Bloody hell, is this how it's going to be for the next 25 weeks?

[stowsettler]

I am in AGONY.
OK well, not agony like cut-off-your-foot agony, but my back is massively sore like period pains only worse. I'm 15 weeks - is this normal? My belly seems to have popped right out in the past 2 or 3 days - could this have something to do with it?
This ain't funny. There's no way I can make it through to the end of January sat at a desk in work if this is the way it's going to be...
Does anyone have any reassuring noises for me? Pleease?!

Hmm, no that doesn't sound normal to me. I would ring the midwife. It's probably nothing serious but best to get medical input - if you have back issues you might get referred for physio or something to help.

Thanks. Spoke to midwife, she thinks it might be a urine infection. As I'm a GP practice manager I'm getting one of the nurses to test it in a bit.

Ah didn't think of that. Good that you are getting tests done (clearly you work in the right place!)

Well the urine test was clear and the docs here say it's just all my insides stretching (it does feel more muscular, just like period pains, tbh). But I've got to say I'm a bit concerned - I'm sure women don't put up with pain like this for months on end?
Does anyone have any advice on what I should do next?

I took a whole week off work with ligament pain at 17 weeks, but it did pass and I did go back to work and completely forgot about it. :)

But it did add to my growing list of "How the fuck did they not know they were pregnant?".

How do you sleep? I find that sleeping on my back gives me backache like muscular pain throughout the day even though I'm only 10 weeks and only a slight bulge. However, I can usually ignore the pain as it's not that bad. It might be that your muscles are beginning to realign you body as you're centre of gravity is shifting and it may take a while to get used to it and strengthen up those muscles. How about some pilates exercises - just the gentle ones - they are really good for pelvic floor and backs. I had a slipped disc and pilates helped with strengthening up my back muscles. Also try and move around, I seem to automatically go into a sway when I stand up when I'm pregnant! Failing all of this, a warm hot water bottle and some paracetamol?

Thanks Dolomites, that gives me hope that this won't last. I suspect that this is what it is. I feel a(nother) trip to the GP coming on. I feel a right fraud for taking time off - OK I know I'm not a fraud, but it's the way I was brought up. I come to work if I'm virtually dying, but this is different - it's not just about me.
milkyjo, I do sleep on my back but also (and mainly) on my side. I don't think this is a massive problem for me. Pilates is a good call - I'm due to start pregnancy yoga tomorrow as well, so hopefully that'll do some good. Oh - and have already popped the old paracetamol, it does take the edge of - as does walking around.

Thanks both for your responses. A little bit less concerned now.

I'm currently 39 + 5 , every single time I had an unpleasant symptom I thought oh no, that'll be it till the end now. However nothing has lasted, not one symptom actually continued indefinately - excepting the ever growing belly ofcourse. Morning sickness lasted the longest at 20 weeks, but nothing else, no matter how intense lasted more than a couple of weeks.

I know this is unrelated to your problem really but hope it gives you hope

Dolomites - I have the same list, how can you not know?

haha preggers Yes, I think the absolute determining symptom was probably be the physical movement of my abdomen as a foot/elbow/whatever moved from once side to the other. Had I not known I was pregnant the only other logical conclusion I could've drawn was that I had been abducted by aliens, impregnated by our alien overlords upon their ship, had my memory erased and returned to earth to give birth to a hybrid race intent on total inter-planetary destruction.

Dolomites - That would do it! You'd have had to have had a seriously bad curry for nights on end to put it down to much else...

I've not been in the kind of pain you describe at all, but did find myself surprised by how early the discomfort and aches started, esp lower back ache, pains under boobs after eating dinner. I have found regular swimming has helped a lot, and when it does hurt it seems to be for a few days at a time, usually when my bump is getting bigger. I'm nearly 19 weeks now and have a substantial bump despite it being my first baby (I have gained 4 pounds so far which doesn't seem excessive, but bump seems big). I had expected all the general aches and discomfort to occur much later on, but I've had them since about 15/16 weeks.

I would suggest the pains ( if they feel like really bad period pains) are stretching/ growing pains . I had similar pains right at the beginning and have had some more at about 28-30 weeks . I was worried at first but went with it and they did pass...... My saving grace was baths ( with some expensive bubble baths) this did help to ease pain ( obviously you cannot do this at work ) .
I would also say do not feel guilty about having time off work i had horrendous morning sickness up to 17 weeks and dragged myself into work most days ......i am sure this made it worse and in hindsight ( wonderful thing) i would just relax and do what i need to do ( as even when i was off i felt guilty - but you do not get any medals and you are right its not just for you !) . I hope you get sorted .

my back was agony around that time even in bed! its starting to get better now i have good day n bad.

I spoke to NHS Direct, who advised that it didn't sound massively dangerous, but as I'm pregnant to get checked out by my GP. The GP was closed for the afternoon (typical) so I eventually called the midwife again. She was a bit stumped at first, but now thinks that I may have Pelvic Girdle Pain. A bit early, but not unheard of at 15 weeks (although I suspect that, contrary to my dating scan, I may actually be a bit further on than that anyway).
She's told me to rest (had another bath today, that really does help) and take paracetamol - which is like a drop in the ocean now. I'm to go to the doctor tomorrow morning, and they will probably prescribe co-codamol and may or may not sign me off work. I'm not massively happy about the prospect of popping the most hardcore drugs I've ever had whilst I'm up the stick, but neither am I the kind of martyr who will put up with this kind of pain for the next 25 weeks (if it lasts that long). If the doc says they're safe, that'll have to do for me.
So here I am, propped up in bed with a hot water bottle in the small of my back, PRAYING that it all goes away by tomorrow. Fat chance!
Thank you so much for all your replies, it's good to know that it will probably subside soon.

You poor thing. Have you tried sitting on Swiss ball rather than chair at work as well as the supporting pillows when sleeping?

Hopefully the Dr will reassure that it's nothing serious - just painful & far from ideal. Hope you sleep ok tonight, sounds like you need it.

I went to the doctor this morning. She wasn't convinced it was SPD (thank God) because it's just back pain, nothing in front. She did however give me co-codamol (lowest possible dose) and told me to rest up for a week.
Does anyone know how long co-codamol takes to work? It's been over 2 hours and I can't say it seems to have done any good really. Is it a cumulative effect?