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11-16-2012 at 6:42 AM
natalie585...
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natalie5851 is not online. Last active: 05-17-2013, 10:38 AMNewbie

Could this really be indigestion?

(Sorry Kinda Long)
I've been having really bad indigestion for the majority of my pregnancy now. I keep Tums by my bed and try and take it before I go to sleep. Some nights I cant sleep at all or have to sleep sitting up completely. But twice now, the first time at about 15 weeks and last night again (23 weeks), I have had the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life!!
 
It started out as normal indigestion I think. Severe pain and tightness under my breasts by my ribcage and it feels like I can't breathe. But this time it felt like my chest/rib cage was going to explode. It hurt so bad it was radiating to my back. This lasted about 15 minutes. I was so scared and it hurt so bad I was dizzy, and my ears started ringing. The first time it happened I passed out for a second and woke up on the floor. The second, time it felt like I was about to, but didn't. Once I got back up though, the pain was completely gone.
 
The first time this happened I asked my midwife and she said it sounds like indigestion. But I don't understand how this could be normal indigestion. It was literally the worst pain I have had in my life, definitely on a 1-10 scale a 10. Now I'm freaking out because I have no idea how I'm going to handle labor if this was just indigestion. Has anyone else had symptoms like this?

 
11-16-2012 at 6:50 AM
brachysira
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I don't know if it is or not, but with pain so severe, you shouldn't let them dismiss it. You could have had a heart attack, gall bladder issue, or blood pressure issue.  I think you should seek medical advice about this and see if you can get some more testing done.  Even if you do find out it was nothing big, some of these things just really hurt, so don't feel bad.  If you're not getting relief from the tums, you could ask for some prescription prevacid or something, but even if that helps one problem, it doesn't mean that's what's causing your severe pain.
 
11-16-2012 at 7:44 AM
NativeFlor...
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That happened to me when I was about 16.  It was indigestion.  I went to the ER because I seriously felt like I was having a heart attack and was in blinding pain.  I was nauseated, dizzy, etc.  When I got there they gave me a paper Dixie cup full of this industrial strength antacid mixture (thank goodness it was minty) and had me lie down for a few minutes while they gave me IV fluids.  I was totally fine by the time I left the hospital.

To this day I suffer from indigestion and silent reflux, but nothing as bad as that was.  But to answer your question - yes.  It really could be indigestion.  Visit the ER if you feel the need to, or your PCP, but yeah, it definitely could just be indigestion. 



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11-16-2012 at 7:49 AM
jinnymb
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Keep bringing it up in your visits, but I had heart burn/indigestion with DS2 so bad that I had to throw up to get relief. 

 Ask them what over the counter medicines you can take to help.  It felt that way too (like I was dying and on fire) and as soon as I had the baby it went away.   




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11-16-2012 at 8:00 AM
SarahRae85
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I have had severe, and I mean severe, indigestion. Your comment of "radiating to the back" makes me think gallstones and you might ask your midwife about that. They're not entirely uncommon in pregnancy!

That being said you are NOT alone. I do get very severe indigestion. Hours of pressure in the middle of my upper abdomen, laying down makes it worse. I only found relief (and it still hurt, just not as much) by curling while sitting up. Even then, it was hours of pain before I finally vomited stomach acid and it eventually eased to painful, but bearable, indigestion pains. It was 2-3 times a month at first, starting around 20 weeks, usually triggered by acidic foods (spaghetti was my first known trigger), but by the end of my pregnancy it was a nightly occurrence whether I ate or not. Unfortunately, my doctor dismissed all of my concerns and just told me to take Tums (which I did, but it did NOT help at ALL). I even self-medicated with Prevacid, which also did not help in the end. I lost 4lbs in a week from not being able to eat, and finally went to the ER (who sent me up to L&D since I was 38 weeks) to get some help. Ended up in labor, though, and never got an actual diagnosis.

I had it with my first pregnancy, but not my second, but had an "attack" at only 14 weeks this time around. I told my doctor and he put me on Pepcid. It has helped, but I'm still getting heartburn, so I have the feeling I might still have issues in the 3rd trimester, but at least I have a doctor who will listen this time! Even if it's just indigestion in the end, you are NOT alone. It can suck, but, actually, labor's not much worse (if it's the same) and at least you get a baby at the end of that, so it's worth it.


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11-16-2012 at 10:53 AM
tmsgrl
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Sounds like it could be gallstones or really bad indigestion.  I have had both and the gallbladder attack was a crushing feeling that I would compare to a really bad contraction in my chest. 

Try taking Pepcid and see if it goes away.  If not maybe you will need your gallbladder removed after the baby is born.

 
11-16-2012 at 11:17 AM
Juelsr
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I haven't passed out yet (knock on wood), but the rest sounds very familiar.  My OB has put me on Zantac twice a day.  It has done a great job knocking back the symptoms, and now I just need a tums here and there.

Labor pain is very different, and you are in a different mindset.  It is pain with a purpose, and you know that there is an end in sight.  Try not to worry about that pain just yet.


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11-16-2012 at 2:10 PM
PippaLee33
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I have experienced two VERY similar episodes this pregnancy.  The second one, in the middle of the night a few weeks ago.  I was curled on the floor, having a hard time breathing and my husband ended up calling 911.  After a humiliating ride in the ambulance and spending the night in L&D, they said maybe it was something gastrointestinal.  They did some blood test to see if was my gall bladder, but everything looked fine.  Dr. said it was likely a "visceral pain," which is why it was so intense.  Google the term and see if it sounds like what you are experiencing.

If it makes you feel any better, I pushed out a 9+ lb. baby and this pain was on par with the absolute WORST of my labor pains...If you survived this, feel confident you can definitely handle childbirth:)


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11-16-2012 at 3:18 PM
katiec123
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I had similar symtoms a few years ago and it turned out to be a tons of gall-stones causing a gallbladder attack.  I did have to get my gallbladder removed.  They can confirm this with a  simple ultrasound/sonogram.  I would def. push this issue.  It won't kill them to check it out for you. :) good luck
 
11-16-2012 at 8:13 PM
arteri
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That sounds like gall bladder.  I had that type of pain a couple of months before I had mine out.  It was so bad that I was in tears (and I think that I have a high pain threshold)...I hope yours gets better and not worse...


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11-16-2012 at 10:00 PM
Spacebunny...
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Could be, but I'm 34, and I've had my gallbladder out (which they initially attributed to indigestion, since I had none of the traditional "hallmarks" of a person who has a bad gallbladder--and mine wasn't stones, the organ failed, so an U/S didn't catch it, they had to do a functional MRI to find out the problem), and I had a virus which went to my heart and caused 4 separate heart attacks.  Also initially dismissed as indigestion, but the blood work came back (after several days and I finally went to the ER with it even after my own doctor dismissed it) showing elevated Troponins signalling that yes, I had a heart attack.

Your midwife isn't even a doctor.  If you are having a severe pain, go to the ER and get treatment.  If it's indigestion/acid reflux (which my late mom suffered from so bad they thought she'd had a heart attack,) they can treat it.  If it's something else, they can let you know.  Better safe than sorry.  Feel better soon. 


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11-16-2012 at 10:31 PM
Vespah
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That pretty much sounds like my gall bladder attacks during my first pregnancy. I'd get it checked out for sure to try and get a diagnosis via ultrasound. I know exactly what you feel like, it sucks, and sorry you are going though that.

If it is the gall bladder mentally prepare for more attacks while you are pregnant. They typically don't want to operate to remove the gall bladder while you are pregnant, and will only do it if it shows signs of infection.



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