Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) Chatter #1

[belfie]

Aah that's no good Mel sorry to hear it's kicking in early (and congrats by the way!). Fingers crossed it doesn't get too bad, sounds like you're on it early with your chiro.

Well I think I was silly this week.. have been tag-teaming osteo and physio, one each week (yeah, cos i wanna be bankrupt soon lol) but was grumpy at my physio cos she didn't get back to me when she said she would... so didn't bother with physio appt this week. Now I think i'm paying for it. I've gone from just having pain/discomfort ONLY if I overdid it to now getting very sore every arvo/evening ... roll on Monday I want oste'o'clock! Even sitting at the PC is painful now darnit. Only 2 days to get through, and thank goodness it's the weekend.

[fionas]

Belfie, you're a sweetie and I am very flattered thank you! I'm currentlyvin hospital with 4-day old Gabriella so can't write much but WOW what a good decision it was for me to have a Caesar this time around. I'm pretty chuffed. I don't appear to be in any pain from my pelvis whatsoever and the things that were causing me problems immediately before the birth such ad getting out of bed and taking those first few steps without hanging on to a wall, are no longer an issue. Obviously I haven't tried walking very far but all newsxis good at this stage. It was quite funny when the midwife came to help me out of bed and shower me for the first time. She cautioned me to take things slowly as, "the pain can be quit ferocious." I got up, walked towards the shower and beamed at her. She said "Omg you are doing so well." I told her it was a little bit hurty but compared to what I've put up with in the last three years an absolute walk in the park.

So belfie I do think you're on the right track for thinking of this in terms of choices. I realized after NMR first experience with SPF that no one will give us a medal for being a trooper and the price to pay in terms of a longer physical and emotional recovery is too high. I see resting as a proactive choice which ensured my recovery will be as short as possible meaning I can get a life back quicker.

I have gone from being in tears four months after dd1's birth because of the amountvof pain I was still in, thinking there was no way I could have another Baby to four days after dd2's birth thinking that purely from a pelvis point of view that a third baby is not out of the question

[Arimeh]

Oh Fiona I'm so glad you are feeling well - and a 3rd baby ay? Well if it helps at all, my SPD was worse with DD1 than it was with DD2 hehe

[Traveller]

Fionas I am so pleased you are feeling so much better. Our bodies are amazing things! I remember feeling the same after DS2 was born, I could have climbed a mountain just minutes after he was born (although I suspect my midwife would have stopped me had I tried )

[Kazbah]

Heys ladies,

well i'm feeling rather sad & sorry for myself at the moment, and everything is so painful. Painful in the groin area, painful in the hips, pain in the back. Yesterday I blew my nose and it hurt so much I was crying. Great look at work. Planning my trips around lifts and the like. And there's only 20 weeks left. Oh yay. How do I get out of this headspace?

Also, what painkillers can I take?

Sorry, I'm just not coping. Reading the happy stories on here is good therapy as to what can be, I just can't see it at the moment. I want to be a yummy mummy. Can't see that happening.

[Traveller]

Oh Kazbah, I'm sorry you are in so much pain. It's just rotten I know so vent away, we all understand.

I'm assuming you are seeing a chiropractor or a physio? If not then make this a priority. Also ice the painful area. I know it's winter but it will reduce the swelling and ease the pain. Wrap a doona around you whilst you ice if it makes you more comfortable.

You can take paracetamol safely, so don't be afraid to do so. And planning your trips around lifts and access is an excellent idea. I would avoid the supermarket if I could not get parked outside, and under no circumstances would I walk up stairs if there was any way around it. Do what you have to for the next 20 weeks, I know it seems like forever but it will be over before you know it

[nickle730]

I'm aching with you Kazbah, particularly at the front. I'm actually dreading having to do things that involve walking... grocery shopping, going to the post office - those every day things most people take for granted!

I only take Panadol and I try not to use that every day. Don't know if any thing else is safe... I'm averse to taking anything whilst pg!

Hope you are a resting comfortably somewhere!

[glenny_c]

Hi girls, sorry to say that I think I might be joining you. (nothing personal I promise... ) I have been having a lot of trouble getting comfy at night for about the last week. My hips, pelvis and legs get really painful and it doesn't seem to matter which position I'm in, I wake every hour or so in pain. I've been doing some reading and SPD seems to describe ALL my symptoms. I'm going to see the doc and physio today to find out for sure and to ask about continuing work (I'm a teacher, primary- so on my feet all day) I've had to take off yesterday and today due to pain.

I guess this is my payback for telling everyone how fantastic this pregnancy has been so far!

Do any of you sleep sitting up? I only ask as I notice the pain seems less when I'm sitting rather than lying down.

[belfie]

Aaah i posted the other day (or so I thought) but it's not here! Darn it.

So belfie I do think you're on the right track for thinking of this in terms of choices. I realized after NMR first experience with SPF that no one will give us a medal for being a trooper and the price to pay in terms of a longer physical and emotional recovery is too high. I see resting as a proactive choice which ensured my recovery will be as short as possible meaning I can get a life back quicker.

I have gone from being in tears four months after dd1's birth because of the amountvof pain I was still in, thinking there was no way I could have another Baby to four days after dd2's birth thinking that purely from a pelvis point of view that a third baby is not out of the question

Well Fiona I think you helped me to see it in terms of choices. And you are SO right about no medals for troopers (or for being in this club for that matter). I was so thrilled to read about your experience post C-S, and I am SO happy for you. I think you really deserve a break! I also told your story to my DH and I think it was a real eye-opener for him.

Kazbah - so sorry you've had to join us . How are you feeling now? And don't worry if you're not feeling the "happy" stories yet... I think it took me weeks to get to a semblance of peace with it all. Also if you want any recommendations, I've got a physio in Ringwood and an osteo in Blackburn/Doncaster that i'm having some success with. Happy to PM you the details as I see you're not far from me (I'm in Vermont). Re painkillers, yes best I've heard is panadol too. If it helps, a friend of mine has just been diagnosed as well - she felt like s'one had taken to her with a baseball bat! She saw both osteo and phsyio and is feeling HEAPS better. So I have fingers crossed that it could happen for you too . I would also reiterate that I was worst at first but then have been able to "manage" it much better and keep my pain levels lower.

nickle730 - I know what you mean about dreading and avoiding. All I can say is... online shopping is a brilliant thing. I think it's really hard when we're doing mental gymnastics to avoid doing these things that everyone else takes for granted... especially when you get ppl saying "oh yeah i'm sore too" but you KNOW they're just living their normal life (grr). I've found that I'm slowly working out the balance of doing my necessities to keep myself sane but also asking for help as MUCH as possible, sending DH out etc etc.

glenny_c - I have to echo Kasbah - welcome to the dubious club (that's the best name for it!). So sorry to hear you're experiencing lots of pain and good luck with the doc and phsyio. Re sleeping up, I haven't needed to do that but I think my symptoms aren't the most classic SPD symptoms in the book (mine are all at the back not front for a start). Good luck with it and keep us posted.

Incidentally, I LOVE sitting with my feet up normally but have rapidly discovered there's too big a price to pay. I wasn't doing it regularly anyway as I know it's not great for baby positioning either... but occasionally I forget... and then get "stuck" in position. Youch. Ah that's a reminder . AFM I have my parents back in town while my DH is away for a week. So have set them to work, rearranging rooms (I actually HAVE a nursery now). Geez did I feel ornamental though. Just directing traffic as they moved everything was enough to leave me stuck in a chair by lunchtime. THank goodness they were here to do it all though. Plus DH doesn't have a great back, so we limped through 2 weeks on our own. We really need to be as proactive as possible about managing our workloads (i.e. housework/DS/on feet time) to keep us both in decent shape. My parents will be going again leaving us with 4 weeks to get through. I'm a bit nervous, as 2 weeks left us both struggling but I think it's just incentive to be as smart as we can be. I'm also hitting up my useless IL's for some babysitting. I had newborn cuddles the other day as a little incentive to remind myself of the reward at the end of all this hard work.

Hope everyone else is going ok... vent away as required!

[glenny_c]

Well- back from the physio and good news guys- no sign of SPD!!! My pelvis and hips are perfectly situated and have good movement. I have a muscle in spasm that runs around both hips and across the back (tailbone) apparently it's from lying on my side all the time and it's aggravated it. I have some bum stretchy exercises to do and back to physio next week for some more torture- I mean treatment. Just goes to show I guess that you shouldn't rely on Dr Google for diagnosis, you should wait until the people who know tell you what's going on.
Oh, and my GP was clueless. I mentioned SPD as an option and he looked at me like I was speaking another language. Told me it was prob baby pressing on a nerve (didn't make sense why I had pain on both sides then....) Decided to try to get into physio anyway as I figured they'd know better- so glad I did!

[Arimeh]

Hi everyone - just a quick one. Went to chiro today and she said my pelvis is still holding well (which we were worried about because I'm getting pain already) but my pubic bone is VERY tender and sore, and she wants me to give it a rub every night, just to make it feel better. And she gave me a belt to wear, a different one from my last one, so this one doesn't press on my c-section scar and make it all ouchy. Yay for me!

[Kazbah]

yay on the belt and the "so far so good" Mel!

Yay Glenny!!!! That's brillo news!!! Enjoy your torture!!!!

Hey Mel, how is the belt different? And did you have the c/s due to the SPD last time?
Is it just me or does the belt roll down and feel like it's cutting into me - and Quoll kicks against it, s/he doesn't like it at all ... Can't wait to get home from work each day to take the belt off ...

[Arimeh]

Kaz, this belt is much softer, and made of umm I dunno, but really soft fluffy type material that goes around your hips first, and then you pull the tight elastic part just around your hips to keep them in place - but it doesn't press into the tummy part. My other one was really hard material and the velcro part went right into the tummy part, so pressed into my section scar.

Oh, and I didn't have a section due to SPD either. I didn't know thats what I had with DD1 until I went to the physio 2 weeks after her birth because I still couldn't walk without extreme pain and hanging onto the walls.