PLEASE HELP, NEED ADVICE - Severe Postpartum PGP and pregnant...

[Beckyk91]

I suffered with what my doctor described as a sciatic nerve pain in my 2nd trimester which I managed quite well I was told it would go after pregnancy and it was just the extra weight of the baby pushing on nerves. After having my daughter who was prem born at 34 weeks but only measuring 28 weeks (2lb 11oz) and delivered by emergency c-section the pain slowly got worse. I was having physio at my doctors which wasn't helping. I was back and forth to the doctors, giving me different pain relief... I swear I have had every pain relief (apart from morphine) and the pain still comes and goes as it pleases more so when I walk anywhere, I cannot walk far without suffering... I am writing this whilst I have a heated pad wrapped around my feet as they are throbbing and I only took my daughter the park for an hour before tea time. Anyway eventually they sent me for a mri scan but it showed nothing but slight wear and tear on my sacroiliac joint. The doctors I seen basically made out it was all in my head as I suffer from depression. I kept going back and pushing because I knew the pain wasnt right, I was eventually sent to a pain clinic and diagnosed with PGP .

My daughter is now 18 months old and I am in horrendous pain daily, I have been having physio and acupuncture at our local hospital which has only made my pain worse. I get extreme pain in my back, buttocks, hips, legs, feet and sharp shooting pains in my lower abdomen. I still do not understand how I can be suffering with PGP 18 months after having my daughter, she was a premature baby so she wasn't big. Now I have just found out I am pregnant, last period was 6th June, had slight spotting 1st July. I really don't think my body will cope carrying another baby and I also suffer from depression... Me and my fiancé have agreed a termination would be for the best but the thought of it makes me feel like a evil person. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, my head is all over the place.

Thanks Becky
xxx

Before making any decisions I would urge you to see a chiropractor or osteopath privately. It sounds as though you haven't had a proper diagnosis and it certainly doesn't sound like PGP not that I'm a doctor but I have it and the pain your describing doesn't sound like mine.

Even if you pay for one session they may be able to tell you what's actually wrong. It could be a coincidence that this started during your last pregnancy.

I wish you the best

Thanks for your reply!
I have been attending physiotherapy at my local hospital were I have been having acupuncture done one a week but it seems to make the pain worse, I cancelled this week as I found out i was pregnant. I will look into chiropractor and osteopath see what could be best for me thank you! I also need to see my doctor I just keep putting it off due to the pain I'm in and not knowing if an abortion is the best thing to (and just getting over the flu its been 10 days now and I still dont feel 100%). All seems to much to even think about at the moment.

In my experience chiropractors are a lot more knowledgeable about the type of thing your experiencing. If your around Manchester I can recommend a brilliant one. I think it would be a shame to have to terminate I presume a wanted pregnancy because your being let down by health services.

A termination is a serious thing but is not an evil choice in any way here. You are doing your best to make the tough decisions for you and your family. If you feel you could not carry possibly and could not care for this child, then it sounds like the right decision. I just worry that you already think it's evil so are not in the right frame of mind about it. Terminations are extremely common. A high percentage of women have had one. I don't agree with it as a form of contraception but do fully support one in the case where a child is not wanted or will severely impact a person or family negatively. I suggest you talk to a counsellor to help you through the psychological part of this choice.

Becky, I was in a very similar position to you in having PGP spanning between pregnancies, and then when I got pregnant again I was unable to walk by 7 weeks. Terrifying! I was on the phone to Marie Stopes - abortion very much seemed the only option. I found the most incredible osteo though and it didn't work straight away but I said I could wait until 14/16 weeks for an abortion, just to give osteo a chance - we really did want a second child, but just no way at the expense of being wheelchair bound. I write now at 25 weeks and totally unrecognisable from my early 1st trimester state - I was convinced it would only get worse as the pregnancy went on but actually it's got better and better. Please PM me where you live as I may be able to recommend my osteo who specialises in PGP and nothing else - nobody else had been able to help me, and I've seen lots of other physios etc, but this one has changed everything for me.

Hiya Squillybilly I live on the wirral bebington area. We've still decided on the termination upto now, I recently have lost my job due to my long term sickness, I honestly cant see me coping with another baby with my so called 'PGP' and depression, my depression has been at a height lately due to the pain and probably hormones, I want to go through with the termination but then in the back of my mind, im thinking what happens if I regret it and it makes me more depressed, I really am so confused. But can't thank you enough ladies for all your advice, i still have a big decision ahead of me I'm off to the doctors tomorrow for some advice xx

I've had severe SPD for 19 years. I've never been off crutches and have had 6 major surgeries on my pelvis.

In your situation I'd contact the Pelvic Partnership (they've got a website, and a FB page) and they will be able to put you in contact with an osteopath or chiropractor in your area.

IME NHS physio's don't have a lot of knowledge when it comes to SPD/PGP. Not one I have seen over the years, or country, (and I've seen many) has done anything beneficial. I used to see an osteopath, who was brilliant, but my pelvis was mobile and kept falling back out of position.

For pain relief, ice is better than heat. Ask your doctor to refer you to a pain clinic, they have much more options than your GP.

Good luck tomorrow and the coming days.