Coping with SPD

[Daffodil]

Hi

I have SPD.

I'm having sleepless nights due to pain in my pelvis and hips. Its started to feel sore around my pubic bone too

I have been told NOT to excersize, which is making me feel really unhealthy as far as the pregnancy and baby is concerned. I gained 5lbs this week so I've done a healthy food shop but still feel like I'm having to just sit around all the time.

If I walk any distance I get pain and that night I feel the pain worse.

I'm scared about how much worse this could get? As I grow larger I keep thinking this will just put more pressure on my pelvis.

Also, I can't have sex because it involves opening my legs which they say just aggravates the problem (and it does).

They are referring me to a physiotherapist.

Anyone else have this and how are you coping? What advice have you been given? Is there any excersize which might actually help?

Thanks
Dawn

 

[NIE]

Sorry to hear you have SPD.

I suffered from this for 9 days before birth, and 2 weeks after. It was so bad that they decided to induce me as I was unable to walk even a couple of steps.

I have heard of people using crutches to help but I'm not sure if the physio will give you them.

I hope it doesn't get any worse for you. I can only imagine how you must be feeling with the thought of having this until you give birth.

 

[charlie84]

I started to suffer with SPD about the same time as you in pregnancy.

I got referred for physio and was shown exercises to do to help. I was also given a Pelvis support and a bump support to use.
I found the bump support helped me the most.
Some people get given crutches.

To be honest with you for me it just got worse further into the pregnancy.
I couldnt turn in bed at night, walk very far, well i couldnt do much to at all

After the birth i could feel a difference but i still have a sore pelvis now, i notice it especially when getting in and out of bed.

 

[bonuspregnant]

Apologies for my ignorance but would you please tell me what SPD is?

Rachel

 

[Sandi4Paul]

mine arrived at about 24 weeks. i am lucky that itis milder that others, but if i overdo i have to shuffle for a few days afterwards.

I was told to avoid heals, but physio said its ok as long as they are a big lowheal.

Don't stand on one leg, sit down ot get you underwer on and off, get that pelvic florr working overtime. and be careful braceign you butt, tum and pelvis when stanidg up, i also push up using my hands to help.

your physio will really help when you can get an appointment (i got one in two days, pretty good for the NHS)

aparently pushing a shopping trolly is not good either (get your PH to do it instead).

Hope that helps a little. i have a link with some inof. when i find it i will Pm it to you.

sandi

 

[charlie84]

Apologies for my ignorance but would you please tell me what SPD is?

Rachel

Here you go hun

What is Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction?
The symphysis pubis is the name given to where two bones meet at the front of the pelvis. The pelvic bone is roughly in the shape of a heart, and is actually formed by three bones, which are held together by very strong ligaments.

The bones meet to form three 'fixed' joints - at the front (the symphysis pubis) and at each side of the bottom of the spine (the sacro-iliac joints).

Normally, these joints are not designed to allow movement. However, when a woman becomes pregnant, a hormone called relaxin is produced which loosens all the pelvic ligaments in order to allow the pelvis slight movement at the time of birth.

For some reason, the ligaments occasionally loosen too much and too early before birth. This means they can't keep the pelvic joints stable so the pelvis moves, especially on weight bearing. All this is made worse by the increased weight of the growing baby and sometimes the symphysis pubis joint actually separates slightly. The result is mild to severe pain, usually in the pubic area, and is called SPD.

 

[Daffodil]

Thanks for the info guys.

So I guess there is no hope until baby is born...

I will just have to follow the advice and look after myself. It isn't too severe right now (touch wood) and so hopefully it won't get severe.

Dawn

 

[*pud01*]

.

 

[clarem]

I had SPD that started at about 28 weeks pregnant. It was severe enough by 30 weeks that physio wanted me to give up work. I was induced at 39 weeks because of the pain and distress I ended up in. My reason for posting is not to dishearten you even further as unfortunately it did not resolve until I had the baby. I learnt to 'manage' it as best I could. Crutches and and a braced helped, as did learning what I could and could not do. It can be a balance between doing to much and doing to little (sitting for long periods of time came also made it worse) so find your pace, listen to your body and take heart that it will get better once you have your baby. On a positive note, you may find that in the last 2-3 weeks the pain and discomfort improves slightly as the head engages and stabalises the pelvis (that's what my physio advised sometimes happens).

The good news is it does get better and in my case and hopefully yours, quite dramatically so. I was walking better 24 hours after my caesarean section that I had done for the previous 12 weeks and day by day the syptoms gradually subsided.

It is hard going living with the pain of SPD for what seems like an eternity so take all the support, emotional as well as physical that people offer you.

 

[bonuspregnant]

Thank you for the info Charlie, SPD sounds terrible.

I hope you all don't suffer too much.

Good luck with everything

 

[*pud01*]

 

[hennaly]

i was in a wheelchair with my last son for the last 3 weeks of my pregnancy but SPD wasnt so recognised then so i suffered in silence, however i am very aware of it now and will be waiting for it.

 

[kalia]

http://www.acpwh.org.uk/docs/ACPWH-PGP_Pat.pdf

Have a look at this leaflet for help and advice. It was givenby the physio.

I was first signed off work at 28 weeks. I was offered early induction but decided against it. By the time I had LO at 9 days overdue I could barely move and was on crutches even to get round the house. I am feeling much better now though! I don't know how much better as I haven't left the house much - my stitches hurt too much but I did manage a walk round the block without crutches and that has been unthinkable for months!

PGP (what SPD is now called) isn't like other aches in my experience - rest doesn't make it significantly better so do NOT overdo things. You will improve but never get as good as you were before you overdid things IYKWM. You need lots of padding at night - sleep on top of all the spare duvets you have and surround yourself with pillows.

Got to go - baby crying.

 

[Mildly]

I was having symptoms from around 10 weeks or so but it hasn't got really bad yet. My midwife referred me to the physio who gave me a hip strap and diagnosed an unstable pelvis (from what I've read that is also SPD/PGP). The hip strap does appear to help by holding my hips more together if that makes sense however I also find it rubs on my skin a bit so I don't wear it everyday now.

My pelvic bone aches quite a lot and I look like an old woman when sitting down and getting up. I go swimming twice a week which I think helps. In that I feel total relief in the water, which is making me think about a possible water birth. I do stiffen back up a couple of hours after swimming but I don't need help walking yet so I figure I can't be too badly off

It's great to hear the encouraging words about relief after the birth. My doctor had it too and said that she didn't get any symptoms after the birth of her first and didn't experience it with her second. When I asked the physio about my condition he said that as I had pretty good lower back muscles that would help the unstable pelvis from becoming too unstable. He also said that most women tend to experience problems until around 13 weeks after the birth because the relaxin is still being released in the body.

Although I have taken days off from work because my back has been bad, my doctor has said that she will not sign me off for a long period as rest will not help at all. I tend to agree in my case, the less I do the more pain I am in although I do have to make sure I don't overdo things either. It seems to be a balancing act. I have decided that I am leaving work at 29 weeks just so that I can concentrate more on gentle exercise and hopefully enjoying my last baby free weeks

 

[Daffodil]

Thanks for everyone's info and support.

Also thanks for the physio experience....my appointment is tomorrow morning. I hope they help!

So I'm just for things to not get too bad.

Dawn

 

[Gem & Leland]

i went to see an osteo and he helped more then i could have ever hoped for , ment i didnt end up on crutches !