Terrible back pain...pls I'm desperate!

Hi,

I'm 18 weeks pregnant, and for the last 5 or more weeks i've been getting really bad back pain (from my siactic nerves), thats getting progressivly worse. I told my obs, and he said go see a physio, so i asked my best friend who is a physio about it.

She said there isn't that much she could do, as the hormone relaxin that is designed to relax your ligaments to make way for the growing uterus relaxes the ligaments that supports your back, hence the pain. Other than some massages that would feel nice, but not really do anything to fix it, and the same for heat packs/hot water bottles/hot showers (which i've tried....), nothing really helps.

It (the pain) kind of alternates which side is hurting, normally my right sie (not sure if its cos i sleep more on my right or not, although i seem to roll around a lot in my sleep, so i might start out on my right, but who knows...).Tuesday was so bad i could barely walk I was in so much pain. I seem to take panadol every 2 days, sometime every day cos i can't cope with the pain (fine when i stay still, but when i shift in my chair, walk, roll over in bed etc, i'm almost crying cos it hurts). I had lower back pain a bit as a teenager, but nothing like this.

Anyway, the only thing my friend said might work is some kind of belly belt/back brace, which is supposed to lift your belly up (not that mine is even that big or anything, i'm barely showing), and help support your back. But she didn't really know so much about them, if they for sure worked etc.

I found a site that sells them on the internet, but its like $100. I don't mind spending that much if it will work, but it seems like a waste of money just to try... has anybody used them, or heard or someone who has, and whats their opinion?? Somebodyy else suggested those magnetized sheets etc etc....

Thanks....

Sorry to hear you're so uncomfortable :( Sorry I can't help you about the belly belts and braces and things. I've had a bit of back ache the last couple of days.. and I'm only 6 weeks! I hope it's not a sign that i'll be having back trouble. I had slight curvature of the spine when I was at school (you know the scoliosis tests they do when you're 15). But nothing ever came of it. I just had to carry my school bag correctly from then on.

I don't know about the magnetised sheets/underlays either. Altho, I would be inclined to not use that when I'm pregnant. I don't know why hehe.. I haven't heard or seen anything against it, it's just a feeling I have. Perhaps someone knows for sure if it's safe.

Hope your pain eases up before you get much bigger. Are there perhaps exercises or stretches you can do to ease it?

Good luck with it. I'm sure someone here will have answers for you :)

a site called bad backs said magnetic underlay products shouldn't be used during pregnancy

Love

Thanks for the advice... I looked on bad backs and thats where i found the brace thingy... just curious, even if i wasn't pregnant, do those magnetic sheets work?

Hi Yael

I too have very bad back pain, some days worse than others. I didnt even know what a sciatic nerve was until I got pregnant. Its just awful, I know what you go through on a daily basis!

Here is what I have done to make things a little easier;

I bought a body pillow. Its about the same length/height as me and I find sleeping on my side (the left) easier now. My hips and such dont hurt as much because its as if all of my pressure is actually going onto the pillow, as opposed to the mattress.

If you have a gym or leisure centre near you, I highly recommend doing some water/aqua aerobics. They help keep you mobile, but add the weightlessness of water, completely low impact and works wonders really. I admit Im not as keen and dont go as often as I should be, even though the swimming centre is at the end of my street lol, its just sooo cold. I cant wait til summer as I have my own pool, its just too cold to use.

Of course, acupuncture is a GREAT option, completely safe and works wonders. Its just a matter of finding the right thing for you, and the most cost effective.

Best of Luck to you

I feel for you I really do!I have been having the same problems from about 20 weeks, just when I was starting to show.I think it was my job that made me get back pain/hip pain as I work with kids with disabilities and some of them are in wheelchairs requiring me to operate heavy lifts etc.

I had to give up my job at 23 weeks and since then my back pain has gone but I still have the problem of extremely sore hips each night.I can't really recommend anything except I tried panadol just before bed and could then manage to get at least 4 hours sleep without being woken up in pain.If I do to much I get it really bad during the day and night.A few ladies here have tried the belly belts given to them from their Ob's, but apparently you can't wear them to bed and they are quite uncomfortable.

At least you know your not alone......many of us suffer from this...........bummer I know!

I feel for you I really do!I have been having the same problems from about 20 weeks, just when I was starting to show.I think it was my job that made me get back pain/hip pain as I work with kids with disabilities and some of them are in wheelchairs requiring me to operate heavy lifts etc.

I had to give up my job at 23 weeks and since then my back pain has gone but I still have the problem of extremely sore hips each night.I can't really recommend anything except I tried panadol just before bed and could then manage to get at least 4 hours sleep without being woken up in pain.If I do to much I get it really bad during the day and night.A few ladies here have tried the belly belts given to them from their Ob's, but apparently you can't wear them to bed and they are quite uncomfortable.

At least you know your not alone......many of us suffer from this...........bummer I know!

I hear ya!! My back is out today and it is unbearable. I do have a bad back, and over the last 6 weeks it's had some really awful days. I've also had some of my best days. Im not big either, so don't need a brace, it's more to do with the softening. I have been doing yoga every morning, when i can, and for the first time I find this helps. Im doing a video called yoga for mothers to be. It's very gentle and the stretching really helps.
Im also starting acupuncture, as my chiro has said I can see her once a month but there's not much she can do.
Bloody nightmare, and i hope you find some relief. I had to take panadol today, as there's no way to function otherwise. Not that it does much.
Good luck xo

Yael,

In my first pregnancy my back pain was so bad that I had to get some pain relief - I had panadeine forte which my GP said was okay. Check with your doctor first, it might be an option if you are experiencing a great deal of pain. Good luck!

yael,

i cant help you much with this one, i just hope you are able to find something to ease the pain. good luck,

Linda

Thanks for all the messages....

I think i'm going to try to brace, and just hope it helps... I know there are things i can take for the pain, but as i take panadol quite often i would really like to find something that can fix the problem, not just cover it up, and leave the pain relief to really bad days...

Might look into the acupuncture... my friend the physio is going to do hydro with me in her pool, but i first have to check with my obs about the water temp etc.. apparently some say its ok, others say no.

Also might try and get an exercise video (heard of one that is supposed to be good "preggie bellies"??), but i'm looking for full time work (strange time to start, i know), so might not have much time to do it.

Thanks once again :)

I didn't even know I could get a brace with my first! I was in so much pain that I also became a recluse for the rest of my pregnancy because I couldn't get about. If only I had known!

Of course, go the non medicinal first, I was just mentioning it as an extra option if you can't get relief from anything else, as most women aren't sure what they can and can't take in pregnancy.

Thanks Kelly... I'm lucky my mum is a midwife and both my in laws are pharmacists, so they look up everything and if thy're not sure they call the manafacture for me... I guess they have invested interest! :)

I was just wondering if ppl knew where I can get a brace from? I saw on on the badbacks website, but would prefer to get from a store so i can try it on?

Thanks so much everybody who wrote a msg for all your support... I was reading all the topics in the general discussion and beginning to think it was only be that had such bad pain!

My best friend was the physio I asked, but she doesn't do this area of physio, thats why she didn't know much about it.

I'm going private, but I might go and see a physio who specializes in it, or i'll ask my obs when i see him in a week.

Thanks for you help Shannon :)

Thats Ok, i wasn't offended at all...

I've got my ultrasound next monday (very excited!), and i'm seeing my obs after that, so I'll ask him then...

Thanks for all the advice, i really appreciate it! :)