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.

Mainlymaynie, I think I would be able to get one to one, but, I have to ring them again, have an assessment over the phone, then will hopefully get to see them, but she was like you need to go away and see how you feel in a week or two, well it's fecking agony now and I want help now, not in a week and I need to know what I can actually do to help. Will see what monday brings with the doctor.

theonlyhb2, my healthcare provides anything whether pregnancy related or not. Diff companies I suppose, just like diff areas NHS treatment is better.

Oh and I've been told I'm not allowed a water birth, which is something I really wanted, not just for the PGP, so I am of those who can have one, hope it really does help for you on the day.

Theonlyhb2 what an excellent description of pain at night time - as i posted yesterday just started cocodamol and feeling guilty! But feel like need it now. 100 years i also agree with some people just not getting it, people only ask if you have had sickness whenyou say no they assume its been easy - if only! Because people can't see spd they think your making a fuss about nothing.

100years, hope ur weekend off is helping, but seriously, if u need some proper time off sick and ur company will cover u with proper sick leave - take it take it! I caved in and GP signed me off for a month - so none of that awful driving malarky and it has really helped. If ur in that much pain, ur no use to anyone - I was in complete denial about this until the pain receded a bit and I thought hmmm, oh, it was having a major impact on my mental functioning and ability to do my job! Work only cares about work, not about u being in agony and if ur there even in agony I think it sends the message that - well it's not that bad cos I'm here aren't I? as opposed to - I am a bloody good employee who is struggling on regardless! Check with ur union rep about ur sick leave entitlements during pregnancy - u may be able to take sick leave right up to starting mat leave at 36 weeks, something i considered just after going off sick [big grin]

I didn't find physio that helpful either - dunno what I was expecting, someone to make me better? Pelvic partnership (which she did give me details for) had much more detailed advice. CAn't remember whether it was on a thread here or another forum but my physio said to put a plastic bag under yer bum for swivelling in / out of car and this advice was repeated on the forum, with the extremely important caveat that u need to take the bag out from under you while driving as if u brake suddenly u'll shoot forwards thanks to the friction reducing properties of the plastic bag = a bit dangerous really!

on a different note, feel like a minor rant - was talking to my younger sis yesterday. In general, she's pretty supportive - she has 2 kids, so she's generally good for discussing random preggo stuff with. I knew she'd had some SPD last time, the impression I got from her and mum was that it was late on in last trimester and in the symphysis pubis, pretty sore there but not major, major - so not impairing her mobility etc. Got onto PGD woes with her, inc worries about labour / birth, need for specific care over position of legs in labour etc. Big mistake, she made me like a real tit, like I was making a big deal out of nothing, as her SPD had been worse than she / mum had led me to believe and she didn't have any problems during labour, in fact she wanted to have her legs as wide as poss, and pushed with her legs against the mw team.

have been left feeling pretty stupid, not like she was trying to reassure me but more like she was having a dig at me. She lives quite a way away, so she hasn't actually seen me since the PGD kicked in / on crutches / walking like an 80 year old with bad piles so maybe she just doesn't realise impact... or maybe I'm just a wuss who can't cope with the crappy side of being pregnant

Hi mainlymaynie, yes feeling more positive after reading about policies on AIMS website and advice given here

100years I suggest you follow up the 'not allowed water birth' suggestion, it seems to be advisable with SPD and I intend to fight for it if needed. See links above. I told my chiropractor (who, incidentally, is helping me greatly and has actually made my pelvis slightly more stable), that I feel about 100 years old. Does that explain your username?!

Mainlymaynie i'm not sure the cocodamol helped with the pain but did make me so groggy that slept better only waking up about 6 times rather than 12! progress! I have a consultant appointment in few weeks so hoping I can ask about the section idea - I am quite concerned about permanent damage with natural as this is my first and def want another ( and from what i have read it gets worse each time)
Im also not crippled as some people are but just damned uncomfy.

i got some co-codamal from tesco last night. Did actually help a bit, still up as much for a wee but not hurting as much. Yay.

MissusT don't let anyone play down your pain, even someone who's suffered previously. Pain is a very personal thing - you are not being a wuss. There's another mum at school who is 2 wks ahead of me and told me early on that she too suffers with bad spd. Drugs, belts you name it - she said she was the worst case her physio had ever seen etc. She's been saying at regular intervals that it's getting a lot worse, is as bad as last time etc. Then, the other day, she said she'd walked 8 miles. Me: ! I can't walk 8 metres without crutches and am in agony after going to Tesco yesterday with dh! So my point is - no one is a wuss, everyone has different thresholds.

I'm taking 2x30/500mg cocodamols which is not really enough at the moment. I'm really requiring the dihydrocodeine at night but I don't want to take them as they make me feel so kak all day and it means trying to get another appt with consultant. And I don't like taking them when dh is not here (I wouldn't wake up if one of the kids was in trouble) and as he's not here 3-5 nights a week, there's only limited relief I'd get.

Am really pissed off that this sudden downturn is (I'm sure) down to the fact that dh misjudged a speed bump. It was agony when we went over it and not changed since. But I don't feel like I can make a big deal of it as he didn't mean to do it

Sorry - meant to say 2xcocodamols 4xday.

PS if you're taking lots of cocodamols make sure you drink plenty and take 1-2 senna tablets each night. Also, chopped dried apricots are a good thing.

Constipation with spd is no fun I can assure you.

Hi all. Off topic I'm afraid but killing time - I have had very few fetal movements since yesterday, none in the night (and we are all able to monitor at night as we are all awake with stiffnessa and pain!). Some small responses this mornign when i have rubbed and poked bump but not normal for my baby. I have phoned hospital and am waiting for them to ring me back when DAU is open. Not desperately worried as some movement but anxious as have done a search and greatly reduced movement is a concern. Also read it can happen just before labour . EDD Wednesday so not out of the Question! Been waiting ages, might ring again.

Hoep no one suffering too badly today, and you are all able to take it easy?

witches, yeah you are right, some people just think oh you are making a fuss of nothing, does not feel like nothing though!

MissusT, yesterday was loads better, today it's sore again and I'm debating the codeine(I have it prescribed separately to paracetamol - but would combine to make it co-codamol) now, wanted to talk to GP about it, have it prescribed for migraines, so didn't want to start on it without talking to docs, but I might have to. Yeah, I get proper sick leave entitlement, work for NHS (the irony) but it's the guilt trip you get, will see how I get on this week at work and if it's too much then I'll be taking some time off, don't want another week of tears like I had this week. Got couple more days before work as I'm on shifts anyway. Yeah, the fizz also said about the plastic bag on the seat, but never mentioned removing it for that reason, just said if you want to remove it! Eeeek. Sorry your sister was not supportive of you.

elseIlltell, it was a horrible consultant who told me that, she was speaking down to me the whole appointment, I'm in the overweight category and so they have to monitor me throughout apparently and so therefore I cannot go in a pool as they can't monitor while in the pool. Hope the bub moves or comes out very soon then for you. Hope all is OK and yes ring them again.

Oh button, sorry you think it's been flared up by a speed bump. :( poop. Mine was better yest as I said, but bad again today, I did some driving yesterday, not sure if the clutch thing and corners are causing it to be worse.

elseI'll fingers crossed it's labour beginning but you did right to phone. Make sure you get a response or chase them.

I've been sleeping better recently thanks to an extra pillow under my waist/top of my bump. Seems to straighten out my spine so my hips can stay more aligned in the night whilst I'm on my side. Have an osteo appt in week and a half so hopefully she can make a difference.

Was working with 3 groups at a festival yesterday so quite sore today and getting to be quite confident on my crutches, I couldn't do without them, make such a difference to my life.

On the down side I find the mixture of hormones, pain and the frustration of using crutches on public transport (and people sitting in the accessible seats when they're clearly fully mobile and not offering them up - people knocking or kicking my crutches when I'm holding them or worse when I'm using them etc.) is putting me in the blackest angry moods which are really hard to shake. DP is being amazing and trying loads of different tactics to cheer me up. Other night I got him to run me a bath, sit with me while I soaked then give me a massage to calm me down. Worked a treat. Very grateful for his patience and understanding as it seems lots of people (inc some of my 'friends') just don't get it and almost have the attitude that I'm making a big deal out of being pregnant.

I tried co-codamol one night and although it helped with the pain and I slept a little more soundly I woke up feeling even more groggy than usual and for at least 24hrs bub's movements seemed reduced and very feeble and I just couldn't handle feeling like I'd doped him up - probably being silly and just coincidence but I'm going to reserve it until I'm absolutely desperate. No judgment on anyone who's using it though, it's just me.

Back from hospital, baby was fine but this may be interesting to some of you: my spd symptoms didn't start until baby got into head down position and sonographer today said it is no wonder I am in so much pain as baby is at very awkward angle in my pelvis, to one side (the right, where my sacroilliac joint is in constant spasm) and back to back. She said labour may be longer and more painful, and baby will have to do almost full turn to come out of my pelvis. It has, for some reason, made me feel better; I think because I have an explanation for the pain which makes more sense but also I really feel that after birth it really will feel better - couldn't quite believe that before! Maybe this is relevant to some of you, who have had SPD after baby getting into position? anyway, no labour yet sadly. Has this put anyone off having more children, out of interest?

Good to hear all is well with the baby, elseIlltellyourfather. Did s/he start wriggling as soon as they attached the monitors? That's what mine did when I was at the PAU. I see what you mean that it is motivating to think that you will definitely feel better after the birth!

Mine got worse after the baby engaged, but started well before then. Today the baby has moved right down (was already 2/5 palpable) and it is quite a lot more painful. He's moved between OA and LOA, so the position isn't terrible but there's usually a lot more pressure on my left. 39 weeks today, not long to go!

It hasn't put me off having more children, though we had fertility issues so that may not be an option anyway. I think if I had had this combined with anything else, it might have been more off-putting, but SPD is really the only problem I've had. I think if it had stopped me sleeping it would have been more of an issue too - I wake up hourly when I need to move but get straight back to sleep. I'll be doing a lot of work on my core muscles after the birth though!

elgoldenflower, that's so rude of people to ignore you when they're taking up the accessible seats!

100years I'd ask for a second opinion on the constant monitoring and not using the pool. Constant monitoring is rubbish for SPD cos of the restricted movement. I'm overweight too, but noone has questioned me having intermittent monitoring in the pool. I'd consider changing hospital if I was you.

cheers Button and 100yrs - been feeling a bit sorry for self over last week - return of morning sickness at 21 weeks plus think might be anaemic too. Bum. Generally pregnant mardyarse at the mo!

speedbumps = evil evil evil! I really annoyed a white van man on Friday by driving over a series of them at 2mph, tee hee. elsgolden - ur v brave going on public transport with crutches, I've been too chicken. Bad enough just walking about in public and people being careless - sometimes think about tripping them up or even how good crutches wud be for hitting people with

elsei'll - hope u feel better after getting checked out and hope baby a bit more active! Keeping my fingers crossed u and mainlymaisie pop soon and say bubye to spd!

100yrs - guessed u were NHS (me too), recognise the atmosphere tho I've been lucky. Don't work in an acute specialty tho... Hope things get easier and hope ur not one of the staff groups who get dog's abuse for coming back from sick too soon cos it's so hard to know with spd, good days and awful days can follow so close together!

Hi all
Know exactly what you all mean by "friends" and family not understanding and thinking we're making a big deal out of this. When I had PGP last time I remember haivng an information sheet for friends & family about the facts, how it affects us and suggestions for ways they can help...it was really good. I didn't show it to ayone last time but would now.....if only I could find it?! Anyone recall seeing such or know where I can find it? Only other suggestion is print off stuff from pelvic partnership website, but that's not as good as this sheet was.

elgoldenflower your DP sounds lovely. My DH also runs baths for me and then brings me hot chocolate while I'm in the bath :). Always helps.

buttonmoon that woman who supposedly has SPD and walked 8 miles doesn't know what spd really is IMO! I also get angry when people say things like that. eg. pregnant woman in ante-natal clinic supposedly had it yet came bouncing in at full speed wearing the highest of high heels and sat cross-legged during her wait to see the MW. hmmm....
BTW....did your DH remember your birthday eventually? Hope you got spoiled rotten?

elseI'lltell yes this DEFINITELY puts me off having any more children. This will be no. 2 for me, I've had PGP both times. Couldn't cope with it again, the hormones, the pain, the moods. Don't think DH could cope either. That's something I am reallly worried about at the mo for after baby's born, the risk of acidentally getting pregnant again, you hear of so many getting pregnant while on contraception. I had a previous ectopic so feel it is unsafe for me to have a coil fitted. THe pill didn't agree with me afer DD (was fine before)...I bled for 2 months solid, tried 4 different types of it. Eeek. I lie awake at night worring about a future accidental pregnancy and more PGP..... :( aaarrrggghhh

Those of you using crutches, have any of you got other DC already? If so, how do you manage that? My DD is only 2.4 so thinking it would be sooo difficult. But at one stage today I really felt the need of them, walking was so painful.

I did indeed get spoiled!

Re that woman - I know, I look like this now every time she mentions it. I mean, there I am shuffling across the playground about 1mph and she wafts past with a smile on her face

Re crutches, last time dds were 10&7 so not really a big deal, and this time ds is 4 so again, he can generally be relied upon to be good. I did look after another dc last time and when I had her I used to use one of those wrist link jobbies so she couldn't do a runner!

TBH I'm almost hoping for a section this time and then I'll be getting my tubes done at the same time.

Oh, and forgot to say, pelvis seems a little better this am. Instead of 30 mins grunting and groaning, it only took 15 mins to get out of bed and I've taken 1+1 tablets rather than 2 big Cs.

So perhaps all is not lost!

@harrassedindherpants
in Germany you would rather go to an ostheopath. Are there any of them in the UK?

golden, I'm off to buy a wedge pillow as the cushion I was using was a bit hard and felt uncomfy. Sorry you are finding things a struggle, and people are mean re the crutches, some people just are stoopid. Glad you have a lovely DP.

elseIlltell, glad all was fine. My LO was 'head down' when I went for my appointment at 24wks, and again when I was checked last week at 28+6, not engaged or anything, but appears to have been that way for a while, wonders if that is anything to do with my pain. RE putting me off other children, no, I would definitely have another, even though I've had a rough time so far. Severe morning sickness - lost 2 stone by 16 weeks, then ended up with dizziness, then the hip pain, I'm 29+4 now and still 10 weeks to go. I'd love to have more than one, obviously we don't know what will happen in the future, but the plan is more than one. I know it will be worth it, and just feeling LO kick inside makes me warm and fuzzy! :)

Mainly, I'm going for a growth scan on Wed and hopefully will see another doc when I am there, so I will ask again about the monitoring and birth pool things, the last time I went the doc was bl00dy awful and quite rude in how she spoke.

Missus - sorry about the return of the sickness, it's horrendous, as I said I was horrible for the first 16 weeks, and yes people say eat x y or z or just make sure you don't go hungry, but for me there was nothing that worked, eating didn't work, not eating didn't work, hope it eases and is just a blip. Re getting abuse for coming back to soon, yep, get the whole speeches about periods of sick, and stuff like that. Tis horrible.

iWILL, let me know if you find the leaflet and some of the ideas they gave. My OH has been great so far, but I do feel a bit guilty and find it a little hard to explain how hard I find some things.

button, glad today is a 'little bit' better.

I'm off to buy a ball today to sit on, a wedge pillow for under the bump, a pillow to sit on at work, and probably get a pedicure as I my nails need cutting and I can't even think about moving my legs into that position to do it myself! Might treat myself to a few other things and a new top, today is look after me day :)

My friend is coming over this evening, we're heading off to a lovely pub for some food and maybe the quiz, I'd love to have a drink, but obviously that's not going to happen! But it will be fab to see a friend.

100years good luck with the different doctor. I had a cushion for my chair at work, but also had a ball there. I alternated between the two until my bump got too big to get close enough to the desk on the ball! I'm getting really cross thinking about them telling you you need constant monitoring because of your weight. Constant monitoring = increased risk of intervention, so if they make all overweight women have it of course overweight women have a higher intervention risk. They then interpret that as overweight women being higher risk and needing constant monitoring! Ridiculous.

buttonmoon, I would be at the woman too. A walk around the supermarket is enough to leave me in a lot more pain the next day. I can't imagine walking 8 miles!! Same with the woman iwilldothis describes - high heels? Crossed legs? These people are living in a parallel PGP universe.

My pelvis is quite a lot better than yesterday, think I'd overdone it on Saturday. With that and my midwife being back from holiday, I'd happy to go into labour today! I've got a feeling I'm going to go well over 40 weeks though. Apart from the SPD I'm fine though, so as long as that doesn't get worse I am going to be patient!

Hi all newbie on this thread!!

Im not sure if i have SPD or not, i am getting a very bad pain accross my coccyx and lower back (pelvis/hips) kind of like a burning/ stinging pain. I cant walk properly and i waddle in order to try and ease the pain, if im sat down for long periods i can not straighten back up again...

I mentioned it to my consultant today, who was not bothered in the slightest and said nothing about it, didnt even ask me about it... I have made an appointment with my midwife next week..

Do i just tell her my symtoms, or do i say i think i may be developing spd and can she reder me to someone?

Im 15 weeks

Yes - do tell her! Ask for an urgent referral to a women's health physio.

Waddling will indeed ease the pain the the short term but is actually doing more damage which you will know about soon unless you can get some help.

Ask about support belts (I have a serola sacro-iliac belt which is the rolls royce esp if the pain is focussed in the back rather than front), tubigrip, and crutches. If you can get some help now then it might ease a bit and not get worse until later in the pg.

TBH, if you're waddling at 15wks then time is of the essence - ask for a referral today!

thanks :-) im one of these people that hates going to the docs, and asking for things, i feel like im being awkward!

I will just bite the bullet and come out with it straight and ask for a referral :)

I agree get to physio and see if they can help at all, im going back this week and hoping maybe get some advice.
My bump appears to be going crazy the past two days, i have started cocodamol and it is making me constipated,excellent, can this make baby more active? This pregnancy malarky is a bundle of laughs!