Severe stomach pain/distress?

Snaps816 · March 2016

This is kind of embarrassing but I am wondering if anyone has had similar experiences. Last night I had an episode of severe stomach distress that started after dinner, around 9 pm or so, and lasted until around 4:30am. I had a pretty basic, normal dinner of chicken, veg and potato. My husband is a chef and always temps the chicken when we make it, so I know it was cooked properly. I had a small piece of key lime pie for dessert (like a 3 inch piece). Shortly after, I had severe stomach pain/cramping. I kind of thought I might throw up or have diarrhea, but nothing happened. I was honestly hoping I would, just to get some relief, but there was no movement. Just pain that was so bad I was doubled over, couldn't stand up straight, and couldn't sleep. I have had similar pain from indigestion before, but that usually lets up either when your body expels what it doesn't like, or your stomach settles after an hour or so. I've never had this kind of pain last for so long. I started to worry that it could be a blockage, an ulcer, appendicitis, or something like that. I did not have a fever, though. I was mostly awake until 4:30am, which is when I remember finally feeling like the pain had let up, and I fell asleep. I texted my boss this morning and let her know what had happened, and said I needed some extra time this morning. I slept a little longer (got up at 8:30 instead of 6:30) and came into work at 10.

Anyway, I called my doctor's office today, but she was at the hospital so I spoke to a nurse. As soon as I explained that I was having stomach/GI pain, not uterine pain, it was almost like she didn't care that much. But fortunately she put me through to a doctor on call who was concerned it could be a gall bladder thing. For now, they told me to start taking Prylosec every day, but that if I have another episode like that I will have to go in for a gall bladder ultrasound. I hope I was correct to call my OB. Obviously I know the GI tract isn't their practice area, but I figured when you're pregnant, it's all related. I would hate to not call and then find out later I should have.

Has anyone else had this kind of experience? What did you do/take to get some relief? Did it turn out to be part of a bigger problem?

tmk0325 · March 2016

Your doctor is allowing Prilosec? I have suffered from acid reflux most of my life and that seems to be the only thing that has helped me in the past. I'm happy to hear it is allowed because I was going to ask my doc at my next appt if I could take it. I've had stomach issues before from acid reflux and usually I don't get cramping but I do get extremely uncomfortable and feel the need to puke or poop or both. It almost to me sounds like some sort of food poisoning issue but since you weren't expelling it, I doubt that was it... I also take Zantec 150 and Gaviscon tablets when I feel like indigestion, acid reflex, heartburn is flaring up.
Sorry you are in pain, hopefully it was just a one time thing and it goes away for you!

charmedlifex3 · March 2016

I had a similar experience. I woke up with severe abdominal pain, and we went to the ER. They sent me up to maternity who determined "Not the baby!" Then BACK down to the ER where they figured out is was *probably* a muscle tear caused by pregnancy.

I have found OBGYN's to be somewhat dismissive of anything which does not impact my ability to carry a healthy baby to term. I had called my OB about the pain before it intensified so dramatically in the middle of the night and the response I got was "I'm sure it's fine. There isn't anything that would hurt there, that means the baby is in distress." The ER doctor was horrified, since preliminary tests were all pointing to appendicitis, and it wasn't until they did a CAT scan they were able to say it *likely* was "just" a torn abdominal wall. (Which can lead to complications if not treated, and they put me on bed rest for.)

The doctors told me to be on the look out for a fever (bad) or my stomach turning black and blue (good, it means it IS a muscle tear)

Yesterday a bruise started blooming on my stomach, and no fever yet, so all to the good! Hope your episode turns out to be equally as easy a resolution.

Snaps816 · March 2016

@Allisun85 I had read your posts from the day after that happened to you, so that's why I thought of appendicitis! I am glad yours turned out not to be that. The torn muscle sounds bad too, but at least you don't need surgery. Thanks for the well wishes.

No more Miss! · March 2016

I had something similar. It depends on where you were feeling the pain. I had it in the upper right quadrant and it turned out to be gallstones. Pregnancy hormones can cause them to develop.

Mine were so severe I ended up having my gallbladder removed about a month ago.

Snaps816 · March 2016

@No more Miss! Yikes! I am sorry you had to go through that. I think that's what the doc had in mind when she told me to call if this happens again. I am hoping it was just a bad bout of severe indigestion! My pain was on both sides. I guess I will have to wait and see.

No more Miss! · March 2016

Aw thanks. It wasn't fun, but I feel so much better.
FX for you that it was just indigestion!

MrsM13 · March 2016

It might help to test if you're lactose intolerant with your pregnancy. Ive always been sort of intolerant (like I could have small amounts and be fine) but once I got pregnant it got WAY worse. When I have any amount of dairy it feels the same way and nearly doubles me over.

Just a thought!

Snaps816 · March 2016

@MrsM13 Thank you! I will keep an eye on that and ask at my next appointment. I have a nonfat latte every day, but since that is made with skim, maybe it wouldn't cause a reaction. On the other hand the key lime pie I had was probably made with condensed milk, and I assume butter. Thanks!

SkiChic626 · March 2016

Could it have been severe gas? I'm not lactose intolerant, but during this pregnancy dairy seems to be giving me horrific gas. It doesn't cause me to fart or burp, it's just extremely painful. It lasted all day one time, and finally when I took gas-x it relieved it almost immediately. I keep it with me all the time now and have used it while out and feel gas coming on. Maybe something you ate gave you gas even though it wouldn't normally do that.

jmw386 · March 2016

I'm also wondering about the lactose intolerance. I've had a few episodes similar to what you described - extremely painful, felt like I would be sick (but never happened) - and dairy seems to be the common denominator. I didn't have this problem the last time around, but that doesn't really rule it out.

Whatever it is, I hope you are feeling better today and you don't have to go through it again.

Bubblegum5586 · March 2016

What was the vegetable you ate? Broccoli gives me similar pains of gas.

kmlovato · March 2016

That sounds similar to what I had when I had gallstones (before pregnancy). It was a sharp pain kind of in my rib cage that radiated out to my back and I thought it was indigestion until I went white, curled up into the fetal position and was taken to the ER by DH. The attacks happen when the bile in your gallbladder bounces the stones into the valves so the bile has a hard time escaping. Not fun! I had mine removed about 4 years ago. They told me that pregnancy can trigger more (or new) attacks.

If that is what you're experiencing, I have a tip- the biggest trigger is fatty foods, or foods that are hard to digest because your stomach makes more bile to digest them - although your dinner didn't sound like it would be that.

Snaps816 · March 2016

@Bubblegum5586 I had a salad that had asparagus, green beans, and red onions. I felt like I was being so healthy! That is a pretty fibrous mix, though, so maybe it was hard to digest.

Snaps816 · March 2016

@kmlovato I reeeaaallly hope that's not what it was. I would feel silly for making a big fuss over gas/indigestion, but I am scared of the alternatives, especially this one. I am sorry you had to have yours out.

kmlovato · March 2016

@Snaps816 I hope it isn't too! It's super uncomfortable and can be very scary!

In all honesty, I'm glad mine is gone because it's less likely that I'll have any symptoms now, and because it's so much easier to eat! For a while when it was really bad, I could only eat rice and soup.

charmedlifex3 · March 2016

So funny story... I'd never in my life had heartburn before. Never. I got it really bad one night and was *convinced* I was dying. My husband luckily figured out what was wrong with me, and dosed me with pepto. I was totally fine.
I wasn't even pregnant then. My husband saw me typing that and started laughing at me all over again.
So don't feel silly making a fuss over "just" gas... we're all a little hyper vigilant right now, I hope that's all it is!

JournoGrl23 · March 2016

Like PP said, definitely don't feel silly! When I experienced heartburn for the first time when I was younger I thought I was having a heart attack. Indigestion can be extremely painful and can feel like something is really wrong. I think tons of people have worried about it before.

If you ate a really fibrous salad then that could have done it. One of my worst triggers is raw carrots because those are really hard to digest. I get horrible pains after eating that.

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