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throbbing sensation in stomach when lying down

When I lie down at night I can feel my heartbeat on a spot on my stomach.  It is not painful, but is uncomfortable enough to make falling asleep difficult.  I have to lie on my side to make the symptom go away.  Could this be the start of an aortic aneurysm?
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A related discussion, thud in stomach was started.
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I too have a pulsing abdomen, but mine sometimes went up nearer to my chest, my friend also has it, we're both about 30, female and about nine stone, both have seen out gp who said an aneurysm at 30 is nearly unheard of, and that yes it is normal. I am wondering tho, as i have something similar again but off to the left of my belly button, had coil fitted in ja, could throbbing abdoment be a sign of infection?
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Holy smokes!!!!  I have in the past week feeling these symptoms, it started with this hot sensation in my throat, for any of you who've had a ct scan when they inject the dye you feel a hot sensation starting in your  throat, well that's how it started now that I think about it.  Then last Monday for no sudden reason my back completely gave out, lower right side, my shoulder is in pain and elbow, still on right side.  I've been through cemo this year so I thought it was attributed to that, but now this throbbing in my abdomen and the feeling that I'm being strangled, I can't sleep, I decided to look it up and found this site and your comments.  I further investigated through google and now I think I have this aortic aneurysm,  all the symtoms are there, including the back pain and shoulder pain.  Now I'm freaked out!!!!  I want to rush to the hospital, but havea 10 year old daughter who is fast asleep and no one to look after her.  I'm afraid to wait now.  Will let you guys know the outcome once I get to doctors tomorrow, I will make an appointment first thing.  
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Avatar universal
I too am worried about this condition. I watched a programme the other day about a man whose doc noticed a pulse in his abdomen when he was going for a regular check-up. It turned out to be the life threatening AAA. He survived the op and all was well. Then this weekend, I noticed that my boyfriend's stomach was pulsing quite strongly. He laughed it off as nothing but I am a bit concerned. Am I over reacting or should I make him go to the doctor?
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Avatar universal
i have felt a pulse in my stomach, and its gotten stronger. i can easily feel it, especially when i am lying down. i am not old, in my teens. im scared, i can feel my pulse from a 'vein?' on my forehead etc. im not that skinny, but im not fat...what should i do? the pulse seems to be only on the left side of my stomach, near my belly button, but its gotten alot stronger
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Avatar universal
I was actually just at the Doctors for the same thing a few weeks ago!

Here's my abdominal pulse story (long one...I tend to babble):
I think I always noticed that I could feel a pulse in my abdomen, but it was usually only if I pressed down and really looked for it.
Then a few weeks ago, I was lying on my back and I could actually SEE my pulse throbbing on my abdomen! It flipped me out a little so I did a search online for "pulse in stomach" or "abdominal pulse".  Just about everything that popped up said something about abdominal aneurysms.  Needless to say this completely freaked me out, not to mention that I have an uncle that has an abdominal aneurysm that has to have major surgery.

I was a nervous wreck...making myself crazy over it. Every little twinge or even a hunger pang for cryin' out loud would send me into a panic!! And of course I'd ask other people if they had a pulse and they'd all look at me like I was nuts...so that didn't help to ease my mind.  I knew I had an appointment for a physical coming up in October and I was just going to way.

Finally, my boyfriend convinced me to go have it checked out right away.
My doctor told me that everyone has an abdominal pulse and it's not completely uncommon (especially for women) to be able to feel theirs.  She (my Dr.) was a little concerned though because my abdominal pulse was a bit strong, so she sent me for an ultrasound just to make sure there wasn't something such as an aneurym going on and also to give me some peace of mind.

The ultrasound showed that there was not any kind of aneurysm, but it did show that toward my belly button, where the aorta branches off, my aorta curves upward a bit so it closer to the surface of my skin.  Freaky, but pretty much harmless.  The woman giving the sonogram joked that I was fine, as long as I didn't take any stab wounds to the stomach.  :-O yikes.

Also, I started WW in 2001 and have lost about 70lbs. since then.  It was explained to me that I probably never really noticed how strong the pulse was simply because I had more "padding" in the area before.  

So, the moral of the story is....DEFINITELY get this checked out. It might be nothing, but it could also be something and you don't want to fool around with something like that.  Better safe than sorry!  And take if from me, you don't want to make yourself crazy obsessing and worrying about something that might not even be!!

That's my long winded post....are you all still awake??  ;)
(Im going to post this without a spellcheck...so bare with me!)
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Avatar universal
I have a strong stomach pulse when lying down often.  I am quite thin, so I assume that I can feel it quite easily for that reason.  One thing I did notice though, is that when my stomach feels ill (I have functional dyspepsia issues) this pulse feels stronger.  I can't remember if I told my gi doc about this, but I've heard that a pulse in the abdomen is normal usually.  Not sure what the symptoms of an abdominal aortic aneurism are.
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Avatar universal
Could be! abdominal aortic aneurysm.  I'd have it checked out by doctor which can feel it by examnation.  If its is felt doctor will probably send you for catscan for varification and size. If not large usually nothing is done but annual examination to see if it is growing.  If and when it gets a certain size operation will be needed, which there is a new procedure of a littl insion in the belly below the belly button.
Aortic aneurysm can be dangerous because there is very little warning when it erupts. My doctor told me if I get a back ache that sends me to my knees, get to ER fast because there will will be very little time. I had a friend who's erupted right on the operating table for another issue.

Be safe rather than sorry - have it checked out.

GL
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