Ovulation pain, or are you just happy to see me?

April 10, 2012 3:16 AM

Ovulation pain, or are you just happy to see me?

I came off a 10+ year stint of Implanon six months ago, and I'm currently not using any hormonal contraception. Implanon stopped/made irregular my cycle, so I feel like I'm going through a second puberty right now.

According to my calender, I'm due to ovulate tomorrow, and I feel miserable. Sharp, sharp pain in the right side of my pelvis, cramps, nausea, and for the past two days I've been feeling really short of breath. This is just ovulation pain, right? The shortness of breath is particularly irritating. I've never had mid-cycle pain like this, but I've only been having 'normal' periods for six months.

This is all more irritating than anything else. I'm still working, though I did skip going for a run this morning and yesterday, and climbing the stairs to my apartment has me wanting to sit down. I just feel wretched.

posted by nerdfish to Health & Fitness (13 answers total)

No, I wouldn't ignore this. It could be ovulation pain but it could also be a burst ovarian cyst or appendicitis or who knows what else. Please see a doctor.
posted by embrangled at 3:28 AM on April 10, 2012 [2 favorites]

Sounds like ovulation. I've been on the pill for years and coming off it shocked me with a bunch of new pains and menstrual symptoms! Having said that, shortness of breath is also a symptom of gallbladder problems, along with acute right sided pain, so I'd agree that it should probably be checked.
posted by KateViolet at 3:36 AM on April 10, 2012

Go see a doctor. Shortness of breath sounds like something other than ovulation pain. It can't hurt to have worse things eliminated if it is just ovulation.
posted by mermayd at 4:04 AM on April 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

I had an ovarian torsion which started out with sharp pain on the right side of my pelvis and progressed to eventual throwing up of bile and near-passing out. I don't recall shortness of breath, but I honestly don't recall all that much about it.

I thought it was just some sort of GI thing. It was not. I . . . would get it checked out.
posted by that girl at 4:10 AM on April 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

Yeah, doctor. I have miserable cramping & that doesn't sound the least bit right.
posted by Ys at 5:36 AM on April 10, 2012

Seconding the "this sounds like ovarian torsion" (I had that too).

"Ovulation pain," from what I understand it and have heard about it, is just a little pricking sensation that happens at the moment of ovulation and goes away. You're talking about something that's got you nauseous and that's been going on for two days. If it is from ovulation, something's seriously screwy.

Doctor. Now.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:40 AM on April 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

Ovulation pain is short, very short. For me, I notice it most if I cough or sneeze and feel a sudden stab of pain on only one side in a very limited spot as the egg bursts from the follicle on the ovary. It is a literal "OMFG that hurts!" and is gone. Your description doesn't sound like ovulation pain. See a doctor.
posted by onhazier at 5:49 AM on April 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

""Ovulation pain," from what I understand it and have heard about it, is just a little pricking sensation that happens at the moment of ovulation and goes away."

Ovulation pain can be more significant than that -- mine feels like I'm being stabbed, with a biiiig knife, and then the afterpain lingers all day. It's been going on for years. Mine involves the cramps and nausea as well.

However, it's a first-time event, and pretty significant pain, so I would call your doctor. My doctor's office can have a nurse triage you over the phone; I suspect they'll want you to come in. I'd start with phone triage and seeing my GP, so if it is something serious I'll be working with/through my regular doctor.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:57 AM on April 10, 2012

This is how I found out I had endometriosis. Definitely go get it checked out.
posted by hotelechozulu at 6:59 AM on April 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

Yeah . . . that sounds a lot like a problematic ovarian cyst that has ruptured or is causing torsion. That can cause all of the symptoms you are having. Which I know about from repeated personal experience. Not fun. And you need to get it checked out. Most cysts are more painful than dangerous, but once I nearly died from internal bleeding after one ruptured in the wrong way, and I needed emergency surgery.

That the pain is on the right side is particularly concerning, too, because right-side pain is associated with appendicitis.

So get yourself to a doctor ASAP.
posted by BlueJae at 7:19 AM on April 10, 2012

I'm not female. But that set of symptoms would have me getting myself to a doctor soon, because there are several different things you want ruled out.

Get checked. And feel better, m'kay?
posted by azpenguin at 7:19 AM on April 10, 2012

Response by poster: Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I emailed my surprisingly emailable GP to ask if he thinks I should come in. Since I'm in the Netherlands, I suspect he'll tell me to take an aspirin unless I'm actually dying. Right side pain isn't as bad, but the shortness of breath has gotten a little worse. Hopefully I'll feel better soon.

Thanks again, hive mind!
posted by nerdfish at 8:58 AM on April 10, 2012

I don't think that your story sounds definitely like torsion (shortness of breath is not typically related to that, just pain, nausea/vomiting). Possibly ruptured cyst, but again, shortness of breath is tough to relate to that unless you're having anxiety along with the pain. IANYD, but shortness of breath is on the short list of things that I agree with the majority on going to the ER for, especially if it is worsening.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 10:38 AM on April 10, 2012