31 weeks.... spd. In agony!

[user1468348545]

Currently 31 weeks and was diagnosed with spd a few weeks back. And omg the pain now is horrific!!

Please can someone give me hope and maybe some advice on how to manage it!!

Get crutches. Get a Velcro belt to hold you in-I wore mine over leggings and under dresses. Get physio ASAP after birth.

I had a ribbon on my notes so they didn’t make me put my legs wide (had emergency section, unrelated to spd).

I second crutches. Use them as much as you can. Get good painkillers for sleeping. I take 2x30mg co-codamol. See if there is a hydrotherapy pool at your local hospital or track down an aquanatal group. Most importantly- accept that you cannot run around like a loon and ask for and accept help from others.

It's the worst pain I've ever experienced. I'm due tomorrow and have been having physio since 18 weeks. It's awful.

See a chiropractor that specialises in pregnancy. I had this with both my pregnancies and was in agony. For the last 5 weeks of my first I couldn't even manage stairs. Someone told me about the chiropractor when it started again with my second and she was amazing. The belt and physio were useless for me.

Definitely try a pregnancy physiotherapist! Go private if needed (most worthwhile £80 you'll ever spend). My sciatica and SPD started very suddenly at 31 weeks and I was close to tears just getting out of bed. Driving and even doing a food shop was no longer feasible without painkillers.

Therapists experienced with pregnancy will know exactly what questions to ask to give you an exact diagnosis. In my case I was limping so much that it caused the connective tissue in my hip/thigh to seize up, which made the pain increasingly worse. The therapist massaged all the knots out (painful but in a good way) and the relief was incredible after just one session. I can walk completely normally again (after resigning myself to the idea that I would be on crutches & painkillers until birth).

I would highly recommend a pregnancy chiropractor. I was in so much pain I couldn't get up the stairs to bed. No position from laying to sitting to standing was pain free. I practically crawled into her office and by the time she was done I walked out with ease. It is expensive. My first session was £75 and subsequent ones have been £45. I have only had 4 in total and intend to have one again before baby comes. I'm 34 weeks now. I wouldn't have been able to continue working without her help. The physio I spoke with through my work was useless. She basically gave me information about what the pain is but nothing really on how to help it.

I feel your pain and really hope you get something sorted. It made me miserable for weeks before someone recommended the chiropractor

Thank you for all your replies everyone.
They suspected the start of it at 20 weeks but it's so bad now. Still waiting for physio referral appointment but may have to look into a chiropractor in the meantime!!

I had it. Never got to the crutches point. Belt helped me, as did co-codamol. And then lifestyle management. Like any chronic pain management - manage your expectations of what you can do. Get help. I had to think about what activities misaligned my pelvis and put pain through it, e.g. pushing buggy, pushing trolley. These could be done in a limited way so I needed to plan my activities round them. If I did the morning food shop I needed to rest in the afternoon. I used a bunk bed above to help me in and out of bed.

Getting good sleep really helps (the endless heatwave and heartburn made that a real struggle for me).

Physio said to me that there is limited evidence for long term impact of manipulation so they wouldn't do it. They gave me exercises, and said they had to be done regularly for impact. I know this contradicts other's anecdotes but it was what happened for me.

I let work know and managed my workload and expectations. I continued at work in a limited way up until week 36.

Baby is now 6 weeks old. I am so glad I am no longer in pain! It was better immediately. The challenges of the newborn period are nothing in comparison.

Go to a private physio - don't wait for nhs
Make sure you are always SYMMETRICAL AND SUPPORTED in everything you do - it's pretty exhausting but makes a huge difference. Don't do anything on one leg EVER.

And never go anywhere without your hot water bottle!

Oh and no vacuuming and get your shopping delivered!

Hey everyone. Just an update as everyone has been so supportive. I took the 2 weeks and returned to work yesterday. Then today have been sent home and have decided I definitely need to take the next 2 weeks the doctor recommended. It's been agonising and worse over the last couple of days since being back at work, so definitely time to make sure I'm looking after me and bump!!
A lot of work colleagues seemed supportive of it all. Who knows what the rest will say, yet to speak to my big boss!
Admittedly as bad as I feel, I do feel so much better knowing that baby is going to be safe from the volatile environment and that I will be doing what's best for us both!!

I’m really struggling too.... it’s so debilitating- I used to be incredibly active and now a 10 min walk to the shop practically has me in tears. I know I’ve put tuns of weight on too as I’m so inactive.... interesting my physio recommended walking in water which I did last week... was blissful not to feel pain for a few minutes then oh my god I had to get out of the pool which was hell! I do find the support belt helps a little bit.... but mainly for me it just seems to be taking it easy is the key. I can’t wait to be back to normal!!!

I'm 31 weeks and have had this since around 18 weeks. I've been going to physio privately as I am lucky that my work pay for private health insurance. Today they have tried acupuncture on me, it was just a 10 minute session with it been the first one but I think I can feel the benefit as I have been more comfortable today and I work in an office so sat in the chair all day usually aggravates it. I also bought crutches to help me when it is bad. Fingers crossed the acupuncture works, don't know what else to try if it doesn't. I have however found that a spikes massage ball helps. My boyfriend rolls this on my back and hip before bed and then I put a hot water bottle on it.