Does this sound like SPD or PGP or what?

[kickingking]

Am 18 weeks pregnant with DC2.
My left hip hurts, I can't lie on it at all when in bed, when I wake up in the morning I have to walk up stairs right leg first and bring my left leg up to join my right as I can't put much weight on my left leg. I can feel my hip socket clicking and crunching first thing in the morning.
I had the same issue with my first pregnancy and it ended up in both hips with the left being worse. I was under consultant care (still am) and rarely saw a midwife. I didn't realise this wasn't normal until I spoke to other new mums after the baby was born.

So I'm seeing my GP tomorrow about this - what can I expect him to say/do?

My gp said it was on of those things, hopefully yours will be abit more helpful. :)

Oh dear.

I'd heard things about physio and osteopaths. Was hoping something could be done to help - can't bear the thought of the next four/five months being like last time.

Sounds like pelvic girdle pain of some sort - I'd phone your MW/consultant and ask for referral to obstetric physio - your hospital should have them.
Failing that try an osteopath. Hopefully one or the other can help a bit.

Look up Pelvic Girdle Partnership online as they have loads of good advice.

Thank you. Just to clarify I am under consultant care for completely unrelated reasons and don't feel like I can bother them with pregnancy niggles. This time I have insisted on having community midwife appointments at the usual times as well, but not due to see her again for eight weeks. If GP is no good, I will give her a ring.

I would not classify this as just a niggle! You're only 18 weeks and this has the potential to get much worse unless seen to ASAP. I would bring it up with the consultant and get referred to physio.

I only had a mild case of PGP and found osteopathy the biggest help.

I had PGP kick in about the same time as you - it was horrendous and I could not get physio cover, or osteopath help without shelling out loads.

If you can, do, but make sure they give you exercises to do and don't just give you manipulation and a "come back in two weeks and pay me more money" attitude.

My solution was to find ante-natal pilates classes run by a qualified physio. It literally saved my pregnancy from being a saga of pain because I was proactively doing pelvic floor exercises hourly every day, and pilates exercises at home three days a week. I tried to memorise the exercises so I wasn't having to go back every week. If you see a physio of course they are obliged to write you a programme.
Avoid stairs and anything that hurts your hip - and try to keep active. I find if I sit too long, the pain is excruciating when I get up. Equally, if I walk too long, the pain in my hips is like a granny's.

I found a book called "Powering through Pregnancy" helpful with strengthening exercises that did not aggravate my PGP.
I only have two weeks to go and my PGP has stayed stable since twenty-six weeks. When it first hit I was terrified of being on crutches by now.
There is a support thread for PGP/SPD sufferers here somewhere.