VERY scary trip to the ER for me...Thoughts and Prayers needed.

[babymakes4]

I just got home a little while ago.

I ate some macaroni and cheese for lunch with the kids, and then we all laid down for a nap this afternoon. About 30 minutes later I woke up with extreme pain in my lower chest/upper abdomen right under my breastbone and bottom of my rib cage.

I felt like I was going to pass out, and like I couldn't breathe. I called dh at work and he came home, took one look and called 911. they came and hauled me off to the ER in an ambulance, where I had blood tests, EKG, chest x-rays....etc.

The doctor wanted to do a CT of my chest to rule out a blood clot to my chest, because of the c-section i had 2 weeks ago, but informed me that with the dye they put in you I would have to refrain from nursing Alex for 2 whole days. I told him I really didn't want to do that since he is only 2 weeks old. So the doc decided to do some kind of blood test. It came back negative, which he said means that its unlikely that I would have a blood clot in my lung, but its not impossible.

He put it this way "Could I miss a PE (pulmonary embolism) yes, but with this blood test being negative I SHOULDN'T miss it"

I was told to come back immediately if the pain returns or if i feel weak or short of breath.

The whole thing was very scary, im still worried. I hope I did the right thing in regards to the ct scan.

I could really use some prayers and thoughts ladies, I hope I am ok from here on out.

[CatSoup]

Hope you're okay. :(

[PiccoloRose]

Oh my, that does sound scary! Thoughts and prayers coming your way.

[pawprint]

Are you SURE the dye is not safe or is it just what the manufacturer says to cover their butts?

[still_me]

yeah, I'd be checking into the dye also. I know that Alex isn't that old, but well, I'll be blunt here, most people don't live through pulmonary embolisms. I'd be more concerned with making sure I don't have one to be completely honest. Maybe start pumping now and if you have to supplement with formula, it shouldn't be that long, right? See how long the dye would stay in your system if it isn't safe.

[bocarioja]

Thoughts and prayers sent.

[Earthmama]

Thoughts and prayers sent. I really hope you're healthy.

Nipple confusion is a lot easier to recover from than a lost mama. Your babies need you.

[Rizzae2]

I get pains like that sometimes. Or that sound like that. It's usually gas. ... or sometimes what your describing as not being able to breath.. like a lung had colapsed or something. There was one time that it was going on for about 45 min. I was about to pass out from lack of oxygen. So I tried my best to overcome the pain and just take a deep breath. I felt and heard my chest pop, then I was ok. The doc called it asthma. But I wasn't weazing.

Hope you'reok! sounded scary!

[HammBugga]

I've been having pain like that pretty much daily for a couple of months. I went to the ER and they told me it was either Gastritis or an ulcer. They had me on Prilosec and Zantac for two weeks. It has gotten better but I still can't have any greasy foods and forget soda or coffee. The last time I had a coke I was doubled over in pain all night and thought I might die. Yesterday was my last day of treatment and so far today I feel ok. I am eating a lot better though and taking vitamins and making sure I drink about 100 ounces of water a day.

[MoonBound]

Thoughts and prayers.

[JudyJudyJudy]

I suspect (hope) that it's gas, which I understand can be worse after abdominal surgery. I hope you're feeling better.

[NewMum]

I hope everything turns out ok. Thinking of you....

[Rizzae2]

ive had gas bubbles i swore was gonna kill me.. where i will keel over in pain so bad like i was shot..

[Born_a_Diva]

It sounds like a gallbladder attack. It's the most excrutiating pain and it always seemed to happen after I ate something kinda fatty or something that I wasn't used to. My PCP kept telling me it was gas. This was worse than labor and childbirth!!! I almost started praying for death! My surgeon said it is fairly common with pg women and women who have recently given birth. I got mine out 5 months ago and haven't had an attack since. Did they ck for that? My friend and I had several tests run and for some reason it took a long while before the detected. Whatever it is...I'll be sending T & P's your way!

[babymakes4]

i feel like its a stomach/gallbladder problem. Im not a dr but I had pain in a similar location while pregnant and they told me i had gerd. The pain yesterday was insane though it was kinda in the same spot, just WAY more intense. I seriously thought i was dying, i felt like i couldnt breathe and if i tried to walk i felt like i would pass out.

The weird thing is the pain only lasted about 30 minutes and then i felt fine and wanted to go home. All my labs were normal and my xrays looked fine. I feel fine this morning, but im afraid to eat since the pain started yesterday after lunch.

cant get to my regular dr until tuesday, so im just taking it easy till then.

Baby Alex missed 3 feedings while i was in hospital yesterday and dh had to give him bottles. Today is a nightmare getting back to the boob :(

[Sunnie]

Sounds like gallbladder to me too. I'd make an appointment with your Primary care Dr and get a referral for an ultrasound.

Especially having those symptoms just 30 minutes after eating something fatty. that really screams gallbladder to me. I always felt like I was dying when I had a gallbladder attack. I'd literally curl up on the floor in pain.

[KerryS]

Are you SURE the dye is not safe or is it just what the manufacturer says to cover their butts?

It's safe to breastfeed after most contrast dyes. We just had a new policy written up at the hospital about this.

[KerryS]

I've been having pain like that pretty much daily for a couple of months. I went to the ER and they told me it was either Gastritis or an ulcer. They had me on Prilosec and Zantac for two weeks. It has gotten better but I still can't have any greasy foods and forget soda or coffee. The last time I had a coke I was doubled over in pain all night and thought I might die. Yesterday was my last day of treatment and so far today I feel ok. I am eating a lot better though and taking vitamins and making sure I drink about 100 ounces of water a day.

I wonder if you're having gallbladder attacks. I also wonder if that was the problem with the OP as well.

[Sunnie]

Fatty foods never triggered my gall bladder attacks but drinking did. It was weird. Half way through one drink and my chest would start to hurt. Blech.

[madelsmama]

Sounds like gallbladder to me. They didn't do an ultrasound to rule that out as well?

If you had a PE, you would still be in bad shape (shortness of breath, pain).

CT contrast dye should't interfere with nursing.

http://www.kellymom.com/newman/09a-drugs_and_bf.html
(this link also talks about a different lung scan to rule out clots, which is a VQ scan which uses different contrast than a CT scan)
http://66.230.33.248/discus/messages/55/1909.html?1230647819
http://66.230.33.248/discus/messages/55/Radiocontrast_agents_pdf-8057.pdf

If you wanted to be sure, call the radiology dept. to find out which IV contrast they used and look it up on Hale's site.

[babymakes4]

I just know I had the doc double check on the dye, and he came back and said, with the dye they use, I would have to pump and dump for 48 hours. He did the blood test thing instead and it was negative. Had it been positive, I would have gotten the CT .

[KerryS]

I just know I had the doc double check on the dye, and he came back and said, with the dye they use, I would have to pump and dump for 48 hours. He did the blood test thing instead and it was negative. Had it been positive, I would have gotten the CT .

I'm very curious as to what dye they use. Even if it truly did require p&d for 48 hours, there are other dyes they could use that do not. I suspect it's a matter of the doc simply not being fully aware of the dye's safety.

[pbear13]

Glad you are doing better!!

[Born_a_Diva]

i feel like its a stomach/gallbladder problem. Im not a dr but I had pain in a similar location while pregnant and they told me i had gerd. The pain yesterday was insane though it was kinda in the same spot, just WAY more intense. I seriously thought i was dying, i felt like i couldnt breathe and if i tried to walk i felt like i would pass out.

The weird thing is the pain only lasted about 30 minutes and then i felt fine and wanted to go home. All my labs were normal and my xrays looked fine. I feel fine this morning, but im afraid to eat since the pain started yesterday after lunch.

:(

Lasting only 1/2 hr sounds just like gallbladder!!!! Pretty soon, it will last longer and you'll be in constant pain (not as bad as the attacks). What you described sounds like nothing but gallbladder. Forget the damn dye....insist on a ultrasound of your gallbladder!!! I hope you can get the tests ordered asap. After my 2nd attack, and having to call 911...I drove myself to the hospital. I couldn't sleep over the anxiety of having another attack!

[oldtimer]

Im calling BS on the dye and needing to pump and dump. Are you sure he looked it up in Hales? If he used a general medications book it will say Tylenol is not safe.
If you need a scan, challenge the information they are providing. Make them SHOW YOU in Hales book, do not allow them to bully you. Hale is the man when it comes to medication and breastfeeding.
I hope you feel better.

[KerryS]

Most doctors have never heard of Thomas Hale or his text.

[HammBugga]

I wonder if you're having gallbladder attacks. I also wonder if that was the problem with the OP as well.


I had lab work and an ultrasound at the hospital to rule it out. It is not my gallbladder.

[Nipple_nectar]

I hope you feel better soon! Time to get rid of your ticker:)