Pregnancy Forums

Posted: 23 December 2007 at 2:42pm | IP Logged

Hi everyone. This is my first post, so bear with me if I do anything wrong. I just really need to vent a bit as I'm feeling rather hopeless.

I was diagnosed with SPD in week 26 of my pregnancy (last June) after 2 hospitalisations for severe pain. I was told, after the 1st one, that it was a water infection, given painkillers and sent  on my way. As soon as the painkillers ran out, I was in more agony than before and went back to hospital. I finally was seen by a Dr. who pushed on my pelvis once, asked if it hurt and when I screamed pronounced me with SPD. I stayed in hospital for a week, saw a physio, was given a belt support thing and crutches due to the severity and told to come back to be properly assessed. At the assessment of a women's health physio, I was booked in for hydrotherapy each week til delivery, given a TENs machine for pain relief as well as co-codamol and tramadol. I went faithfully to hydrotherapy, but the pain just got worse.

I went into hospital the day I was 38 weeks to be induced. It didn't work. The delivery suites were so full they had to stop inductions while I was there. After 4 days I was told that those pains I’d been experiencing regularly for the last 36 hours were, in fact, early labour and, after hooking me up to that machine that looks at heartbeat and contractions, they said I was in established labour. I had been for some time, but the midwife changeover had put me aside (it was late August, they were even more understaffed than usual as many were on holiday). I was taken up to the delivery suite with my fiancé at midnight, 10cm dilated, and my son was born 13 hours, 2 epidurals (1 failed entirely), major episiotomy and multiple tears later. The delivery room was full, with surgeons prepping themselves to do something or other as I was at the last push. I later realized this was because my son was completely blue with the cord wrapped tightly around his neck.

“I can’t get it off, can you try?” is not what you want to hear from the midwife passing your newborn, dead looking child with cord wrapped around his neck, to another midwife. Luckily, my 7lb 4oz at birth son, Henry, is fine.

Anyway, I won’t go into anymore of the delivery horrifyingness. I spent 6 hours in stirrups, though, which is not the best thing for my SPD. My stitches have only just healed, and they haven’t healed correctly so I have a gynae appointment on January 4^th. Bear in mind my son was born August 27^th, nearly 4 months ago.

I’ve since had an x-ray of my pelvis, which shows lots of “wear and tear” on my symphysis pubis, apparently. Though, nothing major on my hips which are worse now than when I was pregnant. I’m in so much pain. I don’t want to be on tramadol, so I’m not (though my Dr. offers me it every time I see her). I take diclofenac and co-codamol. I try to do everything they suggest for SPD, but I can barely look after my little boy. I hate not being able to bend down and pick him up to just give him a cuddle. It breaks my heart. I’m in so much pain all the time. We live in a 3^rd floor flat in a Victorian converted hotel which means lovely huge rooms, but lots of stairs.

I realize we’re very lucky. I’m just so down. I have been since that horrific birth. I bleed every 2 weeks, which doesn’t help. I’m waiting for orthopedic referral and a physio one nearer where I live.

I guess I joined here to get some hope. Sorry if I’ve bored you all.

Posted: 23 December 2007 at 5:02pm | IP Logged

Hi, welcome to madmums!

I can not begin to imagine the pain and discomfort you are in, and I hope that you get the psyio you need soon! As Lynie said there are some members on here who have suffered SPD in pregnancy, and some members that continue to have it after the birth, Im sure they'll be able to best help you try to deal with it. Hope it starts to ease up for you soon!

Christine xx

Posted: 23 December 2007 at 7:00pm | IP Logged

   Welcome to mms. I can't imagine the pain you are in but as the others have said they are other sufferers who use this site so hopefully they can offer you have advice and congratulations on the birth of Henry.

Posted: 23 December 2007 at 7:19pm | IP Logged

Hi hun

Welcome to the family (site) and i hope you find this a life line as much as i have. My son is now 18mths old and i have spd and it's still really debilitating. I moved home yesterday so i'm not around much but i know how you feel.

I constantly feel low and isolated and question my ability to be a good mum as i can't do the basic of things easily.....  i too have had x-rays which show generic wear and tear which i think is  a phrase like oh it's a virus or soft tissue injury.

Where abouts are you hun? I live in cambridgeshire and am seeing a pain specalist in Bury St. Edmunds, who understands spd and the risk factors which can cause it..... ie if you are very flexible you might have a degree or form of hypermobility which means your ligments are looser than normal in the first place so your more at risk.... or something like that. It might be worth pursuing this avenue (pain specalist) to see what's out there, i also see a womans specalist physio (make sure your's isn't a general one and if so get referred to one that specalises it can make a difference.

As for bleeding hun, i was told by my physio (so not a diagnosis but i'm sharing to try and see if it helps you understand what might be going on)... that it's not a period as such but because my pelvis is so unstable and is rubbing it's causing internal brusing/bleeding on my womb etc which then exits the body in the form of blood and an af fashion. So if i do too much or my hips are painful i can normally guess i will bleed in a little while if not sooner..... hth a little.

You shouldn't have to be in pain hun and taking medication is not a sign of being a faliure, and please know that there are many mum's on here who also worry about if they are able to give their kids a normal life and the kids are fine..... they learn to adapt quickly..... have a rucksack to carry bits around with you to save you getting up and down or going from room to room.

Hope your feeling better soon hun, gentle hugs xxx

Posted: 23 December 2007 at 8:18pm | IP Logged

I am so sorry but let me tell you this: You are not alone and this can get better!

I also had bad SPD (wheelchair/bed bound, morphine from 37 weeks, emergancy c section at 38 weeks) and am still suffering now 2 and half years on. However I now have an end in sight. You can read my birth story here and also an article I put together on advice for SPD sufferers here (It is a little outdated now and does need updating).

I would recommend acupuncture (I found it helped but I needed it more often than the NHS could fund!), look for a chiropractor who specialises in SPD or pregnancy related conditions - mine changed my life! And also keep that apointment at the pain clinic. Ask for information on prolotherapy.

I now have prolotherapy (injections into the symphysis pubis and SI joints) which I have every 4 months and give me approx 2 months pain free in that time, slowly the time will increase until I no longer need the injections. It works by strenghtning the ligaments.

I was once told my only chance of recovery was surgery but I wasnt willing to do it as I knew I could end up permenently wheelchair bound and in worse pain. Now I have found someone who can help me without injections. (The consultant I see is the one Zany mentioned!)

I will add some more info for you later as I have made it my job to know all I can about SPD.

We do have a buddy system on madmums if you click the link under my post you can talk one on one with someone about what you are going through.

Good luck!

Posted: 23 December 2007 at 9:26pm | IP Logged

Hi hun

(forgive my poor spelling and i hope this makes sense as i'm not 100% with it tonight too much medication and exhaustion from lack of sleep and unpacking!)

It's a shame you live so far away. In answer to your question a pain clinic is different to anti-depressants, at the pain clinic they will assess your pain levels and try to find the best way to manage and hopefully reduce the pain you have..... from my experiance doctors/gps only have a limited range available..... antacids, paracetamol based ones, anti-flammotory ones, nerve blocking ones like gabapentin, anti-depressants (low doeses can be used for [pain relief by altering the recievers pain codes), and the opiate based ones.

If you agree (which i would strongly recommend you to consider,) to see the pain clilnic docs i agree with Madz ask about prolotherapy as this is what i hope to eventually recieve, and it has worked wonders with Madz, she's gone from walking sticks etc to horse riding etc (sorry Madz hope you don't mind me mentioning this). Definatley one to look into and try to find a practicing doc that does it.

As for your gp offering you anti-depressants is this for pain relief or because your feeling pants? (I have stoped having such thoughts etc since i made so many friends on here and it's now my life line, i'm connecting though my mobile as we speak as my internet isn't connected yet at my new home!) If it is because your feeling pants give it time, getting your head around what your facing and what sort of future you may have is the difficult part. The what if's, will i be able to? I have found asking a stream of questions on here has helped before and sometimes a private chat has helped big time too. It makes a huge difference talking to others and knowing your not alone.... i found it such a relief that i could type how i was feeling with out having to explain it all in detail to be the biggest help.... we know we're going though it too (even non spd suffers have a understanding from us who have posted before) and we understand how it hurts and the anger and furstrations ie: i used to do this and now i'm lucky if i do this.....

All the ladies on here SPD suffers or not have always been fab to me and have come up with answers and helped me see it from other views... every member on here has helped me in one way or another and i hope we are able to help you. Chin up hun there is a silver lining out there.... as for the stairs get tesco to deliver and make them carry it up the stairs! Leave the heavy bits and bobs alone! Take care and big soft gentle hugs.....

xxx