SPD is killing me today, advice please.

[Mouseface]

I have SPD - Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction - and have had since being 22 weeks pg. DS is 1 on Sunday.

I am in so much pain today I can hardly lift him.

I have hydrotherapy and physio once a week, twice if I can make it. I can't drive for more than 20 mins. I can't walk without crutches and even that is agony most days.

Sex is very painful in most positions and for the two weeks before each period, I feel sick with the pain.

I have to sleep with a pillow between my knees but DS is disabled and I care for him full time so get little rest, day or night.

I've fallen up the stairs with DS because of sharp, sudden pain and had to grab him, taking the full force of the fall.

My lower back and hips are painful too, not just my pelvis.

I can't keep fit/exercise as it puts pressure onto my pelvis and hips etc, but I can't stand or sit for long periods either.

I've an appointment with a consultant next week but have no idea what to expect.

Anyone out there with the same? Advice please. I'm nearly crying with the pain today.

are you putting ice on it several times a day? with your workload you need more pysio/help not to be doing such painful things. have you tried ibuprofen gel on the affected area?

moocowme

Nope re the gel. I do hot and cold gel packs, this is easier than messy gel on the old pelvis area and I take ibuprofen along with Tylex for the pain. I've asked to borrow my mum's TENS again as that helps.

My workload also includes caring full time for my disabled DS which means alot of time on my feet. It is hard to get out to physio once or twice so an increase is not an option really.

I've just been awarded DLA after months of waiting to hear so I'm going to get a cleaner to help with that side of things.

It just really gets me down being in pain all the time.

Make sure you get proper pain relief - when I had SPD (from 32 weeks to 3 months post birth - so bad I couldn't walk) I was given solpadol (the strong prescription-only co-codamol) and diclofenac to help with the pain. It made all the difference. If you do get solpadol, ask for lactulose as well, because it doesn't half bung you up.

Other than that, just hope the appointment tomorrow is a good one

herbietea Thank you. I want to rip my pelvis out today. Been to hydro this afternoon and God I'm in pain.

Physio has mentioned an op to me but nothing definate. Will keep this thread updated once I've been on Thursday NW so you can tell me what to expect if that's ok? Yes, it's at a specialist orthopeadic hospital and the doc is a spinal consultant.

I will def call doc tomorrow but at hospital with DS so may have to be Monday. I'll ask for something stronger. Tylex are ok and do bung me up but I think I'm getting used to them?

Not tried anti inflams yet. My GP is a bit old school I think....... rub it better, it'll be fine.

Naetha will write that pain killer down too and see what I can get. I use Senna anyway to combat the Tylex!!!

Thank you so much for posting. It feels so lonely when you can't see that you have a disability but feel it!!!

Off to cry some more whilst I wait for the painkillers to kick in.

I wish I was a man.

Actually, no, I don't.

I was told by an osteopath that this can be relieved very quickly by osteo treatment.

She may have just said that to get me to go back (I don't know why, I was 16 at the time!) But she did mention that women go through lots of unecessary pain that can be solved by a simple visit.

Maybe try that? What have you got to lose?

Nothing Flookcrow

I will mention it when I get to my GP.

I'd try eating boiled pigs eyes if someone told me it worked!!!

I hate the pain.

Thank you for posting.

when i had quite bad SPQ i went to my lovely osteopath at least once a week. it was well worth the 3o pounds per session. i also got DH do repeat the types of things she did to relieve the pressure.

she also recomended the ice and gel. i think the thing with SPD is to treat it early and reularly, something that does not get a look in for most people these days.

thankfully it went away abaout a week after birth.

I wish I could get help more often!

DS is my world and life revolves around his care so I have to fit it all in when I can.

One day, I SHALL go running again! That's my goal!!!

hi mouseface that too is my goal! I am 9 weeks post baby and I am still having problems. During my pg I was on crutches, wheeled in and back out of hospital and spent most of my pg sitting on the couch scared to move. I didn't have the extra responsibility of a child, so I can't imagine how you are coping at all. Hats off to you.
My Dr's were of not much help but I was referred to physio who gave me a support band, this for me made it worse but ihave hear others who feel it helps. I felt the best thing for me was to rest, but I know this isn't an option for you. I saw a chiropractor who told me my hips were out of alignment, and who worked on me to correct it. I must say I found it was expensive but the pain relief was awesome. It wasn't going to be a long term solution as he told me about the relaxin hormone and as everything is so soft, there isn't a chance for it to stay in place until after the baby is here.
Fast forward to now, I have been diagnosed with an 8 finger separation in my abdominals and the physio is adjusting my hips and pelvis for me. Just squeezing in my stomach muscles every day has really helped, and the muscles called the transverse abdominals (i think) slot in the front and the back of the pubic bone, keeping it together. Along with other muscles which create a girdle around your body. Since doing them I have no longer had as much sacro-iliac joint pain or lower/upper back pain. I'm going to post you a link to a really helpful website and these are the exercises I have been doing. It may be worth a shot trying to do them now, they are supposed to help with labour too. I wish I'd known about them before I gave birth as maybe I wouldn't have so much work to do now.
I am also taking diclofenac anti inflammatories, which might only be for after pregnancy, but they do help with the sharp pains, and swelling.
During my pg I bought a piece of satin material from ebay which only cost me around 5 pounds. I had also bought satin jammies but tbh I sweated so much they were not comfy. I put this under me when sleeping and it helped getting out of bed and moving in bed. I couldn't and still can't sleep on my side as my pubic bone was clicking and making the pain so much worse. the only position i found was ok for me was to sit semi upright with a lot of pillows supporting me. Then to get up I kind of slid out in the sitting position, this seemed to lessen the movements of my pelvis. Another thing was to squeeze my bum cheeks when standing, this seemed to help support me. I also had access to a memory foam matress topper and this seemed to help absorb the 'weight' of my hips, tbh my body felt as if it was giving up during the pg, but I am still here to tell the tale. It has eased up since I have given birth but I know I have a long recovery (hopefully not too long).
I hope you are OK and can manage the rest of your pregnancy, it is hard but very worth it.
www.maternalfitness.com/diastasis.html The wee video shows you right at the end the exercises, you can do them when sitting down. PS I'm not saying you have a diastasis separation but the exercises should be able to help you all the same.
Good luck xx

indigo

Thanks so much for your detailed post! Glad to know I'm not alone! Erm, I'm NOT pg, DS is 1 yr tomorrow and this has been going on since I was 22 weeks pg!

I will go over the website and have a good look. I struggle with any form of exercises but these may be different to what I've been given.

My physio said I have wonky hips and a tilted pelvis so I'm hoping the spinal consultant on Thursday will be able to tell me more. I do clench my bum and suck in my tum when I stand. I wear a belt too and use lots of pillows for support.

My physio won't try to move my hips etc as she doesn't want to stir me up, meaning I won't be able to care for DS. Will mention the anti-inflams too when I go to GP next.

REST!!! That's what I need.

mouse sorry! , think I went into rant mode. I am hoping you get on OK with the consultant, please let us know what they say?
My hips/pelvis etc were out and massively tilted, when I saw the chiropractor he marked me as very wonky, but am now being corrected - and this has helped. I do think rest is really all that can help. But, I can't help wondering that if this SPD is brought on by pregnancy hormones, then what can they do for us in that respect?

The anti-inflams have been helpful but tbh I was reluctant to take them as they were for my c section pain upon release from hospital, however the Dr has since told me to take them for the SPD if required. Physio has also said this - but I didn't want to take them in case they made the pain disappear completely and this might then make me think that I am back to normal and then over do it, and be left wishing I hadn't bothered, IYSWIM? All very confusing, but I have been taking them and still taking it easy and using ice packs too. Please let me know how you get on, I'll be thinking of you xxx

Thank you indigo

I have a full day at the hospital on Thurday, docs appt, then physio and then hydrotherapy!

Will update as soon as I can.

Keep your fingers crossed xx

Update for you Indigo

Went to the consultant toady as a new patient. Guess what? She wasn't there so I had her number two.

She asked no questions, all she did was pull me about, yank my hips, test my relfexes in my legs - which are dreadful, she sadi"oh, that 's just you" - which shocked me as my relfexes have always been fine before???

Anyway, they x-rayed me and sent me away.

I'lll get a letter once they've looked at my x-rays. No idea when.

So, no further on and still in heaps of pain. She suggested paracetamol.

I just smiled.

You need either an osteopath or a chiropractor.

I was suffereing badly with spd after ds2. I was in bed unable to move for 3 weeks, I could not walk for 6 months. Then I started seeing a wonderful chiropractor. (The physiotherapist I saw on the nhs told me she could do nothing more for me, and I would probably end up in a wheelchair soon) It took him a few months of treatment twice a week, then once per week, then every two weeks, and then I was on "maintenance" every month for a few months. He also had a pilates studio, and I started doing pilates with him (machine, not mats based) to strenghten my core muscles. It really worked. My youngest is 5. Today I can cycle, go skiing, mountain treks, and I am in a better shape than I have been in a long while.

Please ditch the physio and find yourself a good chiropractor. Good luck.

Hi QSnon.....

I know, others have suggested that too. I think it's time I acted on the advice given....

Thanks.

Hi Mouseface,

How are you getting on?

Just found this thread. I'm still suffering with SPD after baby number 1 and seriously wondering whether having another is a stupid thing to do. Would be very interested to find out what has helped you.

I was going to an osteopath whilst pregnant and that did help. Haven't made it back since as sooo expensive, but might have to bite the bullet and cough up the £35 a session!

Would really like to know if you found osteo or chiro helped.

I don't know if you've tried this but my spd carried on for 3 months after my pregnancy was barely mobile and lifting my son, sleeping, walking ip stairs very painful til I went to osteopath. She cleared it up in 3 sessions.

You poor lass, let me give you a big hug. So sorry to hear you've SPD. I had a friend with it and she was so bad she couldn't even stand up without crying. So much credit to you though, especially having to look after your DS.

As far as I know, you should be able to use Voltarol Emulgel, Difflam cream (my friend found that was very good), Deep Heat/Freeze as these are rubbed/sprayed on and not taken orally. You could also ask if your physio does intrasound therapy - I've heard so many good reports about it, although, everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for someone else.

Apart from that, there's nowt much I can think of regarding your condition. Keep your chin up, I think you're doing well.