Spd / pelvic girdle pain

[Missh2019]

I am just after a bit of advice as starting to get really down, anxious and worried. I have been suffering with PGP/SPD for a couple of months now. Started off mild (thought it was just stretching pains to begin with) and over time it’s just got worse. I found PGP on google and it completely matched what I’m going through - groin/hip pain, turning in bed is agony, walking is difficult etc. It’s gotten so bad that I went to docs and they prescribed me with 100 x 30mg/500mg cocodamol. Been taking 1 if pain isn’t manageable with pillows, wheat bag etc. 2 if pain is agonising, 2 of these tablets make me feel awful. I took some at 3am this morning and have felt weird all day. Sleepy (not slept anyway but more of an out of it feeling), sicky. Just not right and that’s happened before when I’ve taken two. I’m starting to get to a point where the pain is just too much and I think I’m going to have to bite the bullet and take the tablets more often as they take the edge off. My first worry is my baby being affected - I’ve read that they may have breathing problems and/or withdrawals once born and that might mean staying in hospital. This is something I really want to avoid as with lockdown I know I’ll be completely on my own and don’t think I would deal with it well (suffer w anxiety/depression). I want to know how likely this is and if anyone has experienced same sort of situation? I’m also really worried about labour and PGP. The pain is unbearable at times and just the thought of giving birth makes me want to cry - how can I give birth when I can barely open my legs now? I’m really scared - I have 10 weeks left and I feel the pain is getting worse every few days. I don’t know what my options are as midwives not as accessible due to coronavirus lockdown. All of this is triggering anxiety which I’ve been doing really well with since stopping my meds. Help please !!!

As soon as you can go to a chiropractor. I know you can't right now but they kept me walking when I was pregnant with 2 of mine. I had to go weekly tho. NHS will only give you physio and that was no use for me but have google to see what tips you can find. legs together when getting out of car. Sit on dining type chair rather than sofa and on your bum rather than on a hip with legs at side. I hope you know what I mean. Good luck. I know it's awful.

I had maximum pain relief as I could barely walk from six weeks onwards. I had the same fear as you re giving birth. Labour was a doddle but I ended up with a CS as baby was too comfy, not distressed or anything. She did end up in special care but that was due to low blood sugars as I also had GD. My Sacroiliac pain disappeared as soon as I’d given birth, but the SPD took six months to go. Good luck x

I've no advice just sympathy, I had it mild during the 3rd trimester of my last pregnancy and even I struggled, hope you get some good advice and something sorted

I found having a pillow between my knees and ankles while I was sleeping helped a lot. Knees together getting out of the car. Sit down to dress so you're never supporting all your weight on one leg.
I ended up on crutches pretty early on and a wheelchair at the end. I wish they'd offered me stronger painkillers as I had my max dose of paracetamol every day for months and it barely helped at all.
I can't help with labour as I had a C-section. One of reason being that I just couldn't stand to be pregnant any more. I leaned on a midwife to hobble to theatre and when I got out of bed that evening after major surgery I felt like a new woman. You have my upmost sympathy.

You have my sympathy I developed it with ds1, it never recovered after the birth, I’m still in daily pain and he’s 14 now! Physio doesn’t do anything and my gp is at a loss

Have you been given a belt or tubigrip? You’re really needing to see physio - they may be doing virtual or phone consults - speak to your midwife.

I had this caused by childbirth. A physio sorted me out and I had lots of gentle exercises to do at home. I saw a women's health physio, part of the Mummy MOT brand, might be worth looking up to see if there's one near you? I think mine is doing video consults at the moment.

I agree about seeing a chiropractor. I really suffered with DS1 and was left with long term problems due to being flung into stirrups too quickly, but managed OK with DS2 by seeing a chiropractor regularly through and after pregnancy.

@Dead2me have you tried chiro? I am still not quite right 15 years on, but chiro really does have a noticeable benefit x

Oh this brings back memories. I had it really badly with ds and not as bad with dd. I found a belt from the physio really helped. Also, that's high dose cocodamol so I'm not surprised you feel out of it. I can't take that strength codeine as I fast metabolise it and feel, frankly, off my tits!

Tips: never stand on one leg - you'd be surprised how often we do this, getting dressed, getting out a car etc. Try prenatal yoga, online individual sessions if you can afford it. I found a v pillow under bump and between knees helped a bit. I also tried a silky pillowcase type thing to aid turning over in bed,but can't remember if it was any good! Finally, make it clear in your birth plan that this is an issue. I planned a homebirth, ended up in hospital being induced and then postnatal ward on my back in a bed unable to move and reach ds :(
I too still have issues now but holding my core helps when I'm lifting things etc to avoid pain. And def push for a physio appointment ASAP.

You need to rest and not walk, no stairs!!

Ice packs and ibuprofen to reduce the inflammation. Seek an osteopath that is qualified to treat pregnant women (not all are). I went in on crutches and came out so much better!

Post birth there was an immediate improvement, gave birth on all fours. Still twinges every now and then. Next pregnancy is started earlier but never got as bad because I knew how to look after myself better.

Get the support belts from a physio. Everyone has given you good advice, the only other thing I'd add is don't push anything. My youngest is 21 months now and I still can't push his buggy, or push a shopping trolley for more than maybe 100 metres before the pain is too much. Also, avoid uneven ground like sand. Also, get crutches or wheelchair, take all the pressure off. I really feel for you, it's so painful and invades every aspect of your life.
I had it with both pregnancies and gave birth ok. First I had epidural. Second came in hours start to finish, no chance for anything but gas and air and it was ok.

Utterly agree about wheelchair, every step you take is causing more damage.

NO IBUPROFEN. It’s contraindicated extremely strongly in pregnancy.

PGP is awful, I had it in my first pregnancy and have it even worse now (24w pregnant with DC2).

There is some useful advice here:
pelvicpartnership.org.uk/

I'm still seeing the osteopath I saw in my first pregnancy - he is still seeing clients (with precautions) THANK GOD. It's the only thing that helps me. So my advice is to ring round all the private osteopaths, chiropractors and women's health physios until you find one who will help you. Preferably face to face as you can't beat manual therapy. If not then video consult would be better than nothing.

I think it's appalling that pregnant women in severe pain with PGP are being fobbed off with nothing but painkillers - painkillers that have side effects and risks. I'm pretty sure the risks to your physical and mental health are much higher than the minuscule risk of transmitting coronavirus.

PS If you have a decent size bath, a bath can help, but make sure you have someone on hand to help you get in and out.

I had to source crutches via fb second time. Even at normal times it was about 12 weeks of hoop jumping to see a physio 1:1. By that point I was 37 weeks and already on the crutches. Without them I would have had to cancel the appointment because I couldn't have got to the clinic from the car park (DH was away)

It is worth considering ELCS. DS2 was a VBAC resulting in rushed forceps and a 3rd degree tear. My mobility was compromised for another 3 months. At that point, I went to an osteopath which made a big difference. I still go monthly under normal circumstances as my pelvis tends to twist. It is weakened, so while I can run HMs, I struggle with single sided pressure such as digging in the garden.

Although postnatally second time was worse because of birth injury, managing it in pregnancy made it easier to live with. First time I didn't know what it was, and going to the GP at 34 weeks because it was now intolerably painful to go around the supermarket, I was told it was "pregnancy aches and pains" and carried on damaging myself by doing things like breaststroke. I ended up pretty much housebound unless I was ferried door to door.

The main thing is keep your legs closed and together as much as possible. There are plenty of tips online.

It's bloody miserable because nothing touches the pain.

@BuntyCollocks times must have changed since I was pregnant!!! Eek...

@RandomMess
How long ago was it?!

16 years

I had this from about 6 months onwards. I saw a women’s health physio who was fantastic and that helped a lot. She seemed to do a lot of pressure point treatment on the pubic bone I seem to remember.

But obviously I guess physios are not working right now, so the other things that helped were putting a plastic bag on the car seat to help you swivel to get in/out (keep knees together), pillow between knees in bed, rest rest rest, a warm bath if there is someone to help you get in and out. I’ve heard that some women end up with crutches so you could always try and obtain some and try it.

I also suffered during both my pregnancies, it’s so horrible isn’t it?! Unfortunately not much helped during pregnancy apart from the usual advice...keep your legs together, pillow between legs in bed etc, but I didn’t have any problems giving birth vaginally (or maybe I just didn’t notice the pain?). Seeing a chiropractor postnatally really really helped. Maybe you could phone one for advice even if you can’t see one face to face.

I had it in three of four pregnancies. First three and all were boys. Didn't get it with number four who was a girl. Coincidence? I don't know.

Honestly? Nothing helped, you move too much and it hurts, you are still too much and it hurts. You feel like you're being kicked between the legs by a horse, constantly. Sleep? Nah, because turning over is torture.

Physio didn't help, a girdle didn't help. I didn't take painkillers because nobody said I could. I suppose a wheelchair could help but again it involves staying in one position - which hurts.

I just waited it out, although I remember going shopping to a supermarket and having to crawl on hands and knees from the entrance back to the car because I physically couldn't stand up anymore.

Needs way more awareness.

Strange that you had it in your first 3 pregnancies but not fourth one.

DC1 is a boy, DC2 is a girl and the PGP is worse this time. I am stopping at two for many reasons and PGP is one of them! I keep telling myself this is the last time!

It did start earlier and became worse with each of my first three. It was maybe 30 weeks with the first and so the midwife said it was pressure pain so at my 20 week scan and subsequent appointment with the hospital midwife I mentioned I had pressure pain. She said 20 weeks was far too early and called the doc in. He had me lie on the bed and was measuring hor far apart I could open my legs (god, sounds awful ha) diagnosed that day.

Number 3 and it started very early and was by far the worst. So, you can imagine how panic stricken I was when I found out I was pregnant with a fourth. It just didn't happen again. The only difference was the sex of the baby.