SPD specialist London

[wehappyfew]

This is my very first post so please bear with me!

I am 21 weeks pregnant and am starting to develop the symptoms of SPD. My sister in law used exclusively NHS treatment and ended up in a wheelchair so I am keen to be treated by someone who really knows their stuff. Does anyone know of a good oesteo/physio/chiropracter in south London?

Or does anyone think I should just go the NHS route and just make a fuss to ensure swift and thorough treatment?

Thanks so much!

Same boat exactly, minus the SiL! I'm 21 weeks too and live in south London. This is my third pregnancy and I needed a wheelchair for the second from 25 weeks and yesterday I had to resort to the courtesy one for my Tesco shop so it's the same old story this time out too.

I'm trying an osteo this time (NHS didn't help me either last two times) - Slade Osteopath, based in Plumstead. She has experience treating pregnant women. Hard to say if it's helped yet as it's early days.

Alternatively there's the British School of Osteopathy in Borough (walking distance London Bridge) and they have a specialist pregnancy clinic on Thursdays and one other day (I forget which) but as I can only do Fridays I could not make it. They're half the price of standard osteos as you get supervised final year students doing it but they're very good there when I've been for non pregnancy stuff.

Hope that helps!

Hi - I am in the same boat, 3rd pg, SPD kicked in at 20 weeks, its awful isn't it. I had it last time and saw an osteopath (based in Chingford), it really really helped, we went on holiday at about 26/7 weeks and when we got back I was supposed to see him for the 5th time I think but I ended up cancelling it as was so much better. Def try Osteopathy - like you I found the NHS treatment - if you can call it that! - rubbish, they just gave me advice which didn't help at all!

Jellyhead did you see Stephen Sandler ? Someone mentioned he deals with pregnant ladies in Chingford and was wondering if it was worth calling him.

Sparklies (such a pretty name !) may I ask please whether you managed to have a natural delivery with your SPD in previous pregnancies ? I have received conflicting advice on whether this or a CS is best for SPD.

Wehappyfew hope you manage to get some good help with yours.

sugarsnap (thanks!!) - I had a natural, medication free delivery with my first (gas and air only) - in fact it was a precipitous labour which anecdotally seems quite common amongst those of us who have had SPD for longer than usual. More time for the body to prepare!

Second I would have had naturally too, but unrelated issues meant I ended up with an emergency c-section. Third I will have to have a c-section too, for the same unrelated reasons.

The important thing is to make sure they don't get you into stirrups.. my dreadful midwife who made all sorts of other mistakes too with my first labour was insisting but I managed to convince her not to. And if you have an epidural, make sure you are aware beforehand of how far apart your legs go before they hurt etc and make sure that this doesn't happen in labour either. It's very doable and nobody ever suggested a c-section to me for SPD reasons alone.

I think the Pelvic Partnership website (great SPD resource) will have more information on labour if you haven't seen it already. Here's the link to the relevant section:

www.pelvicpartnership.org.uk/pregnancy-and-birth-with-pgp/how-will-i-get-my-baby-out.html

Thanks Sparklies. The pelvic partnership are amazing, they offered amazing telephone support after DS was born, when I thought I would never walk again.

My pain is not in the symphis pubic area, but the sacro iliac area, so opening legs is actually not too much of a problem. The physio I saw 5 years ago after DS said I would have to have a C section if there was a next time as each contraction would push my joint more out of place. When I asked the consultant re this time, he said a c section involves cutting throuigh muscles which support the pelvis so it could do more harm than good. Am so confused ! I would prefer a natural birth but just want to do what is best for my pelvis (and for my family who have to suffer any repercussions).

It is so comforting reading on these boards about others suffering too (though I so wish it was not so!), I felt so alone last time, I know already that I will not feel the same sense of isolation again.

Ugh sugarsnap - I'm so sorry yours didn't clear up after birth. Mine didn't immediately, but it was relieved a lot (I could walk normally again, albeit with discomfort!) and it slowly improved over the months. Aside from mild discomfort if I overdo things or at certain times of month, it's fine about a year out thank goodness.

I have issues with both the symphasis pubis area and my SI area too, they seem tied into one another. Some days one plays up more than the other, or they're both as bad as each other. It seems random what sort of day I will have. Interesting that your physio and your consultant have differing opinions - it sounds like you may need to get a third one from somewhere, or even a fourth one. It is so hard to know what to believe as we're not the experts - we just know that it bloody hurts!!

I wish others weren't suffering too, but it is nice to know we are not crazy. I get looks from strangers for waddling, dragging my legs, using mobility scooter things or my walking stick and having such a small bump. People assume it's just the bump causing the problem when it's not that at all, it's that cursed relaxin. Which I don't even need given I need a c-section for other reasons, grrr!

Thank you all so much!!! Lots of avenues to go down. I tackled my first hill yesterday - visiting friends in a hilly town. I felt like pubic area was ripping apart :( Fingers crossed I'll get some relief soon...