Really awful pain/cramps right hip/lower back/leg- help! Is this SPD?

[Evie2014]

24 weeks pregnant with DCDA twins, and sorry in advance for long post but if anyone could help I'd be most grateful.

It started as a niggle on Friday. Like a pulled muscle/tightness in my right lower back/buttock. I went for a pregnancy massage and asked the lady to focus on that area. She said (rightly) that she could only use light pressure. I came home and it was still tight and uncomfortable. I asked DH to rub my lower back/backside and he could feel a knot so he worked away at it until it eased.

Saturday I was sore but managed to work with slight hobbling (job can involve lots of walking). Yesterday I could barely walk by the end of the day, and felt a dull ache all down my right side. Today the whole right side of my body, quite simply, seems to have given up. I can't put any weight on my right leg at all without excruciating pain shooting all the way up my leg from my foot to my hip. And I've had a few bouts of horrendous cramp- like the awful cramp you get in your calf, only down my whole leg from hip to foot. Rolling around yelling in agony, awful pain. (I consoled myself by thinking it was good prep for labour.) These cramps abate into a low toothache-type pain which can settle anywhere from my knee to my shoulder.

Is this SPD? I've been looking up SPD threads and the descriptions seem different from what I've described above. I'm pretty sure that it's preggo related though- perhaps a combination of factors? I've put on 18 kilos with these babies, and if you saw me you would see that it's all bump. I have a MASSIVE bump and the rest of me has gotten thinner. So I reckon my spine has been under strain from the sudden weight gain and change of centre of gravity? And maybe the lots-of-walking job doesn't help?

When I am not in excruciating pain (when I find a position lying propped up in bed that doesn't trigger cramps) I am absolutely fine. The babies are fine. I'm just worried about spending the next 12 weeks literally not being able to put my right foot onto the floor or turn over too quickly in bed in case I end up howling with cramp agony.

Sorry again for the long post- I don't usually go into involved graphic detail about my ailments! I'm a solutions person though, so would welcome any suggestions as to what might help (when I had morning sickness I tried EVERYTHING to feel better including wristbands and the phone app- I think I just distracted the MS away!). I'll make an appointment with doc if necessary but have a sinking feeling she won't be able to do much.

Help?!

Hello. I'm not expecting twins but am a bit further along (30 weeks). Experiencing very similar thing. Crotch bone pain last week GP prescribed antibiotics for a UTI. Not working. Went back today with agonising lower back/hip/leg pain (right side) different GP said just pelvis softening. Prescribed codeine based pain killers didn't even think physio would work. I'm just hopeful it gets better soon (for both of us)!

Thanks moo! I think my hunch may be correct in that case and the doctor may not be able to help. Am spending today in bed in the hope of improvement. Fingers crossed for both of us!

Thanks Flick. Have googled and it does sound possible- and again, "there is no treatment" for the pregnancy version. Eek.

Oh well. Maybe this is just my body telling me it needs a break. I have been working a lot recently so an enforced day in bed might be what is needed.

I've made an appointment with a very reputable Chinese doctor (i.e. Chinese medicine) for tomorrow as apparently acupuncture can help with this sort of thing.

Not sure about the twins aspect but sounds very much like what I had and it turns out my DS was back to back and completely stuck (EMCS) I can't remember when it started though but nothing helped apart from rolling round cursing until it died down.

I've had something that sounds v similar in both my pregnancies, though not as bad as yours OP! I got a referral to physio, but having read others experiences I was a bit sceptical as to whether it would improve things. With exercises and regular appointments, the really intense pains have just about gone and she fitted me with a belt/brace thing that has helped me keep walking.

Am now 38 weeks and really uncomfortable again but I think that's just par for the course! Hope you can find a solution to help you OP.

Hahaha Hamnvik, laughed out loud as that was EXACTLY what I did last night during the two big cramp episodes! Rolled around yelling "f! f!" until it went away! The second time I tried to do breathing exercises through the pain- figured I might as well get in some practice for labour! (Though, gulp, I might be headed for a section…)

I had a similar thing happen to me, only on my right side and a bit later in pregnancy as I wasn't having twins. It was most likely my sacro iliac (sp?) joint which I'd injured a bit as a teenager. Things that helped were massage, keeping hamstrings loose/stretching them, this sideways lower back twist that my physio had me doing on the bed, with my upper leg bent and knee dropping over side towards floor *which is almost impossible to describe but did give some relief.

I feel for you, I really do.

Thanks guys- it just helps to know that this is a not-uncommon experience. Cardi and twin, will check out the belt and physio options. I do reckon it is baby position-related. Babies have had a big growth spurt in the last ten days and the skin on my tummy is absolutely stretched, so maybe they're wedged somewhere unsuitable until they can make more space for themselves.

My Mum has suggested that it's my baby pressing on sciatic nerve which seems to make sense. I'm wearing my serola SI joint support belt and it's helping a bit too.

It sounds very much like sciatic nerve pressure. There's nothing worse!
although, saying that, ive not been drinking enough and have had some horrendous leg cramps too, so maybe extra fluids might help.

Thanks Saggy! Will start chugging down more water. (Though that will mean I'll have to get out of bed to pee. Which takes a while.)

Moo I'm thinking of maybe hanging upside down for a bit to see if that might dislodge whoever's stuck in an inappropriate place in my tummy. Would that be a really bad idea? (I'm half serious.)

One more question. What does anyone think of Deep Heat or Tiger Balm for this? Are either of these safe to use? We've consulted Dr Google and Tiger Balm seems okay but looking for anyone who's used it?

Hi Evie it sounds like my symptoms in my last pregnancy and that was spd. Physio was ok but not great i used a support belt which again was ok but not great.I found those sticky heat pads really good,warm baths and as much rest as I could.(not always easy I know!)

For me I think the weight of my baby was a factor he was a whopping 10lb 8! Never had it with either of my girls who were 7 pounders. Am pregnant again so god knows what will happen this time will probably give birth to a small elephant!;)

Hope you feel a bit better soon I remember it hurts like hell!

Saw MW today... She said it's just weight of baby. She also said women used to not work after 28 weeks and that I was trying to do too much there's no answer to that really!

I have physio tomorrow will let you know if it helps.

As for hanging upside down. So tempting. Crawling on hands and knees can allow baby(s) to relocate.

So my diagnosis is periformis muscle contracting and dragging sciatic nerve up. On top of standard SPD. Physio tugged at my foot away from body to stretch nerve and did some other manipulation. I'm sore but have more movement now. Hurrah.