiting. He will not even let me come in for a visit over this.

What do I do? I have a visit scheduled for next wednesday...should I wait it out? Am I being too paranoid?

Sarina

---

As far as this post goes, I would just like to say...WHAT IS WITH THESE DOCTORS??? This is ridiculous, I get the same kind of treatment even though I had PE with my last pregnancy and delivered her at 32 weeks. My Doc makes me feel like I'm over reacting too, but I don't care, there is no such thing as paranoid when it comes to the life of your unborn child. It's too risky!!!! It makes me furious!!!!

[emrld_eyes76]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sarina

So, tell me your opinions please...

I keep getting this pain around my liver area. It's kind of like a "stitch" in my side, only it migrates from my side to under my ribs and then will go away for a bit. It is not severe...just conerning. My bp is fine (so far). I have had this pain coming and going for 2 weeks now. I am 30 weeks pregnant as of yesterday.

I have asked my doctor about this pain several times...even bringing up the fact that I had preeclampsia last pregnancy and wondering if they should test me for HELLP. They did a CBC last week and my platelets were fine. They would not do a liver enzyme test even though I asked them to (the CBC was just apart of my 28 week labs that they did late along with my glucose tolerance test).

I am very concerned about this pain, but my OB (who is a high risk specialist) thinks I am being paranoid. He said the pain would be very severe (although in the first post above I read it might feel like a pulled muscle which is what mine sort of feels like) and I would probably develop nausea or vomiting. He will not even let me come in for a visit over this.

What do I do? I have a visit scheduled for next wednesday...should I wait it out? Am I being too paranoid?

Sarina

---

As far as this post goes, I would just like to say...WHAT IS WITH THESE DOCTORS??? This is ridiculous, I get the same kind of treatment even though I had PE with my last pregnancy and delivered her at 32 weeks. My Doc makes me feel like I'm over reacting too, but I don't care, there is no such thing as paranoid when it comes to the life of your unborn child. It's too risky!!!! It makes me furious!!!!