SPD/PGP Support thread

[MrsGlitz]

My GP is really pleased with how I am coping. He has given me paracetomal to take regularly (every 4 hours) and to just take the dihydrocodeine as and when and is keen for me to just rest. Not so much of a problem for me but it's boring! He's given me a new sicknote for a month and dated it from Monday as work are expecting me back on Tuesday.

 

[lynnikins]

im sore today as i didnt sleep well and yesterdays outing is still getting to me and causing me pain,
oh well im going to just have to deal with it was taking co-codamol yesterday to keep from crying and i have Paracetamol+ for today im trying to hold off taking more for as long as possible but the scariollic joint is really causing me a problem i think this chair is bad for it so im going to move to a different one for a bit then later i'll be trying to find a comfy spot upstairs to supervise dh cleaning the bedroom lol

 

[MrsGlitz]

Oh lynnikins

I was in a lot of pain overnight, I woke up every 2.5 hours without fail. Due to numbness, shooting pains on the pubis (right where I think the ligament is) and lower back pain. Another day of resting for me today. Although DH wants me to cook tonight; will see how I feel!

 

[Tudor Rose]

oh god im in agony today, didnt sleep well at all last night maybe i should take the 2, 30/500mg when i go bed. i bathed the kids this morning cleaned the kitchen and did an hours ironing, im trying to limit the tablets i take but im in too much pain, im back work saturday aswell god knows how i.l manage, i work in a dementia care home.

 

[wannabubba#4]

MrsGlitz - This spd is so unpredictable isn't it? I feel I am gettting a handle on it, having a god day and then I end up like you in excrutiating pain. I am getting very bored really easily too lol - so I know how you feel; I have just been given another 3 week sickline from work.I decided two days ago that sitting about wasn't helping and I was very fed up and decided just to push myself to the limit, to see how i'd cope -BAD idea lol!!!!! Ended up sitting in tears, wincing in pain last night every inch I moved, could do no more than shuffle ,had to crawl up the stairs, woke up every 2 hours or so in excrutiating pain and had to take cocodamol just to take the edge off. Lol - so rest seems to be the better choice lol... even though its really boring xx

Lynnikins- hope you are a better day today xx Seems the past few nights have been bad to all of us.

Tudor rose - Hope you are okay?? I work in health care too,and I feel so guilty still being off, keep hoping that tomorrow I'll feel better or the next day. I normally work 12 1/2 hr shifts and there's alot of standing, walking, and patient handling (as I am sure there is in your work too) and I cant imagine coping for even one shift the way things are just now. Take care and I wish you al the best for going back. xx

Take care ladies xx

 

[bigbloomerz]

Sounds like we are all really suffering! My GP wont give me anything stronger than paracetamol and gave me the advice of getting in a warm bath... Yeah I would if I could get in and out of it! have now resorted to going to the inlaws for a shower as there isnt an over the bath one so I dont have to jump over the side of the bath to get in!
Anybody else struggling with baths/showers? xx

 

[charli89]

Managed to get at least 3-4 hours sleep last night, my right hip is killing me, i can't seem to get comfy in bed, struggle to walk up the stairs and even having a shower is a challenge. It really feels like it's going to fall off. You know when you sleep funny and everything feels really weird, my hip feels like that but 24/7 if that makes sense? lol. Waiting for the physio to get back to me after a referral from the doctor. Does anyone have any tips on making it feel better? Don't like taking tablets and hot water bottle really does not seem to help! I am so glad that there is this thread as i think my family has had enough of me whinging to them.

 

[bigbloomerz]

Lol know what you mean about the whinging hun, am trying so hard not to complain! as they really dont get it!
Ive been using a microwavable bean bag and thats all, paracetamol makes me sick so cant take that and GP wont give me any other medicine.
Have you tried sleeping with a pillow under your bump and inbetween your legs? I find it takes some pressure off, not a lot but every little helps xx

 

[xxema&bumpmjx]

hiya girls hope you dnt mind me joinin u.

i got told i had spd sumtime ago an finaly got into to see the physo 2day who gave me cructchs an sum info sheets to take away he also advised me to stop drivin as this causes more pain (ive lost my indepndance now ) on the sheet it advises not to use hot water bottle but use a cold ice pack (wrapped of course ) as this helps with the pain.

if any one wnts me to post the info thts on the sheet let me now an ill type it out for u ladies to read xxxxxx

hope every1 is feelin ok xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[bigbloomerz]

Hey xxema&bumpmjx
Ive got the dreaded crutches too, no use whatsoever when you live in a first floor flat tho lol. I got a sheet saying the same thing about ice packs, also asked physio about the water bottle and he recommended using the heatable bean bags instead and only using them when warm not hot, dont want to cook the babys head lol.xx

 

[xxema&bumpmjx]

hiya bigbloomerz x
yeh he sed the same to me bot heat packs aswell.
ive tried the walkin sticks (as i call them) they make it more uncomfy as it already is.
i went the doctors b 4 2 ask if i could be induced at 36+ weeks as i cnt take much more of the pain the sleepless nites an tht i cnt even dress myself tht i need my partner to help me ( feel like a fool when i cnt even put my underwear on lol) an she sed tht i could possibly b induced depends how i am at the time ( i totaly broke dwn cryin cos i cnt cope she muct of thought wht the hell is this hormonal gir doin lol#)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[bigbloomerz]

Good Luck with getting the inducement, I was told by my midwfie repeatedly that they wont do it. I did speak to my antenatal consultant about it tho, and he said im not to go more than 5 days over my due date, so I at least have a sort of date.

I find it really frustrating that they dont take it "seriously" its just a bit of pain to them!
They dont like to do inducement early for SPD because it can result in higher risk of having a caesarean, and having one of them means it takes longer for your SPD to heal... apparently.

I have another appt with the consultant this week to ask again about inducement, the midwife actually refered me back to them, I was discharged from shared care (consultant and midwife) at 35 weeks. So she is at least doing something!

My advice would be just keep on at them, cry as much as you want because thats the only way they are going to see how much pain you are in. I had an internal examination yesterday at the hospital and it killed me having to open my legs, the midwife could see how much pain i was in yet they dont write it down in the notes for the other doctors to see!
xx

 

[xxema&bumpmjx]

as far as doctors an midwifes are concerned were just another woman whos pregant who has um pain i agree they dnt understand how hard the simplest of tasks are or how tired we feel cos we cnt sleep at nite there shud be sum sort of poilcy in hospitals tht if ur spd is really bad they shud try an help us not fob us of ie like try an sort out induction for ladies who are able to ave one an if not some sort of support for ladies who have to have c sections due the problems but they dnt i think it stupid spd is really bad an even worse for others who suffer. i bet if it was them or a family member goin threw wht we are goin threw they would complain an do sumthin about it for them to get it sorted xxxxxxxx

 

[Caroline]

bigbloomerz - they shouldn't make u lie on back to do internal exam, mw can do internal with you laying on side if necessary. Next time make sure they do this.

Unfortunately not everyone can be induced early especially if 1st time baby as cervix has to be favourable for induction. I was lucky last time, but consultant was pretty certain @ 34 weeks he would be able to do it at 37 weeks as it was my 3rd baby.

I'm hoping he'll be able to do it again this time too.

I think I'm very lucky with my consultant as he is very understabding & sympathetic towards spd , it probably helps that his wife had it tho.

 

[charli89]

Had yet again another sleepless night, kept waking up and in the end i got so fed up of not being able to sleep that i got up at 3:20am and just watched tv. Finding it very hard now to walk around without whincing in agony. I really don't know if i can keep this up for another 6 weeks, i am dying lol. I have tryed sleeping with a pillow inbetween my legs and somehow that makes it worse. I am just waiting now for the physio to get back to me. I really hope they can help. x

 

[wannabubba#4]

I think I'm very lucky with my consultant as he is very understabding & sympathetic towards spd , it probably helps that his wife had it tho.

Lol - where can I get myself one of those - TBH I dont want to go under consultant care, cos they'll not let me deliver at my local CMU but if it comes down to it I really hope I get a nice one like yours xx

I'm not even half way yet and in so much pain doing the most menial of tasks!! Makes me wonder how much worse it's going to get.

My very helpful (NOT) physio says not to worry cos now I am nearly 20 weeks things wont get any worse.WTF????????????
I asked about the increasing pressure from baby weight -she says wont make a difference??? Unless baby is breech -surely whether breech or cephalic, the weight distibution will be the same lol - I am beginning to think she is nuts .

I also told her that I had been using my crutches all the time as I felt that by not using them ; I was making things worse. She said NO!! -Dont use them, unless you really feel the need; by not using them will not make matters worse. I followed her advice for 1 day, shufling and hobbling about and by the following day couldn't walk

Anyone else been told that ''things wont get worse after 20 weeks -ish, because all the relaxin hormone has already been released'' ???

xx Hope everyone is having a good day today. xx

 

[MrsGlitz]

Hi ladies, sorry I have been quiet, was busy trying to suss the Eastenders killer for a few days!

I have been good and only take paracetomal and just basically rest now. I have the dihydrocodeine on stand by for when I need it such as if we are going to go out or something, otherwise I am trying to stay away from it now for the sake of the baby (plus I don't want to get addicted myself).

Really struggling to sleep through a mixture of the SPD and chronic heartburn. Is there such a thing as chronic heartburn?! Feels like it. A 500ml bottle of boots own gaviscon only lasts a week now. They really should make that stuff taste nicer!

DH is assisting me in and out of the bath. It really hurts to get in but since we don't have a seperate shower I don't have a choice. Tonight I am going to try a friend's suggestion as given by her physio. Sit on a dining room chair, keep legs together still and get your OH to swing your legs into the bath and sort of slide in that way? Her physio also suggested kneeling in the bath to make it easier to get out.

 

[MrsGlitz]

Wannabubba#4 - Your physio sounds nuts! I didn't get to mine until about 3 weeks ago and she told me off for not going sooner. Hardly my fault my mw didn't refer me when I first mentioned being in pain at 12 weeks! Also mine told me to use the crutches all the time to take the weight off my pelvis. And she said it could get even worse or get better or remain stable.

 

[lynnikins]

yeah im under instruction to wear my belt all the time if im on my feet to make sure things dont get worse,
I did the supermarket today but had a nap this afternoon afterwards and taking the weight completly off my pelvis solved most of the pain that the shopping induced. at the moment i try to avoid anythign that causes pain and if i cant i just grit my teeth and deal with it trying to be careful not to do anything that could cause damage to anything,

hope you get a bit of a break and some sleep ladies, i have an early start in the morning and that means driving but im sure i'll be ok, i get to sit and watch DH mend the bed in the afternoon since he picked up the wood today its just too late to really do it now and couldnt do it while ds was sleeping this afternoon, its going to be a good week i feel

 

[Caroline]

wannabubba _ I think your physio is talking out of her bottom. Mine has got progressively worse. Initially it was all in my right hip and lower back, but has spread so it also persistently in my pubic bone & down the inside of my thighs too. WTF not using crutches the whole point of them is to take some of the weight off u r pelvis.

Our labour ward at the hospital is pretty good as when u go in you have the one mw looking after you , normally from your community team. Only time the mw changes is if the shift changes. When I had my DD I actually had 2 mws as the mw who had been with ne all afternoon was just changing shift as I was about to deliver so she stayed on with her colleague.