Hypermobility - any advice?

[jhmanny]

Hi everyone!
I'm 19 weeks pregnant and I have joint Hypermobility syndrome. I score a top 9 on the Brighton scale by the rheumatologist told me I have it in all my joints so very hypermobile.

I was wondering if others have any advice generally about dealing with it during pregnancy? Did you have pain? What helped? Specially, I have really bad pain in my left hip, towards the back, at the moment. I'm not sure if it's related or what I can do?

Next midwife appt isn't until 25 weeks - I can ring before that but just wanted to see if others had any experience of this?

Thanks in advance!

More info in case it's helpful:
Over the years the symptoms have affected me a lot - pain, fatigue etc. Properly diagnosed by a rheumatologist eventually. Had physio, hydrotherapy and saw a podiatrist too. Plus got really into my fitness and the strengthening helped a lot. All helped and got the symptoms under control. Haven't seen anyone about it in well over a year. Since being pregnant, suffered bad with sickness so my gym going has basically stopped. I have other health conditions so was referred to a consultant who I saw at 13 weeks pregnant - however, it was a mental health clinic speciality mainly (referred there because of history of anxiety). But that meant that although they said they knew about my other conditions I felt they were glossed over and I was told that I'd be no different to anyone else. May be true. But no discussion about the severity of my Hypermobility, for example. That's where I'm at anyway in case any of that info is useful!

Perhaps consider getting a support belt? I’m not sure if I’m hyper mobile but I have very flexible hips from yoga and I’ve suffered with terrible PGP. A support belt would limit the amount your hips move when you walk but they aren’t comfortable to sit in so only to be used when you’re moving around. I would go and see a pregnancy physio though if you have any doubts...

I haven’t really got much advice but can share my experience. I pulled a load of muscles on a regular basis in the second tri. It seems the hyper mobility plus oxytocin caused the most problems then. Things got better in third tri (maybe I wasn’t trying to do so much?).

I’m hyper mobile, especially in my hips and struggled a lot in my first pregnancy. I got no support or advice and was told the pain would go when the baby was born, though it actually continued until I stopped breastfeeding and then I got pregnant again almost immediately.

Not sure if it’s because of that or if a more sympathetic midwife, but I mentioned it at my booking appointment and got a referral for physio.

I have a couple of stretches to do and have been advised that I might need a support belt later. I’m 29 weeks and managing ok, though I can’t remember when it got bad in my first pregnancy.

Definitely push for a referral, or go private if that’s an option. My NHS physio does a private course for £200 which I imagine would be well worth it.

I'm hyper mobile and currently 36/40.
I've been really surprised as I haven't had a great deal of issues.
I am 30 and mine had started to get a bit better with age anyway though.
I saw a physio at about 22 weeks for some advice, privately, cost about £40 for a one off session. I've followed the advice and been pretty much fine; some aches and pains but not much worse than I get normally to be honest.

le42 - thanks for the advice. I'd thought about a support belt. My sister-in-law is currently using one on her second pregnancy because of PGP. I wasn't sure if that would help me or if my pain is PGP but I'll certainly look into it.

FoxgloveStar - ah okay. I'm debating whether my pain is muscular from helping decorate the nursery at the weekend. Keeping an eye on it for now.

lambdroid - I find the level of support really odd when it's your first pregnancy. I have other chronic health conditions and basically feel like they're not interested even though pregnancy can aggravate all 3 conditions. I was referred to a consultant after my booking appointment as the system flagged me as intensive risk. However, apart from my 3 health conditions, I've suffered with anxiety a few years back. I know they have to take mental health seriously, but it was all they were interested in. I felt like saying, that's in the past and my other conditions are current but they just weren't interested. The consultant discharged me and told me I wouldn't have any problems and would be no different to another first-time pregnant woman. Although that might be true, there was no discussion about the severity of my conditions or anything...
I'll definitely speak to my midwife at my 25 week appointment but will ring her if I feel I need to before that as that's another 6 weeks away.

FrowningFlamingo - Ah that's great that you haven't had many issues. That's what I'm hoping for... And I'm hoping it'll help with the birth as I know it can fingers crossed. I've always had a lot of symptoms before I was pregnant but they'd got better from exercise. The pregnancy sickness has stopped my exercise completely so just sort of waiting and seeing how it effects me. It was mainly the hip pain that I have now that worried me that this was the start of more issues. Will definitely ask for advice from midwife, or go to a physio if it gets worse/doesn't go away.

I'm hypermobile, especially in my hips, and I really suffered with both of my pregnancies. I think I was unlucky though, most people seem to manage ok.

As I'm sure you know, being strong helps so much with pain, I found nhs physio pretty useless, it's definately worth going private if you can afford it. Support belts can also really help, the serola is particularly good.

I also found osteopathy helpful, and acupuncture became my lifeline when my pain became really bad.

Unfortunately nhs provision is poor at best, I spent a lot on private help, but I needed it to get me through my pregnancy.

I think that so much of it is just ‘wait and see’ that it just gets added to your notes and dealt with if it becomes a problem unless it’s one of the more standard pregnancy issues like GD or something.

That said, I really got no support last time despite having days where I couldn’t walk. Definitely be prepared to push for help if you need it.

Good luck!

Only problem I had was too fast births- both under 3 hours, apparently it’s common!