C-sections and SPD

[pie]

Sorry for no up dates on last weeks drama, wasn't in labour, dunno what it was.

But what ever it was my SPD has worsened by about 100%. I can't even take one step now

I'm 31+1 and if this is how bad it is now, I can't imagine how much worse its going to get.

I know that in severe cases of SPD a c/s can be recommended. To be honest I really don't think I could go through a normal labour. The pain is constant, tear inducing, I can't part my legs at all. I didn't think it could get worse and low and behold it has...so I wan't people's opninions and having a c/s.

Does this qualify as a severe enough case? How much convincing would I have to do with the hospital (assuming I do decided this is the best course of action for me)? Would they understand? Would it be around 38 weeks if a c/s happens?

What should I do?

It does sound like you might be suffering from SPD Grommit. There is a link further down the discussion, on mumbojumbos post, which will give you lots of information.

If you are having trouble turning at night, try sleeping as upright as you can, propped up with cushions. I found a bit of relief by doing this. Try and avoid bearing any weight on one leg, make sure you sit down when you are getting dressed and keep your knees together when you're getting out of the car etc.

I had spd with ds1, but I didn't know I had it! I had to have an emergency c/s with him and afterwards found my symtoms got worse because I did a lot of walking after the birth to try and get fit. When I told my doctor the symtoms he said it was everything growing back into place!

I have suffered ever since, there are certain things I still can't do, Like walking long distances, certain stretching exercise and certain movements during aerobics. I think I may have caused myself peramnent damage because I pushed myself before my body was ready.

I'm 36wks prg with no. 2 and when the pains started getting bad I spoke to my doctor and suprise surpirse he said it was the baby growing! so my husband looked it up on the internet and I do have spd. I'm glad to say mine is only mild and I don't suffer like pie.

I have been booked in for a c/s on 11.09.03 (39wks) because the baby is breech(and because of this they won't turn the baby becasue they may rupture the c/s scar), which i've now come to terms with, on the bright side I won't have to worry about any positions for a vb or constantly have to tell the MW I have to be careful because of spd, prehaps its a blessing in discise!

Hi all

I'm now 29+4 weeks, and the SPD is definitely back.

I had a meeting with my consultant on Monday who was talking about possibly bringing d-day forward. I need to go back at 35 weeks for a further assessment. But at least its been recognised and is written in big letters across my maternity notes!

Also had my first session with an obstectric physiotherapist on Tuesday, which went very well. I've been fitted with an elastic support (which I have to say is very uncomforatble at the moment), and given some strengthening exercises to do which will hopefully help as a preventative measure. There is a more robust support (which I had last time) which I could move on to if required.

Unfortunately, following a short shopping trip yesterday, my symptoms have come on a lot worse today, with pain now radiating down the front of my left leg making it difficult to walk. It's so frustrating, I've got so much that I need to do and can't do any of it.

Ah well - going for a lie down, whilst ds is sleeping!

Hi Pie,
I'm new to mumsnet too and hope I haven't butted in. Wanted to say, I had bad SPD, and like you ended up not being able to walk and pain was excruciating. Physio was useless. But, I found an osteopath who was brilliant. I had to have regular treatment once a week and it didn't make it disappear completely but I was able to walk again and the pain was greatly reduced. Don't know if you've already seen one or have though about it.

iso...I have spoken to about 5 osteos and NON would treat me as my SPD is so bad, all said come back after. In fact I'm having my pelvis checked soon to see it isn't actually DSP rather than SPD.

Plus I live on disablity benefits anyway (non SPD illnesses), so money is tight

crazynow, sorry to hear things didn't get better as you would hope after the c/s. Do you think that this was purely because you did too much too soon???

Either way (c/s or not) I have been told I will need a wheelchair still for quite some time, so do you think you would have healed better if you had done less?

Pie, yes I think I would have healed a lot better if I had rested and not pushed myself. I did do a lot of walking because I couldn't drive for 6 wks, so I walked every where and the pain was unbelievable, but I was stupid and thought I can work through this pain not realising what I was doing to myself.

I haven't done the same this time round, I've rested as much as I can and have been able to reconise the symtoms and feel this has helped loads. It did make me mad when I told my doctor I had spd and he said no it's just everything stretching!!

I have arranged plenty of help this time, so when I get home I'm just going to rest, rest, and rest. The good thing is I know what to look out for now and know if I'm pushing myself to far! Also as I've said I only have it mildly, nothing as bad as yours pie, its so sad that this day and age there is nothing that can be done to help you out.

Any way take care and look after yourself.

Pie, have you made any decisions yet?

I have to say my SPD is still causing a bit of grief - not massively, but I walked dd1 to childminder this morning for first time since having dd2, and there were Definite Twinges. Suspect I shouldn't resume swimming, or perhaps it's a toss-up (so to speak, ahem) between swimming and sex, what do you think?

Hello

I had severe SDP with DS1 and still suffer 3 years on. Bad pain if I swim or stand for too long. Can no longer do things like cut the grass or push heavy shopping trolley. Doctor says may go after a few more years, but may never go. Doctor also said would prob end up in wheelchair if we try for a 2nd. I am emotionally gutted, but have logically decided against another. Very lucky to have one.

Anyway, I write to say to Pie IMO go for the elective section. I did and am VERY glad I did - made things much better. (I was bed bound for 3 weeks before where pain was soo bad) Remember screaming in pain when I tried to open legs wide enough for them to see if waters had broken.

I know several people with the same thing - one much worse. Life goes on - but somewhat changed - still wouldn't be without my DS though...

GOOD LUCK

Hi motherinferior, are you asking between swimming and sex...well given my reputation you can guess how I'd answer that... Seriously though, swimming should be fine as long as you don't do breaststroke, you want to avoid hip abduction.

I have my next antenatal appointment a week on Friday, I'll be 34+1 so I think thats a good time to start dicussing it seriously. Thanks for asking how things are btw, I've been feeling so down I can't even motivate to post on mumsnet most days...

Noisy, thats for the message, I'm sorry to hear about your ongoing problems. Has your doctor checked to see its not DSP rather than SPD? When you say you were bed bound for 3 weeks, were you up relatively quickly (c/s taken into consideration) after. Does my question make sense?

My mind is saying c/s but my emotions are saying try vaginal...When I found out I was pregant I had so many ideas about how I wanted this one to go. DD's birth was so medicalised I didn't want that again as I still barely remember it, like it didn't happen to me. But fate consipires and all that and I'm having a hard time reconciling real life with the ideal I still have in my head..

Noisy, that should say 'thanks' for that message!

Pie, sorry you've been down. Sending good thoughts to you through the ether.

Bloodyell, what's hip abduction? I don't think mine's that bad anyway; problem is b/stroke is what I've always done. I did actually have a couple of crawl lessons to see if I could do that with this pregnancy but in the end was in far too much pain for that.

Mind you current difficulty is more with dd2 perched continually on my shoulder...

I am so sorry you've been (very understandably!) low. Do you think that if you know in advance it might be easier to 'own' this birth? (I do know what you mean about not owning previous ones; I definitely feel differently about dd2's and dd1's (emergency ventouse, half of King's Hospital gawping up my arc-lit crotch) births.)

Pie, I know what you mean when you say you want a vaginal birth. I had an emergency c/s with ds1 and so desperately wanted a vbacs, but my husband and friends just couldn't understand, it's so difficult to explain to someone else why you want to go down this route. I had such a bad time with the delivery and recovery last time I didn't want to go through that again.

Last week I saw a consultant and the baby is still breech and they say they won't turn the baby as this may cause my scar to rupture so I have had to book for an elective c/s - I was gutted. I have now got my head round it and think well at least I won't have to keep telling the mw about my spd and worry incase more damage is caused, so it's probably a blessing in discise.

Pie, how are you now?

I'm still distinctly twingey. Swimming's out, I fear, but pilates starts again soon...

Hey motherinferior...feel vast hugely pregnant. I didn't show at all until 6 months, all my clothes fit, now I'm almost 8 months and people see me and its like WOW, you've exploded, yeah thanks.

Still can't walk. Today I am currently leaning towards vaginal, earth mother type birth, though this is likely to change tomorrow. I have an antenatal with my GP on Friday and then an antenatal at the hospital in a couple more weeks so I think that what ever I dicuss with them and the info I go in with and take away will probably get me off that fence.

Though I have to say reading that thread about clean hospitals makes me want to have the baby at home...I don't think I could persuade DH though, him being the Yankee hospital lover and all.

Sorry to hear about the swimming, did you try? Are you still improving down there generally though?

I'm definitely, definitely MUCH better, thanks. It's just that when I do any walking at adult pace for any distance that I realise things aren't perfectly OK.

The only thing about opting for C-section in your case, I was thinking, is that the whole damn pregnancy has been so awful that it MIGHT be worth averting the chance of an emergency one...oh honey. Love and hugs.