Cramping Questions

[Monarchgrrl]

I need to know if the cramping I'm feeling is normal. Can anyone help?

Here's the deal: I've never had normal menstrual-type cramps. Ever. The only cramps I ever get is in my lower back on the first day of my period. The only abdominal-type cramps I've ever felt are diarrhea cramps. I also have a high threshold for pain, so how do I know if what I'm feeling is normal?

What I'm feeling: About 2 times a week I've been getting bad lower back cramps and usually in the evenings I feel sharp pains between my hip bone and my hair line, right above my hair line on the left side. It reminds me a lot of O pain, but it's hurts a bit more and lasts longer. And when it's not accute pain, I can still feel it, like my ovary is sore or something. I've been feeling this since 6dpo and I'm at 6w1d today. Now, after googling, I'm freaking out about ectopic pregnancy. Google says lower back cramps are a bad sign, but I think they would be normal for me. I have an ultrasound in a week anyway, to see the heartbeat. Should I just not worry about it and see what shows up then?

When should someone worry? Only when there is bleeding, too? Or only if it's pain that doubles you up and you can't walk? Is pain that is only on one side something to worry about?

I've really been quite zen and what will be will be. But something about sharp pains on one side just doesn't seem right to me.

TIA

[FtMPapa]

It's probably completely normal.

It could be from the corpus luteum cyst, the cyst that is left after you ovulate - at this point, it should still be producing progesterone to support the pregnancy.

It could also be another type of ovarian cyst, but that's not a big deal, either.

My understanding is with a tubal pregnancy it hurts so much that there's really not a lot of doubt about it. Other forms of ectopic pregnancy are very, very, very rare.

I had all kinds of weird random cramping up until about 7/7.5 weeks, it's mostly gone now, but occasionally I feel something really weird. I've had a couple of ligament stretching or something episodes where I was absolutely convince I ruptured something in my stomach rolling over in bed or whatever.

[Monarchgrrl]

Thanks, Papa. It's interesting that you mentioned a cyst. I didn't think of that but I remember saying to DW around 6-7 dpo that if I'm not pregnant this cycle then I definitely have an ovarian cyst. So, that makes me feel better.

[Heinleinesque]

Originally Posted by Monarchgrrl

Thanks, Papa. It's interesting that you mentioned a cyst. I didn't think of that but I remember saying to DW around 6-7 dpo that if I'm not pregnant this cycle then I definitely have an ovarian cyst. So, that makes me feel better.

You can have both (and if you do, the pregnancy hormones will probably help shrink and dispel the cyst).

[CherryBomb]

I had an ectopic pregnancy and it took about 2 days after my fallopian tube ruptured before the pain got acute. Before that it was mild discomfort that felt like intestinal distress. I have a high pain tolerance, too. The doctor couldn't believe I'd been walking around for 2 days with a ruptured fallopian tube.

It's probably nothing but if it were me I'd call my HCP and see what they say.