Potty talk

Warning: anyone who does not want to read about my bowel movements I suggest you stop reading this.

Ok, so I panicked a little yesterday – the power of suggestion is very strong for me! I decided to do a little research on the internet on what lower abdominal pain during pregnancy could be caused by (note to self: you are better left in the dark – do not undertake own research on medical conditions in the future.).

After being able to cross off most major threats that it could have been (for example miscarriage is most often accompanied by bleeding before the pain), I was left with one major threat and several minor things which would not even warrant a visit to the doctor (e.g. constipation , ligament growing pains, etc). The major one which I was worried about was ectopic pregnancy.

I read through all the symptoms and the treatments as well as potential complications. While I was not is a high risk category but I had all the symptoms (including feeling faint, but I have low blood pressure anyway and the office air conditioning had failed yesterday so, looking back, that was probably not related).

I panicked so much (please bear in mind that I had been reading about the mortality rate form when the tube bursts and all kinds of horror stories) so I left work 3 hours early and booked in to my local clinic (which incidentally I have only been to once before since I prefer the GP near my Mum which is an hour away).

After waiting an hour and a half (can you believe they still charge you $50 to see the doctor when they have kept you waiting that long past your appointment time!) I finally saw the doctor who pocked and prodded me a bit before announcing that it could be any number of things and I should monitor it over the next 48 hours.

Thanks for those pearls of wisdom there, doctor – so glad I waited all that time when I could have been resting at home on the couch in front of some juicy daytime soaps!

The only comforting thing he could manage to say was that if it was ectopic pregnancy he ‘thinks’ I might be in a lot more pain than I was. I called my husband and then Mum (in future I really should do it the other way around as my husband calmed me down, but speaking to my Mum stressed me out because she is also a panicker by nature) and then sat in front of the television for a few hours.

I remembered my less than usual bowel movements I had been complaining about that morning, so decided to test the constipation causing pain theory and try for another movement. Low and behold, once I had been to the bathroom again, I felt SO much better – no nagging pain at all. It did return again after I ate dinner, but I am hoping that it is just the need to number two again!

It is so much better today – I can notice a little pain when I think about it, but I probably would never have noticed it if it hadn’t have been for yesterday’s stronger pain.