Pelvic Girdle Pain

[tweedlezee]

Hello,

As subject states its about pelvic pain. I have it. I am 34 weeks (nearly there) pregnant.
I have spoken to the midwife and she very unhelpful. The same for my GP. They haven't prescribed anything and I have been told to take paracetamol. Brilliant ante-natal care.
Anyway. That aside, I wondered if anyone has any tips on how to get through the next few weeks? I sleep with a pillows everywhere, I do take paracetamol - just before bed to help me get to sleep.
I don't do alot in the day as I have been told to rest, rest and more rest.
Has anyone used the bump bands? Any reccomendations on which one you found best? Or any cheaper alternatives? I read that you can wrap sheet around your pelvis (on Mumsnet) any tips on how to do this.
I have not got long left and with prev. pregnancy symptoms cleared up after 6 weeks so I just wanna get through the last few weeks with as little fuss with silly midwives/gp's as possible.

Thank you!

Demand an urgent referral to an obstetric physio. They should be able to help.
Failing that try an osteopath though you'll probably have to pay fi you want to see one before birth.
THere's a SPD - birthing ball thread with lots of PGP/SPD sufferers on it, which may have tips for you.

There are also stronger painkillers than paracetamol - para with 8mg codiene is available otc and I've been prescribed that. Actually last time I got prescribed para with 60mg codiene 4x daily, which was a great painkiller but sent me totally away with the fairies. Can help you sleep though. So worth nagging your GP again and insisting no, this is not just pregnancy!
Good luck!

A work collegue gave me the tip of using a carrier bag to get in and out of the car. Lie it on the sit, sit down like you would in a normal chair, then swing your legs in keeping your knees together. I found getting into a car was one of the most painful moves so this really helped.

my GP told me the best cure for PGP/SPD was giving birth....tres helpful but he also referred me to physio. Like you, I didn't want to bother with the symptoms as it was getting later in pregnancy, but it is worth pursuing. I'm now 38wks and SPD is making sleeping a nightmare, but the physio gave me exercises to do on my ball, and a support belt for walking - which does feel like it 'keeps me together' a bit (if being a little unattractive!). I think I was about 34wks when I went to the physio and only went twice.

Resting does help - as will gentle exercise on a birth ball if you have one? Paracetamol and warm baths too? As long as you have handles on your bath to haul yourself out afterwards...

It's miserable, but apparently does go as soon as you give birth...but it sounds like you know that already? Good luck - I can't wait til I pop now :)

www.pelvicpartnership.org.uk/

I found the pelvic partnership very helpful. The NHS physio class I went to was rubbish, but the PP recommended a private physio who has been fantastic. Its very treatable and shouldn't be ignored. The sooner you start to try and tackle it, the better your recovery will be after the pregnancy...

Hello! Sorry to hear about your PGP. I am 31 weeks and have it too. It started over two months ago and midwives are rather unhelpful about this problem (my experience). They seem to dismiss it as something that 'it's unfortunate but there is nothing you can do about it and it's only bound to get worse until you give birth' (I quoted!).
However mine got to the stage that I was house bound for two weeks until i decided to see an osteopath (privately) who really helped. Before going to see her i was told that I should have kept my legs closed all the time, especially when getting in and out of the car etc...so that my hips wouldn't come out of the joints.
Actually my osteopath took a different approach and told me that by keeping my legs closed I was putting extra pressure on my thigh muscles and that the inflammation kept spreading throughout my back and neck. So she actually made me open my legs, moving carefully without sudden movements but always trying to use my legs normally. The inflammation started to go down and I am now mobile again, the pain is still there but I am like a totally different person. I still wear a belt (mothercare £24.99) which takes the extra pressure off my lower back and I feel much more positive about the pain. It had really affected my life as I had stopped going swimming etc... I don't know if the approach my osteopath took would work for you, but I just thought I would share my experience as my PGP had turned into a real nightmare, preventing me from enjoying my pregnancy, going out, sleeping etc...
I really hope you get better.
All the best. Mxx

I'll 2nd talking to the Pelvic Partnership.

I had what I thought was mild SPD/PGP through pregnancy 2 and it was starting again in this one. Since it started last time round I've seen 3 physios. Got an appointment with a lady recommended by the PP and she seems to have sorted it out in 1 hit (metaphorically speaking ). I don't think the other 3 are bad or incompetent, I think they just don't have the detailed and specialised knowledge of pelvises, or the confidence in realigning pelvic joints during pregnancy, that this lady has. If you're going to see a physio, try and make sure its one that will do the maximum benefit! A physio with experience in this area should also be able to offer you a bit of advice on what to do/avoid during birth to minimise any aggravation to your individual condition.

Hope you can get some help and everything goes smoothly from here on in :)