SPD Sofa - support and advice offered at no extra charge!

[pumpkinpureeandghostlypearls]

I am suffering SPD (for the second time) and just need to vent without driving everyone else on my pregnancy thread mental. Not that they aren't supportive but I still have 20 weeks to go and I don't want to ruin their pregnancies by talking about mine!

Please come and join me so I don't feel so alone, and feel free to share tips if you have any....

Hi there,
Pelvic Instability Network Scotland (PINS) is a registered Charity which was set up in 2007 to offer support and information to people affected by Pelvic Girdle Pain/Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD). Membership is free and we have over 250 members from throughout the UK and overseas.
one of our main aims is to improve awareness of PGP/SPD amongst health professionals and the general public and to raise standards of care for everyone affected by PGP/SPD.
If you are having difficulty accessing treatment in your area I would like to hear from you - please contact me at [email protected]
The PINS website is www.pelvicinstability.org.uk
Many thanks
Moira,
Chair, PINS

Hi ladies (SK are you here??!), hope you are all doing ok.

3rd pg, 27 weeks, and I've woken up quite sore in the middle of my pelvis this morning (unusual, doesn't usually happen unless I've dared to walk for longer than 5 mins). I have some crutches from when I twisted my ankle a few months ago but I'm wondering how best to use them for SPD - presumably I do one at a time rather than both together, but do I go opposite leg-arm or same leg - same arm??

Any help gratefully appreciated!

Hi minnie. Sorry about your soreness. The way I use crutches is to support the weak leg as I take a step. So I swing both crutches forward together as my strong leg takes a step, then both crutches and the strong leg stay on the ground as my weak leg steps forward. Hope that makes sense!

I have bad SPD which started in my first pregnancy and has been much worse through this second pregnancy. I'm now 36 weeks and normally a very fit active person, but some evenings i can hardly walk - especially on days when i've gone out, walked the dog, pushed the pram,played trains with DS, done the weekly shop etc etc. I have an active toddler and a DH who works ALL the time so i've had days when DS and i have just had to fall asleep on my bed and wait until DH gets home to move us/help us. It's very upsetting to be so weak. I had a natural drug free birth last time in water - d/k why - it just went that way, I had no plan. But the pain is scaring me so much i'm crying all the time and can't sleep (nightmares about birth). I want an epidural a.s.a.p and am terrified about the birth - can't visualise how i'm going to do it or what position as . I'm interested in any advice, and have got in touch with a physio and will speak to my hospital about being induced a bit earlier? Whats else can I do?

i'm expecting dc3 in july and have SPD again. with dc1 it went undiagnosed and i was off work for 2 months, not so bad with dc2 and midwife was sure there was nothing that could help. when dc2 was 4 months my GP referred me to physio which was really helpful. at my insistance I am seeing physio this week . my midwife didn't see the point as she said they can't do much. what should I expect and is there anything I should ask about?

Hello ladies, may I join? This is my second pregnancy and I'm only 9 weeks!! But I recognise SPD when I feel it .

I had it in the last weeks of pregnancy with my dd and noticed it in the last 2 days. It has come back and it's so early. Not only am I as sick as a dog, nausea and sickness all day but now I have SPD again. I couldn't even nap, I've had to chuck up and hold my pelvis all the way to the bathroom.

I feel awful for saying this but I feel I don't want this pregnancy it has turned me into an invalid. We live abroad, a recent move and I feel alone and I'm not coping I think. Sorry to moan but I cannot talk to anyone else.

Hi Ladies

Seren - I too am worried about the delivery and what position I will be able to maitain however my physio has recommended a water birth provided I can convince the delivery suite MW that I can get in and out of the pool. If you read some of the previous posts on this thread there are many positive stories which are reassuring

Loo - ask your physio to fit you with a support belt/tubigrip thing - this has been a godsend to me ! Also ask them how to do the excercises that strengthen your tummy muscles and also the pelvic floor. My physio also showed me some great ways of getting in and out of bed without putting too much stress on my poor pelvis

Kitty - do you have a MW you can discuss this with ?? If the pain is really bad you can take paracetamol and codeine based painkillers. I'm lucky I didn't start to suffer until 28 weeks but I'm now at 37 weeks and virtually housebound

thanks Underactive I'll let you know how it goes.

kitty, you need to contact your MW a soon as poss as I have waited 4 weeks to see a physio. maybe you had spd just a early in your previous pregnancy but didn't recognise it. maybe it's early appearance doesn't mean it will be worse in the end.maybe the nausea will go in a few weeks. good luck

Congrats Puree!

Seren, I was induced at 39 weeks (my GP sorted it out for me, horrified at how immobile I was) for exactly the same situation as you are describing. I ended up having a ventouse delivery with my knees together but feet apart as I couldn't get my knees apart because of the SPD. Unfortunately things went too quickly for me to have an epidural, but as soon as my DD was out, the pain was gone (I had terrible hip pain at the end of each contraction, much worse than the contraction pain and nothing was touching it). So there are things that can be done.

Good luck!

Hello underactive! The antenatal care here is consultant-led but I have left a message today for the nurse as I have trouble moving up and down the stairs, let alone carry my very active toddler. I think I may have carried too much in the last week as we were travelling and I flew alone with the baby.

I think I may have to also tell her that I am not interested in food and cannot force anything down and that I sit here staring at walls and feeling lonely. I am not well and it seems to manifest itself in my body failing me. I feel so pathetic with my little woes as I know there are other mums who cope with so much more but I cannot cope anymore.

LooL00, thanks for giving me hope. I am due to see the nurse for me 12 week scan on March 14th but now pushing for an earlier date.

Hi guys,

hope you don't mind me popping in on my way past, but I just wanted to let folk know my experience that one bad SPD pregnancy doesn't necessarily lead to another.

I got SPD at 17 weeks with pg#1 and saw the physio a couple of times. She gave me the tubigrip and belt, which were like duracell batteries for me, letting me carry on for longer each day. But every movement was tentative and painful. I stopped going to the physio because I felt there wasn't much else she could do. But feeling like an invalid will remain with me for a long time.

The SPD remained 18 months after birth (I BF for 13 mths), and even then I got stiff walking on uneven ground and couldn't move an object sideways with my feet.

In between pgs I did Pilates. I started wearing earth shoeas. I saw an osteopath. I got a decent mattress with a memory foam top. I did anything I could think of to help.

My 2nd pg 2.3 years after dd1's birth heralded itself with the immediate onset of SPD symptoms before I'd even done the pg test - clicky hips, ligament pains, etc. I went to the osteopath as soon as he would see me at 13 weeks because things were worsening quickly, and wore my tubigrip in the meantime. I cannot say for sure which of the above things helped me or in combination, but the SPD never took hold. I would have bad days but would wake up the next day feeling better, which makes me think the mattress was a real help.

I don't know if any of that is of any use, but thought I'd share.

Thank you for sharing this hobnob. I must google all you mentioned.

Sorry, the link for the shoes is here. They are hellishly expensive but they do v. good sales. They are the comfiest shoes I own and I hate wearing anything else. They do help to tone you up, which I felt helped prevent things getting too bad initially. Keep the glutes awake and all that!

Thanks for the advice Ponymum, I didn't think I had a 'stronger' leg but when I practised around the house with the crutches I found it easier to use that kind of method so that helped, thanks!

Had to chase my 18-mth old to stop her running in the road this morning and felt something go as I did - have been in some discomfort since. Emergency appt with the chiro booked for the morning! She specialises in pregnancy so I'm hoping she can do something.

Re giving birth - I had a water birth at home last time and the only time I was aware of the SPD was when it came to actually getting in the pool - bit difficult but since I was at the 'I need to push NOW' stage I didn't really notice that much. I gave birth on my knees with arms over the side of the pool as that just seemed the instinctual position to get into. I'm hoping for a similar result this time...

I saw the physio for the first time yesterday, she gave me exercises to do and a belt. Can anyone explain the diff between a belt and a tubigrip? I'm only 21 weeks but would really like to hear peoples' experiences of SPD water births. Has anyone had any bad ones? I tried to have a waterbirth with dc2 but she was born 15 minutes after we parked the car and before I had time to think about positions. my local hospital has just opened a new birthing unit with new pools so I hope to get in there early this time.

Hi Loo

I'm not sure if there is a difference in terms of 'benefits' between a belt and tubigrip but I found that after 32 weeks my bump was too big to be comfortable in the belt but I can still wear the tubigrip now at 38 weeks

As for water birth - I have just been refused a water birth as they do not think I will be able to get myself in and out of the pool quickly if there should be an emergency - my SPD is quite severe

Look at the pelvic partnership website - has lots of good birth plan advice

Thanks Underactive, is a tubigrip like one of those elastic bandage things? Sorry that they have refused your waterbirth, I was just assuming that DH would be able to haul me out if necessary but maybe it's not that straightforward.I hope you came up with a birth plan that you are happy with.

Yes Loo - its the same stuff as you use for sprains etc the bigger I get the harder it is to peel on and off and on many occasions my DH and I have laughed until we've cried trying to get the darn thing on/off

I was lurking here and sympathising but I thought I'd ask to join you as I selfishly need a little moan and Kitty I really wanted to say I'm sorry, I understand.

I'm 32 weeks and was diagnosed a few weeks ago with spd. Then I fell on a marble floor at work, landed on my tailbone and dislodged my hip. I've been at home sore (understatement) & bored for 3 weeks and I'm getting pretty down.

(Off the subject, I threw codeine in me today to go into work to clarify my maternity situation as I have a fixed term contract and I'm not entitled to smp. Solicitor confirmed this. I can prob get maternity allowance but just added to sadness and annoyance.)

So all together just feeling a bit vulnerable. Sorry to hijack your thread but I don't want to worry my friends & family with how miserable I am and DH working away.

clams- that's what the thread is for. With the best will in the owrld, unless you have experienced SPD first hand, it's hard to expoect friends and family to do the same. So sorry you, and the others are having a tough time. I send all my love and sympathy- I spent many weeks trapped in the house. It gets very demoralising. Light at the end of the tunnel though is that, 8 days post-birth, I left the house unaided yesterday! If I can get through it, I know you can.

ponymum yes acupuncture on the NHS. The Physio does it for me. It's only 3 needles in each lower leg. Not sure it's helped the pain long term that much but I always get a fairly painless, good nights sleep on the day I have it. Even just that one night is worth it's weight in gold.

Poor you Clams, it seems maternity rights have only improved for some people.Surely at the moment it's sick leave that you are on? I was off from about 32 weeks when I had DS and looking back on it it seems a very wierd couple of months. Now at least i have ds and dd to keep me company .

Underactive, i had trouble getting out of some leggings i was trying on in H and M this morning so I can't imagine how you get out of that tubigrip!

Has anyone on the Spd sofa tried the Bellybra? I had one for ds and dd but it is a bit worn and the carriwell support band seems cheaper. I did find the bellybra helpful but it's about �£25.

Hello All
I m 26 wks, my first pregnancy and new on mumsnet. I had SPD symptoms since about 20 wks into my pregnancy but everytime I mentioned it to my GP or midwife they just told me take pain killers so i believed it was a regular part of pregnancy.
What should I do to get my GP or midwife's atention. Should I just tell them I believe its SPD?
I work in retail so have to be on my feet for long hrs and by the end of the day I am almost dead.

Hello appu. Welcome but obviously sorry to see you here. Oh dear, being active and on your feet is the worst thing for it. Unfortunately many GPs and midwives aren't at all very informed about SPD.

Some suggestions:

1. Inform yourself - see the Pelvic Partnership website.
2. You need to get assessed by an obstetric physio / women's health physio. The referral process may be different depending on where you are. Ask midwife and GP for a referral (be pushy!). Alternatively phone the ante natal reception at the hospital and ask them for an appointment with the obs physio.

I hope you get some luck with that. Everyone on the sofa seems to try a range of things to alleviate the pain and problems, so feel free to ask questions. Someone is sure to have a suggestion.

Hello ladies

Just to keep you all updated - my hindwaters went yesterday and the hospital have sent me home to return on Sunday for induction if the monkey does not make a natural appearance before then !

I had hoped to avoid being induced but I'm now thinking at least the darn SPD should be on its way out by this time next week !!!!

Stay positive xx