In Pain - and really worried about coping

[Tilda]

Hi all

I hope this isn't going to be too much of a vent but maybe some of you could provide a bit of advice or reassurance, so here goes...

I've had long term chronic pain issues due to repeated neck, back and shoulder injuries and have lost so much strength over the years. I'd always hoped I would build back up before getting pregnant but I couldn't put it off any longer. I'm blessed to be 30 weeks pregnant now but I'm so scared about coping when the baby arrives.

I came off endep for the pain once I got pregnant but my neck, upper back and shoulders have been really playing up. All I have to do is pick up a small bag of groceries or carry a heavy book to the car and it sets me off. So the doctor wants me to go back on endep so I don't need to use other pain killers so much and so that I don't get depressed. I so wanted to avoid this because I've heard that the bub can go through a bit of a withdrawl, but my doctors still think this is the best course and that the bub should be fine. Has anyone else had a bub while on endep?

I can't imagine how I'm physically going to cope with lifting the baby and doing all the little things like dressing, bathing and changing without aggravating my pain and maybe even doing more injuries. I've found the lightest stroller on the market (4.7kg) and will get a good change table, cot with drop down sides, bath in a stand and a nursing pillow but I still don't think this will be enough. How do other mums out there cope????

Does anyone have any words of hope?

Tilda

[~clover~]

All I can say is that your hormones are different through pregnancy. Hopefully after your bub is born, your hormones will change again & it will not be as painful.
I'm also guessing you will go straight onto the meds once bubs arrives?

hun. I have no idea what you are going through, but I hope all goes well xx

[Becs_bubs]

I had a major car accident 2 and a half years ago, which resulted in a fairly serious lower back and neck injury (mostly intra-muscular and nerve damage, but caused ALOT of pain) I was starting to feel a little better right before falling preggers this time...after having lots of acupuncture, lots of physio and lots of exercises that the physio gave me, as well as cardio (keeping the joints/muscles moving and working helped lots) Then I fell pregnant...and all the hormones that relax your muscles in pregnancy started wreaking havoc on my body, and my back was incredibly sore once again. Doc didn't want to put me on anything strong and I personally don't like taking medications at the best of times, let alone when pregnant - so the strongest I have been on since being pregnant is Panadine and sometimes Panadine Forte (sparingly) at the worst of times. Apart from that, these are the main things I have done:

* healthy diet & LOTS of water - already found this helpful beforehand anyway, but moreso now - helps keep your head in a good space and your body functioning well
* staying as positive as I possibly can
* alternating between physio/acupuncture and remedial massage sessions - sometimes up to twice a week if necessary. (and the massage, although painful on the sore parts, is heaven on the rest of your body when you're pregnant!)
* staying active even when I've been sick (which has been about 90% of the pregnancy ) - sitting/lying still for too long is not helpful...muscles and joints are made to be moved
* plenty of heat packs/warm baths/ hot showers

All in all, now that I'm at the end of the journey, I can definitely say that these things greatly improved my pain levels. Now that bub is lying on my lower spine a bit here and there, there is definitely a bit of extra pressure and pain at times, but I try to relax my body and mind as much as possible and it really does help.

I hope you start to get some relief and find some methods that work for you - I know how you feel

[Tilda]

Thanks for your words of support and advice girls. You're right - I think it is the hormones making things worse. With everything being so much looser (and I have hypermobile joints anyway) its just so much easier to do small injuries and aggravate old ones! I probably need to make more of an effort to stay active, I've been slowing down a bit as the pregnancy progresses. Best wishes for the exciting arrival later this month Becs-bubs!
Tilda

[~*lilla*~]

I had a horsing riding accident as a child and have had terrible pain on and off since then. When I was pregnant with both my kids my back got way worse. To the point with my 2nd child where I was in sheer agony. But once I had him, it got a lot better. As someone else said, the hormones seem to make the pain worse, plus you are carrying quite a few kgs of extra weight, HTH

[koru]

I haven't had to deal with chronic pain myself but (as a naturopathic student) I would like to add to Bec's excellent list of suggestions lots of good quality high dose Fish Oil. The essential fatty acids in them are not only excellent anti-inflammatories but are also involved in the mood hormone pathways so will help aleviate depression . You should start to see results for inflammatory pain in a couple of weeks - mood takes longer.
Please see a specialist health store and don't go for those cheap brands with the enormous packages - you need to take 10 of those a day to get anywhere near the dose you'll need so it won't be cost-effective.
Good luck - I really hope you can get on top of the pain without returning to the Endep

[sweetpea678]

Tilda, I have been in a similar sittiuation to you. I have lower back injury where some days I need help to get out of bed and can hardly walk at times. Have you done any pain managment courses, I did and it help heaps.

Just to let you know the best change table and bath that I have used is what I have now for dd#3, whish I had gotten it for the other two. It goes over your big bath so no lifting baby baths full or water etc. My now 6 yr old tried it out last year and still fitted in it. Google little bear. With my first two I had to make sure I pushed then out to the car in the pram then transfer them to car and visa versa, this time I use the unity capsule and could click it on and off my pram. Make sure the pram you get has handles at the right hight or it can make things worse. It took me a little while to figure that one out.

On my realy bad days I spent most of the time on floor with bub so I would not drop them. It does get worse towards the end of pregnancy, I suggest afterwards to see a physio to help strengthen things.

I hope this helps, if you need any other advise from someone in a similar sitiuation please let me know

[Tilda]

Thanks Sweetpea! The little bear bath/change table looks great! We might be moving interstate to Melbourne or Sydney just before or just after the baby (just to add to the excitement!) so that will be something I definitely look into once I know what sort of bathroom we'll have. I think I'll also look into pain management clinics and courses when I get there. I know there a couple of good ones in both cities. But if you have any recommendations let me know! When you had to leave them on the floor and spend time with them there, did they mind? I'm worried I won't be able to keep her stimulated and happy. Do they just adjust to what you can and can't do?

And Koru, thanks for the fish oil tip. I take some as part of a multivitamin but probably not near enough!

Thanks again all!

Tilda

[sweetpea678]

hi Tilda,

They coped really well with it, they would sleep in there bouncer or on me. It was just safer for the bad days. Even now I have days where I try not to go out or carry bub much.

In saying that though I have found that my back copes better if I am out all day carrying her in a carrier such as a mai tai or ergo than pushing a pram, but I think that is because my injury is between L4, L5 and S1.

Yeah the little bear is great and I found the customer service excellent

[Becs_bubs]

Thanks for your words of support and advice girls. You're right - I think it is the hormones making things worse. With everything being so much looser (and I have hypermobile joints anyway) its just so much easier to do small injuries and aggravate old ones! I probably need to make more of an effort to stay active, I've been slowing down a bit as the pregnancy progresses. Best wishes for the exciting arrival later this month Becs-bubs!
Tilda

Thanks, Tilda x I wish he'd hurry up and come out, to be honest LOL.....my pelvis and lower back are certainly feeling the pressure at the moment. Off for another acupuncture session on Thursday, and he's agreed to use the induction points as well, so fingers crossed.....