Pregnancy Forums

Posted: 07 March 2007 at 10:43pm | IP Logged

hi fellow madmums. i'm sarah and mum to maddie who is 6 yrs old and currently still cooking my second child at 33 weeks +5 days.

i need some advice and support purrlease.....

 i'm struck down badly with symphisis pubis dysfunction and i'm at the end of my coping capabilities. i'm watched by an obstertric team, have a support belt and have to use crutches, basically i'm immobile and despite analgesia i'm struggling sooooo much. i want to be me. pregnant and me. i mean it's not hard really is it? i feel so betrayed by my body and at times resentful as i can't be the person i know. a mum, wife etc. i hate myself for feeling like that. what can i do, or is there anyone out there who is going through this as well so that we can support each other through this?

Posted: 07 March 2007 at 10:53pm | IP Logged

Hi Sarah and welcome to madmums!

We have quite a few members the suffer from SPD. We have a buddy scheme in place for one to one support for various topics, one of these is SPD you can access that system by clicking HERE

Im sure you'll also get a big response from members in the forum and support from those that also suffer and understand the pain. I never had it but Ive heard some stories on here and I really cannot begin to imagine.

Love and hugs x

Posted: 07 March 2007 at 11:33pm | IP Logged

Hi Sarah and welcome to Madmums.  So sorry to hear you are having a horrid time at the moment.  I personally have never suffered from SPD but like Chris says there are quite a few Madmums that have and the excellent buddy scheme can put you into one to one contact with someone that has experienced this themselves.

I hope the last few weeks of pregnancy go fast for you and your problems clear up quickly.

Posted: 08 March 2007 at 12:50am | IP Logged

Hiya Sarah,

Welcome to the world of the madmums...

I'm really sorry to hear that you've been diagnosed with SPD, you will find that there are a few of us on here who have had it, some have had a full recovery and some are still struggling with it.. please don't think that you're alone in this, you're not! we really do understand what you are going through emotionally, physically and mentally and if we can help in any way we will.. 

Have you been given the details of the pelvic partnership hun?

I'm one of the SPD buddies and we're all here for you anytime of the night or day, feel free to moan/cry/laugh whatever and please don't suffer in silence..  there is a link for the contact page for an SPD buddy, please use that and one (or all) of us will get in touch with you to see what help/advice we can offer you..

Once again hun, welcome to madmums and here's some cyber hugs for you..    

Posted: 08 March 2007 at 7:17am | IP Logged

thank you so much for your responses. i was so low last night and having a bad night hasn't helped either i guess i need to get my mind into the right frame of mind. my poor hubby is doing his best and it must be so hard for him not knowing from day today, let alone hour to hour how i will be both physically and emotionally. as for my poor daughter well she's totally going without the fun or should i say mad mum i used to be. well, i guess i have maintained the madness but in a different way!

i have put a call out to the buddy system so that someone can hopefully walk through the darkness with me.

i'm so glad that i found you. thanks again for the wonderful support.

Posted: 08 March 2007 at 4:18pm | IP Logged

Welcome!!! And first let me send you huge symathetic and understanding hugs!

I have been in your shoes and I know what you are going through. I have written 2 articles (see here ) which may be of help.

I know you feel alone but this is so comman! I just wish more doctors would understand. Someone will soon contact you through the buddy system to offer you lots of support and advice.

My biggest piece of advice is to rest as much as you can and dont feel guilty for doing so - your health is more important than the housework! If you do need to do something then take your time and do it slowly! And DO NOT use the hoover!

It wont be long now hun!

Posted: 12 March 2007 at 12:01pm | IP Logged

Firstly hunny, great big cyber hugs coming your way....

I know exactly what you mean with the dr's etc with this condition, I felt that even the mw's didn't take the pain levels or the disability seriously.. I was admitted for the last 4 wks with my first and the last 12 with my second and even then I still had to fight to get the mw's and dr's to understand how bad it was.. (I even had a locum who decided to 'palpate' accross the pubis area and I nearly passed out with pain (literally!) when I managed to open my eyes he'd dissapeared..) It's unfortunate hunny, but generally this is a condition where you don't get help unless you ask for it.. and please, please ask!! you don't need to suffer like this and as they don't understand, you need to explain it to them.. (it sounds as if you've got a great team of mw's there, so make use of them!)..

I've just logged (well, my hubby has actually) a petition on this new government website to try and get more research into it and why it's happening.. I'm sure you know that it's becoming more and more common and more debilitating, so there must be something that's causing it.. Our petition's at the 'checking' stage, and once it's authorised, I'm hoping to put a link on here for everyone to sign.  I'd say that this forum has been by far the best support/understanding/sympathy/empathy whatever that I've found and it's sooo good to speak to people who truly understand what it's like without feeling guilty about your thoughts & feelings, you really are going through such a hard time and please know that we are all here for you.. (even when you can't get to a computer)..

Please keep in touch hunny, and let us know how you are doing, but first and foremost - TAKE IT EASY! Let the pain guide you and if it hurts too much, just don't do it - it doesn't make you a lesser person; right now you are disabled and you need the help etc that any other 'disabled' person would need.. If it becomes absolutely unbearable, then maybe you could discuss being induced with your consultant. I was started 2wks early first time around (I had to have an epidural in place before they could insert the pessary or examine me) and I had an elective c-section 3wks early second time around - (and I got sterilised at the same yime!).  Have you discussed the birth options yet hunny?

Posted: 12 March 2007 at 12:10pm | IP Logged

Hi Sarah

Welcome to madmums. I'm Crystal and mum to Brent 7, Tashay 4, Jaden 23 mths and Jasmine 2 weeks old, and live with hubby Brent.

I had SPD with my last three children so I totally understand what you are going through. This last time has definitely been the worst (they say each pregnancy it gets worse), and I'm trying hard to recover from it at the moment. Things are going slowly but it is early days for me recovery wise. I was on crutches, which were taken back from me about a week after the birth, but I've just been given back the support belt because my pelvis is all over the place still!

There are some articles about SPD on here they are helpful. The doctors are not so helpful usually because they don't know that much about SPD. If you find a dr who's helpful it will be a blessing!

Try to take it easy, whoops Madz - I hoovered yesterday and I'm paying for it today ouch LOL!

take care Sarah

crystal xxx