I’m in pain. And I’ve been in pain since my fourteenth week.
I have pain in my pubic area, the tops of my thighs, the base of my back and my backside.
Getting in and out of bed almost kills me. Turning over while in bed is worse. Getting in and out of the car is manageable, but it hurts. Basically – I have to try and avoid any activity where I have to put more pressure on one leg than another. Like getting dressed (I have to sit down to do this). Or going up and down the stairs fifty times a day.
After doing some research online, I gathered that what I have is SPD. I’d never heard about it before, but vaguely remembered a friend saying she had it during her first pregnancy and has it again now, in her second pregnancy.
I had an appointment with my ob/gyn at sixteen weeks. He asked how I was doing. I told him about my aches and pains.
Now he’s not the kind of man who will hold your hand and tell you everything’s going to be ok. He’s not the most ‘personable’ guy – but I knew this about him.
But when he looked at me and said, ‘Well, it’s your second pregnancy, so it’s to be expected. Although sixteen weeks is a bit early to have this kind of pain. You’ll have to just deal with it.’, I was a little disappointed.
No adivce? No dos and don’ts? Just deal with it? No examination or anything?
Now I’m at nineteen weeks. And the pain is ok – bearable on some days. But on others, it’s worse. And I think it will continue to get worse as the baby grows. I’m hobbling around a lot already!
Should I go to my GP? Or am I meant to just grin and bear it?
The Diary of a Lagos Mum 
Don’t grin and bear it, there are things that can be done to help you. Physio at the very least, but there’s also a rather sexy looking girdle. You need to be careful because women can end up in wheelchairs with SPD.
Oooooh a girdle!
I wouldn’t even know where to start when it comes to physio. That’s why I was hoping the doc would refer me somewhere!
I don’t want to end up in a wheelchair 😦
There are certainly plenty of extreme results from having SPD. When I was pregnant with Lily, I developed it, and read countless stories on the net telling awful stories of ladies being crippled, wheelchair bound and suffering long term problems.
I can tell you, that despite being in terrible pain myself with SPD, I managed a natural birth with Lily.
I developed it quite early on too, and by my 7th month couldn’t leave the house unless transported everywhere by my hubby or in a taxi. Even the short 10 minute walk to my midwife appointments meant I had to get a taxi….it took all of 2 minutes to get there. I bet the drivers thought I was a lazy fat thing! I couldn’t climb the stairs unless I went up gingerly sideways, and sleeping was just impossible. I did find putting a pillow in between my legs helped slightly.
i was offered physio after seeing my midwife, and she organised through my doctor to get those appointments. So I would say, definitely insist on getting those in place. Here in the UK they have SPD groups (physio led) you can attend for more information and assistance. I found it very informative. I was given a girdle but found it of no use to me, although others did. The physio sessions didn’t help me either, but that’s not to say it wouldn’t help you. I was eventually offered crutches, but declined, only because by then I was pretty much incapable of walking, even with an aid. I can see how some can end up wheelchair bound!
I panicked terribly because I was told that giving birth could be troublesome, and that I was not to give birth on my back, but to do it on my side or on my knees. I was told this because there was a risk of further damage to the pelvis if I was to lie there legs akimbo giving birth.
I was induced after my waters broke at home, and to be honest, the birth was the easiest out of the three I’ve had. I spent just over 4 hours in labour, which was spent walking round my room and bouncing on the birthing ball. I finally got the urge to push and didn’t think twice to laying on my back to push, a few puffs of gas and air and Lily was born after three big pushes 🙂
The worst of the SPD pain disappeared in an instant!! it was really that quick. It didn’t disperse completely straight away, but the majority of the pain did go. I had the odd twinge for months after, but that was always around the time of my period, where I would get quite painful twinges around my hips, pubic area and base of my spine. Today, three years on, I still have the odd time where my period comes with the pain but it’s ok, and nothing more than having to deal with normal period pains, although I feel them more at the base of my spine these days.
Despite the prospect of physio or the girdle not working, I would still insist on some help in trying to alleviate the pain. In my experience it will only get worse before it gets better! And the doctor has a duty of care to ensure he does everything to help you.
YOU DO NOT have to suffer this quietly, and the ridiculous comment from your doctor is so common unfortunately. Let’s see them manage under the circumstances!
I hope you find some respite from this awful condition. I really do feel for you, as it’s so debilitating and makes you feel so miserable.
xx
Oh my! You did have a time of it. I’ll speak to the doctor at my next appointment – at 21 weeks. And meanwhile I think I will try and find a physiotherapist. I won’t be in the UK until the end of June. Might be too late by then!
[…] he just used the doppler thingy. This was the appointment where I told the doctor about my pain, by the way. He told me to book an appointment to see him in four weeks. I was disappointed […]