SPD/PGP - getting the work/pain balance right

[Cazzr]

Ok, so have developed pgp again this time round and i'm trying my best to manage the situation.
The thing is, most of my problems stem from being at work. lol
I work full time in a desk job and whilst I can take breaks etc the difference in my pain levels and mobility when not at work for a few days is vastly different to how I am during/after work.

Work are being good in letting me work out how best to manage things and I currently work in the office from 9-1 and then travel home to work the rest of the day at home.
I've taken in a pillow to sit on as part of the pain seemed to stem from my chair being a bit on the hard side (had it for years before without problem).
Things have definitely improved but I'm struggling to see what else I can do to help. I'm 26 weeks now and know it's likely to get worse so I feel like I am doing what I can till I either get signed off or start my leave (leave accrued rather than mat leave).
I'm seeing a physio and have asked my boss to refer me to occ health for advice/guidance but I'm wondering... what should my expectations be.
Is it unreasonable to expect to be as pain free/mobile as I would be if I weren't working, or just be able to get comfortable enough to see my time through?

If i'm honest, I don't think work give 2 flying f*s if i'm there or not now as there is little I can start before I go and I am currently documenting my work to the nth degree as no one is lined up to be providing cover whilst I am away as yet.

Midwife seemed to think the doc would sign me off if I were to see them but if anyone saw me out and about normally I wouldn't look like I need to be signed off, whereas at work/after work, i'm shuffling around like a little old lady.
Mentally, I feel stubbornly against getting signed off, probably cos i'll feel like a fake/sciver.

Probably would have been better to put this in employment issues now I think about it..

Well, I am 27 weeks and have been signed off for 3 weeks with sickness which has caused a really painful back. I can't seem to be on my feet more than 15 mins before I'm in pain and have been referred to physio. I hate the idea of being signed off as i dont want to be seen as sponging but I work in a nursery and spend alot of time on the floor, low sinks and break times were really difficult so I have now decided to take early maternity leave which kicks in next week. I have felt so guilty about it although my company dont pay sick pay so they arnt bothered but in the last few days have decided just to focus on getting my back better and enjoying my last few months. I am also setting up my own business for after the baby arrives. I think you have to do what you feel is right, no point in pushing things if your worried. It has made things difficult financially but I havnt had much choice. Consider your finances and implications then do what you have to do.

Good luck x

I went to the docs to tell her I was pregnant (3rd pregnancy) and she said she would sign me off as soon as SPD kicked in, luckily im not working anyway as have 3 little people at home to look after anyway but its been a waiting game to when it starts, this time was about 18 weeks before it got really bad and im 27 weeks now and on crutches, last time I was on crutches by 12 weeks so im doing better this time.

If you seriously cant cope with being like it at work then really whats the point in hurting yourself?

Thanks for the responses Rosduk & harrygracejessica.

The thing is, my spd will be MUCH better if i'm not at work, hence the feeling of being a fraud if i get signed off.

I fully expect it will be a problem eventually but currently it's only bad when at work and in evening. I used some leave last week to extend my weekend and was MUCH better by the end of the weekend.(this was coupled with the shorter days in the office) :/
I do have the classic problems such as; turning in bed etc and suffer if I do the supermarket shop alone but in my eyes it's not THAT bad yet. (I remember how it got towards the end of my last pregnancy).

I'm just a bit conflicted as to how comfortable it's reasonable to expect to be at work, after all it's not their fault i'm pregnant and have this problem, and my working conditions were fine for me before.
Part of me does wonder tho that if I were able to take it easier whilst my symptoms are mild it might prevent them getting as bad later on..

I am lucky tho in that if I do get signed off sick, it'll be on full pay till my mat leave kicks in at 36 weeks.

Cazzr, I'm currently 22 weeks and in a really similar position. At 18 weeks PGP came on really quickly and I was in agony. I battled on with work and was in more agony. I went to the Midwife an emotional wreck. I love my job and don't want to let them down (plus i've just got a new team, who I gained with a hard fought for promotion).

My midwife told me that I have to think of myself no-one else (except bump), and that if I didn't take it easy that I might end up on crutches or in a wheelchair. My pain is worse in my left leg and I sometime struggle to lift my leg to put it onto the clutch in the car (plus I have 1hr30 round trip to work). She pointed out that I could put myself and my baby at risk by not being as safe as I could be to drive. That put it all into perspective for me.

So I saw occupational health at work, and with them and my boss I agreed to work from home and only go in when I had really important meetings etc. With the resting during the day, plus osteo and hydrotherapy I'm in much less pain and the couple of days a week are manageable. I feel like you though, if i don't go into work, the pain is so much better I feel like a fraud!

So at the end of the day, I guess what i'm saying is that you're the most important person (and the little one you're carrying) and you have to do the best for you. It's easier said than done though - and I got a good talking to from my midwife before I gave in and realised that I couldn't carry on going in everyday!

Sorry for the really long post. Hope you manage to sort out something soon.

I hope you are getting proper physiotherapy with manual manipulation?

My NHS physio has been a dream! 3 treatments in and I am walking fairly fast, on my feet all day and no crutches with no problems.

2 or so weeks ago I was struggling to do anything and needed crutches/carrying.

I am 21 weeks.

Putting the pelvis back where it should be with proper exercises has really fixed me ( for now) I understand that it will probably get worse as I get bigger but there is no need to be in so much pain.

Work also makes mine worse but I would go mad sat at home watching Jeremy Kyle! That decision is really up to you...

CapsizeQueen - what did you have to do to ge manual manipulation, or was it standard? My physio won't do manual manipulation - i'm wondering if I need to push for it - or if they just don't do it in my area.

I've been paying privately for an Osteopath to manually manipulate and it's really helped. I wish I could do that on the NHS though. They have referred me to Hydrotherapy which had helped, but the Osteopath is much better.

The day I couldn't walk (literally came on that quickly) I rang the midwife who gave me a number to phone the physio dept to get an appointment at the "pregnancy back care" clinic. Within a week I saw the physio and she just did what she did!

I've been very lucky I know - she's a miracle worker!

Thanks for responses.

Physio has been.... ok, but not great tbh. She's given me some exercises to do but wasn't interested in manipulation as I was in 3rd trimester... We both agreed crutches wouldn't help as yet as the problem is with sitting mainly, i.e. on weekends i'm pretty good. She has said to just call in to get crutches when I feel I need them (no need for specific appointment). I do thank my lucky stars that it really could be worse.

Historically, I have seen a mctimoney chiropractor (for general back/pelvis problems) but didn't find this help the spd when pregnant last with DS, in fact it made the area rather sore afterwards!

TitaniaP, I find my right side of my pelvis is worst and I walk/shuffle with a shorter gait on this side too (physio commented on it).
It's tempting to get the chiro to do something but my pelvis feels so loose I think it'll pop back out of line again. Just getting up from bed in the morning knocks it out (rolling onto left side then pushing up) and I walk very wonky and can't seem to be able to turn left until I loosen up a bit.

The working short days in the office and finishing at home is defintely helping and my mgr really is being helpful. Currently waiting for occ health to pull their finger out and get involved (mgr has asked once already, after I asked him to ask, and they just pointed him to their webpage which we had already looked at) to see what they have to say.

I think it's a matter of time tbh, once i've finished documenting my job I reckon that'll be it. Either Occ Health will tell me to stay home or mgr will tell me to get the gp to sign me off..

I spose the plus point is, if i stop work earlier I'll get to enjoy a bit of the time off feeling more mobile before the spd gets worse, regardless of sitting at a desk all day. :(

I'm 19+6 with baby no.3 and the physio has already given my crutches to use as my PGP is so bad. I'm now at the point where I can't walk my son to school anymore and DH cant help with this due to his working commitments so I have been in contact with the school to have his work sent home and I have now been up in front of the Education Welfare Officers and been warned that I could face serious problems if I fail to send my child to school.

I explained I'm trying my best to still educate him at home and that his attendance record was 100% before this but they don't seem to care that much. It would cost us nearly £200 a month in taxi fares to get him there and we cant afford that so what do they expect? They've seen medical certificates from the physio saying I shouldn't walk but none of this phases them it's either struggle getting him to school or face the consequences :(

DH said "Screw 'em I'm not having you suffer so they can keep their figures looking good for that school, if they want him to attend that badly provide a taxi for him"

Hiya Cazzr!

I could have written this a few weeks ago and made the very tough decision to finish work on maternity leave earlier than planned for the very same reasons.

I was in pain at work, driving was difficult as someone else mentioned I could not be confident to be as 100% as I would be without the pain and I felt I was not managing my team well and couldnt face having someone else have to pick my work up again.

My NHS Physio was not great and again did not seam interested in any manual manipulation at all so I didnt find any benefit but I also see a private who is fantastic and really helps with massage, I feel sore afterwards but the day after feel great. She has said she is happy to see me up to 38 weeks and after the birth if I feel it would help.

I had a week off sick and there was no denying how much better I felt both physically and emotionally so I have finished and after my holidays I will be starting ML at 32 weeks. The thing that really threw it for me was my MW saying if I really push myself through the pain to much now it will take longer to recover after the birth so yes I will have less time off with her but hopefully wih rest now it will be quality time off rather than time where I will be in pain and only wishing I could take the pushchair out.

I am sort of battling with the same issue. I am 33 weeks and have been in considerable pain. It's taken 3 weeks to get a physio appointment, which I finally had this morning, and I've been in more and more pain. My GP offered to sign me off last week and I'm only planning to work 2 more weeks anyway, but pride makes me want to keep going. Also my boss has been dreadful throughout my pregnancy (has never once asked me how I am, even while I cling to filing cabinets to get across the office!) and I don't want to give her even more reason to think badly of me. But it's hellish and if it weren't just two more weeks, I'd give in.

I've just booked a chiropractor's appointment (paying). The physio has given me a belt and exercises but I'd like someone to have a go at manual manipulation too if it might help.

Good luck, all of you with the same problem. And Ems, have the school made any suggestions at all about transport for your son to and from school? There should be things they could consider.

Hey cowboylover, I was signed off about 2.5 weeks ago now. Work have been fine about it which is good but I left with a heavy heart and no card etc as it was such short notice. Oh well.
I finally booked in with my chiropractor 2 days ago and wish I'd done it sooner, I feel a lot more comfortable now and have been sleeping a lot better as a result.
I still have to be very careful and use the crutches given to me by the physio if going for a longer walk. The crutches (I use a belt too) really do help even with little pressure taken off (my hands get sore otherwise) and I think the main reason is because it stops me waddling so much which stops it aggravating my pelvis.
Going back again in 2 weeks for a follow up and maybe again before the birth to ensure things are all tip top before the big day!
Didn't find the physio any help apart from getting crutches and she wouldn't manipulate in the 3rd trimester, not sure i'd trust her to anyway as she didn't seem very experienced.
stiffybyng are you seeing a mctimoney chiropractor? (diff to normal chiropractic).
I've seen both types for previous back problems and can wholeheartedly recommend the mctimoney type. I find it much gentler, but very effective, and less 'crunchy' if you get my meaning.
I know what you mean about clinging to cabinets, I found myself hanging off all sorts of things to get going after getting up, found I losened up a bit after a few strides so could then slowly waddle instead. :/
Since seeing the chiro I'm really trying hard not to waddle, and hence walking very slowly, and focusing on sucking everything in before doing things like standing up/rolling over in bed/getting out of the car. I'm determined to stop things getting so knocked out of line again.