Doctors don't know...

Hey folks!  I know its been awhile, but this week has been the hardest of my pregnancy. 

So a week ago I started experiencing a dull cramp, it was uncomfortable but I could live with it.  Well 24 hours later I started having severe cramping and if I didn't know any better I would've thought I was coming on my period. 


So I scheduled an emergency appointment with my doctor.  She checked the baby and everything was fine, she tells me I'm having round ligament pains, which are pains you get when the uterus stretches to accomodate the baby.  I know this is my first time at the rodeo, but I know my body and these ARE NOT the pains of my uterus stretching.  But she's the doctor so I follow her advice, I start taking Tylenol (I might as well take a sugar pill, that's how effective they are... LOL), staying off of my feet, and getting lots of rest.  NONE OF THIS HELPS!!!  After two more days of being doubled over in pain and not being able to move, walk, or go to the bathroom without feeling like my uterus was going to fall out, I call my doctor AGAIN!  The nurse tells me pregnancy is painful and to buy a maternity belt...


I go to Arundel Mills and hobble around like an 80-year old to buy this belt.  I wear it the next day thinking this is going to help, after 6 hours I took it off.  The thing was so damn aggravating I was even more on edge because now I was not only in pain but I was agitated.  So 1am Sunday morning we go to the ER, and let me tell you I 'bout died everytime we hit a bump or pothole, I really thought my uterus was going to fall on the floor.  We sit there for an hour only to be sent home, apparently the nurse called my doctor who told her it was just ligament pain.... WTH?!?


I know my body and I know this is NOT ligament pain.  So I come home in the same pain I was in when I left and decide I'm going to play doctor for myself.  I go to some of my fave mommy groups and post my dilemna.  Within FIVE minutes I got a reply and a link to a group for pregnant women with fibroids.  The very first entry describes exactly what I'm going through, fibroid degeneration.  This basically means the fibroid is dying due to decreased blood supply which is common during pregnancy.  Now I feel a little bit better because I know I'm not making this up.  I have had friends tell me I'm "being dramatic", "maybe I have a low threshold for pain", I "need to just deal with it", or the most ridiculous "how are you going to deal with labor", until you've experienced NINE days of the pain I've been in, you have no idea what you're talking about.  And at least labor ends at some point or I can get an epidural.... SMDH!

So my next step is to call my old GYN who specializes in fibroid treatment and see what if anything can be done.  The degeneration can take anywhere from a week to several to finally die off.  I don't need to be pain free but I would like to be comfortable so I can continue to enjoy my pregnancy. 

On a happier note, while we were in the ER Baby Daddy got to hear the heartbeat for the first time.  I don't think I've ever seen him smile so big... CTHU!!!  And we kept hearing this swooshing noise and the nurse asked if I noticed if the Bloog's movements had decreased.  Well first of all I hadn't felt the baby move yet, I thought I had but wasn't sure; and second I've been in so much pain I can't focus on anything else.  So I asked her what the swooshing noise was and she said that's the baby moving!  This baby is going to be an Olympic swimmer, from the first sonogram its been moving and grooving all over my uterus.  I even thought the pain may have been from the baby kicking my fibroids (early NFL practice).  And the kicker is, the only time Bloog stopped moving was when Baby Daddy would rub my stomach and talk to him/her... LOL!

So we're home now and I'm still in pain (not as much as before, but I'm still not 100%), but I will be making appointments to get some resolution.  Stay tuned for updates..