Symphisis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD or PSD)

[fionas]

My current physio has said if it hurts dont do it, so thats what im doing.

Andrea, you said it so much more simply than me! That's where I'm coming from too. If opening my legs causes immediate pain now and infact any position hurts immediately then I don't see how being in those positions in labour could possibly be good. Out of all the positions that my physio has recommended, I reckon there's only one that doesn't cause me immediate pain (propped on pillows leaning forward on me knees) now so will see whether I can still do that closer to labour but it ain't looking promising. All the others are no-gos. I laughed out loud when my physio suggested I lie down with my knees apart with someone supporting each leg. I told her, "mate, I can't even lift my knees up and apart without being in pain, so that ain't gonna work."

[Rigga]

I am literally housebound as well, because of my spd. I was informed yesterday by a male Dr that any womens spd is nothing but us getting it into our heads that we dont like pain. So with listening to his garbage about knowing more than physios and me was told to put up with the pain, even though at times its that bad i actually vomit. He pressed that hard yesterday on my pelvis i nearly passed out, and he laughed, hence after that I yelled at him to get out, had the ante natal manager running in to see what was wrong. She told him right off and said I wouldnt have to see him again. Arrogant, pompous ass. So they handed me over to a lady dr who was fantastic.
I know my limits and do what I can.
Andrea

[fionas]

That's terrible Andrea. Do they truly think we make this up?

Luckily this time around I'm not in too much pain but that's only because I really do know my limits and limit myself accordingly by not walking which has meant I had to stop working at 15 weeks because it takes me 50 minutes of walking to and from train stations to get there. Plus, I wear my support belt, ice three times a day and go to clinical pilates once or twice a week. My life currently revolves around managing my pelvis. So I'm sure when people see me walking around the house quite well they think I'm putting it on when I tell them that I can't walk for more than five minutes. Yes, physically I can but I can feel my body seizing up and if I keep on doing that then I won't be able to walk at all, not even around the house which is my worst nightmare. My physio warned me at 7 weeks that it was already pretty bad and I was looking at a wheelchair scenario. So I'm doing absolutely everything I can to avoid it - which includes looking at all possible birthing scenarios.

I was really sceptical but I've found icing is really good. They say if your pain gets really bad (like yours) you need to ice every two hours for 20 minutes each time. I know it's hard to do logistically but I reckon give that a go. I did barely any icing first time around because I didn't think it was doing any good but I think it's just that I didn't do it often enough. If you give the icing a red hot go for a day, it should help the pelvis settle down and become easier to manage and from there you can reduce the icing down to a few times a day or just once a day. Plus lie rather than sit as much as possible. My physio reckons sitting actually doesn't rest the pelvis because it's still working.

I'm really sorry that you had such appalling treatment from the doctor. Totally sucks.

[Rigga]

Thanks I will try the icing. I usually lay as my chair reclines, its so much more comfy.
I am glad not all drs are as simple mnded as the idiot yesterday

[Lenny]

I wouldn't say to start anything new right now, and never do anything that hurts. But I would get yourself properly checked. Don't self diagnose! I did, and I wasted a whole month telling myself that I had SPD when in fact I had SI joint disfunction. I was in a world of pain and I could have been treating my actual problem much sooner.

Jo

[entreat]

What Lenny said!

Go to your Dr & get a referral to an osteopath.

My SPD is fairly low key now (a massive fall on my butt thanks to my horse knocking me down re-aligned everything... not recommended - but it worked!), but I find it does feel worse after BodyVive class, or any exercise that has you doing one-sided, leg spreading exercises. There are many parts in Yoga (BodyBalance) that I have to modify so I'm not encouraging further separation. But having said that - I do that class around 4 times a week now, & my pelvis feels stronger for it. However, I think my sacrum has opened a bit which I am attributing to the yoga.

If you do maintain classes, don't try to push yourself to your pre-pg abilities. And if you do moves that require leg separation, don't go as wide as any one else in the class. I can usually feel my pubic symphysis pull & open when I go too far.

Oh - And ALWAYS let the instructor know that you are pg & you have an unstable pelvis!