SPD/PGP support thread

[ViolaCrayola]

Would anyone be interested in joining an SPD/PGP support thread? I know there were some great long running ones a while ago (e.g. here) but there doesn't seem to be one at the moment. Just somewhere to give and receive support and advice, and have a good old moan!

I'll kick things off... I'm 25 weeks with DC2, and my SPD has really hit me hard now. I am seeing a physio, exercises, crutches etc, but all that really seems to help is rest. So I'm basically house bound at the moment. I had SPD the first time too. Bit of a glum picture at the moment but I'm trying to stay positive through it all

Anyone else out there?

Hi Viola,

I feel your pain (literally). I started feeling pain at about 27 weeks but didnt realise what it was. Midwife told me it was PGP at 29 weeks but we have an 8 week waiting list for physio.

I have a support belt from mothercare which helps a little but the pain seems to be getting worse each week :-( I am 31+4 now so hopefully will struggle through.

How old is your little one?

sorry I have no advice, but a listening ear.

I'll join!
I'm a 2nd timer both times with scarily early onset. I'm currently 14 weeks with DC2 and spd is in full swing.
I have a physio referral but they did nothing more than give me a support band last time which did nothing. This time round I have a little extra money so am about to look onto getting an osteopath or chiropractor to sort me out. Just don't know which. Any clues on that would be greatly appreciated!
Good luck everyone it's so hideous!

Hi,

I'll join too! Am 22+5 with DC4, and it's really kicked in over the last couple of weeks. Haven't had any help yet, as was trying to grin and bear it, but have an appointment with the midwife next Monday, so will tell her then. Today has been just awful. I rested a fair bit over the weekend, and just pottered about, felt ok this morning, so walked the mile or so to walk. What a mistake! Sitting at my desk at work for 7 hours has been agony, I had to keep standing up as the pain was unbearable! I'm going to have to ask DH for a lift in the morning, I don't like to, as he has to take the DCS to school in the opposite direction. Think I'll try to get a support belt at the weekend.

It's awful, isn't it!!!

Hi Rachog and PeppaTwig*. Great to hear from others, but sorry you are suffering too :(

Rachog - my DS is 2. I'm very lucky as my husband is around a lot at the moment, so I'm able to rest much of the time. Otherwise he would be watching waaaay too much TV. I hope your physio referral comes through soon...

PeppaTwig - poor you having it so early on. I felt it pretty early this time too. I should have mentioned I've seen an osteopath earlier on this pregnancy - didn't find it helped much unfortunately but I'm trying a chiropractor soon - I'll try anything! Friends recommended both - but I've heard that the pelvic partnership (www.pelvicpartnership.org.uk) will also pass on personal recommendations in your area. How old is your DC1?

Looking on the pelvic partnership website the other day I found that a certain proportion of cases (about 10% IIRC) are purely hormonal - so don't respond to manual manipulation. They also tend to be those who recover quickly after the birth. I am starting to think this may apply to me, as I've never had much luck with anything except rest. Even with rest it is worsening at the moment - eeek!

X post Moomin

Sorry to hear you're suffering too. Did you have it in your previous pregnancies? I've had to pretty much give up work as I couldn't sit at a desk at all really by the end - for me that and walking are the killers, so poor you! Hope you can rest this evening - do you find heat helps? I was told by my osteopath not to use it, but I love it!

Hi Viola,

I sailed through my first pregnancy, had it very mildly with my 2nd, and quite badly last time. When I saw the midwife last time around, she didn't even bother referring me to physio as she said that I would have had the baby by the time I got the appointment! I was lucky in one respect though, as we lived in a bungalow, which helped, and I only worked part-time. This time we have steep stairs, and I now have a full time job! I have a different midwife this time, and she said at my booking appointment that should I develop SPD again, to tell her pretty much straightaway. I'm definitely going to push for some help this time! I wonder if mine is hormone related after what you put above- mine has previously gone within a couple of weeks after birth. Heat does seem to help, especially a lovely warm bath, getting into it is tricky though!

I'm currently 21+1 with my fourth and as anticipated, the pain has started creeping in over the last few days or so. It always, always starts in my 20th week :( I'm currently not too bad but it is definitely, unmistakeably there and I'm dreading it getting worse over the next few months.

hello, 33 weeks here, had pain since 9 weeks. Was crutched/wheelchair bound by this time with DS1 but this time round (DS2 due in 5 weeks) it's been managed so much better. I am having a planned section which I'm really relieved about. I am happy to pop the kettle on and offer round sympathy and advice for anyone having a rough time!

Also I'd like to reassure all that despite a terrible prognosis, it turns out it really hasn't been worse this time round so repeat pregnancies don't always mean worse symptoms. The key thing for me was to treat the pain early with proper pain relief (co-codamol on an escalating dose until I plateaued) and see a physio early as poss. I am regularly reviewed in a pain clinic and also was referred for acupuncture, and reflexology. I've also been signed off work for 3 months which has massively limited my 'essential movement' and allowed me to care for DS without crippling myself in the process.

The pain when it's bad is horrendous so anyone suffering - you have my deepest sympathy!!

Hey i will join! Currently 35 weeks and suffering with PGP. Not alot they can do now apparently so i have started going to prenatal yoga as recommened by midwife. Will keep u posted on how that goes! Hope everyone enjoys a nice soak in the bath tnyt to try an ease the pain!!

Hi all,
I am currently 34 weeks with 2nd pg. had SPD/PGP with first, referred rather late at about 7 months as I thought it was normal backache. Luckily my GP at the time had a hunch.
This time it started at about 10 weeks so i pushed for referral straight away. They didn't do any manipultion (why?) but advised with exercises and recommendd aqua aerobics which has been my absolute saving grace this time around. Each time I went I would feel a lot better next day......until last wek when I felt a bit worse if anything so may have reached a tipping point. or maybe i pushed myself a bit too hard- will go 1 more time and take it easy t see what effect that has.
Still have belt and tubigrip from last time to start using a bit now near end. Physio said not to use until I had to as it stops your abdo muscles working as hard.
Have 8 days actual working days left and am now taking paracetamol and codeine every day so counting down the last few weeks- not on crutches or anything so isn't as bad as it could be. Funnily enough I can move my legs apart quite far but get the pubic pain, early am hip pain, pain when sitting on toilet and "bowling ball tied to spine" pain in my lower back.
woah- this has turned into a bit of a rambling post oops,
Anyone on here still in 1st or 2nd trimester- get on the aqua aerobics thing, well worth it

Can I join 29 weeks in first pregnancy. Told at 22 weeks I had SPD but only got referred to the physio last week as kept being passed between
GP, physio and midwife.

I also have hypermobilty which I expect is causing the SPD. Very concerned how much worse it will get over the next 11weeks and how to give birth with out injuring your pelvis? Any past experiences?

Currently signed off work for a few weeks as sitting in a chair for 8 hours is impossible and the codrydomol make me go to sleep. But being is work is making it easier to manage the pain much better as you can change positions and rest more.

Hi McBaby - I also have hypermobility syndrome, and it does ramp things up a bit. I've been signed off since about 18 weeks for the PGP and in my first pregnancy I was on crutches/120mg codeine a day. I'm 33weeks now (2nd time round) take no more than 30mg codeine a day and can walk just fine... so I know it doesn't have to get worse just because of the hypermobility. I also have a 2stone toddler to care for which means I'm not exactly a lady of leisure! I have handled it much more pro-actively this time which really, really helped.

My top tips from experience are to move as much as possible, truly, don't sit, stand, walk or do any one thing for more than 15-45 mins depending on your pain level. I actually have a timer stop watch for tasks like washing up. I set it for 15 minutes and when it dings, even if I'm not done, I stop, move around, sit down, then go back. Keeps things from siezing up and stops me from bending over or doing awkward jobs for too long, then regretting it!

However tempting it is to lie down or watch TV for ages don't do it without getting up and moving around every ad break! Seriously, every, single, one. Also, get satin pj's for bed so you can slide around if you turn while sleeping as this takes the least effort to move/turn over. Get a dreamgenie or similar pillow so you have support below your bump but especially between your knees when asleep - keeping your knees two-three inches apart and parallel will ease the symphysis pubis pain a LOT.

Take your pain control by the clock no matter how you feel. If you have a good week, you can try to reduce the dose (I've dropped from the higher dose of 15/500 co-codamol every 6 hours when I was 25 weeks to 8/500 now) because painkillers work by building up in your system not by reacting to your actual symptoms. If you have a pain free afternoon great! Top up anyway, to keep that going. Like me you may find that you can decrease the top-ups as time goes on rather than escalating the meds (which is what I did first time round, when I took them more erratically). If you manage this you will avoid some of the withdrawal problems for your baby at birth that opiates can cause.

See your physiotherapy team and ask for a pain clinic referral - they can put you in touch with alternative therapies on the NHS, at my hospital they offered acupuncture(which is great) and reflexology. Take any and all help offered! Contact your local Red Cross medical equipment store - google it - and borrow (for free) perching stools for the kitchen, walking frames or crutches if you need them, even wheelchairs. Use mobility aids before you feel like you can't manage without them! They work on so many levels, obviously they help you when you really can't move well. But they also slow you down, remind you to take things easy and are a visual cue to other people that you are ill as well as pregnant. It's amazingly helpful to have people at the supermarket offer to push your trolley (don't push anything you don't have to - hoover, trolley, buggy etc, it's terrible for pelvic instability). Also gets people to open doors etc.

If you use a support belt, try upgrading to a Serola one (you can get them on Amazon) but only use it when you are needing the help, don't wear it sitting down or all day as it will weaken your muscles longer term.

The birth is another story. I suggest you look on this website and pay attention to the birth plan bit. Then book a consultant or senior midwife appointment well before the birth (36 weeks is a good bet) to discuss your options and go through your birth plan. First time round I was offered this appointment at 39 weeks, baby arrived 38 weeks and no-one was prepared for the problems I had moving - I ended up with a forceps delivery which was less than ideal. Hence I have a section booked this time, well in advance! But a section isn't necessary or even ideal just because of PGP, I have other complications left over from last time which make it the best option for me. So definitely push your midwife to get you this support early. You just don't know when baby will come and it's best to be prepared.

If I can think of anything else I'll post back again! Good luck :)

Just wanted to say hi :) to all the new posters. It is so good to hear others' experiences and advice.

Chocoraisin (your username is making me want chocolate raisins!) - what great tips, thank you. Very interesting for me as I have been in a real dilemma about pain relief and getting loads of different advice. So far I am just about managing on paracetamol when I need it but I sleep terribly and every evening end up practically squirming about in pain :( Maybe I should start taking it more regularly, combined with the co-codamol I've been prescribed...

Maiziemonkey - I think I will try aqua natal soon - it's just the getting there (on crutches and don't drive) that really puts me off... but I love the idea of it.

I am worried about the birth too, not entirely because of SPD but that definitely is a factor. I've pretty much decided to go for a home water birth if poss, but am a bit worried about pain relief!

I managed entirely in a water birth until the last minute with just gas and air with DS. If he'd not got stuck it would have been fab. The first time in months I could actually move! Water is brilliant.

Definitely take the pain relief. Take it regularly and increase slowly - eg, 500paracetamol + 8/500 co-codamol, but take it 6am, noon, 6pm and midnight. Every day for a week. If it's not cutting it, swap your 500paracetamol for another 8/500co-codamol before bed. Give it another week. You'll be surprised what happens when the medication is given a chance to work! I avoided and postponed and fretted so much last pregnancy that I took next to nothing until I was utterly, ridiculously exhausted and was put straight onto 30mg codeine x 4 daily for the last few weeks, sometimes 60mg at a time just to keep a lid on it. There really was no need for it to get that bad, I just didn't understand how it worked - the pain clinic was so helpful when it was explained to me. It's not the dose that sorts you out so much as the frequency, so don't hold back completely, just pace yourself with little and often. Much, much better than trying to undo months of pain build up right at the end. Think of the labour! You're going to thank yourself for getting better sleep leading up to that if nothing else!

This thread is full of good advice and tips!

I feel blessed as I have it quite mildly compared to all of you, I have been managing with a support belt and a couple of paracetamol when it gets bad. As it seems to be getting worse on a weekly basis I now feel more able to cope with lots of things to try.

Thanks to all who have posted their advice..

Hello all, I'd like to join!

Im currently 19+4 with 3rd bubba. Have been signed off work in pain since about 8ish weeks!!! (am a carer) Only got seen by a physio two weeks ago, been told its pgp. Got given some excersises to do and told to take paracetamol and that's about it really.
Never had it in either of the last two pregnancies but I did get diagnosed with arthritis after the last bubba so maybe that has something to do with it?

I have been coping slowly by resting lots, luckily my Dh works mostly from home apart from two days a week. So that helps with the school run which is about a mile away (I don't drive)
The last week however has become really hard, a lot of pain even walking a short distance.
Have set myself a task of increasing my excersises per day to twice maybe 3 times but if it's getting any worse to get a belt next week.

Horrible isn't it! I find myself clenching my jaw with the pain on occasions!
Will deffo try out swimming/aqua natal!! X

Hi Harryan :)

I really sympathise with what you're going through - it's hard when you have other children isn't it, and know you should be resting but need/want to look after them too... Are you still seeing your physio? Has he/she suggested crutches at all? I found them helpful for when I need to leave the house. The pelvic partnership is brilliant as well for treatment options - most people seem to need some kind of manual manipulation (rather than just exercises) to see some improvement.

I am going to the chiropractor tomorrow but TBH am a bit daunted. Have just got myself to a bit of an equilibrium with resting and am worried the treatment may just set it all off again. FWIW that's what happened with osteopathy for me.

Has anyone seen a chiropractor or had any other good outcomes from hands on treatment? My friend recommend this chiropractor and she is a pregnancy specialist so fingers (but not legs ) crossed!

Just wanted to update/bump this thread for anyone else who might be around.

I went to the chiropractor - it was very gentle, and I did feel better for a few minutes afterwards - after that I haven't seen much improvement, but I think I have to give it a few more sessions...

The other thing is I've just started having hydrotherapy - I would highly recommend this to anyone suffering from SPD. It is so blissful being pain free and light in the water. Feel v tired afterwards but in less pain.

Hope everyone is bearing up ok, especially in this hot weather...

I also saw a chiropractor yesterday and I definitely feel better and the treatment was pretty gentle. I'm going back on Friday to see if it's stuck (I feel pretty good so far) and then he reckons monthly appointments should do it.
Keeping my fingers crossed... Laying a lot of hope (and money!) in this guy!

Hi ladies. I can concur with the water bit.
I am 32+3 with my first & have been suffering SPD since week 20 & have been wearing a support since it was diagnosed & have been on crutches for the last 4 weeks as the pain was steadily getting worse. I couldn't get up stairs & turning over in bed was torture. Then, about 2 weeks ago the doctor signed me off work for 10 days due to the pain inflicted by 2 back to back fire drills at work. She prescribed me co-codamol 30, physio & rest. She also said that she didn't think I would be back to work before bubs was due. The physio said that there was pretty much nothing they could do before the birth. Thankfully I bumped into a lovely lady at the hospital who told me to try swimming. I did. I joined an aqua natal class run by a local midwife which did wonders not only for the pain but also for my spirits. 45 minutes of pain free movement! I have now also joined a swimming pool & swim on my back for about 30 minutes most days. Although I'm still on crutches most of the time, I am back at work, not taking any pain killers & the support is off most of the time.
I saw the aqua aerobics classes & realised that they would not be any good as you are constantly separating your legs & breast stroke is another big no no. As somone said, with SPD you need to act like you are wearing a very short skirt with no undies on - ie. keep your knees together as much as possible.
I can't recommend swimming highly enough. It helps stengthen the muscles as well as being great exercise!

bump for babbashouse