Stitch pain in my ribs??

Hi,

I'm sure this is just another one of those pains you get during pregnancy, but I'm 33 wks pg and I've been getting severe pain in my right ribs lately. It's not from baby kicking, it's higher than my belly, under my boobs and mainly in my side. It's so painful it takes my breath away and no position helps, although lying down is better than sitting down.

Any ideas? I'm going to the osteo friday to see if that helps.

Hi Kirsten

Don't want to worry you, but it can be a symptom of pre eclampsia. Have you had any other symtoms like high blood pressure or swelling?

Maybe ring your midwife if you are worried just to check.

Thanks Captain, yes I was worried it could be something other than making room for baby pains.

I haven't had hight blood pressure or swelling, but the pain is pretty bad. I'll call the hospital today and get some advice.

Thanks....

Hi Kristin,
IMHO I think you need to go see your OB or go straight to your birthing centre. My sis and I have both experienced PE but she also had the unfortunate complication of HELLPS with both her pg's. I have copied the following paragraphs from another site just so you are armed with a bit of info.


HELLP syndrome is the medical name given to a serious complication of Pre Eclampsia involving a combination of liver and blood disorders. HELLP stands for H (haemolysis - red blood cell damage); EL (elevated liver enzymes - indicating liver damage); and LP (low platelets in the blood leading to a bleeding tendency). HELLP syndrome may be associated with other signs of Pre Eclampsia, such as high blood pressure, protein in the urine and swelling of the hands, feet or face. However, this is not always the case, and this may make its diagnosis more difficult. Women with HELLP syndrome often complain of a pain in the upper abdomen below the ribs, which is indicative of a tender liver. There may also be heartburn, vomiting and headache. The upper abdominal pain of the HELLP syndrome can be very severe, and is not relieved by simple remedies such as antacids, which would be the case if heartburn, for example, was the cause of the pain. HELLP syndrome symptoms can often be confused with other problems such as gallstones (cholelithiasis), inflammation of the gall bladder (cholecystitis) or liver inflammation (hepatitis).

As with the more typical cases of Pre Eclampsia, HELLP syndrome can arise at any stage during the second half of pregnancy.

The diagnosis of HELLP syndrome can be made by blood tests which examine liver enzymes, red blood cells and platelets. As with typical Pre Eclampsia, delivery is required for cure of the HELLP syndrome,irrespective of the stage of the pregnancy and maturity of the baby. Because the HELLP syndrome can be associated with a bleeding tendency secondary to a deficiency of platelets, it may be necessary to administer platelet transfusions. This may be particularly important before undertaking any surgery, such as a Caesarean section.

Kristan, I got the same stitch like pain you describe just last weekend. I was so bad that even walking around and breathing was difficult. I ended up going to the doctors just to check if everything was ok. By the time I got in to see the doc, the pain was gone. He couldn't find any reason for it (initially thought I had a secondary infection in the lining of my lung from a cold/flu I had earlier in the week, but testing showed no infection).

He said it's probably just growing pain and to take it easy. I will be speaking to my ob about it at my next appointment tho, just to double check.

Hope your feeling better soon.

Hi,

Thanks to everyone for your advice.

I went to the doctor and she checked my urine and blood pressure and it's all fine. She said my ribs are bruised and I may have pulled some muscles, apparently your more prone to this when pg because of the relaxin hormones that - yes relax everything!

I'm glad I got it checked out, PE and HELLP sound very scary!

Gosh, I never knew the rib pains could be caused by HELLP!

I get these pains below my ribs, on both sides, quite a lot. For me, they are always to do with sitting down and they feel like a kind of stich/ muscular pain. My research and talking to others suggests its just another squishing thing, my ribs and uterus squishing the muscles in there. It feels like a kind of burning pain.

I get help from changing position, stetching my arms over my head, and applying a heat pack.

I'm glad to hear you got checked out by the dr, and know that I know more about HELLP I might mention it next time too, but I am pretty sure mine is muscular. :D

Just thought I'd mention I've had pains like the ones you're describing, not through PG though. Mine are due to anxsiety & I find it near impossible to breath. If I lay down & put the arm from the painful side over my head & stretch that tends to get rid of it within a minute or 2. Also if I lay on the bed with my head & shoulders off the side stretched out generally helps too.

I know yours may be sue to your PG but thought you may like to try these stretches next time just incase :)

I get them all the time and im no longer pregnanct, though admittedly it was worse when pregnant.
It made it very hard to bretahe and found i had to pant shallowly as opposed to "breathing" IYKWIM.
Similarly to Jessica, I think mine is muscular - intercostals cramping perhaps?

But Kristin I'm glad everythign is ok!

Good luck with the prest of your preg!