Painful sciatica has replaced SPD with this pregnancy. Is this possible?

[Fakebook]

I suffered terrible SPD with my first and second pregnancy from 18 wks to the end.

I'm almost 20 weeks with third pregnancy and there is no sign of SPD but have been suffering from sciatica for about a month now. Last week I got stuck on the floor reading to dd. the pain was excruciating and DH had to roll me over and then help lift me up.

The midwife has told me to contact her so she can refer me for physiotherapy before I get any bigger and it gets more uncomfortable.

Is it possible for SPD to just disappear like this? Can you have SPD in one pregnancy but not the next?

My SPD has gradually become worse with each pregnancy and starts earlier with each too.

I am 26 weeks with DC4 and although SPD reared its ugly head in the first trimester its currently not AS bad as at the same stage with DC3

I had awful SPD in my first pregnancy, literally couldn't walk. I'm currently 32 weeks with DS2 and no SPD. I thought I was getting it again at around 28 weeks, but the pain has disappeared - mw thinks the baby must have just been putting pressure on a nerve.

I'm so relieved as SPD is bloody horrible.

Oh god I totally feel for you. I had awful, awful sciatica early on in this pregnancy but one trip to the physio sorted me out. Ours is self referral, could you try and call them to get an immediate appointment? It's absolutely agonising, I feel your pain

Thanks for the replies. The only thing I can think of that is different with this pregnancy is that I'm more active and walking a lot. Maybe that's made a difference to my pelvis?

Ezza, I've found an exercise on YouTube that makes the pain just about bearable for a day. I wonder if that's what they'll make me do? I bring one leg infront and lay down with the other leg out and that stretches the buttock. My brother had sciatica and he tells me the physio literally popped his back into place. But I suppose it's different for pregnant women.

Longfufu, glad you don't have SPD this time. It's horrendous pain. I especially hated it in the morning when it felt like someone had been kicking me between the legs all night!

Futterby, I don't think I can self refer. I'm going to call the midwife and see what she says. What did they make you do in physiotherapy? Did it hurt and did they take long?

SPD (pain at the front) is one type of pelvic girdle pain. The other main type is sacroiliac pain which can feel like sciatica - pain in lower back and buttocks, sometimes achey but shooting pain when it locks up.check out this link for me info.

Hope you get some decent physio.

I went to a physio for sciatica, it started about 28 weeks, I'm now 35 and its completely gone! Physio gave me some very simple exercises that basically stretch out the ligaments and things around the nerve, was gone in about 10days. I did go private though, and was pretty much fixed by the time my NHS referrel came through, so I'd recommend that if you can afford it.

The physio examined my back and pelvis and made me do some leg lift things so he could see what the problem was, then he had me lie down on my front (they have a belly-hole for pregnant people) and he footered with my back a bit then held onto my leg and asked me to try and pull it back with my hip. He also taught me some exercises to do if it gets bad again but I've not had to use them yet. Took about 30/45 minutes and tada, I could walk again :)

OP, I had v painful sciatica in my last pregnancy. One visit to an osteopath sorted it completely and it didn't return. It was amazing.

LadyMedea, thanks for that link, and it's got me thinking maybe I do have pgp. The symptoms they've described are very similar to sciatica and I can see why they may be confused for each other.

Thanks futterby, so it wasn't that long then!

The pain has eased off today but can still feel a niggle in my right buttock when I walk. Will phone mw later.