SPD - anyone else joining me on the birthing ball?

[elgoldenflower]

Hello out there, was looking for a support thread for those of us unlucky enough to have developed SPD and couldn't find a current one.

I'm 19 weeks (EDD 26.10.11) and have been aware of pelvic pain since conception (v mild at first) but it's steadily getting worse. I now can't walk more than about 30 yds without being sofa/birthing ball - bound for the evening.

My physio is fitting me with crutches on Monday as I can't avoid a bit of walking for my work (I run drama workshops all over the place so have to travel to them and I don't drive).

So far cycling's wonderful but I'm not aloud to use my bike like a mobility scooter as far as I know so cycling usually involves a bit of walking too.

Grr just wanted to be able to rant without annoying my v supportive antenatal thread.

Hi Shonno, it sounds like your symptoms are exactly mirroring mine today. I'm 26+5 on my second pregnancy, had symptoms during my last pregnancy but mostly just in my back. This time is much worse and the front pain is excrutiating. I'm seeing an osteopath on Tuesday who will hopefully be able to give me some relief. Does anyone out there have any experience of whether an osteopath can help relieve PGP?

Hi shende, I have a good experience of an osteo for SPD although I am not as far along as you and have been seeing her from the start. I find it interesting that she works on other parts of the body not just the pelvis, saying it's all connected. I also use the time she is working on me to ask for tips for things to try at home. I try to rest after the appointment as things can feel worse for a day or two after, but then better.
Does your osteo specialise in PGP? I think some know more about it than others... Hope it goes well for you on Tuesday.

I'm 21 weeks now and have been wearing a support belt when out and about. It does seem to help a bit. I ha my first physio appointment last week and she's recommended I have a few sessions. Mostly to work on my back as that is where I'm suffering the most. Although last night I went to bed early to watch a bit of tv. I got up to go the loo and my hip seized. I couldnt stand up straight or put my weight on it. DH had to come and help me to the loo. I text him to rescue me!! I'm still struggling to put my weight on it this morning and am not going to work. Don't think I could manage the drive. Its really quite painful. Anyone had anything like this?

100years - ooh exciting, hope you have had the baby by now and said goodbye to PGD to boot! If not, hope time is not dragging while you wait... I'm 33 weeks today - still feels like ages yet, and like no time at all at the same time! I managed to save up annual leave so that I'm off from Wednesday til mat leave starts at 36 weeks, which is nice! But am wondering how I will stave off boredom sat on me todd in the house (like I have been mainly doing for the past couple of months) - box sets are being accrued!

Had an exciting day on Sat - started having BH at noon and couldn't get rid of them so had to go up to the labour ward at 6pm to be checked out. Luckily everything was ok, cervix closed, fibronectin negative, baby fine and I haven't had similar since. Bit at everyone saying that I need to take it easy - erm I've spent the last 3 months developing a very intimate relationship with my sofa and the most exertion I had on Saturday was walking upstairs to lie down

Hi to all the new ladies glad to hear osteos have been helping some of you! Haven't had my leg give way like that but it wouldn't surpirse me for it to happen in PGD as I think the ligaments are pretty lax? Can you phone your physio ugently (obvs not when it happened ) for her opinion?

I'm 16 weeks now and the SPD has faded to a dull ache, though if I sit in one position for a long time (say 1 hour) then I'm very stiff. So I used my walking stick a fair bit over the weekend but on the whole walking is OK.
I had my first antenatal exercise class this morning which was a good bunch of stretches though it involved more standing than I've done in the last month and I nearly fainted. So things are looking more hopeful here.

I just have to be so careful not to twist my pelvis at all - I was in a hotel bathroom on Saturday, turned towards the door, my second foot didn't turn on the floor to follow as the floor was rougher than I thought, and it was agonising!

Argh reading the posts on here I'm more convinced than ever that my physio is rubbish!!

No exercises apart from ones that involve opening my legs as wide as possibe and no manipulation. She did nothing on Friday except give me crutches. Tbh I went home and cried .

Have chiro on 13th, hoping for a miracle.

tbh, harrassed, I wasn't that impressed with my physio either! The exercises she gave me were: pelvic floors (nothing fancy), buttock clenches (too sore, dont do them) and transverse abdominal tightenings. She did manipulation twice, second time hurt so no more. Best thing was giving / fitting crutches and a web address for assoc chartered womens physios for a detailed handout on PGD. She saw me about 4 times and then said come back when you need to - been back once (after falling on my bum in the bath).

still think your one is mad making you open your legs wide - that's what everything else I've been told / read has said is a no-no!!!

notcitrus - glad to hear things are a bit more settled! Sitting for me depends on the chair, my sofa is good for back / SI joints but sitting for ages makes my SP v sore. Bit of a balancing act

supa have you tried a heat pack on your achey back?

supa when you've done the heat pack, then try an ice pack...

Tulip my physio did the initial assessment when she gave the exercises that I've never attempted, and then it's just been down to me to phone her. I'm going to spend some time on the net later doing some research.

Worrying that my home birth is vanishing in a puff of smoke.

I don't think there's that much that physios can do. I had my assessment last week an my exercises involve standing up and moving side to side and forwards and backwards. I've got an appointment tomorrow where she's going to work on my back a little so I'm going to ask her about my hip giving up. I start holidays in 5 weeks then maternity leave at 29 weeks. It can't come soon enough. My dd is nearly 3 and is so good. Helps me with the shopping and tries to help as much as she can at home cos mummy has a poorly leg. I feel awful though cos I want to be running around after her not crawling about.

I'm still here!!! LOL LO has not made an appearance yet.

My PGP is playing up a little, but I have been doing a load of walking to try and get things moving along. Day in bed resting today.

Hopefully people are finding things to ease their pain.

Hi all,
sorry haven't been on here in ages. On the slippery downward slope now @33wks. Every week, the pain levels go up a notch or two. Hitting the painkillers really hard now and using crutches more and more. Went to physio and had a good day after that (1.5wks ago) but next day DD had a (minor) accident....I was in another room, heard the screaming and RAN to pick her up, of course in a panic didn't pick her up carefully and ever since then things have been terrible. Hoping physio this Fri can sort me out again.

la raggaza sorry to hear you still have SPD 9 months later. I still had it from DD when I conceived this bubba....DD is now 2.6yrs. Was told that it can take about 6yrs after birth for things to settle down...that's probably not what you want to hear, but hopefully there's light at the end of the tunnel for us?

Anyone else finding the serola belt uncomfortable to wear these days, or is it just me? Since baby turned head-down a couple of weeks ago, it is really annoying me, so I wear it for things like cooking dinner when I'm on my feet, but take it off to sit down.

100yrs great you're sounding so relaxed & positive. Hoping things go well for you....do come back and let us know!!

I had my physio appointment today and now sporting a very sexy tubagrip from top of my bump right down past my knickers.
Turns out that the left section of my pelvis has slipped slightly, so she gave me exercises(stuff that we already know ie knees together etc) and told me to put a hot water bottle inbetween my thighs as well as massage the muscles. She told me about this leaflet that has lots of info and exercises to do. Its probably somewhere else on the thread already.
Booked in to go back in 2 weeks for another check up.
ALERT the physio also told me to remove the carrier bag from my carseat once in postition as another patient of hers had to do an emergancy break and slid forward on the carrier bag. Hurting herself even more in the process.

Hi All,
had my first osteopath consultation today. All I can say is ouch, ouch, ouch, crack, ouch!! She did lots of deep tissue massage and some manipulations and now I am very sore but hopefully this should settle down in the next 24 hours and then I should have some relief. The best thing about the consultation was that she took one look at my back and said "no wonder you're in so much pain!" yipee the pain's not all in my head!! Turns out I have an existing pelvic alignment problem that is exacerbated by pregnancy and this explains my sore knees and spasming back muscles that I have been suffering with for years. I really feel that this is the first person who has really done something to try and give me relief instead of just fobbing me off with some paracetamol and telling me to keep my legs together. I'll report back tomorrow if the pain has lessened. x

shonno and sarah glad you're both being taking seriously and that the sessions help. I find it's more sore for a few days after before getting some relief.
I wanted to go to mums & tots this morning but am just too sore. Another l-o-n-g day stuck in the house with DD. She really is getting fed up of this. And raining all the time so can't even send her outside to play. Just had a bath with her....not so relaxing for me with her kicking and splashing around and climbing all over me.....but it passed the time and the warmth of the water did help me.
Any news of 100yrs, I wonder??

I got some exercises from the physio to do. Pumped up my birthing ball today and realised I've lost the stopper so it immediately deflated. Need to get myself another off eBay. Is anyone finding the exercises help? I've got an appointment on Friday because she wants to speak to someone senior about my hip giving up on me.

Hello folks, I wonder if I could join you? I'm 9 weeks in 2nd pg and the ol' SPD has appeared already. Although am I right in thinking it's 'rebranded' to PGP now?

Thankfully it's mild at this stage, but in the interest of getting in the system early this time, I approached my MW at my booking in appt.

She told me that any pain of this type that presents before 20 weeks was not classified as PGP and was deemed to be because of an underlying condition. She said that my local Trust would therefore not even refer me until then. I'm pretty narked off as I know full well what this is - it'd be a gigantic coincidence if I only had symptoms from this 'underlying condition' in pregnancy..

Sorry to arrive with a whinge I just know that it's going to be a struggle to get any kind of NHS help and I can't afford to go private.

I had similar issues SueFlay. I managed to get midwife to refer me at 16 weeks and I wish she would have done it earlier since it's got to the point of my hip giving up on me at 21 weeks (see posts further up). The physio isn't even sure what to do with me. Surely the underlying condition could be a previous pregnancy? I'm sure my bad back/hip stems from problems in first pregnancy that weren't properly sorted. Try getting your GP to refer you instead or try to self refer to physio. Good luck though.

harrassed, can't see why you couldn't have a home birth with SPD/PGD. Esp if you are planning on using a birth pool / this is not your first and previous were ok. Might be worth asking for experiences on childbirth forum??

lilBB - I'd forgotten my hip used to seize up actually! Just remembered, as it was right at the start (came on at 8 weeks) before I had the wit to slow down and rest! Cutting way way way down on driving really helped. Used to lurch around twisted to one side like Quasimodo. Hideous - but it did settle. A month off sick sitting on the sofa taking it easy went a long way to sorting it - tho driving / sitting in blimming traffic or walking and being on my feet alot are all recipes for trouble.

shono - hee hee that advice is up thread, most physios forget about that bit!! VERY important safety tip ta, all are appreciated as whiplash on top of SPD would be sh*te. BTW, my pelvis doesn't seem to have slipped to the side since sleeping with a support pillow between my legs.

sarah - glad to osteo helping. Think the best thing is when you feel someone is helping and taking you seriously, rather than either dismissing you or patting you on the head going 'there there, it's awful isn't it but hey ho it'll go when the baby comes.' Yes. thank you. I know that is what usually happens but this is horrible and really impacting on my life and I hate you because you should have a bloody magic wand to make my PGD vanish!!!! But that usually doesn't happen

iwill - sounds like you're having a bad week, hope things are getting better (for you and DD!). I'm 33 weeks too, it seems so close and so far away at the same time. Happy to say I've been at baseline soreness this week. However, the little bugger darling in my tum and hit on a new wizard wheeze to amuse himself. He is quite a little wriggler, so will turn around from transverse to vertical but has now discovered the joy of lying oblique, with his feet under my ribs on the right and his head (or arms) braced on the right front half of my blimming pelvis and pushing on both. Tis really really unpleasant!!!

sueflay - welcome onto the birthing ball. You sound like you already know your midwife is talking out of her arse. Ring the physio department yourself and ask them what their referral procedures are, hopefully you can wave this in your mw's face next time!!! most physios will insist the earlier the better so waiting til 20 weeks is insane. Insane I tells ya. and yep, it's been rebranded to take into account the whole pelvis can be wibbly but most people still recognise SPD best.

Whingers are aways welcome here, tis actually mandatory to let it all out here

as you can see on the basis of this mammoth post. Sorry folks...

sueflay, sorry to hear you having that bother. You gotta fight, fight, fight for that referral. I got a referral from my GP at 5wks pregnant, no bother. If MW no use, try a GP. If one GP no use, try another. Don't give up until you get an early referral. GO, GIRL! Good luck!

Well it looks like the jiggerypokery that the physio done on Tuesday has helped. She done some manipulation that seems to have untrapped the trapped nerve (caused by the slipped pelvis) which is a huge relieve, that was bloody sore.
Really not loving the tubagrip. I think it is helping but by 5pm im desperate to get home to get it off. On the plus side though, baby seems to be a lot more active since I started wearing it.

Hope everyone isnt suffering too bad today.

Hello ladies, please can I join you? Have PGP and am on crutches, doing lots of resting which I am finding rather boring. Am 38+2 so not long to go, just hoping it vanishes afterwards! It's been great reading positive stories on this thread about birth and the pain going soon after.

Is this the place to scream with frustration?!!

I'm was 25wks yesterday, still very sore but the crutches are unfortunately helping. But they are a nuisance aren't they?! One mum at school asked if I'd broken my leg. Oh yes, plasters are invisible these days & .

Had mw on Wednesday and my lump of boy is measuring 28wks.... plus they brought me forward 6 days at my 12 wk scan. So I'm convinced I'm having a big one!!! I have to go back in 3wks to see if it's a growth spurt or not, and if not will have a growth scan & GTT. Mw referred me to consultant for pain relief as she said the gp's here are a bit rubbish. Does anyone have any experience of big babies and spd?? Shall I just beg for a cs now? I'm due 22nd Dec and have a 5yr old dd, and am terrified of having to go into hospital with dh on Christmas Eve/Day and her just feeling awful. So I really wanted a hb, but if I can't have that I want cs on/before my edd so they kick me out for Christmas . Method in my madness.

100 any news??

shonno that sounds good! Must feel great. My belt really helps, but I find it can be uncomfortable at work so have started wearing it on top of my clothes at work so I can whip it on and off as required.

Sue how about trying your gp?? I think being aware early is pretty key tbh. Could you buy yourself a belt? The Serola ones are great but £40-ish, but you might be able to get one on ebay.

sarah how is it all feeling now?? I see a chiro/osteo anyway (just for general maintenance) and it's always a bit sore for a couple of days after manipulation.

tulip you name checked everyone, but how are you getting on?! .

sueflay - your mw is talking bollocks (though she might be right about your Trust's procedures - don't you just love localised policies for local people...) I had my booking appt at 8 weeks and got an immediate referral to the obstetric physio team given my SPD last time round and it was already kicking in again.
Ask to talk to the Supervisor of Midwives...

harassed - I had the opposite problem from most people, the worse my SPD got, the more the hospital tried to talk me into a home birth! They figured my own house would probably be easier than being in a wheelchair in hospital, but I wanted to be in their MLU instead. We did both agree that being in a birthing pool would be a very good idea, and it was great - until they made me get out 8 hours later, when things went downhill (short version: thank fuck for epidurals, long time of nothing happening but ended in unexpected successful ventouse delivery).

Currently my main problem is a pinched nerve in my shoulder that I can't take any good painkillers for, so the SPD doesn't really register much. Anyone know when you can take 30mg tablets of codiene?

I've not really thought about the birth. With DD it started well then the contractions stopped doing their job so on to the drip and epidural. Was nice calm (pain free) but very long. This time I'm just going to see how it goes. If all straight forward I would like to get in the pool as I find water very good pain relief and relaxing. I just don't know how my hip will cope with kneeling as I struggle to do that at the moment.

I must say reading this has got me thinking. Aches and pains should be taken seriously by midwives early in pregnancy. Surely better to nip it in the bud? I know two women who still suffer after pregnancy. One being my mum who still has hip problems 23 years after having my sibling. Even if it is because of an issue pre pregnancy then we should still be able to see a physio as the pregnancy will only make it worse. Non pregnant people get referred to physio so why is it so hard for us?

harrassed I know exactly how you feel about the crutches. Last week someone said to me "sure why don't you just stay in bed all the time?"..... hey, great idea, why didn't I think of that before?? My 2yr old could look after me! Humph. And IF ONLY I COULD LIE IN BED COMFORTABLY to start with! Not sleeping well these days as the hips and pubic bone are so sore when lying down. Hot water bottle helps, but then I'm too hot to sleep.... last night I went to bed around 10pm and still hadn't slept by midnight and was so sore lying there that I just had to get up to change position. Night before, I woke about 5am and was so sore I just had to get up. Argh. Sorry, rant over.

shonno glad your jiggerypokery (love that word btw!) helped. I'm having mine today so hoping it works.

cat hello and welcome. Jealous you're nearer the end than me!

notcitrus if your shoulder "takes away" the pain of PGP, it must be pretty bad....poor you. Hope it eases soon. Are you trying heat/ice packs on it? I'm taking co-codamol every day, 3 or 4 times a day now, it has codeine in it.....more info on painkillers further up this thread iirc.