For the past few months since I knew I was pregnant I felt terrible attacks of pain just below my right rib. The pain felt like somebody is constantly stabbing me on my right abdomen just below my rib. The pain is so horrible that sometimes I felt like ripping my abdomen apart just to make sure there really isn't any knife lying there inside me. At first the pain was not really very pronounced. In the first few months, It felt like my whole belly is painful with no particular location where the pain actually is. I thought it was just gas pain so I eliminated all the gassy foods that I can think of. I told my OB about it and she assured me that abdominal pain is not really unusual during pregnancy but she said if it gets really worse I will let her know. A week after that, I emailed my OB and told her about my pain this time becoming worse than ever. I was miserable! :( I have talked to different women who got pregnant before and they told me they never felt anything like the kind of pain that I am having. Their usual pain is back pain, general malaise, leg pain from the added weight in pregnancy but never a constant stabbing pain below the right rib. :(
At this point, I was determined that this is not normal anymore and insisted to my OB to get tested. I told her this time the pain is more obvious on the right side and the attacks happen usually after I eat and the pain would last the whole time after I eat. I noticed having more pain when I eat meat but basically almost every type of food I eat regardless if it's meat or not, I still have this pain. I rate my pain as 9/10 sometimes 10/10. Lying down helps relieve the pain but not much really. I end up crying over the pain most of the time and my husband becoming so concerned. It doesn't help that my job entails me to be up on my feet most of the time which just aggravates the pain even more. The pain sometimes would make it so hard to walk that I go limping at work especially when my unit gets so busy.
My OB ordered stat Ultrasound on my abdomen and on the same day that I got the test they gave me the results that I do have multiple gallstones. :( I am relieved that I finally knew what was wrong with me but at the same time sad that I have to go through this until i reach my term. :( They don't recommend any surgeries at this point so as not to put me on preterm labor. :( The only thing i can do is to modify my diet.
Gallstones are common during pregnancy. The hormones in pregnancy can cause the bile to sludge thereby causing it to form stones.
Gallstones actually ranked 6th of the Most Painful Medical Conditions in the Planet and Childbirth being the 7th according to an article in Discovery News. Wow! I can't believe that I have to go through this pain the whole pregnancy and expect another kind of pain when i give birth!
Everytime I have people come up to me asking me about my pregnancy and telling me to enjoy it, I really cannot comprehend the word enjoying pregnancy at this point. :( How can I enjoy it when all I feel is debilitating pain in my belly. :( The baby inside me is fine though with that I am very relieved and she would not be affected with this condition. It is just going to be me enduring the pain until I deliver. huhuhuhu God bless me!
Apple juice cleansing helps relieved the pain but drinking a liter per day is not really very healthy. I gained so much by doing that but at least the pain went away. The sugar actually is too much that it makes you gain more weight than usual. I was scared to do the purge at the end of the cleansing by using epsom salts because some people said it may block the bile duct completely which I may end up having an emergency surgery. :( Then I discovered Apple cider vinegar. I just have to get used to the taste but that vinegar really helps a whole lot! The pain is much more bearable now and because I have less pain already, I enrolled myself to Prenatal Yoga classes. :)
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