HORRIBLE pulled muscle/charlie horse feeling along lower uterus

[1babysmom]

So this is the first pregnancy where I've experienced this. It's always along the bottom/underside of my belly, usually on the right side. The majority of the time I just get it randomly, sometimes it's triggered by a bad movement or twisting or something. It feels like an awful, awful charlie horse or pulled muscle or ligament or something- it's definitely something along those lines (nothing further internal, I mean). I suppose I might have called it RL pain at one point except RL pain for me is just really achey. Sometimes I can ease it by changing positions, other times that only makes it worse. It's usually such a sharp pain that it makes me catch my breath and almost bring me to tears!!! I don't really know how to avoid it as there's no consistent cause.

Now today it started while I was sitting on my exercise ball (my fav. place! ) and it continued for a good 15 minutes or so, REALLY intense and then it went away for a bit and then came back for a little while longer. I also got quite a few BH during that time. And then, ever since then, I've been achy, crampy off and on, and had BH for the rest of the day. So far I'm not dilating as a result or anything.

Does anybody else get this? Is it related to contractions for you?

[megviolet]

Yes! I've been getting it a lot! The first day it went on for HOURS and i called my midwife
It's definitely some sort of muscle thing, i guess RL but also not quite the same as my usual RL pain. I haven't noticed if it is related to contractions at all... but i seem to get BH really often (and they started early in pregnancy!) so i'll make a note to see if they happen at the same time as the pain.
My sympathies, it is really bad, isn't it?
I did find a hot bath helped, but only until i had to move to get out, then it was as bad as ever. Weird, i'll go days/week without so much as a tinge and then one day have it on and off for hours, or straight through the day.

[1babysmom]

Originally Posted by megviolet

Yes! I've been getting it a lot! The first day it went on for HOURS and i called my midwife
It's definitely some sort of muscle thing, i guess RL but also not quite the same as my usual RL pain. I haven't noticed if it is related to contractions at all... but i seem to get BH really often (and they started early in pregnancy!) so i'll make a note to see if they happen at the same time as the pain.
My sympathies, it is really bad, isn't it?
I did find a hot bath helped, but only until i had to move to get out, then it was as bad as ever. Weird, i'll go days/week without so much as a tinge and then one day have it on and off for hours, or straight through the day.

Oh man, sorry you're experiencing it too!! But glad someone can relate! Sometimes that's all it takes to make it a little better.

[etsdtm99]

thats what RL pain always feels like for me.. esp on the lower part of my belly.. chiropractor really helped with my last pregnancy..

[emamum]

im only 10ish weeks with y 3`rd i think i get the same thing sometimes, usually when i stand up.

[is it puppies?]

I have similar pains that after a bit of research I have chalked up to ligament pains (and I have a friend who is off work a month early due to the same thing). I started having the odd pain usually in the right side around 10 weeks and then lately (20th week) it's been on the left side. Usually low, and it's like a sharp stabbing pulling pain which comes and goes. Last week for a day it would act up any time I took a breath in a certain seated position and that day ended with a LOT of BH and I was almost scared enough to go to emerg but they went away, and the baby kept moving normally, and now I just get the usual relatively mild stabbing pains in my left lower area...but if it happens again as strongly I will hopefully remember to actually talk to my Dr about it!

[tngirl11]

I've read the intensity of RL pain can really vary greatly from person to person and from pg to pg. I get that same awful pain you're describing periodically when I roll over in bed. I also equate it to a really bad cramp like I've experienced in my calf! I agree with the chiropractor idea. I had a great one that really helped with all my aches and pains last time.

[1babysmom]

Huh...would I have to be at the chiro specifically for that? I had been seeing a chiro for about a month ( a couple times a week at least) for SPD but never noticed it helping that. (can't go anymore...got to costing too much for us)

[smokeylo]

That's totally round ligament pain. I have had it bad this time around, too!! A heating pad always helps.

[josie423]

It could be round ligament pain.

I had something similar at about 16-20 weeks with my daughter and it turned out to be an awful bladder infection (the pain I was feeling was my bladder) that went to my kidneys because I didn't realize fast enough what was going on. Fortunately I was able to treat the infection without antibiotics and was better within a week.

How long have you been having this pain and what happens when you drink tons of water? I didn't have the typical UTI symptoms other than pain so that's why I didn't catch it.

[1babysmom]

Originally Posted by josie423

It could be round ligament pain.

I had something similar at about 16-20 weeks with my daughter and it turned out to be an awful bladder infection (the pain I was feeling was my bladder) that went to my kidneys because I didn't realize fast enough what was going on. Fortunately I was able to treat the infection without antibiotics and was better within a week.

How long have you been having this pain and what happens when you drink tons of water? I didn't have the typical UTI symptoms other than pain so that's why I didn't catch it.

Oh yeah, it's definitely muscle/ligament related. I'm always on the lookout for UTI's, too, because I don't get typical symptoms either (and pretty certain my first miscarriage was caused by one I didn't know I had). I test my urine weekly too as a precaution (though I'd get it cultured if I thought something was up instead of just rely on the urinalysis).

Turns out I did dilate a tiny bit after yesterdays day of mild ctx. So I'm wondering if maybe for me that sometimes the ctx cause the ligament pain and/or vice versa, because they tend to come together for me at times.

[claddaghmom]

Yup I had that really bad and something actually tore. I stood up after a meeting at work and the whole room heard this 'crunch' sound. It didn't hurt after that... (Not sure why actually, you'd think it would hurt more).

The 1st time around I turned up my nose at the support bands. I thought they were dumb and overpriced. You better believe I have one waiting right now lol. And I'm prepared to buy a couple more if needed, and I want to bind after birth. I should have cherished my back and stomach muscles, not pushed them to the limit.

[1babysmom]

Originally Posted by claddaghmom

Yup I had that really bad and something actually tore. I stood up after a meeting at work and the whole room heard this 'crunch' sound. It didn't hurt after that... (Not sure why actually, you'd think it would hurt more).

The 1st time around I turned up my nose at the support bands. I thought they were dumb and overpriced. You better believe I have one waiting right now lol. And I'm prepared to buy a couple more if needed, and I want to bind after birth. I should have cherished my back and stomach muscles, not pushed them to the limit.

I was the same way the first time (funny how we're like that, huh? ), then I tried some the second time and this time and I Just can't get them to work for me. I carry SO low with my babies that it makes me feel ill to have something around my belly.

[etsdtm99]

you do need to tell the chiropractor (preferably one who specializes in pregnancy) that you are having the pain and where.. otherwise they probably won't know to check the ligaments .. my chiro. with DS asked about which ligaments were bothering me because turns out they were keeping him from turning head down, after a few adjustments my RL pain nearly stopped and DS turned head down (35 weeks)

[mae14]

You can ask if your chiro knows the Webster's technique. They work the ligaments so that your uterus gets put back in alignment within your pelvis. It isn't painful. I had this done about 2-3 weeks before having my babes. You can ask when you could have it done.

[1babysmom]

She doesn't, I asked. I can't keep going anyway (financially), so I've just been dealing with the SPD pain. Thankfully I have been really blessed with nicely, optimally positioned babes throughout each 3rd trimester, too, so that makes me feel better about not being able to go...at least I don't have to add that to a list of worries, right?

[claddaghmom]

Originally Posted by 1babysmom

I was the same way the first time (funny how we're like that, huh? ), then I tried some the second time and this time and I Just can't get them to work for me. I carry SO low with my babies that it makes me feel ill to have something around my belly.

Oh no! Me too! Ack! I'll still try though...

[chai]

If it is muscular, calcium/magnesium/potassium/salt might help... those prevent muscle cramps.