SPD/PGP Support thread

[Caroline]

Mrs G - I do still work, but my job is very much sitting down, & when I'm not I can get about on crutches (mainly just to go to loo & staff room for lunch). I'm an optometrist, so basically I'm sat for 20 mins, get up to get next
record then sit down again (and thats just from one end of room to other so not far). If I time it right I don't even have to get up for paperwork as someone brings it to me & the patient to me if I'm waiting, and I have a pager to hand over @ the end of the test. I'm also on a short day & finish @ 4pm. Some days its tough tho.

Wannabubba - I found my first session really good & was pain free for a couple of weeks, then it started to flare up. Cost around £30 for a 2 hr session but worth it (and I claimed back from work). I would have gone back sooner but the guy I went to his treatment rooms were up a very old cottage style narrow staircase.
As things are getting bad tho I looked around & found another clinic which is all downstairs so I'm going it a try somewhere else. Just hope it gives me some relief.

Am at the point now where I can't walk far, can't even manage a 15 min trip round asda with OH pushing trolley without me being in agony after. This last flare up yesterday & today seems to have been triggered by packing my hospital bag.

Seeing consultant so hoping he'll agree to induction @ 37 weeks, considering I am more ommobile, in more pain & had for longer I'm hopefully he will.

 

[Caroline]

Caroline I hope you are feeling a little better. When do you go on maternity leave? x

Bit easier thanks but @ the mo work tomorrow is a no no.

I was palnning on finishing Sat 27th MArch, which would be the weekend b4 induction (all being well), but its not looking hopefull @ the minute. With a bit of luck the acupuncture will do the trick again.

Just need to keep fx'd crossed that this lil monkey isn't breech 'cos if we are & don't turn it will be a dreaded section.

 

[mummytilda]

Newbie here! Was just searching around for a decent SPD support thread and yours seems to be the best, so here I am!
I'm feeling sorry for myself, so find myself needing others to whinge to!
I had SPD in my second pregnancy, which ended at 28 weeks, but didn't realise what it was until my last pg with my daughter - it started at around 8 weeks last time and I was using a wheelchair by the time she was born. I successfully applied for Disability Living Allowance and got the higher rate mobility and middle care allowance. This enabled me to get a Blue Badge which was a godsend. I would encourage anyone eligible to apply. You need to have had the condition for 3 months before you apply, with the likelihood of it continuing for another 6 months.
This time around, I am 5weeks+1 and am back on my crutches. Who needs a pregnancy test when you wake up with SPD!
I've fished my old belt out, but think I will order a Serola one as mine is white, grubby and really obvious. I've gotten myself a rucksack so I can be as balanced as possible when I walk anywhere.
I also got Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from the pressure on my hands through using the crutches. I alleviated this by padding the handles with cotton wool, covered by a bandage with a mitten over the top and this has helped alot - might help someone else too.
Going to have a section at 38 weeks, so just another 34 weeks, 6 days to go!

Looking forward to getting to know you all,
Carla.x

 

[Caroline]

Welcome Carla, sounds like you are suffering badly. Huge . I have the serola belt & I do tend to live in it.

Hope you get thru the next 33 weeks without too much trouble.

You're very brave going thru it again after all the problems you had last time.

This is my second pregnancy with spd & last. I can't walk far without crutches now, but the end is now in sight for me. This however will be our fourth & final baby. Had considered no 5 but with the sod worse this time, its not gonna happen.

Keep us updated on how u r doing .

 

[lynnikins]

hi Carla, a serola belt is worth it, wearing it is the only thing that gets me through the day i have to wear it to get up or down the stairs or lift my DS or walk any distance ,

I think we will have another baby after this and possibly one after that depending on the spd i just think we need to make sure our eldest is old enough to help me out a bit more next time around lol,

Im hoping not to be here much longer myself, my physio wont do anything for me now and the chances of them inducing me ( although they could tomorrow ) are very slim dispite the spd and having to mother a toddler , simply caus i can never get hold of my darn MW, and dont have a direct number for my consultant ( consultant for different reasons than the spd )

 

[wannabubba#4]

Hi Carla - sounds like you are having a rough time, already. You'll probably already know everything there is to know about spd already but this group has been lovely and supportive and sympathetic to me when I have needed it most; and I am sure you'll find it the same. Its nice just to have other ppl that understand! As for crutch handle covers - lol love your solution; I have covered mine in memory foam from my sons old mattress -BLISS!! It gets so sore otherwise lol; my neice was on crutches for 10 weeks recently and my sis put bubble wrap on hers lol

Caroline - this is my second baby with spd; and baby number 4 too lol; I also considered number 5 but after this time I just dont think I could go through it again. My youngest son at the moment is nearly 8, and I wanted to have two babies close together to complete our family and give them a close sibling to grow up with -but no way I could be coping with this if I had a small child at home -at least with my 8 year old, there is no lifting him or anything. Makes me kinda sad that this is definately my last; but also makes it kind of special too -I am so trying to cherish every (painfree lol) moment.

Lynnikins -make sure you get follow up physio after you next baby is born, and get the exercises for core muscle strengthening etc -as my physio is sure if I had treatment after my last son was born then I wouldn't be as severe this time. In fact, a friend of my sisters had terrible spd with babies one and three but not with number two - she had got really fit before number two, going to guym building up core stamina and strength and also had lost a lot of weight ( not that I am saying anyone has to lose weight but she felt it had contributed to her not having spd the second time around) Good Luck xx

Have a good day everyone

 

[MrsGlitz]

Hi

I echo the serola belt. It is far better (and more discreet) than the NHS ones! I still find it uncomfy to sit with so I literally just use it when going out, which isn't very much! As I said before, I am grateful I live in a studio at the moment!

I am very sore today. I want to do something with DH as it's his day off but what can you do for the day when you can't walk very far?! I have a backpack too, it's the only way I can manage to pop out for some essentials on my crutches.

 

[lynnikins]

my dh has the day off and wants to make a trip out all of us and im crying inside at the thought of walking any distance,

wannabubba, i do intend to go to the gym plenty after this baby is born as i started this pregnancy with an extra 10kg than i did with ds and i dont want to end up there again lol once its safe to start exersizing im going to be walking just about everywhere and then later on im going to be joining up at the gym with DH,

 

[Caroline]

wannabubba - its sad that its the last one, but in all honesty I'm not going thru this again especially if it is going to be worse again. I lost a load of weight b4 falling pg this time & had been exercising regularly but unfortunaltely it hasn't made any difference, although heaven knows what sort of a state i'd be in if I hadn't. I'm considering seeing osteopath/ chiropractor once I've had lo though just to make sure all is ok.

Will see how the acupuncture goes today, my manager has arranged for a later start for me tomorrow & if it helps I may consider this for the next 3 weeks too.

Can't believe how quick time has gone.

Seeing consultant tomorrow so keeping fx'd he agrees to induction.

 

[bunnyhop]

Just ref SPD getting worse with each preg tbh my 2nd preg i barely had it, 1st i was bad and this one im bad but i dont think as bad as 1st yet but ive still got 12 weeks to go

 

[MrsGlitz]

I am on my first pregnancy and seriously contemplating not having another, which upsets me but I don't want a large age gap and can't see how I would cope with a baby or toddler. I guess I will see how quickly I recover and what post-natal support I get. To be honest I have struggled emotionally with pregnancy just as much as physically so we'll see.

 

[wannabubba#4]

Caroline -can I ask? Are you under consultant care due to your spd alone? I am still midwife led and hoping to remain that way -my local CMU (5 mins from my house) is lush and I want to deliver there, if they put me under a consultant then i'll have to travel miles to the hospital. However, I s'pose I am only 21 weeks so i'd better see how bad things get first eh??

Is anyone else midwife led at the moment??

Physio called - Lol - was trying to arrange for me to get a commode delivered lol - as my loo is upstairs and I have to crawl up there on hands and knees and its so sore.

I have nowhere to put it downstairs and I'd be too embarrassed to ask anyone else to empty it, so I'd need to try to get upstairs with the bedpan anyway, so I graciously declined lol.

OMG Who thought being pregnant would lead to this?????

xx

 

[missamoo]

sorry not had chance to read the whole thread (!!) but i had really bad spd in both pregs, ended up in a wheelchair in my first, had crutches in 2nd at 19 weeks, until i had a chiropractic treatment which totally sorted me out! I was fine for the rest of the preg! would thoroughly recommend it to everyone

 

[MrsGlitz]

Wannabubba - I am midwife led. My next appointment is in 2 weeks and if the SPD continues to get steadily worse, I will ask for a consultant referral for early induction I think. My CMU is in the hospital on the floor below the main labour ward so it makes no difference to me! Bless you re the commode!

 

[wannabubba#4]

sorry not had chance to read the whole thread (!!) but i had really bad spd in both pregs, ended up in a wheelchair in my first, had crutches in 2nd at 19 weeks, until i had a chiropractic treatment which totally sorted me out! I was fine for the rest of the preg! would thoroughly recommend it to everyone

Missamoo -what exactly did the chiropracter do ? What did he /she say the problem was? Did the treatment clear it up permamently - no pain at all? How did you find him/her and ensure that he/she was trained specifically in obstetric care? How many sessions did it take to start working?

Sorry for all the q's but if it worked for you then there's maybe hope for us all.xx

 

[Caroline]

wannabubba - I'm mainly mw care, only seen consultant @ 14 weeks, and now again tomorrow. i'm under him purely for the spd. MW sent me last time around 34-35 weeks and he checked me @ 37 weeks, did sweep & booked me for induction following day.

This time when I saw early on he wanted to see me now to see how spd was. We don't have a mw led unit per se @ the hospital, but labour suites all lovely rooms with own TV, toilet, shower etc, and when u go in u get a mw from u r community team who looks after you right thru labour & delivery. There is no intervention from anyone else unless it is needed.

It is much better than when I had DS as you just got whatever mw who was working the hospital shift look after u.

SO all being well, as long as this lil cheeky monkey isn't breech I should get a date for induction tomorrow, or at least a rough idea. Will then see my mw week after.

Acupuncture went well & thankfully now am in much less pain & mobile again (well as mobile as u can be @ 33weeks pg on crutches lol). Booked another session for 3 weeks time which will hopefully be a week b4 induction so I can minimise pain of spd for labour.

 

[missamoo]

there are various forms of chiropractic treatment but the one i had was bowens which is very gentle. rather than manipulate the muscles/bones, the nerves are stimulated which tells the brain where the muscles should be and the brain tells the muscles to move! sounds really weird i know but it works!!

The chiropractor was one who i knew and trusted but they're fairly honest folk and will tell you if they are capable of practising it in pregnancy. I visited her after my 1st pregnancy as seriously ricked my back just after birth (geting out of the car a funny way while all my muscles settled down!) and i told her about the spd and she said she could have treated it. so when it kicked in at 14 weeks with my second i went to see her straight away.

I can't remember exactly but i know I couldnt walk more than 100 yards on my first preg by the end of the preg but with my 2nd i was walking miles trying to get him to come out! No pain at all really - it was like a miracle!

They are registered but ask around for a recommendation or look in the yellow pages i would suggest.

 

[lynnikins]

im going to find a chiropractor post this pregnancy as i think i will need one for my back at least , physio's i find dont help much for me

Im still in MW led care ive just had to see a consultant a few times due to bleeding in pregnancy with my history they just wanted to watch me carefully but im ok to use the MW centre as far as I know

 

[Emx]

Morning ladies - hope you have had semi decent nights sleep! Up with the lark again because of the pain - first time this week though so cant complain too much!

Im going to phone my physio today and make another appointment and see if there is anything she can do... I can hear my pelvis and hips creaking and grating around so much more now so am wondering if she might be able to move some of them back to where they should be!! Am also going to enquire about chiropractor for post pregnancy - maybe a light at the end of the tunnel?

Have also done my shoulder in from using my arms to hoist myself around so much!! So may be asking her to treat my shoulders instead of my pelvis/hips!! Just out of interest does anyone know if the relaxin that causes SPD affect other joints such as arms or is just coincidence and overuse???

 

[Nmum1]

Hey all

Newbie here! Diagnosed two weeks ago and pretty much been stuck at home ever since. Off to physio today so fingers crossed for a miracle!! Been feeling pretty lousy for the last couple of weeks and finally managed to get out of the house Tuesday night to try swimming. In the pool was great but was in absolute agony afterwards and could hardly walk- not quite what I was hoping for!!

Been reading your messages for a couple of weeks and it has been a great support. Thanks so much. Hope all are feeling ok today?