is this really SPD or something else?

[daniwalkes]

Hi, last Sunday i started getting horrible pains in my pelvis area when i walked, twisted, sat funny so i went to the doctors and they said it sounded like SPD and i have an appointment with the physio tomorrow.
My worry is that i was advised to take time off work until i had seen the physio (i work in a shop which involved a lot of walking, carrying things) and since i've been resting it's not as bad, there are times however when i have been in so much pain i cant stand and its brought me to tears but it's not a constant pain, it's aches but i can cope with that. For example yesterday i did nothing all day but lie on the sofa and i felt fine, however i then went for a little walk and it got a bit sore, came back and sat funny (one leg up one leg down) without really thinking anything of it and when i stood up the pain was just horrible.

I don't know if im just making a big fuss becuase from what i gather people with it are in constant pain and im worried i'll get to the physio and they'll laugh at me and tell me off for being so silly. im also concerned that they wont sign a doctors note for me being off!

If you have it please can you tell me if i've got it or if it's something else?!

I have SPD and this is exactly how it started with me. After some rest periods I felt OK but then tried to do some normal things, like walking from my desk to the loo and found it unbearable at the end of the day. Each morning I would wake up with stiffness and think, it actually gets better the more I walk. this is what I started off thinking anyways.
Please take the advice to rest. I am now 41 weeks and have been off work since around 26/28 weeks - progressively became worse, all I was doing was driving to work and back again and the odd trip in the lift upstairs for my lunch and back - nothing too major. I felt like a complete fraud as it's my first pregnancy and I was off work for one week with it, then the midwife told me it was normal so I went back to work and carried on.
I haven't been out of the house very much since being signed off but with the resting it has taken some of the pain away. Sometimes even to the point where i think I am back to normal again - then I go and try to get out of the car and do a wee walk into sainsburys - and even before I can get down the first isle my body says stop and go home, back to aquare one again.
It is very debilitating but I have seen the nhs phsyio who only gave me a support belt bit to be honest this is whenm my pain worsened. I was also given crutches but I now know that these are only a method to keep you going on your daily business if you can - and it's not helpful. Upper back pain then ensues. Nhs physio said nothing can be done until I give birth.
I have seen a chiropractor who has identified that my pubic symphsis is becoming out of alignment (hence clicking) and so are my sacro-iliac joints. He has been putting them back in place which does actually make a difference, but after a few days then seem to go back to where they shouldn't be. If this is the relaxin hormone responsible then after I give birth I expect to be able to be realigned and they stay where they should. Also if my mobility is regained it will let me exercise too.
I bet this isn't what you wanted to hear but tbh I am pretty shocked at how this thing progresses and sometimes there is only so much you can do to help yourself, you can't 'take it away'. Well, I haven't been able to

There is a long running thread on here called SPD LOunge where you can read many others advice and their birth stories which has given me comfort.

Hope you are OK and please please rest - it's only work. Took me ages to get my head around it but am glad of the time off without the stress of dealing with the pain at work too.

I also found that I cannot lay on my side (even with pillows) as this is when my bones start to click in and out. not the best. I am certainly not as bad as some women on here, but I am at the stage now where a wheelchair would have been great to let me get to the shops. My OH has been doing many many things for me, and it's hard to accept - but if it has to be this way then that's the way it has to be.

Here are some links, I am sure others will come along and contribute more for you:

www.pelvicinstability.org.uk/

www.laurelalexander.co.uk/membersarticles/articlespd.php

www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/pubicpain.htm

And one long running helpful thread on here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/844155-SPD-Sofa-support-and-advice-offered-at-no-extra-charge

Best of Luck, You're not alone

you are a star, thank you for the info, i just wasn't sure if i was making a big fuss or not. im 27 weeks and meant to work until 34 but not sure how that can happen!x

You have my sympathies, I was the exact same. Now I'm like, Ha - how could I have possibly worked until 34 weeks, but - if I didn't have this thing, hopefully I would have been able to....Never mind xx

Hi

I am 38 weeks with Pelvic Girdle Pain- same sort of thing as SPD- but where that is at the front of the pelvis my pain is at the back.

Please rest. It's only a job. My Physio was lovely but they can only help you manage the condition because it's caused by pregnancy hormones so the only way to really get rid of it is not to be pregnant. It is a truely painful condition. I can hardly sleep or move tbh and have been reduced to tears. The earlier you are diagnosed and trested the better so sounds like you are on the right path.

Good luck with it all and rest rest rest!!!

A
x

indigobarbie thanks very much for informative response and good links.

Stupid SPD.

what brilliantly informative replies. Cant really add more but my sympathises to anyone who has it.

Had it really really bad myself, was so incredibly painful, the physio should help - I also saw a specialist maternity physio from 37 weeks who assessed me for the birth and updated my notes for the midwife so I wouldn't be asked or put into any positions that would make it worse.

Also had 6 sessions of physio post birth which helped a lot too.

Cheers Lucky can you tell I am obsessed with this? I know I am not as bad as some folks but it's really pissed me off to have it. I have put on far too much weight as I have been in the house and stuffing my face too.
I have another long winded post that I put up on another website, but didn't want anyone to fall asleep when reading it!! But hey, I am constantly on here surfing as I can't sleep so maybe someone will benefit from me boring them? I condensed this one down somewhat, but for what it's worth and why the hell not eh? here is one of my other rants (might be repeating myself here):

Hello, I'm 38 weeks at the moment and what you have described was exactly how my SPD started. If I can give you any advice, it's try not to do too much and rest rest rest. Waddling and losing the ability to walk properly is exactly as I would have described this when it started with me, and tbh my midwfie told me the pains/achiness/stiffness I was feeling in the pubic area were normal. I now know that this is incorrect, and due to that advice I still tried to go about my daily business as if nothing was wrong - big mistake.
See if your Dr can get you to a physio ASAP and they may be able to help you with some exercises and maybe an assessment of your pelvis. I ended up getting a support belt and crutches, BUT in all honesty the only thing that has helped me is doing nothing. I had to be signed off work since around 26weeks.
At first I thought it was better to do some walking as I felt so stiff and it did start to ease off after a few steps, however as time has gone on and in my case I feel that doing this has made me worse.

My physio said there was nothing that could be done until the birth and advised me to

1. keep knees together
2. do lots of pelvic floor ex
3. Suck tummy muscles in before getting up/moving
4. rest
5. Have pillow between legs and lay on side in bed

I ended up seeing a chiropractor who assessed me and advised that my pelvis was out of alignment and that the support belt was probably contributing to letting my pubic bones at the front overlap and this is where the discomfort was occuring. He has been adjusting me and this has been the best source of comfort to remove a lot of the pain but I believe it may not resolve until after birth, however many women do seem to have issues after aswell. So I guess it's a wait and see and in the meantime go easy on yourself.

I also found that I cannot lay on my side as this is when my bones start to click in and out. not the best. I am certainly not as bad as some women on here, but I am at the stage now where a wheelchair would be great to let me get to the shops. My OH has been doing many many things for me, and it's hard to accept - but if it has to be this way then that's the way it has to be.

1. Sit on a gym ball during the day (for a while), keeping legs together
2. Put shoes on whilst on the gym ball - and pants and trousers too, it's lower than sitting on a chair
3. Sleep in an upright sitting position with many many pillows
4. Wear silky/satin jammies and stick some sort of slidy balnket underneath your bum for easy sliding
5. When sliding out of bed try to sit up slowly and then put legs over the side and push with hands so that you are still in an upright position
6. If you can/want to sleep on your side, place pillows in between your legs to take the pressure off your pubic bone. Be careful when rotating in bed, if you can try to get into a sitting position first.
7. try a memory foam mattress topper to absorb the weight from your hips
8. Take the stairs one at a time, placing one foot on, then the other
9. Ice pack your pubic bone, or heat pack it, trial and error

10. be careful when you are in the bath/trying to get out, get someone to assist you 11. Squeeze your pelvic floor and abs when moving in bed, or sometimes arching your back can help to keep your pelvis stable 12. Don't do too much, I did aquanatel weeks ago and it was fine. Later on I couldn't walk 13. If you can afford it seek out a chiropractor or an osteopath 14. think about your birthing position, not on your back, not with legs wide open but maybe on all fours or on your knees 15. If you can drive, be careful of your position, if it's not comfy then don't do it. Don't brake hard, it hurts, and sometimes it hurts even more laters 16. Sit on a hard chair during the day, this offers support and keeps you straight 17. Don't give up hope xxxx

{waves and hugs to everyone]

Sounds exactly like SPD to me. I had to leave work early because of it, I was totally crippled with the pain, but as soon as I stopped work and set up camp on the sofa, the pain definitely eased.

ive been wonderin wots wrong with me ive only really got pain wen in bed n turning over hurts loads down below n wen getting up out of bed feels like a strong throbbing aching pain this stays until ive walked round 4 a while!! Any one know if it could be a mild version of spd had it for bout a mth!! Also happens wen i get up off couch or put on clothes n lift one of my legs!!!

I went to see the physio... it is spd, was given crutches and signed off work now until after the baby!
Mummyzane, sounds like you have it too... call the midwife and get them to book you in with a physio asap... i didn't realise that doing all the 'normal' everyday stuff is making it worse!
For those who have had it were any of you induced early becuase of it? someone mentioned it its not something i would want (could change my mind depending on the pain) is it a choice thing?

im now 35 wks so not sure if i would benefit from physio etc xxx