Severe pain (not sure if related to pregnancy) and wondering if anyone has ever experienced this

emsned

Hey ladies! Google isn't helping me figure out what could be wrong so I wanted to see if any of you have experienced the same issue. (In fact, the only forums I can find on google are people explaining the same pain but then explaining that their doctors couldn't help.) I am 38 weeks + 1 day today, but I'm not sure if this pain is related to the pregnancy or not. 
This morning I woke up with extreme pain just below my breastbone in the very center of my upper-belly. This is the second time this week that it has happened. If I try to move or sit up at all then it feels like someone is taking a shard of glass and stabbing me. If I lay completely still then it doesn't hurt. It is all focused in a small space just below my chest and almost feels like there may be a knot or ball (however, I cannot massage it away nor feel a lump). It lasted about 20 minutes each time it occurred with me slowly moving a little bit every 5 minutes to see if it was gone yet (at the risk of me cringing in agony if it was not gone). Then after 20 minutes it just disappears as if nothing was wrong. 
I wanted to ask you ladies because I've never heard of anything like this before, and because it's not consistent I didn't want to go to the hospital and potentially be turned away. I have no idea if it's serious or just a symptom of my body being stretched to accommodate baby.
I do have an OB appointment on Friday but I'm dreading the wait because I don't want this to happen again. Has anyone heard of this or know what it could possibly be/know any solutions so it doesn't happen again? 

Jparke2

I have no idea if I'm completely off base here but could it possibly be trapped air/gas? I know it seems odd that it would be that high up, but I've had a few instances of sharp, stabbing pain in random parts of my upper and lower abdomen that is worse when I breathe in or move. Sometime stretching can help it and usually I take some kind of gas relief medicine and it seems to clear up by the next day. Maybe give that a try! Hope you feel better! 

Dasha420

I wouldn't know at all what that could be. Maybe gas, maybe pressure of the bump, maybe anything.

Please contact an emergency line or call a nurse hotline. Good Luck to you and don't wait to reach someone who can help you.

finnybooboo

I've had a similar experience a few times. It was gas as after I took some tums/passed gas/went to the bathroom I started to feel better. If you have any tums I would suggest trying that and resting a bit, and if it's still really bad then call your doc to get their opinion. 

RMLandy

I'm also going with gas, but I'd call the doc just in case! 

emsned

Thank you ladies for responding! I really do appreciate it. I have ruled out the pain being caused by gas because I do not need to release any to feel better nor do I have any constipation or gas before/during/after the sharp pain has run its course. I've also never had gas cause me so much pain and then just suddenly go away without having relieved some kind of gas in exchange for my comfort. Also, this pain is sharp and condensed to a small area just below my breastbone. I can definitely see how others may think this was possibly gas otherwise, though, and I like the feedback. 
Please let me know if anyone has any other thoughts on this or knows of a free nurse advice line that I could call. Thank you! 

missnc77

Just call your doctor's office and tell them you have a question.

dshannah

That's what I felt!  My OB was totally unhelpful, but a relative (who is a nurse, was a neonatal nurse, and has had 6 babies of her own) said it was my ribs stretching to accommodate baby. And I think that was correct.

It lasted for about two/three weeks for me and has now gone away.  But it felt like someone was stabbing me in the muscle right at the center of my chest just below my ribs, on and off, dully and then more acutely, for the better part of three weeks!

Nothing really helped--tylenol, stretching, laying down, and keeping my posture tall all helped take the edge off, but it still always hurt.

mmemartinez

I would also ask your doctor but I was experience something similar for a few days and I could tell it wasn't gas. For me it was a sharp stabbing pain also but it didn't last quite so long. I think it is just from our bodies being stretched. If you don't already have a maternity support belt, you could try that which might take off some of the pressure. For me it was a pain plus a pulling sensation - not sure if you are feeling that also. 

saraleigh2

I've had a similar experience but mine was higher in my chest, sharp stabbing pain, so bad you can't move!!! In my case it was gas, I yelled for my husband and he was able to pat my back and "burp" the pregnant lady... It was such a faltering moment in my life!!!

emsned

Update: I called the available nurse at my OB office. Unfortunately she wasn't much help and wasn't able to say what exactly it may be. She did have some concern and asked me further questions about the pain to make sure it's not an issue with my heart or chest, but I think we both ruled that out for the most part. If I develop other symptoms such as trouble breathing or nausea then I should go to the hospital. Otherwise I'm assuming it's some kind of muscle strain or the pinching of my organs due to my growing uterus until I can tell my doctor at my appointment on Friday. 
Thank you ladies for your help!!!  let me know if you know anything else about what this may be or if you know how to prevent it. (: 

saladflambe

Can you go somewhere to check your blood pressure?

emsned

saladflambe said:

Can you go somewhere to check your blood pressure?

My blood pressure has been normal throughout the pregnancy including my last appointment, but I will definitely have my doctor check again on Friday (: 

camillaandcarson

Yes I have had something similar. It happened for about two days and for many consecutive hours I couldn't move from the bed. 
Never could figure out what it was but baby is fine. There were suggestions of gas, pulled muscle, round ligament pain, etc. It happened in my 8th month and didn't come back after that odd experience.