SPD -- Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction

[Ember]

First, a link with helpful info that tells about what SPD is, what the symptoms are, how it can be treated, and stories from women who have had treatment for it:
https://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/pubicpain.htm

It seems so many of us have this, I thought it would be good to have a thread for it.

I've suspected it since near Thanksgiving. My biggest indicator is the horrible tearing pain I get in my hip/pelvis when I walk for more than a couple minutes. And if I do too much, I end up in agony until I've had at least a good 36 hours of only getting out of bed to go to the bathroom, not doing anything else. It is really difficult because if I am rested up, I feel perfectly fine when I get up, and I end up doing too much, which leaves me in completely debilitating pain for at least a couple of days. I now use a motorized cart whenever I go somewhere that offers them, even if I find the pain tolerable at the time. It helps me stave off the agony just a bit longer. I used to get dirty looks from people all the time, but they must recognize me now or else I've just stopped noticing because I've stopped caring. I am doing what's best for my baby by making sure I minimize whatever pain I inflict upon myself by leaving the safety of my bed!

A new symptom that's gotten really annoying of late is cracking in my symphysis pubis when I roll over in bed or otherwise move in an odd way. It feels slightly relieving, but really painful at the same time, and makes it a little extra sore for a while afterward. I've also been unable to shake my foot when laying on my side anymore like I always used to because it makes it feel like my SP is splitting apart. It makes me restless and just adds to the agony. I also usually forget pretty quickly and keep absent-mindedly trying to do it.

The good news is that I have finally gotten a referral to a chiropractor through my family doctor, I am just waiting now to find out when my appointment is. Hopefully he will be able to get me some relief. I'm just glad my OB didn't refuse to give me clearance to see a chiro just because she doesn't believe in SPD and refused to even listen to my complaints about my symptoms both times I tried to talk to her about it.



So, how has everyone else been handling their SPD?

 

[Lina]

I suffered from this quite early on, but now its completely cleared up after drinking loads of milk and taking calcium supplements. It seems SPD is often ignored by gp's, and waiting times to see a chiropractic is very long but no one should suffer,always push to get referred.

 

[Ember]

It is pretty difficult in the US because it isn't widely recognized. I wish I had pushed for a referral earlier, too. I just kept thinking I could manage it as long as it didn't get too much worse and if it did, then maybe eventually my OB would listen. When she told me to try doing stretches when getting out of bed (which can cause further, sometimes irreparable damage, according to what I've read and what my physical therapist told me), I knew it was time to ask someone else. I called my family doctor for an appointment as soon as I left my OBs office! He tried to refer me to an orthopedist, but the only one he works with that takes my insurance didn't have an opening until July 5th, which they pointlessly went ahead and made an appointment for me for. I am due May 28th. I pushed for them to refer me to a chiro instead, which is what I had asked for in the first place anyway, and once I called them with the name and number and assured them my insurance told me they would cover it, they were happy to oblige.

I think what really lit a fire under me was reading about all the horrible things that can happen and cause permanent damage when you deliver with a doctor that doesn't believe in SPD. I refuse to allow myself to be injured during delivery simply because my doctor is a closed-minded, ignorant, cold bitch. So glad I'm finally going into rotation at my OBs office because I don't know how many more visits I could take with her, but I really like the practice she's with and the only other option that takes my insurance is much worse than her and actually caused me fertility problems.

I definitely agree that you should never let a doctor ignore your problems or brush them off as "normal" like I did for so long!

 

[kirstr1984]

I can sympathise with yu all. Im sufferin with this on and off and today its so bad i canhardly walk n to top it off im at work all day working with kids aged 0-3. I had a really bad nights sleep too as i result of aching so much. Oh the joys!

 

[kelzyboo]

I suffered with this with my daughter 5 years ago and also permenant damage during her delivery, have had this now for 5 years although it gets a million times worse when pregnant, which i am now 15 weeks!

I'm suffering a lot of pain already not sure how i will cope with another 25 weeks of this because its agony, my consultant has sent an emergancy referal to a physiotherapist but i'm considering seeing a chiropractor as i've heard some good things about them, unfortunately i can only have this treatment privately and it costs a small fortune, i was wondering if anyone has any experience of a chiropractor for SPD?

I'm getting worried now about delivering, all i know is i won't be doing it on my back again as this is why i am left with this permenant damage, all fours is the best postion for your pelvis so i'm trying that this time, anything to avoid damaging it even more!

Hope everyone is listened to and gets proper treatment, its a horrible painful condition and its about time people were treated properly and not like we are crazy wimps because we are not! xx

 

[Ember]

I have also heard that all fours is the best position and am planning for the same. I've never heard of anyone delivering at my hospital in anything other than the traditional on their back, feet in stirrups position though so I am afraid I'm going to have to fight for it. We are planning to hire a doula to help make sure I don't suffer any permanent damage from it. I am going to be sure to find one that is familiar with SPD. I will let you know how things go with the chiropractor. Won't find out when my appointment is until Monday though. Fingers crossed it helps like a miracle as I've heard it can!

 

[Anna1982]

Im suffering through this and will have phsiotherepy on friday
it hurts to move in bed or walk pretty much anywhere

I had it in my last pregnancy as well and hope it doesnt get that bad again

 

[MizzDeeDee]

Interesting. I read up on this because I never heard of it and I have A LOT of hip pain.. to the point that it goes numb, hurts and causes walking to be painful for a bit when I lets say, get up from bed.

My quandary is that I also have fibromyalgia, so not sure how the world I would know where one would start and other end. How confusing and complex.

 

[USAF_WIFE]

I finally got someone to listen to me last visit at 24 weeks. I have had grinding, pops, pressure, like pops to the point I hear them not just feel them. I get that just when sitting up. I can't be out more then an hour or I pay for it for the next several days. I have stairs which is awful. I go tomorrow to my first physical therapy appointment they are going to decide what they can do for me. I am so scared I will have damage forever. I think the only reason this woman listened is because shes a midwife! All the doctors never listen! I see someone new everytime because of the military! I hate it so much. I was told after I have my son seek manual therapy.

 

[Ember]

@ MizzDeeDee: I have fibro too, but I can tell that this pain is completely different from any fibro pain I've ever had before. I do think that the SPD is aggravated by it though, since it makes me more sensitive to all kinds of pain. I think that the misalignment of my pelvis is also contributing to the fibro, so it's kind of a vicious circle.

RE: Physical therapy - I was going to physical therapy for a few weeks, but my therapist discharged me saying there was nothing more he could really do, he suggested I get an exercise ball, which I did, and do a few exercises with that, and showed me a couple of exercises to try to strengthen the muscles in that area without causing pelvic shear. He said that it's difficult because I am unable to tolerate a lot of things, and they have me on the lowest possible impact exercises and by the time I'd be able to work up to doing anything harder, I'd be so far along in my pregnancy that I couldn't do them anyway. Basically the exercises he gave me were just to prevent it from getting too much worse. There's nothing he could really give me to make it any better. My therapist didn't have a pool facility though, and said that if he did, then it might have been possible to do more.

 

[purplephaze]

I am also suffering with SPD At first I put it down to normal aches and pains in pregnancy, and my MW also dismissed it as such, but speaking to others led me to Google SPD and go and see my GP.
I have to wait until 15th February to see a physio though, so a 3 week wait

I can't walk very far without being in loads of pain, it hurts so much just turning over in bed, and getting in and out the car is agony.

I would like a water birth, but will be making sure all MW's are aware I have SPD and I would like to deliver on all fours or on my knees if possible.

 

[Ember]

So sorry you have to wait so long! How long have you been suffering with it? Good for you for making sure all MWs know and be sure you don't let them pressure you into delivering in a position that's uncomfortable or puts strain on your pubis. Don't forget to try to do as little as possible that requires you to separate your knees. Keep them together when getting in and out of the car and bed and when rolling over. Don't be afraid to look funny walking while keeping your knees as close together as possible when you have to walk either. And take stairs one at a time.

 

[Ember]

Just thought maybe it would help to share some of the exercises I've been given. Kegels of course strengthen the pelvic muscles which help to stabilize the whole area. Also, strengthening the lower stomach muscles which act as a kind of girdle that supports your bump. They're isometric exercises. The way he taught me to learn how to do the exercise was to lay on my back and while exhaling, pull my lower stomach muscles inward. He then added pelvic tilts to that, but because I also have sciatic pain, I can't lay on my back like that anymore, so I can't do those. But once you learn the right muscle group to isolate, you can do those exercises sitting standing, laying down, any position really. He had me hold my stomach in for 10 seconds at a time and be sure to breathe normally while holding it. I am supposed to do them as often as I can. Good triggers for reminding yourself are when you cross an intersection while driving or when a commercial comes on tv or when a new song starts while listening to music. Also, when I was laying on my back, I had to shift my position a little and lifted my butt up off the table when doing so. When I did that, he told me that I could do that as much as I want to because that also helps. So if you lay on your back much (just remember not to lay flat), lifting your butt up off the bed once in a while helps work some good muscles for stabilizing it too.

On the exercise ball, I sat near something I could hold onto, in my case I use my bed, and just sat there with my feet shoulder width apart, knees bent at a 90 degree angle, and moved my hips in a circle in one direction for about a minute slowly, then the other. Then did side to side movements, then rocked back and forth, each exercise for about a minute with as long of a rest in between as I needed. Repeat as tolerable, as well. If you do anything with an exercise ball, be careful not to sit too far forward on the ball as I did this the first time and was fine until I got up, then realized I had put too much pain on my tailbone and caused myself a few hours of agony from that.

I am not a medical professional myself so of course this is just me retelling what I was taught to do, not advising anyone to do what I've described. Don't want a lawsuit if someone hurts themself doing it wrong lol.

 

[Ember]

Oh and isometric exercises squeezing my knees together, and ones putting my hands on the outside of my knees and pushing outward without actually moving my legs outward. Just make sure you keep things symmetrical, never stretch or exercise one side more than or separately from the other.

 

[kelzyboo]

Hope you get your waterbirth purple, i wanted to try with DD but was told i couldn't because of the SPD, because if there is a problem i couldn't get out of the pool quick enough so they wouldn't let me

I'm thinking of asking again but i don't see them allowing it for me but people are different and hopefully they will let you, the water is meant to be soo good for easing the pain

 

[fish girl]

I never had this on my last three babies ...now when I sit for too long it's agony ,I am like a old woman.. Going for physio on weds so hope to improve from here on in..!!

 

[Hemoon]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to add that like one of the other posters on this thread I was also told that Calcium supplements might help. Ive been taking them for about a week now and my symptoms have definitely improved. It could obviously just be a coincidence but as I'd been pretty bad for a number of weeks with no improvement this is the only thing that I had done any differently.

Fingers crossed it might work for you too.
xxxxxxxx

 

[babyH]

Hello ladies - I don't know if I have SPD or not but I've had an incling that I have and reading your posts makes me think more that I do. I have pain in my hips when I lie down in bed and changing sides can be excruciating. I get pain also between my legs and pubic area. Sorry if TMI but I get pain in the clitorial area in what feels like the muscle or the bone there. Not experienced this before pregnancy and this is my first baby. I also have pain down there when I walk (again sorry TMI) along vaginal lips and can stretch as far down as the inside of my thighs. I can't think what else it could be other than SPD! Does this sound similar to what you experience? xx

 

[Ember]

The clitoris and labia area pain is something I've only had when the baby used to kick my cervix, so I don't have any experience with that, but it could be related. My pain doesn't go more than a little less than halfway down my thighs, so I'm not sure on that either. Everyone's experience is a little different, but maybe someone else has had some similar problems and can offer some advice. You should try to talk to your mw or dr about it. Even if it turns out not to be SPD, there's no reason for you to have to suffer. All of the other things you mentioned sound just like my symptoms, though. Try to make sure you keep your knees together when rolling over in bed, it does help.

I had never heard of the calcium supplements before but I am going to try munching on a few Tums every day and see if I notice any improvement. If nothing else, maybe it will help my nausea!

 

[babyH]

Thanks Ember - will definitely chat with mw about it...if she gives me any useful info I will pass on xx