Pelvic Girdle Pain - need some support please

[lilwelshyrs]

I posted on here a couple of days ago following a very uncomfortable weekend of fibroid issues and sore hips.

It's now escalated and I'm pretty sure it's PGD/PGP. I have had several horse accidents over the years and all of the accidents hurt my right hip in some way. My pelvis is twisted and raised and I've been seeing a chiropractor after my last accident (2 years ago) when I couldn't walk in the mornings.

So now I'm in a whole new world of pain. My hip is constantly aching and sometimes makes me cry out in agony with it. I've been given dihydrocodeine to take as and when I need it (obviously normal rules apply - not exceeding stated dose etc) and paracetamol. I've been warned by my midwife not to rely on either medication as long term it's not good for baby :(

Can anyone help me with pain management ideas or what they did if they suffered?
I was unable to get into work this morning - I made it to my station after an incredibly painful train journey in and then was sick on the platform. I broke down and cried and had some help from a lovely lady who calmed me down and I got on a train back home. Thankfully DH was home today so he can help me move, look after dogs and make food.

I'm self employed so every day I miss i don't get paid which makes me worried.

I've ordered a lovely pregnancy ball to sit on and a hot beady thing to wrap round the sore bits...

Just need a little support really!

Thanks :)

Get yourself to either an Osteopath or Chiropractor asap.

I found myself on crutches during the last pregnancy, so this time went as soon as I felt it, and it has certainly been much better.

I still have it, but it's bearable.

I'm seeing a chiropractor this evening... I really hope it helps! Need my DH to learn how to do it too! Haha

How long has it been since you were pregnant? I thought it magically went away after you gave birth

Oh sorry I am still pregnant, I should have said that haha!

It started about 26 weeks or so, I am 35+2 now

Oh i hope it gets easier... I'm barely halfway!
Are you on crutches now? What do you do about sleeping? I have a pregnancy pillow but dont know how much it helps or more annoys me when i turn over and get tangled up in it haha.

Nope not on crutches during this pregnancy, was keeping up regular with the chiropractor which really helped.

Got a Sanggol maternity pillow from Amazon, sleep with that wrapped around me and between my legs on my left side.
Slow gentle movements, don't overstretch the pelvis.

Hi I have same issue, minus horse riding, went to osteopath, and whilst not back to full strength am much better. Have also ordered a support belt on line to help.

I feel (felt!) your pain

I found a great physio who specialises in pelvic pain in pregnancy. She's in Tewkesbury so not sure whether that's any use to you. It's just over an hour from where I am, but it was worth the travel. I had 3 sessions and it made a massive difference. The pain disappeared after birth (and I didn't notice it at all during labour either)

contractor do let me know how you get on with your belt as we have been considering whether or not to get one.

I forget which pillow i have but it's like a spiral.

Do either of you struggle with standing/sitting or lying down at all?

Tilly, I have booked in a local private physio who specialise in bumps and backs so i hope that helps.
Sadly I'm a bit far away in Brighton for Tewkesbury :( but i hope the physio i'm going to see is good!

I always found Chiropractors to be the best.

Try the Sanggol pillow.

Walking = ouch
In and out of bath = ouch
Sleeping = ouch

Lil if in Brighton is canary wharf to far? Google docklands osteopath.
Belt is cheaper on amazon than mothercare £19.99. Will report back cob tomorrow

You should have a chiropractor nearby, they are virtually in every town, no need to travel far.

I was signed off from 21 weeks with it.

Physio - crap
2 different belts - crap
Osteo - got me at least semi mobile. The osteo is 5 mins walk from my house - I remember calling my husband in tears hat I couldn't walk that far - he had to come and get me and drop me off. After the first session I was at least able to walk home. I had SI joint dysfunction according to her.

The good news is it literally disappeared as soon as I delivered DTs.

I have a chiropractor a 10 min drive away and he's seen me through the last two years of pelvis problems after my last horse accident, so really putting my eggs in one basket and hoping he'll make me feel like new this evening!
My job is quite physical and im worried i wont be able to work for the remainder of my pregnancy :( which makes me worry about my SMP... Argh!

Its utterly helpless too, isnt it?! I wish there was a magic cure...

Wow, mistofeles, that's also a long time to have it. Did your osteopath give you stretches to do? Did you manage to sleep/sit down/lie down without much discomfort?

How does everyone deal with the pain? I appear to be rubbish and end up in a heap on the floor which is just as uncomfortable!

It's so painful! The things that are helping me at the moment are: trying to keep my hips even and square all the time, standing and sitting straight and tall as slouching just buggers everything up! Keeping legs together as much as possible when getting in and out of bed and the car. Resting as much as possible. This has made the most difference. Fortunately my job is fairly sedentary! Also weekly visits to a chiropractor who specialises in women with PGP. Extraordinarily painful but very good.

You may need crutches by the sounds of it. You can get these via NHS physio. Worth it if it keeps you mobile !

Also a pregnancy sleep pillow to keep hips aligned when lying on side.

Sorry you are suffering op (and everyone else). Ime it doesn't get better until Baby is out, so can only be managed, not cured. Lots of good advice so far, I will add no twisting, no vacuuming, sit on a plastic bag when driving to make it easier to get in and out of the car, don't walk too far or you will pay for it the next day, don't sit on the floor, and a normal pillow between your knees in bed can do just as well as a proper pregnancy one. Take cocodamol but only when you really, really need to. Sit on an ice pack or a hot water bottle. Rest, rest, rest as much as you can.

Thank you all for your replies.
I saw my chiropractor last night and it seemed pretty good. I was sick after the treatment and am struggling to eat breakfast :(
My DH has gone to work today do mum is winging her way over to help me.
I tossed and turned a lot last night. Sacked off the pregnancy pillow as it was just getting me all tangled up!
I woke up in an awful lot of pain this morning - but i think that's my fibroid :(
I am actually a little worried as to how much pain I'm in even after pain killers - the pain is stopping me from sitting down or lying down. At a loss with what to do really, just utterly exhausted with the pain!
NHS wont do anything to help as there is nothing at this stage :(

I was still in pain after my treatment Monday morning, but its definitely getting better, touch wood no pain this morning. Support belt is to small going to send back and get bigger size

I have my lovely mum here whilst DH is at work. The hip pain is still there but i'm not sobbing on the bathroom floor like yesterday, so that's an improvement at least!
I called my midwife and explained that the fibroid is really hurting me and she has booked me in to see a consultant... That's not til after my 20week scan so still a few weeks away.
Feeling utterly helpless and am also struggling to eat which is unusual for me!

Osteopath did say to me alternate 5 mins ice with 5 mins heat for 30 mins to relieve it....

Hi OP. I just wanted to post and say there is hope! When my PGP started when I was 18 weeks pregnant I could not see how I was going to make it to 40 weeks. Like you, my pelvis was also twisted. I could not even roll over on the bed never mind get up. I cried - a lot - and the painkillers I was prescribed did not even begin to touch the pain. However, I was lucky to find a great chiropractor and an amazing physiotherapist working together at the same clinic and between them they managed to realign my pelvis and hold things pretty much in place through to the end. The pain did not go over night but with regular treatments including adjustments, massage and acupuncture which I highly recommend (the physio targeted the deep muscles around my hips which had gone into spasm in their effort to hold my pelvis together with amazing results) things improved greatly. I was still mobile and pretty active when I reached full term and had a straight forward delivery which at 18 weeks seemed an impossible dream. My advice is to keep up with regular adjustments, find a good physio and practice any exercises they recommend religiously.

I did also try to access help from the NHS via my midwife but, I guess due to being chronically under funded, there was very little they could offer. I went on a course where I was basically told not to do anything that hurt (which was everything at that point) and that it would just get worse until I had the baby. I was also issued with a support belt and offered crutches before being sent away and told not to have any more children as it would be worse next time! It does not have to be like this but currently the only option (certainly where I live) is to find help privately.

Good luck and I hope things improve quickly for you.

lilwelsh I have had SPD for 19 years now, so I am bit of an old hand.

A serola belt is the best type of belt to get. The ones from Mothercare, Amazon etc are useless.

1 pregnancy pillow is no good, you need 2 - 1 for each side of you. You can get massive V shaped pillows, from eBay, that you sleep in the middle of but they gave me neck ache. If you have 1 pillow you get tangled in it, with 2 you just have to worry about moving yourself.

I use a Snoozle. (I tried to do a link but everytime I leave this page I lose my post ). It's a slidy sheet that you put over your top sheet and it helps you turn at night.

Ice is better than heat. My physio told me to fill condoms with water and freezer them. They're not heavy and cheap. Just warn your MIL before she goes in the freezer so she doesn't get a shock like mine did!

You need to rest and not do anything unless it is absolutely necessary. I was on crutches from 19 weeks and in a wheelchair from 26 weeks. I had a toddler and we spent the time camped out in my bedroom because I literally couldn't do anything.

If you need crutches ask for them now. Don't press on through, it's not worth it.

Good luck. It's horrible. .

The Snoozle to save you Googling.

Haven't read through all the responses, but I posted about this same issue only a couple of weeks ago. I ended up going to see an osteopath that works exclusively with women and all I can tell you that it has made a tremendous difference. The pain is still there now and then, but nowhere near what I was experiencing pre-osteopath visit. I've got more appointments in the coming weeks and Im am certain this will help me even more. Definitely seek out an osteopath who deals with pregnancy pains!