Being Reffered for SPD, how long before appointment, and what should I expect?

[jofeb04]

That is it basically!

After over two years from suffering with SPD, I have been referred! Had a letter saturday stating that they will let me know when I have an appointment!

How long do they normally take, and what should I expect?!

Thanks

Im having pysio right now for it, it may be dependant on the practioner, but this is my experience.

They will 1st take your history and work out if theres any predispositions to spd, but its is very common in pregnancy. You will also be asked to move in certain positions so they can see how you move and what moves when you do. With SPD your whole pelvis can pivot when it shoudnt each time you move anything at all.I was then told to sleep with certain pillows in bed , as you would when pregant , be aware of how to move off chairs , beds in and out of cars out of the bath ect. I was then given very basic pilates moves, that I had to do very slowly and to a much smaller to degree, meaning I could only move certain limbs etc by a few cm's and NOT the whole way. every week these excersises were checked and then if doing well , they were made a little harder and more positions added. There is no definative timescale, as each body and degree of spd is different. They may also find other parts displaced eg sacram or abdominals .I also at the begining (once I stopped BF) , was advised to take nurofen for about 10-14 days every day , every 4 hrs. To bring the inflamamtion down.

Ive been ging for a about 8 weeks or more even I think and Im definately getting stronger and feeling a lot less pain.

HTH , good luck with it , Ill check in and see how it goes.

hi jofeb

just wanted to add that, daft as it may sound, i found that taking arnica lots and consistently seemed to work wonders on my spd.

the apt, like melsy says will prob consist of assesment followed by advice on positions and exercises (v v gentle ones) to help build strength while limiting further injury.

Should have said that I am being reffered to a surgeon! Physio did nothing for me!

oh right... well in that case, i know nothing about what to expect .

good luck anyway -hope you are cured in two shakes of a lambs whatsit.

aww a surgeon, hmm, my friends husband is an osteaopathic surgeon , I'll ask him what happens , if he knows , may be a very specialist area. Poor you.

Thanks for that. I think it's more for all the scans etc. My doctor can't give me another xray, as I had already had one (which showed damage to the joint), and I've had my allowence of physio as well. Hoping that they will just offer more physio or acupunture (which did help me, but again, I had me "amount".

You should be able to find the waiting time for the consultant on the nhs.uk website (although that depends on you knowing which hospital you've been referred to). Were you offered any choice by your GP?

No tribpot, only the local one!
Going to have a look now!

As you are meant to be offered a choice of four, it might be worth having a look to see if any of the other local hospitals have shorter waiting times!

Btw, if you know which consultant you've been referred to, you may be able to see him/her quicker at a different hospital. I've just been looking at the stats for Leeds and found one surgeon whose waiting time is half what it is in Leeds if you can travel elsewhere. Just as an example!

arghhh damage to joint sounds painful, all part of the spd? Ive not had any xrays .

Seems strange doesnt it that car seems to differ so much according to gp/hospital. As I read you had acupuncture , wonder why some physios dont and some do , as Im still having pain and its been weeks and weeks. She doesnt have that kind of approach though .

What is the allowance time for physio jofebo4 ?

thanks Tribpot, but it's only England on the site for the waiting lists, but can't find anything similar for the welsh lists!

Melsy,
i think every trust is different, but I had about 3months of physio which did not really help at all, and about 8weeks of Acupunture, but that only helped for the day, and didn't help at all longer.

Ah, I think patient choice is only for England so far, sorry you other home nations - you'll have to wait! (I think patient choice is a pretty daft idea anyway but don't quote me on that).

My dh had a similar experience with acupuncture, btw - although not for SPD, don't know if guys get that! Hope you can get some meaningful relief.

having physio too - i am hypermobile - regretting being able to pu my legs behind my head now!