[~A2~]

Hi all

New thread time

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Regards

Ali

[Buckle29]

Hi All!

I have never posted in a forum before, but a friend directed me here and I am so glad I have found you! I am 31 weeks and have been in agony from the front of my pelvis when walking, sitting, lying down (oh my the lying down... ) for about a month now. I went to my GP who said "it's probably the position of the baby, take paracetamol and have a warm bath". I spoke to my midwife who said "oh yes, very normal, here try some tubigrip" and sent me away. In the interim I had a fall where I nearly did the splits (OUCH!!) and went to a different GP who wanted to simply sign me off. By that time I had done some Googling and asked to be referred to a physio. Sadly I can't find a specialist near me (Sydney's Northern Beaches) and ended up at a general sports physio. He gave me some exercises designed to help strengthen my pelvic floor and got me a support belt but told me that there was little he could do to make it better.

I have tried the support belt twice so far and both times it has kicked off severe lower back and lower abdomen cramping that lasted on and off for a couple of days so I am a little scared of it now! Didn't really find that it helped that much for the few hours it was on either. Sigh...

I am going to see my midwife again this week and will discuss it further. I am just surprised that no one seems to either know much about it, or take it seriously! So it is heartening, yet also sad, to find so many people on here that understand the pain. Everyone's first reponse is "oh yes, bad back eh? That's normal I had that too." Um no. I feel like I have been hit between the legs with an iron bar, am frequently unable to lift my feet off the floor because of the pain and walk holding onto things. I am also starting to get very sleep deprived because I can't move in bed without my pelvis clicking, cracking and feeling like it is being pulled apart at the front every time I move. Work is starting to get difficult because I have an hour commute, get stuck in front of a computer or on the phone for hours on end and then cannot stand up.

So far I have tried sitting on a gym ball, icing the area, using heat packs, sleeping with a pillow between my knees, sleeping propped up on the sofa, physio, walking, not walking, baths, crutches but so far nothing seems to be helping...what else is there???

I am going to make sure I speak to the midwife about birthing positions, and have read that all fours, on the side and in water are good ideas. I have no other indications of needing a c-section, and from the responses of my medical advisors so far they are unlikely to take my pain seriously enough to suggest that anyway. Is there anything I have missed that could help? Or does anyone know of a good person (physio/chiro/osteo) to go to on the Northern Beaches, or even in the CBD that could offer some more help or at least admit that there is something going on?!!! I am getting so sick of people telling me that it is a "normal" part of pregnancy. Well it might be normal, but that doesn't mean it doesn't REALLY HURT!

I hope all of you are feeling ok today and are, like me, pleased to read all of the good news stories of the ladies on the previous thread who have had their babies and recovered well afterwards! Lets hope more of us have lovely things like that to post in the future!

[Arls01]

Hi, you poor thing, it sounds terrible! I have SPD too, but you definitely seem to be having it much worse than me! The only thing that seems to be working for me right now is complete rest, so if you can take time off I would say do it. I'll be feeling better then will go out to the shops or something and aggravate it again, so resting as much as possible is the main thing working for me right now.
You're right about the medical advice, there doesn't seem to be much that can be done, just heat packs on the back and ice packs on the pelvis, that's what i've been told. This physio has been recommended to me: Julia Schwarz, Suite 4 54-60 Briggs St, Camperdown, NSW, 2050 (02) 95162612. She's right beside the RPA hospital, not sure if that's any help. Hope you feel better soon!

[MKTWINS]

Hi OP,

I feel your pain I really do! My first pregnancy I was on crutches - the pain was unbearable!

I had never even heard of anything like it or felt anything like it! I was undiagnosed. The pain started at around 22 weeks (I should mention I was pregnant with my twin daughters). It started on one side and ppl and drs thought it was sciatica. But it got much worse. My midwife (40 years plus experience) said she had never seen anything like it! Yikes!

I ended up walking with crutches to take the pain off my hips. No-one (tried Physio, ultrasounds - to see if there was something wrong, saw an Orthopedic Surgeon who suggested cortisone injections - I refused as I didn't know how that would affect the babies).

I found that every time my daughters heads were pressing on my hips that's when the pain would be at it's worst. And twin A was always head down....!

The good news is that once I had them pain was all gone! I was stressed that I would be dealing with the c-section pain as well as the hip pain but all turned out well.

I'm now pregnant for the second time (just 1 baby this time) and hope that there will be no pain this time round!

Good luck OP! It's worth it in the end.............

[Impatientmummy]

Hi Im 29.5 weeks pregnant with bubba 2, had no problems with ds but was diagnosed at 23 weeks this time with spd. I have a support belt which helps sometimes but other wise I need pain relief to be able to even get out of bed! I was hoping someone might be able to help me with a question as I don't see my ob for another month. I'm a bit worried that the belt might restrict bub being able to drop down into my pelvis when its time for her to do so. I'm guessing the belt is probably to low but I cant get it out of my head for some reason. She definitely hates me wearing it, if Ive had it off she will start kicking as soon as I put it on! Also what has help you ladies get comfortable when you sleep? If I put a pillow between my legs it hurts more, I currently have to sleep with my belt on as well or I end up in so much pain after an hour or so. If anyone has any advice on what helps I'd really appreciate hearing it, I'm still currently working as we are self employed & having trouble finding someone to replace me so giving up work as planned just isn't an option right now & the doctors that keep telling me to just don't seem to understand the impact it would have if I was to leave now.

[sephora26]

OP, I share your frustration about the lack of information and understanding about SPD from a great majority of medical professionals. I don't think that the majority of people understand just how excruciatingly painful it can be. I was lucky to find a physio whose wife (also a physio) suffered with severe SPD when pregnant so my symptoms were taken very seriously and I was treated to manage my pain as best as possible. My sports physio's wife also suffered from SPD, so when I was referred to him from my physio I was again taken seriously.

Have you tried cold / heat packs (I lived with a heat pack between my legs from 16 weeks with DD and 13 weeks with DS!)? Depending on how severe your symptoms are, it might help to have your back taped by a physio. Mine was taped once a week and I hung out for Taping Day . A SIJ belt and belly belt combination might also help, as will mobility aids such as crutches or a walking stick.

I hope your SPD disappears after the birth of your baby and you are not one of the 7% of women for whom SPD does not go away. If you are in the unlucky 7% (like me), then set yourself up with a good specialist team. As well as my physio and my sports physio I have a remedial massage therapist, a chiro, a podiatrist and a psychologist.

This is a horrible condition.

ETA @impatientmummy, the cushion/pillow between the legs was excruciating for me, too. The only way I could sleep was on my back.

This post has been edited by sephora26: 30/07/2012, 11:43 PM

[Mousky]

I just purchased a pair of pregnancy shorts from recoveryshorts.com. They are $202 with postage. I was 17 weeks when OB noticed the warning signs; lower back pain, hip pain and a tender (very very very) pubic bone. She was very concerned as it is REALLY early to develop these symptoms. She suggested the shorts and after two weeks of uming and ahing over the price, I bit the bullet. I still get sciatic pain, but the ache in my hips has lessened. They are very thick and go down to my knees, so not sure how I'll go in summer. Good luck ladies.

This post has been edited by Mousky: 24/08/2012, 11:03 PM

[kate_123]

Hi, I'm newly pregnant (4wks) but interested in reading this post. I'm very scared of spd and I know its onset is imminent as I am hypermobile which means I already have loose joints and get hip pain walking and can feel it worsening at this very early stage even with the slightest rise in relaxin levels. I plan on telling my close friend who is a womens health physio about my pregnancy earlier than I would want to, to try and get some exercises and tips to get on top of it early. Definitely scared of what the future holds for my poor pelvis!

[mumofenergiserbu...]

Hi everyone,
I am another new one here.
I have just gotten home after spending the night in hospital. My pelvis has slipped and I was referred here by one of the ladies in my DIG.
I am 22 +3 weeks pregnant.
I have had painful hips (crunching and popping as i walk and move) recently and on tuesday all of a sudden i was in agony. Finally went to the ER yesterday after no sleep on tuesday night and they admitted me.
I have been referred to the physio at the hospital (who has already seen me twice in 2 days) who has got me to come in bi-weekly until she feels i am ok.
also i have an appointment with the orthopeadic surgeons on monday to see if there is anything else we can do, and also determine if i need to get an xray, they think i might have fractured my pelvis during the last 2 days, due to the amount of pain i am in.
I have a very active 2 year old at home so alot of my "do not do" list involves things for my son.

[Cyaira]

Wow, never knew there was an SPD support group here.

Is it ok if I include my sciatica (well, technically sacro-iliac joint related pain). I have both sciatica AND SPD.

I have had the sciatica since 20 weeks and the SPD since about 28 weeks. Currently 30+3.

Its pretty bad. I have been to the physio and I have a support belt plus those SRC shorts. They help but not much. The physio said she can't do anything more for me.

The pain is so bad that at its worst I get no sleep, panadeine doesn't touch the pain and I end up wishing for a c/s then and there! I have constant sciatic pain and the SPD is mostly movement related (like if I open my legs too much). It's difficult and painful to walk around (and sit for too long too) and I dread stairs and sleeping. Sleeping is when it is worst. I hobble around like an old lady! When it's really bad I find myself wishing for crutches or a wheelchair. Yep, I'm in a bit of a sulk.

Anyway I'm dreading another 10 weeks of this and am hoping some of you understand what I'm going through, it looks like some of you (unfortunately!) do.

As a side, I have quite a few mobile joints too but not enough to be officially diagnosed as hyper mobile or anything.

Mum of: that sounds positively horrible!