- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
February 2013 Moms
MrsW0615
member
How bad is your SPD?
MrsW0615
member
Let me preface this by saying I have an unusually high pain tolerance. So, in turn, it often comes across as a petty complaint to my OB when in reality, it's pretty bad. I don't want her to think I'm a drama queen because I haven't shed a tear over the pain.
My SPD with this LO started at 16 weeks or so. It's progressively gotten worse, and after my nesting frenzy yesterday, it went from feeling like my pubic bone was being hit with a hammer, to now feeling like someone is hammering an ice pick into it. This is complete with tail bone/coccyx pain, sacral pain, and a double scoliotic curve to add to the mix. I sit on the tub to get dressed, keep my feet together when getting out of bed, etc. I nearly collapse every morning from the pain when getting out of bed and walk like I'm prancing over hot coals so I don't step as heavily on my feet. It's getting ridiculous.
I think I'm having a hard time distinguishing what is "normal SPD" to something that needs to be checked out. I'd hate to have diastasis and not know it, especially before L&D. What does your SPD feel like?
DD: 6/30/09. Mild pre-e
DS: 9/5/10. Normal pregnancy
Diagnosed 6/4/12 with dermatomyositis. Currently on Prednisone and IVIG therapy.
9/11/12: Normal a/s for DS2. No side effects from my medication, yay!
DS2: 1/28/13. Thankful for healthy children!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: How bad is your SPD?
Freya Lillian - 11/15/15
Any time I need to move my legs interdependently of each other for something weight-bearing I am reminded of this pain! Here's what hurts:
-getting out of bed
-rolling over in bed
-getting in the car
-getting up off of a soft chair or sofa
-the first few steps taken after any of the above
-contracting my thighs/knees together
I had this initially around 26 weeks and it went away, only to come back with a vengeance in the past week or so. I also have mild scoliosis and lordosis (overly swayed lower back) to my pelvis so perhaps that exacerbates it? I can tolerate it but by the time evening rolls around, my general exhaustion makes me much less willing to. The best way I can describe it is a feeling like I need to crack a joint but am unable to--sort of stuck on the verge of cracking.
I plan to bring it up to my midwife at my next appt to see what she says and ask about any labor implications. Another mama suggested googling SPD exercises to see what might help, which I haven't yet done but plan to. I hope you feel better!!
My SPD has gotten so bad that DH made me ask for a physical therapy referral. My godsend of a PT taught me how to actually get my pelvis to snap back together. I was sore 24/7, but getting out of bed, rolling over, etc was excruciating. I, too, have a high pain tolerance. So I knew something was really wrong. She said it was because my pelvis wasn't aligned and it was causing the severe groin pain. It felt like some one was trying to rip my leg off. So she told me to fold a pillow and put it between my legs and squeeze before rolling over or getting out of bed. I squeeze until I feel a pop, and that's my pelvis realigning. Throughout the day, I do the same exercise several times with a ball between my knees. I still have the constant soreness, but I don't feel like my leg is being ripped off anymore (unless I forget to realign). My PT also said it will like be worse after the baby is born, since everything will stretch way out, but the squeezing should help.
So anyway, that's my experience. I had to share just in case you are having the same issue. When my PT taught me how to realign my pelvis, I wanted to kiss her. It's gross and creepy, but it has helped so much. So I had to pass the advice along in hopes that it might help you, too!
I, too, can get it to pop with squeezing a pillow. I get significant relief for a little while! It can hurt to do it, but for me, I don't have to squeeze to hard - if I do, then it's not ready to pop and I just try again later. I do this every 20 mins or so when I'm falling asleep. Love it!
Freya Lillian - 11/15/15
I, like you, OP, have a high tolerance for pain. It seems to have diminished just a little since conception though. Anyhow, I don't believe I can really feel how painful it is because of the tolerance I have. I mean, I've broken bones and not known it, going about my life for weeks before finally going to the doctor when the afflictions did not clear up...
Having said all of that, here is how I would describe my SPD:
I walk with a limp, sometimes putting pressure on my left lower back just to walk for a distance over 10 yards.
My hips pop loudly about 60% of the time when I move from sitting to standing or sitting to lying or lying to sitting.
I sit down to put on clothes, shoes, etc. as I cannot support my weight on one leg.
TMI, but when I am intimate with DH and laying on my back, I have to have pillows to support my legs, I cannot hold them up on my own.
I cannot stand still for periods of time over 5 or so minutes before my hips ache, it hurts too much to shift my weight, my left side has always been more loose than my right but I have given up on shifting weight all together as it is too painful.
I muscle through a handful of simple activities.
I don't know if my midwife should be concerned over this level of pain but I try to remain seated as much as possible throughout the day and sit at work between customers (I tend bar). I feel as long as I remember to not push myself recovery will be okay and my hips will return to normal postpartum. GL!