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Pregnancy

Sympphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD)

29 replies

KatPoo · 27/10/2006 11:24

Hi there
Have been told I have Sympphysis pubis dysfunction - this is characterised by under bump burning / muscular / bone type pain which ranges from moderate to severe - it is worse when I have walked alot!!!!
Has anyone else had this & do you have any self-help techniques?
Please help!
Katherine

OP posts:
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Whoowhoobewhooooooh · 27/10/2006 12:40

Hi Kat - just wanted to make sure you weren't ignored.

I have a little bit of hip-pain at night, but not much.

There are loads of women on here who have it though.

As far as I can remember, some pieces of advice are to keep your legs together, especially when getting out of a car; sleep with a pillow between your knees and another between your ankles; avoid pushing heavy buggies and supermarket trollies. Also, you can get elastic belts to help support your hips.

Sure someone'll be along soon with some more useful info.

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katierocket · 27/10/2006 12:43

there are lots of useful old threads about this - try the search all messages function - look under health and pregancy topics.

Motherinferior (wise mumsnetter) also knows lots about it - hopefully she will see this thread

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DumbledoresGirl · 27/10/2006 12:45

I had it with my fourth pg and still have it now (on and off) nearly 4 years later. I didn't find anything really helped, but you soon learn what your limitations are. You can have physiotherapy and they offer all sort of supports - has your MW referred you?

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JackieNoHeadJustABloodyStump · 27/10/2006 12:51

This website might give you some information.

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Dorasmum · 27/10/2006 15:34

I think I am suffering from this - not sure. Am in agony especially from sitting to walking, very painful and am finding it difficult to work - chairs are agony.

Do I go to the Dr with this or see the Midwife?

Thanks

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DumbledoresGirl · 27/10/2006 16:29

Either will do Dorasmum, whichever you are seeing next. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot they can do, but at least you can see what they suggest.

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TooTickyTheAppleBobber · 27/10/2006 16:43

Don't swim - especially breaststroke!

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UCM · 27/10/2006 16:48

My Dr & midwife seem to think I have this. I can't walk very far without horrible pain and laying down at night is awful. I saw my Dr and he said, take paracetamol (all you can take) and I am having some physio on the 30th. It's horrible.

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DumbledoresGirl · 27/10/2006 18:02

I was told swimming was OK (but not breaststroke). Basically, don't do anything which requires you to have your legs apart, although I know what you are thinking of right now, and funnily enough, that was OK for me!

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Piffle · 27/10/2006 18:18

Yes
I'm 18 weeks and mine started as low striking back pian, when sitting to stand and standing to sit/bending,laying etc
it has now graduated to groin and hip pain
I am told I will likely end up on crutches.
I am seeing an osteo and he has helped a lot.
Swimming is GREAT NOT breaststroke, just walking in water with extended walking movements.
Ice packs
Legs together/pillow between legs at night/sleep on side
Satin pj's/sheets to make turning over in bed easier, prudent use of painkillers - paracetamol.
Ask for referral to obsteric physio, you may even have access to hydrotherapy if you're lucky.
It is a degenerative condition
I find mornings are ok, so I get everything done then - then collapse in crumpled mess for rest of the day

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Piffle · 27/10/2006 18:19

oooh and ask midwife/phsio for a support belt

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Mumbojumbo · 27/10/2006 18:33

Good document: here which you can download. Lots of info.

I had it with both my pregnancies. Try and take it easy (easier said than done I know).
Plastic bag on the car seat to help you get in and out. Don't push heavy trolley round supermarket - get DH/an other to do it or shop online!
Wholeheartedly agree with a referral to obsteric physio - whilst not being able to cure the condition, they can help you manage it during your pregnancy and offer advice/support/exercises after the birth to help you recover.

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californifright · 27/10/2006 18:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DumbledoresGirl · 27/10/2006 18:44

Not meaning to hijack, but whilst you are right in saying there were loads of us who had it during pg, CF, I am still not sure who (like me) still gets it now that they are not pg. Can you remember who those people are?

And I second satin pjs (doesn't stop pain but does make turning marginally easier) also putting something satiny (like an old fashioned eiderdown if you have one) under the bottom sheet.

I ended up on crutches and did all my shopping online - little suggestions like that can make your life easier if you haven't thought of them already.

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foxinsocks · 27/10/2006 18:49

I am one, DG, who still suffers to some extent. I also still sometimes get carpal tunnel and De Quervains tendonitis (but not as badly).

It took me about 3-4 years after ds to feel like I could really kick a ball without thinking my pelvis was going to split in two. I can now (and ds is about to be 5) play football for a good 10-15 minutes.

Swimming was a life saver for me and I still go as often as I can.

However, if I ever get out of a car with one leg leading or sleep in an awkward position, I do wake up with aches. I will probably never complain about this again because our opposite neighbour's mate has just had to have her pelvis wired back together because hers was so bad !.

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DumbledoresGirl · 27/10/2006 18:55

Oh dear, no I am not that bad! I mainly know about it whenever I try to make a sideways movement of my leg, eg pushing shut a drawer or shifting some furniture with my leg/hip - yes I know I shouldn't do it, but it happens sometimes!

But then, other times, I get the pain back when walking, or not doing anything really at all, and it is just as it was when I was pg. I went to the GP when I could hardly walk for a a couple of weeks in the summer, but she said she didn't think it could be SPD. I think she is wrong...

Sorry, waffling and hijacking now.

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jofeb04 · 27/10/2006 19:21

Hiya
I had SPD from about 16weeks with my dd. I was on crutches, using a support belt, but by 30weeks, I couldnt walk. When I was in labour, my dh had to carry me in the pain was that bad!
The area used to grind, and plenty of people heard it!
I was on co-codamol since 16weeks, continuously, and everything was fine (no side effects etc).
However, heres the bad news! My dd is 13months old, and Im still suffering badly with it. I had physio, x-rays and acupunture, but nothing really helps it. It is now something that I just live with.
BTW, Swimming is only ok if you can get into the pool ok, I couldnt!

If you want more info, CAT me.

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californifright · 27/10/2006 19:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

jofeb04 · 27/10/2006 19:26

I cant have it for another two years lol

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MumtoBen · 27/10/2006 20:41

I had it from about 24 weeks onwards. It got worse and worse. By the end of the pregnancy it was very painful to walk, but I could still walk short distances. I asked to be referred to see an obstetric physio, but was told the waiting time was so long I would have given birth by then - how pointless is that!!! In the end there was a physio at my antenatal classes who I managed to chat to afterwards. She gave me a huge tubigrip to wear on my tummy, which did help a little bit. You should try and keep your legs together as much as possible, ie when getting in and out of the car. I found the more I walked or moved around the worse it got, so tried to limit what I did. Also, sleep with a pillow between your legs.

7 months after giving birth I still had SPD and saw an obstetric physio. I was given exercises to close the bones back together, which did work after about a month. However 22 months on I still have it mildly. Still find swimming painful and also pushing a supermarket trolley is difficult. The physio did tell me the following:

One key thing was you need to tell your midwife when you are in labour that you have SPD. They are supposed to measure how far you can comfortably get your legs apart and then make sure they don't go past that when pushing.

If you are put in stirrups (and some doctors won't let you be if you have SPD) then you should spend no longer than 1 hour in them.

I spent 1.5 hours in stirrups and at no point did anyone measure how far I could open my legs. The physio said this is what made it even worse postnatally.

They might also try and make you give birth on your side. The physio told me this is not always a good idea - 1 patient she saw had given birth this way and had damaged her pelvis so badly she couldn't walk.

Also, the physio said I should have been seen post-natally and had an x-ray of the pelvis.

Hope some of this helps.

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runnyhabbit · 27/10/2006 21:06

I suffered from it with ds, but gp was not very sympathetic and didn't get any referrals. Brought it up with mw at my booking appt (am now 16+2 with no 2) and she told me there's not a lot they can do until I start getting the symptoms as I might not get it this time round.

The best piece of advice from her was that if it ever got so bad that I couldn't move, go straight to A&E, where they will transfer you to maternity and a physio will have to see you ASAP, which means you skip the referral palaver. Bit naughty, but she agreed with what some others have already said, and by time you go through the "proper" channels, your pregnancy is over! She mentioned a product called a fembrace, which is like a belt that you put on every morning under the bump, before you get out of bed. But its only really effective when you've got a decent sized bump iyswim

I had a ventouse birth with ds, and luckily, my SPD disappeared straight after.

HTH

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squishy · 28/10/2006 11:06

I suspect it's too late for me, pains have only just got quite bad and I'm now 40+1 - worth mentioning to the MW though? Does it have many implications for labour?

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rexyj · 28/10/2006 12:32

I unfortunately have severe SPD and have had it from around 20 weeks (am now 34 weeks). I have been on crutches for the past 7 weeks and have a displaced, overlapping pelvis that will not straighten, dislocating sacroilica joints, a 'wobbly tailbone' and hips that gives way and tries to dislocate on a daily basis (has only happened fully once so far thankfully!). Hijacking - sorry.

Make sure your midwife understands that you are not in "discomfort", you are actually in pain. My midwife openly said to me she does not really know anything about the condition and kept saying "I know you are in discomfort"!

Belts and so forth can help but usually only if you are not displaced in the pelvis, as this can increase pain. However, if you are still straight (physio should be able to tell you this) a tightly fitted bump belt, tubigrip or even your dressing gown belt under the bump can help to hold you together. You will know if you are not straight as the belt will cause pain, not help it.

Also, if you have only a bath or shower over the bath, a bath board may help you to get in and out without seperating your legs. Also make sure you do not lock the door to the bathroom. I once got stuck in the shower and had to be lifted out!

Generally you will find the physiotherapist much more informed than the doctors or midwives. There is only limited help they can provide but sometimes that is enough.

Basically the rule of thumb is do not push yourself, if it hurts, don't do it. Work hard at your pelvic floor exercises as this will help take pressure off the pelvis, also every time you go from sitting to standing or up and down stairs clench your buttocks hard as this will also help. Another good thing is get yourself a birthing ball and do what they call hoola exercises (sided to side, back to front) as this will strengthen your side muscles, again supporting the pelvis. Do not do the squatting, lying or feet up style positions, just sit on it and wiggle. Obviously keep your legs together as much as possible as said before. Also tummy tilt exercises can help.

I hope some of this helps. Sorry it is so long!

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Piffle · 28/10/2006 15:46

OW at your pelvic dyplasia that must be horrific... I hope after the birth you can resolve that?

God I feel awful, I caved last night and became a martyr, dp has been so angelic for the last 3 weeks, I offered him sex, if I controled it per se.
All night I have been in constant spasms of sacro iliac pain
He feels so guilty.
I am seeing osteo monday will also put some pressure for NHS referral as osteo will bankrupt me as I have 21 weeks to go...

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Dorasmum · 30/10/2006 13:58

All of these points have been so helpful - I got it all in hand over the weekend and was well rested and comfortable, after a nightmare commute and a morning in work however I am back in agony. Is it unreasonable to take time off work with this or it this something that I really should just grin and bear?
Feeling a bit guilty about taking time from work but know that by tonight I will have to get a cab to the station again as I will be in too much pain to walk

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