SPD support thread

[Chazabell]

What type of chair should we be using at work? I work for Aldi and I'm on a fairly new checkout chair/ office chair with adjustable foot rest and I try to sit upright so my back is against the back rest.

You'll need to start knitting if you are off until after the baby now keep you occupied!!

I've not even been given an option to self refer. If I can't get into Dr I'll just call the antenatal unit direct and see what they suggest xx

 

[Heres Hoping]

Well how r all yous ladies doing now? My sick line is up today and im in two minds what to do was signed off with preg fatigue which is ongoing really, but its the pelvic pain thats the main issue now. Doc said last time if I wanted another line I had to come in and see her, so im not sure how sympathetic she will be im dreading going back as I work an hour away and ive found that driving kills me esp my lower back. Its a stressful busy job so I dont know how ill cope hobbling about. Dont see physio for another week. Any advice, what do you think I should do, try for longer line or go back and test water?

 

[Emmajaine]

I'd go back and speak to your doctor, maybe see about carrying on the sick note at least until after you have seen the physio (hopefully you will get a good one). I know I couldn't do a drive like that!

I've been signed off for another 3 weeks, my initial plan was that I was going to go back to work after half term (am a teacher) but I'm not sure if that is realistic! I'm struggling to stand for more than 10 minutes, and although the chiropractor has helped (was only able to stand for 5 mins before) I don't think it's gonna be enough to get back to work

Xx

 

[Jessiecat]

I agree, go back to the doctor. It;s not worth making yourself worse and putting yourself through pain. Your work will cope, you have to let go of any guilt and accept that you and this baby are far more important.
I'm really starting to get to that frame of mind. I'm resting a lot and trying to get over the guilt of not getting the house work done or working. I will hobble about and make dinner for my hubby every day but this is something I enjoy doing and it means I can plan it during the day to stop me being bored out of my mind constantly resting.

EmmaJaine, read your bottom ticker, it seems very relevent right now lol

 

[Emmajaine]

I did chuckle the first time I read my ticker this week. X

 

[Heres Hoping]

As u say jessie its the guilt and feeling of dread going back to a hugeeee pile of work and shit after being off these few weeks im starting to relax and get comfortable at home, as if Im on mat leave already so need to get out of that mind frame as it will make it all the harder to go back. Got another line but it's only for a week, im seeing gp on fri and im a little scared, shes a bit cold and seems reluctant to sign you off at all. Shes not the most sympathetic waiting on my boss to call me back, urgh hate these phone calls, always feel anxious and nervous lol x

 

[caseysmummy11]

Hope all goes well for you here's hoping. My gp also was reluctant to sign me off the last time even though I was in agony on a daily basis so she signed me off for 6 weeks then told me to try and go back to work after to see how I get on. Im taking mat leave from 28 weeks due to my hips and having twins and have been advised by drs and consultant and other twin mummies to take mat leave asap. I've come back for a month technically but afteri booked my holidays yesterssyi actually finish next Wednesday now so including today I've only got 7 shifts left. Have you got any holiday you could book and would you consider taking mat leave early, it's taken the weight off my shoulders regarding work and feel like I can relax, it's been a struggle at work this past 2 days but counting down is keeping me going xxx

 

[Chazabell]

Ladies, i started wearing a bump band for work and it's helped so much!! I still get niggles but nowhere as severe. It's almost as if it's holding everything together. The only thing I have noticed is I'm getting aches in my groin after sitting for a while xxx

 

[Toni_Win]

Hi ladies, sorry to hear what some of you ate going through. Can I ask, how did SPD start for you guys? Over the last few days I've started feeling pain in my pubic bone, feels a bit like it is bruised. The dreaded Google tells me this could be a symptom of spd, but wanted to get some first hand opinions. At the moment it is uncomfortable most of the time, and more so when I am walking. Certainly not agony or anything yet, but if it is the start of SPD what can I do about it? I'm on!y 17 weeks at the moment. Thanks.

 

[Jessiecat]

Hi Tony, for me it just started as backache that got worse as worse until I was limping and then unable to walk. I don't get the typical symptom of bruised foof though.


How are all you ladies doing? Has anyone seen a chiropractor? I need to do something I already couldn't walk, now I can barely make it to the toilet. I'm completely bed ridden and still in agony

 

[Heres Hoping]

Sorry to hear that Jessie, you must be so fed up. R u in bed all day? Also u were saying about the symptom of a bruised foof, never heard of that before, whats that feel like? I suppose i feel a bit tender down there but not sure bruised.

I went into a full cleaning/nesting spree today, started organising my kitchen cupboards and cleaning floors. Boy do I regret it now, im so sore!! Pisses me off I just can't get on and do what I want to do, esp when I want to get things in order and ready for baby

Also seen gp today, bit of waste of time really. Basically agreed to go to physio and see what they suggest, she says if I still need to be off she'll sign me off for another 3 weeks. I really don't know what I should do x

 

[Emmajaine]

How we all doing ladies?

I've realised how much seeing the chiropractor has been helping me. I was meant to have an appointment last Monday, but I had to cancel (as my car broke down -grr!) so I rearranged the appointment for yesterday. Over the course of last week my pain got worse and worse and my ability to stand and walk without pain disappeared, I was seriously soooooo sore, I was in tears each day.

After having seen the chiropractor yesterday I feel like a new woman!! Obviously I still can't do 'normal' activity level stuff, but I can stand/walk for 5-10 minutes with being in agonising pain, which as you ladies know, is huge with SPD.

I honestly cannot recommend seeng a chiropractor enough, I dread to think where I would be if I hadn't gone. Please look into it lovelies, it really, really really does help.


Xxx

 

[CharlotteH24]

I'm just going to slide in here, hope you ladies don't mind.
I'm pretty sure I have the early signs of SPD after having it with last pregnancy which ended in a loss. I'm now almost 11 weeks and I feel like it's starting again, I'm waking up in the middle of the night and having to switch from left side to flat on my back because the pain is waking me up. I'm getting a constant sharp ache in my pelvis and sacrum if I'm in the car for longer than 5 minutes and it's a million times worse if the car is cold. I'm having to lay flat on the floor with a hot water bottle most evenings to try and relieve some of the pain and I work in a kitchen as a pot washer and also as a barmaid so loads of bending down and running around. I finished a 3 hour shift last night and thought I was going to cry when I tried to stand back upright. The physio is useless at getting appointments out on time around here and I can't afford to go private, my OH is hugely unsupportive and thinks work is more important than whether I'm in pain or not. He's told me that I have to stay in work and push it as close to my due date even if I'm in agony, we'll see if that still stands if I end up on crutches or unable to walk more than to the bathroom and back. Last time I would wake up crying my eyes out and unable to sit up in bed so we'll see if his conscience is strong enough to cope with that. I've warned him how bad it can get and his reply was that if it gets bad then he refuses to have any more children with me, fair enough that it's so that I'm not being out through pain again but he's hugely insensitive and doesn't realise that that makes me feel incapable of doing one of the main things I'm on earth to do.
I guess I just needed to rant to others who have SPD and know how painful it is, nobody else knows that I'm pregnant in the family so I can only talk to my OH and one of my friends who doesn't have children.

 

[Emmajaine]

Sorry to hear your OH is being unsupportive and insensitive about this Hun, that's the last thing you need!
, we all understand so feel free to moan/rant as much as you need.

Xx

 

[CharlotteH24]

Thank you.
He's just very much focused on the importance of work, all he does is go on about how I should go back to work long before the baby is 6 months because that'll impress my work. He didn't like it when I told him that I quite frankly didn't care about how work felt about me taking maternity leave regardless of how early or late I leave.
My worst fear is being bed ridden, I live in a house where I don't get any signal or internet in my bedroom so it'd be a long and boring stint if I wasn't able to move up and down the stairs. I'd rather leave work early and still be able to make my own lunch or do a tiny bit of cleaning than go to work and push myself over the edge where I can't even move. He doesn't quite get this and I don't think he will until he sees how bad I'm likely to get. At 11 weeks he still hasn't gotten his head around there being a baby despite having seen the digi tests and an early scan being done, it's just going to take things getting worse for him to realise how painful SPD is. Last time doctors actually thought I might have broken my pelvis in the past and that it had fixed itself back together but incorrectly, they X-rayed me despite me being pregnant (I didn't know at this point) and it wasn't until a couple of weeks later that I did a test and found out. I was never diagnosed with it because the physio would send letters out for an appointment on the same day that I would need to be there (useless!) but every doctor I spoke to after finding out said that SPD sounded like the most likely diagnosis.
Praying that it doesn't get too bad, I'm not too great with pain and it's not like we're allowed pain relief other than paracetamol. I hope this child finds me a nice nursing home in 40+ years time after this! Haha. X

 

[Fruity01]

Ladies, I too have this. I phoned midwife last week as I had to take a couple of days off work due to being in pain (I been calling it a gammy hip for the last 8 weeks). I rested enough to return to work two day later but it just triggered it off sgain.

I have an office job, and I'm up and down off my chair quite a lot as well as sitting in meetings for 1hr+ on basic chairs. My supervisor has been really good in that she has organised a work station assessment for me which is this Thursday - even though I have told her it is not work related what so ever and getting me a new chair (already got a specialist one from having bad back a few years ago) probably is a waste of money for the next 12 weeks and possibly won't resolve the issue as life also goes on when I'm not in work.

Anyway while in work last Thursday I was working on another desk scanning some docs onto our systems. My higher boss walks in as I'm getting up and shouts in front of the office why am I not using my specialt chair to sit where I am? My response.... Because my chair is too high for that particular desk (my desk has been raised also to accommodate new chair as I am also tall). I couldn't believe this I felt she was slightly harsh on me there as I never asked for this work station assessment to be done where she will have fork out more money from the budgets - possibly! - and I don't think she understands this spd thing either. She prob thought I was pulling a fast one to get a couple days off sick even though I don't take sick!

In my back to work interview, my supervisor told me if I'm not feeling to good to not go in and not worry about sickness as nothing can be done as its pregnancy related. My response was I don't want the worry of being off sick and said boss forcing me to start maternity early either so if I can get into work and plod through the day I will.

I've been in great pain this weekend, almost starting to cry turning over in bed and getting up from sofa and now I have pain in my groin area too. I'm seeing midwife tomorrow and will raise it then I guess. I'm grateful my hubby sees the pain I'm in and is doing quite a lot around the house for me, that's my saving grace atm.

Sorry for long winded post :-/ just feeling so down atm and I've tried not moaning through this pregnancy as I've 6 years to actually get a BFP.

F.

 

[caseysmummy11]

Hello ladies, hope everyone is coping okay. I went back to work Monday and im now in agony, I can go from sitting to standing without being in agony and im in constant oain in my legs throughout the day any nights. I finish work Wednesday as booked annual leave up until mat leave but im not sure how im going to get through the next 2 shifts at work. Im a hospital housekeeper which is a heavy cleaning Job and there's no lighter duties I could do. Im dreading Tuesday as im already feeling close to tears tonight after 2 mornings at work and im stuck on my sofa and have been since around 1 am. I do feel lucky to have my oh as he's doing things and looking after ourson. But he's st work tomorrow from half 1 so not sure how im gonna cope home alone with a mad 4 year old! I've also got both babies on one side of my tummy again so it's hurting my back and ribs where there top baby is squashed against the bottom baby. Do the birthing balls help relieve pain? I've been having baths regularly and they've stopped helping. It's now worse than it was before any advice would be great fully appreciated xxx

 

[Emmajaine]

Hugs ladies, it's soo hard isn't it. Don't worry about moaning fruity, we all need to sometimes!

One position I've found that helps take pressure off my hips is kneeling on the floor and then resting my chest and head on birthing ball (belly hangs down in gap between knees and ball).

Xx

 

[Heres Hoping]

Well quick update from me. Just back from physio and feeling the pain. Its only a half hr appt so he just discussed things to do at home. My tail bone is the worse, when I was on the bed getting assessed I was in that much pain I cried lol so embarrassing but couldn't help it. So plan is im going to get some hands on pain relief next week (have to wear shorts.. dreading it) some exercises to do at home, use heat/cold pads and also to get a maternity inflatable ring to sit on lol was told could wear maternity belt for support but that these didnt do much

getting a further sick line from gp as well. Something that was mentioned which got me wondering, I have underlying and pre pregnancy back pain and problems, including being assessed for psoriatic arthritis. I was told that my spd could be bad cos of these pre pregnancy problems. Anyone else had previous problems too?? x

 

[Heres Hoping]

Hi. Im looking for some advice, thought best place to post it is in here.

ive got spd, specifically inflammation around my tail bone which is agony as yous ladies are probably all too aware. Im still signed off work but its due to end in a couple of weeks. Im starting to think ahead about work and how I'll manage with the pain. My hubby is expecting me to go bavk but I dont think I could cope with the hours and driving. I need to bring it up but dont know how, really dont want a row over it. Im starting to worry about money so need to plan our finances for when babys here, as we r still forking out for childcare just in case I go back to work at the moment. What do you think I should do?? Just tell him im not going back to work before baby? That will be 9 more weeks on sick leave but full pay. Or try to go back but risk having to get signed off again when I cant manage the pain which is more than likely! Help please, its really bringing me down not knowing whats going to happen