This is NOT normal (is it?)!

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Hmmm....my breasts have always been fairly large (C-cup), and they did get larger during pg. Now they are probably a large C/small D. The pain is not really lower back, it's more right along the bra-line. I have read about women's breast size causing them pain, but always thought it was more common w/the much larger breasts, not so much my "regular"-sized ones. Am I wrong?

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I actually have had a couple of "exams". One was the standard 6wkpp visit w/the actual OB who did the c/s. One was just this February w/a mw who did a pap/manual exam. She did say that I had some mild prolapse (which the sOB didn't mention at all), but didn't say anything about retained tissue. I have been having regular periods since 6mo pp, but lately (the past two months or so) they have been different.

Is this retained tissue something that either of these exams should have caught? If I go in again, it will probably be to the same mw I saw in February - will she do anything different?

Thanks so much for your replies. I'm just so sick of having this pain, and DH is NOT being supportive at all. He just keeps telling me to go see a doctor (I HAVE seen the nurse practitioner, what makes him think that a doc is going to say anything different?!).

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YES

When DD was a baby and toddler, she would frequently climb into our bed with us rather than stay in her own sidecarred bed. On the nights that I let her stay, rather than sliding her back into her own, I would Always wake up stiff and sore, always.

When I did slide her back, I felt better. I slept in pretty much the same positions whether she was in with me or not, but I slept stiffly so as to not roll onto her when she was there.

I would suggest that you compromise with the co-sleeping by giving your DS his own bed attached somehow to yours. He will still be within arms' reach that way, still close where he's use to hearing you breathe and vice versa, but you'll be able to relax more when you're asleep. Give it a few nights, or more, for him to get used to this arrangement. There's no need to be really rigid with this, in that if something's really bugging him, let him stay snuggled....but I bet you sleep more relaxed.

Considering that your DS is now 14 months of age, I doubt retained tissue is the problem. For one thing, I think it would've been causing bleeding beyond your regular AF, like from the start when he was born.... But I' not a doc or midwife, and truly it never hurts to ask. The only foolish questions are the ones not asked.

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I'm sorry, that wasn't very clear. I did see the chiro for several months. My pain gradually improved a bit, then I didn't see much change. If my insurance covered chiro, I probably would give it another try, but we can't afford it out-of-pocket. If I knew it was GUARANTEED to get rid of the pain, I'd scrape up the money (and tell DH to deal), but it wasn't THAT much of an improvement the first time.

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I actually have discussed this option w/the nurse practitioner that I saw, and she didn't really feel this was the cause. I don't either, b/c I have slept w/out DS and it didn't make a difference. DS isn't predictable, either. Sometimes he'll wake up and we bring him into bed at 2AM, sometimes 10PM, sometimes not until 5/6AM. Sometimes he even sleeps through the night. I still wake up all stiff and sore.

I may start having DH take DS back to his crib for a while and see if that helps (if so, then we'll invest in a side-car, how much weight can they hold?). DH is not very supportive/understanding about how much my back hurts, maybe he'll start to be a bit more sympathetic if it's affecting HIS sleep, too, eh?

I realize it sounds like I'm poo-pooing all these suggestions, and I'm really NOT!! It's more that I have already put some thought into this situation and kinda-sorta eliminated some possible "causes".

I really appreciate outside POVs and new suggestions (like the retained tissue - ummm.....I NEVER would have thought of that, although I, too, HOPE that I would have noticed something strange before 14 mos pp). Any new thoughts will be appreciated, as I have just about thought this thing to death!

I'm about ready to give in and see the "real" doc (according to DH, the nurse practitioner doesn't count ). What should I be asking? I really don't want to come away from that appt w/the very same list of stretches/exercises that I have been given twice now!! I also don't want to be handed a prescription and dismissed. (I am not such a fan of physical therapy due to a completely worthless appt during my pregnancy, but probably would try it if offered).

Blech. I'm just tired of feeling "old".

Since your insurance doesn't cover chiropractic, I doubt it would cover a naturopath but I would highly recommend seeing a naturopath. Some insurances will cover all practitioners that have a degree (which naturopaths do) so it's something to look into. A naturopath will do an extensive interview with you about your "presenting problem", your food/exercise/sleeping habits, and depending on that, they will make recommendations about other modalities that might help you. An MD or DO is trained for the abnormal and to treat with pharmaceuticals, although rarely you will find a physician that has educated themselves and shifted their philosophies to treat the range of normal and treat the whole body, so I'm not sure if a physician will get to the root cause of your troubles anymore than the nurse practitioner did.

Regarding the breast size issue, I assumed that the pain was originating in your lower back since that is a common location of back pain. I don't think that your breast size would cause a problem at the location you are describing, however.

Hmmm... this is a stumper... keep searching for ideas...

sending you lots of peaceful, healing vibes...

warmly,
claudia

It's in the braw-line?

Just trying to think of causes. Doesn't sound like left over tissue. But .....?

Neck problems? Do neck strengthening exercises help at all?
Pleurisy? That can last for a long time.
Are you a smoker? You know what I'm getting at...
Do you do a particular job every day that could be the cause?

e.g.
1. In my mommy days I folded 40 cloths diapers daily and I had a painful shoulder till my last child was finally potty trained. That's when I at last realized why I'd had such problems with one shoulder.
2. Years later I worked on a cross stick for one whole winter and again a shoulder took the brunt of it. Didn't realize the connection till we took a vacation and I had (luckily) forgotten my work at home.

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I will look into this, but am doubtful b/c our insurance is Tricare (military), and first, they seem to prefer I just go to the free on-base clinic, second, referrals seem to be VERY hard to get. I would like to see a naturopath just b/c I am sick of the medical "system", but I seriously doubt that Tricare will go for it. I wish. Maybe some military mama will drop in here to tell me that I am wrong in my ASSumption.

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Sorry, I should have been clearer in my OP. I'm not very good at getting the pertinent info out there w/out rambling on and on.....

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Well, the first chiro really didn't help THAT much. It lessened the pain, but didn't alleviate it, KWIM? I have called chiros up here, and apparently $30/visit is NOT the going rate, unfortunately. It's a bit more pricey, but even if it were only $30, I'm not sure I'd do it. $30/week can add up pretty quickly, plus I'd have to hear DH complaining about "all the money we're paying that chiropractor and your back still hurts" - I heard it last time, except we weren't paying out of pocket.

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As far as my bra, no, I'm not certain I wear the right size. Would the pain be a result of a too-tight bra? My bras (nursing, cause there's no way I'm fitting back into my pre-pg bras ) aren't too tight - the band fits alright. The cups are a tough fit b/c I'm apparently between C and D, so one's a bit small, the other's a bit big. I wear the C cup (I'm hoping when I lose weight, it'll fit correctly) and it's not uncomfortable. Could that cause the pain? I've not heard about bras causing pain unless they were VERY ill-fitting.

Maybe they're just not especially supportive? They're just el cheapo Wal-Mart/Target nursing bras ( : all I could find), but I only wear them when I go out. Most of the day I'm bra-free - easier to nurse that way.

Could it be b/c I DON'T wear a bra most of the time? It's more comfortable to me NOT to, it never crossed my mind that could be a cause. What do you think? I'm clearly not very knowledgeable in the bra-fitting/wearing arena.

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GOOD!!!! b/c that possibility was really starting to freak me out!!!

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Neck problems....Don't really know about this - my neck hasn't ever bothered me. Stretching my neck feels good, but hasn't had any effect on my back that I've noticed.

Pleurisy....I have to admit that I don't really know what this is. Is it some sort of lung problem? I have always heard it in reference to elderly people w/lung problems.

Smoker....well, I wasn't when the pain started, then I was for a bit, and now I'm not again. I don't really think this is related to the back pain.

Particular job....not really that I know of. I'm a SAHM and don't really do any repetitive work like you described (no, laundry is not done on a regular basis around here - shhhhh! Don't tell). I will be much more aware of my activities this week and see if I can find a culprit.

Geofizz - good thought! I actually just got my eyes checked last month (not for this reason, although wouldn't I sound smart if it were?). No vision problems in this house, luckily.

I think you're probably right that I haven't given the abwork enough time. It's just hard for me to accept that wimpy abs can cause THIS much pain in my back. I've asked some other mamas if they had problems, and no one else has!

Bleh. Thank you all for your suggestions and information! I feel like such a wimp, but I am MUCH more sympathetic to people w/back pain now.

Kinsey

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Oh, how I wish it were all in the upper body. Unfortunately, it seems to mostly be in my midsection (which was not slim OR trim before my pregnancy!).

I also have a spot in my back that is occasionally numb that I have attributed to the epidural/spinal - did you have either? Do you think that contributes to your numbness, or is your purely from your breast size?

Oh, posture. Eeek. Well, now that I have a larger booty, it is really difficult to get my entire back up against a wall, KWIM? I have been trying to work on my posture if I notice myself slumping. But overall, my posture is pretty good, and the yoga has REALLY helped me.