SPD/ PGP- am I normal ?

[chocogirl77]

I'm now 26 weeks, and have been off work for the past 6 weeks with SPD as i have shooting pains after sitting for a short time and can barely walk- have now moved to a wheelchair.

I've been having accupunture for the past 3 weeks and now the pain is as bad as ever for a couple of days a week but will then settle down for a few days so I can get around on crutches. I'm heading back to work next week as the isolation isn't doing me much good, and i'd rather be in pain at work than at home, but my GP said the fluctuating pain wasn't normal.Has anyone else with SPD had this?
Sorry for the long post

Hi, I've got spd/pgp, nowhere near as bad as yours but I've been having physio for it, now 38wks have had it since 22wks. Mine fluctuates a bit, I think it can depend on how I've slept and also what I've done during the day. While I was working though mine generally got steadily worse until I had physio (my physio found that my right hip would move oput of place and putting it back in helped alot), then it'd be better for a while. Much better since I stopped work, although when the mw measured my bump yesterday it hurt alot when she pushed on my pelvic bone, I had to show her where the top of it was, hurt too much when she did it. Are you seeing a physio, I had various excercises to do which helped a bit. Also duvet underneath my sheet under me, pillows between my legs, under my bump and in the small of my back all helped. Sitting on a gym ball helps too - I would've considered this at work if I had a desk job, they're all worth trying though.

I had it as bad as you say with my last pregnancy (DC2) and was also in a wheelchair at 25 weeks. Today with DC3 at 19w2d I have it exactly as you describe - shooting pains after sitting for a short time. I am in agony too.

I am seeing an osteopath tomorrow hopefully which is something I've not tried in previous pregnancies but I'll do anything right now!

Like you I have good days and bad days in clusters at a time, it's always been that way with my SPD.

Hang in there. You're not alone :(

Hi - I have it too - not nearly as bad as you but the pain does come and go, I had osteopathy last time which REALLY helped, I would definitely recommend it, by week 34 I was pretty much pain free!

GP is wrong. Mine fluctuated wildly mainly depending on what I did. Ie going out for a meal and sitting on an unusual chair had me out of whack for about 3 days afterwards.

I never capitulated re a wheelchair but I think I should have really. I was going through a martyr thing and didn't want my older girls to see me like that. DD1 thought I was going to die anyway - she was studying Oliver Twist when my SPD started!

I second the gym ball - am currently sitting on mine (7 wks pg).

Thanks for the responses, I think because I haven't seen anyone but doctors and family for 6 weeks, everything just gets a bit out of proportion, I have my gym ball from off the top of the wardrobe to try in the morning.

Does anyone know if the osteopath is something you can get referred to on the NHS or is it strictly private? If it's private, I've just found out what my husband is buying me for Christmas

Osteopaths and chiros are generally private unfortunately. Sometimes you can get covered by private medical insurance but you have to convince them it's not related to pregnancy. Because I've had SPD mildly when not pregnant ever since my first pregnancy (it's more a mild discomfort if I run over 10 miles, or it flares slightly at certain times of the month) BUPA will cover me this time out which is a miracle. No way I could have afforded it otherwise.

If you live near London, the British School of Osteopathy has a clinic that specialises in pregnant women run by an osteopath who is apparently one of the best. The prices are half what a normal osteopath would charge, but students work on you with a tutor supervising. They're mostly final year students though so they're fine. I went there a few times for treatment for a bad neck when not pregnant.