Should I go to A&E?

Search up Symphysis pubis dysfunction. I had awful sacro-illiac problems when I was pregnant. I used an Emma Jane belt around my hips to stop my sacro illiac joints from moving about. I couldnt walk without it. If you are smaller than a size 14, it shouldnt matter as it works on pulling the velcro tight. It wont hurt baby as it sits under the bump.

www.amazon.co.uk/Emma-Jane-Maternity-Support-Belt/dp/B000VLRM54/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2KVFGKX2HLBIS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ok6zCXvQTEujfNrlIBZW3UGm3nvIL4-suSfokLyfk2mH4Yp7WKmAt7ofjZ2pManVFvlPYJASXV9OYqjh2TGYrpIwPLKfdzJTP0locNeBsYWdr4KLG4vKtDQa-_nADovcuRTtdsW5Syfvp1VQ8YewpsI3N9UkMEdjkloNUp98R7juEtQCAPrkfWFlUmZNKEEVWTh9a8n91SsbqUxMY8_sV4H5r5L4L_XHssyMFSy_zrglTMuVLgNUcV9MxTSipG2GnL0AzUlV6i0SEnfEunLMm7RBb65IGMag_lzRAvlg-c4.IORXqxU_2_sZAzyrdCW5oza1kqYpmRkztnaxAMz4U8I&dib_tag=se&keywords=emma+jane+pregnancy+belt&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1728069023&sprefix=emma+jane+pregnancy+belt%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-1

It would be best to put your mind at rest. Could you call 111 and explain you're unable to sit waiting in a chair as it's too painful. Or maybe at reception they would be sympathetic. I've found as well that if you wait until maybe 6 am there will be a lot fewer people in the waiting room

Hi OP

i had SPD and sciatica during both of my pregnancies and honestly it was excruciating. The sciatica meant I could barely walk with the pain in my back shooting down my left leg, I couldn’t bear any weight on that leg at all. The spd meant I was unable to open my legs more than a couple of centimetres without agony so things like getting out of bed or in and out of the car were extremely painful.

My advice to you would be to rest as much as possible, warm baths, painkillers and sleep with a pillow in between your legs if sleeping on your side. Your GP or midwife can refer you to physio to ease your pain.

Really hope things settle down for you over the weekend and you don’t spend half a night in a&e to be sent home 💐

I had SPD when pregnant and could barely crawl. DH had to help me up in the night and when roll me over when I wanted to change positions it was excruciating.

A couple of years after I ended up with a torn ligament in my pelvis (no idea how) and it sounds similar to what you've described. I went to physio, had every painkiller you name and nothing helped but time - it's over 2 years now and still gets me. They never X-rayed or did an MRI, physio said they couldn't refer for one.

The pain you describe doesn't sound normal and the painkillers aren't helping. I would not simply rely on one or two GP's words on this one, especially if they don't have access to ultrasound and other OBGYN diagnosis tools. Again, why on earth would you risk it, especially if the midwife told you to go to A&E.

Yet you're asking randoms on the internet whether to go to A&E???

i'd trust the advice of a midwife over a gp atm.

A&E very rarely do MRI for anything other than a suspected emergency, for back pain this would usually be a suspected cauda equina.
The role of A&E is to diagnose and treat life threatening emergencies, they may not always provide a quick route to a (horribly painful and debilitating but not life threatening) diagnosis

The risks are minimal. It's better to take paracetamol for a fever, mild pain etc but for that level of pain it's likely to be recommended in a&e anyway. Safer than naproxen, tramadol & morphine.

Pregnancy complications can be dangerous to mom and baby. Why on earth would you take the risk? This doesn't sound normal and at worst A&E will be able to reassure you.

I had the same symptoms when I was pregnant, it was horrible!

I saw Physio (after I saw obgyn, midwife & GP )who showed me some pregnancy safe exercises and how to sleep / get up etc to not make it worse.
I also took painkillers and used dry heat.

It took a few weeks to get better, but went away completely once I gave birth.

I am not medical professional though, so I would still follow their advice and go to A&E if you feel worried.

OP, I mean this kindly because I know you are pregnant and in a lot of pain.

This is coming across as a bit silly. Your midwife has told you to go to A&E. I'm really not sure why you're here asking advice on mumsnet instead of following the advice of your midwife.

How is anyone here going to help, or tell you what's wrong? Most of us are not medical and even if some are, they can't examine you via a message board.

It's your body, your pregnancy, your choice. But for what's it worth, I think it is sheer madness you are sitting here ignoring the midwife's advice when you are in so much pain.

My DH phoned 111 recently and was given an appointment for the urgent and emergency care centre which really sped things through for him.

They won’t do an MRI on a pregnant person if they can help it. It’s like a last resort

Not all hospitals have 24hr emergency access to MRI.

I work at a district general and we have to transfer people to a teaching hospital 1 hr away, after 7pm and at weekends.

When I was 26 pregnant (and please don’t be frighten if my story because it’s one in millions to be where I was) but I suffered like yoh from sudden incredible pain. Couldn’t sit, couldn’t stand, couldn’t watch tv couldn’t read I just spent days in painkillers…..the drs kept telling me that pregnancy hurts and that I was just anxious.

carried on…..got to 32 weeks pregnant and my baby stopped moving. Long story short they’d stopped growing at 26 weeks and I went into multi organ failure…I spent a year in hospital with 4 of those months in ICU…..

again I wouldn’t worry this is happening to you but I’ve since done interviews for baby charities and I always advocate

you know you’re own body. You trust your gut.

I kept saying to the drs that they were wrong and they were…I knew the amount of pain I was in wasn’t normal as no women could have coped! They couldn’t have worked or even walked…..

advocate for yourself and keep an eye on it. Don’t forget count the kicks.

I had something similar in my first pregnancy - excruciating pain to the point where I couldn’t walk at times. It lasted on and off for a couple of months and then suddenly stopped. I called an ambulance once and, like others have said, the paramedics weren’t too interested as long as didn’t develop incontinence. Just advised not to worry and to take appropriate pain medication. It did go away in the end! I thought it was maybe just baby pushing on a nerve somewhere. Hope you feel better soon 🤞

i have to say, as someone with severe long term chronic back pain that is VERY specific to having degenerative disk disease, who was fobbed off with that kind of bullshit for 20 years before they'd finally get me an MRI to diagnose, and who is now mobility disabled,.. i loathe advice like this (not blaming you btw, more the page) as its reductive.

NHS needs to take back pain more seriously and diagnose quicker rather than fobbing people off.

I’ve also had MRI through A&E in the last month, with symptoms almost identical to OP’s (minus the pregnant bit!)

The MRI did not show anything, but the back pain was so intense I honestly thought my spine was disintegrating. Any lower back pain is just bloody horrible.

It must be different for different trusts ours you have to be admitted for and they don't do them through the night. Ours only do xray and ct 24 hrs

Don't try to sit as it's the worst thing if it is a disc issue
If you lie on your side put pillows between your knees and try not to bend or twist. Keep moving very gently so you don't get stuck
Painkillers regularly
Someone up thread has described how to get out of bed, there's videos if you google log roll in/out of bed

If you do get ANY changes to your bladder or bowels then don't wait to go to a&e. My only symptom was a feeling of warm water running down my legs

It's probably not reassuring but I had a totally numb leg I was having to drag behind me and it wasn't cauda equina at that point, just a very herniated L5/S1

I didn't realise dihydrocodeine was a drug one could take in pregnancy, every day is a school day. I hope you get the medical help you need ASAP.

Your midwives have said got to A&E. Not at 11, now. Get a taxi.

So you've been told what to do. Go to A and E.