SPD/PGP but after the birth (& years later!)

[Littlemissloopylou]

I've booked doctors and physio so just need similar stories/advice.

So I had a twin pregnancy 14 years ago. Uncomfortable towards the end but put it down to having twins. During the birth, while pushing, I recall strong pain in the left side of my pelvis joints - different from labour pains. Midwife just said to roll onto left side. Didn't help but not much more we could do as I had two tiny humans arriving. After the birth (weeks & months) still uncomfortable but put it down to having twins & busy life and ignored it. Months into a year and started avoiding things that set the pain off. Googled and symptoms almost identical to SPD from pregnancies.

2008 - now intense pain, avoid lots of things, pain in pelvis (left side), pain in lower back, sometimes unable to walk properly so just shuffle/limp around until (days later) some relief. Tried physio. Said pelvis pain had caused a back issue too. Pelvis not rotating properly and getting stuck when it did. If they treated the pelvis then the back got worse and visa versa. 2nd physio said there's a lump (soft) in centre of back caused by ligaments(?), loss of muscle tone on left side and agreed with loss of pelvis movement on left side. Gave me list of exercises to return in a month for progress assessment. I didn't go back. I don't know why.

2012 - try physio again while out of work. Physio doesn't understand previous history as I'm telling her and gives me exercises that leave me unable to walk for three days. I don't go back.

2012-2017 - I eat my way up to 15 stone 8, size 20. New job involving being active for 6-8 hours a day, constant bending, twisting, lifting, sitting on the floor, small chairs, walking, running, jumping, standing etc. Pain. Everyday.

This week - constant pain since Monday, almost no movement in pelvis on left side . Pain in left pelvis, joints/muscles across bottom of back, in bum muscles, left thigh and middle back muscles. I've self refered for physio.

I know I haven't looked after myself. I know it's my fault for not getting or completing treatment. I need to do something.

I'm worried about the damage I've done. Is this SPD this long after pregnancy? Does anyone else have similar problems so long after pregnancy? - obviously you would have tried treatment. Will physio be enough or would I benefit from some sort of scan to see damage inside? Could I get better or will I have to live with this pain everynight and not being able to move in an evening for the rest of my life?

In pain, uncomfortable and totally miserable x

• should say I started the new job late 2017

I had this during pregnancy and it was so awful I couldn't wait for physio on the NHS so I booked myself in to see an osteopath. After the 1st session I felt worse but after the 2nd the pain had completely gone! I know I suffered nowhere near as long as you have but you could try one if you have the funds.

I didnt even think of an osteopath. Would they be able to help even though I don't know what's officially wrong?

A good one will. Look for one who specialises in pregnancy and postnatal osteopathy. I found it made a big difference.

Definitely. They do an assessment first and ask you where the pain is etc. She also gave me exercises to do for the rest of my pregnancy to keep my pelvis in line.

Sorry to hear you are still suffering after all this time. My son is now 11 and I still have SPD. I have to lift my legs out of bed every morning, lift them when getting out the car. Sometimes the pain is so bad I scream. Like you, I didn’t stick with the physio, my life was just so busy and the physiotherapist dept was so far away and I didn’t drive. I think I have just accepted that this is the way my life is going to be.

I also had spd during pregnancy but didn't have any problems afterwards. Fast forward 11 years and I have right sided pain which refers from lower back to my hip down my bum occasionally groin and thigh. Physio aggravated it.

I have also put loads of weight on the last few years and work in a nursery so small furniture doesn't help. I benefitted from deep tissue massage but it's so expensive I can't afford it regularly. I find walking is by far the best way to strengthen the area. Physio thinks it's my sacroiliac joint referring pain elsewhere

I started with SPD about halfway through my twin pregnancy and by the end it was unbearable. They’re now 18 months and I can still feel my pelvis pulling apart if I move in a certain way. My upper back is completely fucked up after seven months of pumping, and my lower back still kills after 7 attempts to get a spinal in. My back pain is literally constant and severe. I tried physio for a while, it didn’t help. I still have diastasis recti. I’m considering seeing a chiro or osteopath. A Pilates instructor who’s trained in postnatal issues may be able to help.

I had SPD/PGP with both pregnancies. My oldest is nearly five and youngest 18 months. I’ve been unable to walk properly for five bloody years. I’m hoping with time it will improve but I’m still living with daily pain. I self referred to physio inboth pregnancies and both times they gave me a leaflet and sent me away

I suffered badly with SPD which came on during birth. It peaked around 3 years PP.
I found that swimming breaststroke regularly is the best therapy for me (physio specifically advised against this though). DS is 6 now and I get the odd twinge but nothing much.

I recommend going to see a Physio who specialises in women’s health. I had bad spd in first pregnancy that returned when DC was about 14 months old (when my periods returned). The women’s health Physio really helped sort it out, to the extent that I only had minor issues with it in my 2nd pregnancy.

If you’re in London I can recommend the place I went to - send me a pm.

First stop should definitely be a proper physio, not osteopath or chiropractor or anything else. SPD can move your pelvis out of the correct position and create all sorts of knock on effects on your spine, hips, knees etc. As well as treatment and exercises, the physio can advise on correct ways to sit, eat, move etc on a daily basis that will also help.

I know breaststroke was mentioned above; I was specifically advised not to do this or any movement like it. I wouldn't embark on any exercise regime until you see the physio.

Of course, it could be unrelated to the pregnancy and in some ways, it doesn't really matter what caused it as long as you can resolve it now. But you have my immense sympathies, my SPD was relatively mild and was still hell.

Best wishes.

It might also be worth seeing a doctor to rule out other causes of the pain - the sudden onset you mention could be a bit worrying.

This is me, my son is ten now. Seven years ago I couldn't walk at all the pain was so severe. Several years of private physio and a muscular skeletal specialist have improved my condition, although I'm still not right. I tried the NHS, they didn't know what they were doing at all. It turned out I have hypermobility syndrome.

I disagree with sycamore. Physio is a waste of bloody time.

See, that's two of the reasons why I've lived with this so long. 1 - I don't know if it is spd and 2 - don't know who to go to for treatment.

I self referred for physio yesterday so waiting for that appointment but after reading some of the first posts I completed a website request form for a local osteopath to see how much a consultation would be. He emailed straight back offering a free 15 min consultation 'to check me over' followed by a £42 appointment and a £38 followup if needed. He said they do lots of ladies with spd. But if it's not could he tell what it is? It seemed to sound that only one or two appointments would be needed but then again he hasn't seen me yet.

Do I take the 15 min appointment or wait for physio?

I think I have just accepted that this is the way my life is going to be
I only have one shot left at my career, if I'm not mobile I can no longer do my job. I'm not ready to accept that yet. I think that's why I'm finally doing something.

As well as treatment and exercises, the physio can advise on correct ways to sit, eat, move etc on a daily basis that will also help
That's what the 2nd physio did. On the exercises she gave me it included correcting how I sit down and how to stand up from a sitting position. I don't live in the area she works anymore so they won't let me see her. She seemed to know exactly what was wrong (but didn't put a name to it) but when I repeated it to the other physio she didn't have a clue.

It might also be worth seeing a doctor to rule out other causes of the pain - the sudden onset you mention could be a bit worrying
This is a big worry for me.

Physio is not a waste of time. You just need the right physio and the NHS is too stretched to offer this. If you can, get a private one, and make sure you do the exercises they give you. Pilates run by a physio is also extremely beneficial.

Are you on facebook op?
There are two great support groups on there for spd/pgp
A lot of women on there have been suffering for years! Lots of advice and support to be found there!
I've had back pain since my son was born 2 years ago and I'm now pregnant again and I just know I will never be pain free!
But I've found a good Physio who is helping and I also found Pilates eased the pain!

But first port of call is deffo a Physio!
So sorry you're suffering xx

I’m a scientist, utterly anti woo and very against chiropractic. Was v skeptic although of osteopathy and frankly I still am - I don’t believe it can cure stuff like asthma.

Anyway, I also had spd a year after birth. Saw physio - bloody useless. Saw an osteo who specialises in women’s health and in the second session she crunched my pelvis and it felt awfully odd.
It felt markedly better the next day and over the next week it resolved to about 80% function where it’s stayed.

Definitely do the medical route to rule out anything that needs medical intervention but don’t rule out an osteo- the pelvic partnership website has a list of practitioners

Hi, i got SPD 12wks into my pregnancy and even though from the 12wks I attended physio at hospital regularly but as my pregnancy went on month after month I got worse and had to go to have treatment by physios several times and by end of pregnancy after having using belt, tense machine, and crutches I ended up going into hospital and given zimmer frame as my mobility was horrendous along with the pain. I asked my physios and nurses if I could get a section instead of natural birth but they got told no by the main doctor I got issued at start of pregnancy of whom I did not ever meet or see once. I was in hospital for over a week and they decided that it best if I get started 3wks earlier than due date as baby would have been bit big for me to deliver. Anyway my physio informed me of this and out kindness of her own heart and againt hospital policy she told me I was giving birth naturally no matter what and it was going to be very painful due to how severe I was with SPD. The physio told me to take epidural and said that her and my other physio stated that due to my condition the midwife was to make sure I gave birth while on an all 4 position and under no circumstance to part my legs. Anyway that didn’t happen as I had high pain threshold so wen it was time for epidural and the sat me up the baby’s head came down so it was to late for pain relief and the midwife just pushed me back down in bed parting my legs and told me to push which I did quite quickly but afterwards I couldn’t walk at all and was in extreme pain. 14yrs later and after seeing 7 physios, pain sector and bone specialist I’m still the same with chronic pelvic, leg and back pain