A new SPD/PGP thread?

[philbee]

Just wondering if there's anyone else out there. I'm 15 weeks now and have pain in my sit bones, groin, front of pelvis. It's not how it's come on before, so I wasn't sure what it was to begin with, but its pretty achey and sore now. I'm going to the physio for a class on Tue, where a bunch of PGP afflicted women will learn things about it. It seems like that's a precursor to actually getting an appointment with a physio, which is irritating, and I've waited 7 weeks just for the class. I also have general irritation of my lady parts, which the GP can't identify (not thrush or UTI), and I don't know if it's related but all together it's getting me down. Anyway else want a moan?

[moan emoticon]

Yes - me too! Am nearly 5 weeks and have symptoms already - grr! It's how I knew I was pregnant on my third (at 4 weeks!)
Had it on all 3 previous pregnancies and saw the maternity hospital physiotherapists throughout the pregnancies. Was on crutches on my first for a short time and physio wanted me in a wheelchair at one point.

My last one I managed it much better as I paid for physio therapy led pregnancy pilates class and really ensured that I did the exercises prescribed my the hospital physio.

Philbee - I hope that they get you into a one on one shortly

Grumbles Top tips
Wear a support - there are belts specially for this symptom. Get a physio to show you how to wear it.
Avoid: Ironing, hoovering and definitely do not push a shopping trolley
Stairs: you might need to vary your way of getting up and down these depending on the day. One at a time, on your bottom, hands and knees
Keep your legs together when getting in and out of the car and bath. Keep a plastic bag on the car seat to help you swivel and sit on the edge of the bath to get into it (never from a standing position)
See a pregnancy physiotherapist
Keep your legs together
Try not to lift anything too heavy. If you have other children try to avoid lifting them onto one hip and walking around with them. Kneel in front of them
If your hips/legs 'lock' after sitting for a while and it means that you can't actually get up try tilting your pelvis forwards and backwards ever so sightly until they loosen a little, then increase the tilting a little bit more. It means that you don't move cold ligaments

I found this www.pelvicpartnership.org.uk link very informative

Retry www.pelvicpartnership.org.uk

Thank you grumble, all good tips. I had PGP when pg with DD four years ago, and it was painful but came on in the second trimester and I didn't get to crutches. I was pg last year for 12 weeks (mmc) and it came on at 9 weeks. I've been doing things to try to get my pelvis healthier over the last year, but here it is, back again. At least I don't have the SI joint pain, that's what it started with last time.

I have had a look at the Pelvic Partnership site, thank you, but it's so doom-mongering I find it a bit of a downer tbh.

There are pregnancy pilates classes here, but they're at 5.55pm and DH can't get back from work in time for me to get to them. He's just about to start a new job, so can't really ask to leave early in the first few weeks. Gah! Will insist on a one-to-one at the class this week. Maybe I should see if I can arrange some childcare so I can go to the classes.

Hi,

I'm 19 weeks with dc4 and have been using crutches intermittently for 2 weeks.mine started at about 12 weeks this time. Got it for first time with dd3 and it only went well almost went at about 20 months.
I've had one session of Physio and that's all I get. No maternity specialists here either. I've a belt but it hurts when I sit/drive so but awkward.
I'm waiting for occ health meeting at work as there's a few things Im struggling with and they are worried about me going off sick.thats this week but have been waiting a month for it.

angels that's shocking that you only get one session of physio. Can you complain? If it continued for 20 months after your DD was born last time it's hardly a trivial problem. I think often these pregnancy things are treated a bit like 'just put up with it, it'll be over in 9 months', but you obviously need more treatment than that. I found it depressing when I called about the physio and was told that there wasn't much they could do other than give me a belt. That was last time, and I'm hoping that when I get there they might actually be able to do a bit of manipulation and give me exercises. I was at a different hospital with DD and got antenatal physio the whole time, but the cuts and the house move seem to dictate that it'll be a lot less this time round.

I'm wondering whether to fork out for private physio but the only two places I can find recommended for this are in Tunbridge Wells, so probably not feasible to get there in the time I have, and one in London which charges £80 for a first appointment! Not really possible on our income, sadly.

I've been trying to sleep with a pillow between my knees, but it bugs me so much! Have been looking at those massive ones, but I think DH wouldn't be too chuffed to have that in the bed with us. Anyway, am trying to be much more careful today, and will see what the class tomorrow is like.

Hope you both have good days today.

Just wondering also what you do for exercise, if anything. I find the inability to exercise the hardest thing, and I start getting very stressed and snappy without being able to do physical things. I've called round yoga classes and the teachers' responses about PGP are really not encouraging, they don't seem to have a lot of idea about it.

Hello, I've posted about this on other threads but I've been suffering from SPD from about 20 weeks (I'm now 33). It's progressively become worse but recently I've felt like I might be managing it a bit better so wanted to share. I agree with all Grumbles brill top tips too.

Due to total frustration about being so immobile, I started swimming about 3 weeks ago: I don't use my legs and just have one of those long, pipe-like swimming floats (most swimming pools have them) under my arms, and swim breaststroke with my arms whilst clenching my legs together. My SPD has by no means gone but I feel like it's stopped getting worse and it's definitely less bad in the night since I started doing this...

I've also bought one of those DreamGenii preggo pillows and it's not that big, just about the size of a normal pillow but longer, philbe perhaps that might suit you?

Physio was shit for me too, they just gave me a belt which isn't much use.

My yoga teacher has trained in SPD and was really useful & gave me some exercises which seemed to help earlier on a bit. If anyone wanted, I could try & scan in & post here?

Hope that helps! I agree, it's totally hell-ish and there doesn't seem to be a huge amount of support.

philbee they don't do manipulation as there's no ante-natal specialists. Can't get an Osteo either.only give equipment and exercises. Usually it would be a pre birth assessment too but I have c-sections so don't need that

Hi harbot. Will check out the pillow, thank you. Mine's a bit flat probably, and I get all tangled up in it! I love swimming too, but went today after a few weeks off and as soon as I started (crawl, haven't done breaststroke for months) I had pain. So depressing. I was going to look for something to tie my knees together so I could just kick from there, but it doesn't really seem worth it. But maybe I'll try again. I get very tense shoulders if I don't exercise, so I need to do something.

Not sure about scanning - wouldn't your teacher have copyright or something? I envy you having a trained yoga teacher. The responses I've had have been pretty vague - today a woman I called about her class said that if I came I should just try things and if they hurt then avoid them. But isn't the idea that you often don't know until later on what's been a bad idea? Trial and error doesn't sound wise. I did call the physio led pilates people though to see if I could do one-to-ones. Depends on the cost, but if I did one every few weeks it might be ok, and at least I'd feel more confident that they knew what they were talking about. Am waiting to hear.

angels - I suspect my hospital won't do manipulation either - they seem very wary of it, and I think I might also feel a bit weird about being pushed and pulled in an area so close to the baby. I did find the exercises good last time though. It's just grim that it's come on so early, isn't it? I was really hoping to get to 20 weeks or so before I started hobbling about and telling DD I couldn't do things.

Had my Occupational health assessment yesterday. Not a lit of use but boss had a few useful ideas that I don't like but she's got a point left me v down last night with the realisation that this is it for at least 6 months :(

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1346772-welcome-to-the-new-SPD-sofa-have-a-biscuit-and-a-brew

An attempt at reviving the SPD sofa that has run on MN for a few years. Would be great if you could come over please - seems to be enough of us about! Thanks for directing me here angels.