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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Sciatica in early pregnancy - anyone else?

15 replies

Tippytoes · 10/01/2007 11:24

I am 16 weeks pregnant and have terrible shooting pains down one side of my bottom and down my leg. Apparently the midwife this morning said that it is sciatica, and to make an appointment with my Doctor. Has anyone else had any experience of this and so early on in pregnancy?

Thanks

OP posts:
geordiemacminx · 10/01/2007 11:34

I have had this too, although only in the right hand side. I wasnt sure whether it was a trapped nerve or not? It only happens when I have been lying on my back.. Did the midwife give any indication of what treatment is available?

Piffle · 10/01/2007 11:35

top tip
get yourself to an osteopath ponto
Cure
I suffer with it terribly - my osteo gave me some decent exercises
Oh the relief :

winestein · 10/01/2007 11:41

What Piffle said....
Except I recommend a chiropractor. Mine had a pregnant ladies couch with a hole in it for the bump

Original poster
Tippytoes · 10/01/2007 13:05

Hi, thanks everyone for replies.

I just have to make an appointment with the doctor and the midwife said he may refer you for some Physio, which may help. She did find it a bit odd that I had it so early on in pregnancy and though it was maybe unrelated, but I have searched on the internet and found others that have had it early on. Will make an appointment and see what they say.

Like you Geordiemacminx, it is only on my right hand side too, but seems like thats quite common.

OP posts:
weepootleflump · 10/01/2007 13:16

I had it as early as 16 weeks in both my pgs as well, always only down the right hand side

trixymalixy · 10/01/2007 23:17

I had sciatica early on in pregnancy.

i was referred for physio and they gave me exercises to do and said that i was standing and sitting with my spine too flat.

i told work and they got me a lumbar support thing for my chair, which helped a lot.

Original poster
Tippytoes · 11/01/2007 15:25

Well, have been to the doctors today, and surprise surprise, there is nothing they can do. If it gets really bad that I can't walk then to go back and I possibly could have physio! But at the moment, I am just to put up with it.

I told her it was when I moved in a certain way, and sat down, stood up etc. She told me not to move in those same ways and find other ways to sit/stand!!

So have a feeling I just have to put up with it and hope that it goes away.

OP posts:
Pebblemum · 11/01/2007 17:34

I really feel for you. I had sciatica from 8months with ds2 and it was agony. Dh had to roll me off the bed each morning because i couldnt move and i would crawl around until i was able to stand. At the time it was summer and i made the mistake of lying down on Bournemouth beach one day but then found i couldnt get up much to everyone's amusement. I went to physio but apart from giving me a few exercises to do daily (which didnt help) there wasnt much they could do and once i had given birth the sciatica disappeared.

Im now 5month pregnant and the sciatica has returned. Its already got to a stage where I have trouble getting up from the floor so im dreading the next 4 months.

It is definately one of the worst things about being pregnant

winestein · 11/01/2007 19:35

You can get it fixed if you see a chiropractor or an osteopath

divastrop · 11/01/2007 21:32

i had it early in this preg,it started about 12 weeks till 16 weeks then was fine for most of the 2nd trimester,and has now returned with a vengeance(m 31 weeks).ive had it in every pregnancy and i ever even saw the doctor about it cos i didnt think they could do anything.

Phmoo · 12/01/2007 14:04

I went to a (male) doctor at 7 weekas wqith severe pg sciatica, and he said there was absolutley nothing that could be done.
I mentioned it to my midwife a week later and she immediately referred me for free physiotherapy.

There's a moral to that story...

Original poster
Tippytoes · 12/01/2007 15:50

Phmoo - surprisingly the doctor I saw yesterday WAS female! She'd obviously never experienced this pain herself! If it carries on, will go back to doctors for a second opinion.

OP posts:
divastrop · 12/01/2007 19:58

ive read on a few medical/health sites that pregnancy doesnt in any way cause sciatica and if you get it when preg you would have got it anyway.what an amazing coincidence,then,that the only times ive ever suffered from it was during my 5 pregnancies

goldenpeach · 15/01/2007 12:49

I suggest you go to physiotherapy classes. They organise one for 20 weeks, but you might request help before. The woman at the class explained that while pregnant our pelvis area softens, so you can get all sort of aches, from lower back pain to cramps to legs and shooting pain to knee. If you learn correct posture and how to sit and get up from chairs and how to support your back the pain goes. One thing that helped is to sit astride on a chair while watching TV with a cushion on the back on the chair (think the keeler girl pose in profumo scandal) and avoid sitting on squishy sofas. Also try the leg exercises they give you with the notes, they do work. Please see your doctor if concerned.

Nats77 · 15/01/2007 16:58

I had this for a couple of months down my left buttock and went down the back of my leg to the back of my knee. I went to the doctor too. She told me that as I was pregnant she couldn't give me anything for it and it would get worse the heavier I got. I could have weeped. She did say that she could sign me up for physio but that it would be 6 weeks waiting list so I decided against that.

Thankfully I'd just signed up for pregnancy pilates classes (regular pilates classes are fine up to 20 weeks I've been told) and my teacher was great and gave me some really good exercises to do which really helped with the pain. Lots of safe stretching of sciatic nerve.

Also heard about Body Stress Release and signed up for 3 sessions and found the sciatica dissapeared. Did feel bad immediatly after each BSR session but was told to expect that but after a few days was such a relief to be able to get out of bed without wanting to cry and able to walk more than 10 paces.

Also, nearly forgot about this but I met a woman who is a reflexologist who does refloxology for pregnant women and she pointed out the pressure point for the sciatic nerve. I'm not a reflexologist but this felt good when I tried it. It's the indentation on the top of your foot, a couple of finger widths in from your ankle bone.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

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