I have been having a horrible pain in my right side for a few months now, it’s just below my right breast, at first i thought it was the baby pushing up but i know it’s not now. When i first went to my Doctors he thought it was a Pulmonary Embolism (Blood Clot on Lung) so i went to the Hospital for a X-Ray and Scan and it turns out it wasn’t this. I went back to him a week and a half ago and now he thinks it may be Gallstones. It hurts more after i eat and it only feels better if i’m stretched out or have my hands above my head. I work in an office so i’m sitting down all day which makes it 10 times worse so by the afternoon it’s really painful and pretty much constant. It sort of feels like when i had appendicitis (maybe not quite as painful) but on my upper right rib. It definitely feels like it’s something behind my ribs and not my actual ribs. I’m waiting to go for another X-Ray at the Hospital but i’ve had no letters through or anything yet and wondered if anyone could give me their opinions in the mean time? Thanks.
Sorry, i meant Ultrasound not X-Ray although i have had an X-Ray which they put a led skirt around your Stomach.
26 Weeks Pregnant, Gallstones?
Category: Pregnancy Concerns
Jeska says:
Oh I had that problem. I had gallbladder disease while pregnant, and four large gallstones. It was horrendous. The only thing that worked to get rid of the pain for me was drinking a shot of apple cider vinegar and then drinking apple juice. It is the only thing that helped, and I swear to you, it made me feel so much better SO FAST. Almost instantly. The only thing about it is the vinegar is nasty. Like nothing you’ve ever put near your body nasty. It’s so bad it burns to drink it. But Im telling you, it works, and it’s fast. It’s worth it. I would stand over my sink with a shot glass full gagging, dreading drinking this stuff. But then you take big drinks of apple juice, and you’ll be thankful.
Due 28/05/09 baby girl xx says:
I am 35 weeks pregnant and i have something simular, I have a nasty pain just below my ribs on both sides , I also have a small lump on both sides the one of the left is more painful and seems to be growing i was sure it was gallstones but my doctor said they don’t hurt and you can’t feel them, i’m still sure its that…
I’m going for a scan on the 30th my doctor told me its a cyst but i don’t see how, good luck and keep me posted on what it is.
Lulu says:
X-ray whilst you are pregnant????!!!! I thought it was a total no-no? They can diagnose gall stones with an ultrasound so why are they giving you an x-ray?
I have had gallstone problems which eventually led to me having my gall bladder removed. It was one of the most painful experiences of my life. You need to get them diagnosed asap and then get some painkillers i.e codeine which is safe during pregnancy. They may remove it if it gets to bad or wait until after you have given birth.
all the best xxx
siohbon says:
hi, after reading ur qestion i really want to offer advice!!!
I have a three month old baby, and when i was 37 1/2 weeks pregnant i woke up at 3am in horrific pain, the pain went on till 7am untill it got progressively worse and vomited violently. The pain felt like it was in my chest and i had a panic attack. After i was sick the pain just vanished! I just put it down too something i had eaten.
Then 2 weeks later i had the same pain again, except i had a midwife appointment, and she explained it could be the position the baby was laying in and too take painkillers. she advised if the pain didnt go away got to labor and delivery. By 6pm in the evening i really couldnt take anymore and my partner rushed me to hospital. When there they did an ecg and monitored my baby and after 4hours of no explanation i vomited everywhere!! And again the pain vanished, i was sent home and told it was indigestion and too take gaviscon after meals etc.
So anyway my baby was born 2 weeks later, and i thought that was the end of my problems!! But no it happened again, and my partner ruched my into A&E, they couldnt find anything wrong, but initially they thought i had a blood clot in my lung. They kept me in overnight and then discharged me saying it was gastritis.
That weekend i was in the most unbearable pain, to the point that NOTHING helped, i felt no one could understand the pain i was in and i started to get very down, because the hospital kept fobbing me off!
My mother had gallstones a few years previous, and when we were talking about my symptoms we realised that was most likely my problem!!! I went straight to my GP and told him i thought it was gallstones. He sent me for a scan and that confirmed it! I am now waiting for my operation in June, (and that is as an urgent case!). My gallbladder is inflamed and infected and i have gallstones in my bile duct also.
My advice to you is this:
Try and fight for treatment asap, because it gets worse!!
Also people will try to tell you its because you eat too much fatty foods, sometimes this is the case but women can develop it in pregnancy because of increased hormones.
Me and my mum both agree (althoguh it may be different for you) that things like tomatoes or anything with tomatoes, salad, and anything adicic can trigger an attack. Curry form the chinese seems to trigger it and also KFCs, so dont eat them!!
I find if i eat wholemeal rice and steamed veg, with grilled fish or chicken i wont have an attack.
I no this is a long reply…hehe, just want to offer my advice!
Oh and the pain is normally under my right rib, and in the centre of my chest also in my back, sometimes leaning forwards can help ease the pain but not always. I find its very difficult to describe the pain and its intensity and would say its worse than childbirth. But i no of people who have had gallstones, without the pain intensity and vommiting. Im sure my GP said if you are being sick with fever it means your gallbladder may be infected.
I think the best thing to do is to go to A&E and just keep pressing them for treatment because you will end up waiting ages like me!!!
Hope this helps!