PGP / SPD My story:

Did You Know There May Be Surgical Options for Severe SPD? 🤔 For years, many people living with Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) or Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) have been told that symptoms will improve after birth. For many, they do. But for some of us, the pain never fully goes away. Some people are left with long-term pelvic instability, chronic pain, mobility difficulties, and life-changing disability years after pregnancy. Whilst doing some recent reading, I discovered that surgical techniques have continued to evolve. Historically, severe pubic symphysis instability was treated using metal plates and screws to stabilise the pelvis. However, newer procedures are being explored using specialised suture and fixation systems designed to provide support whilst allowing a degree of natural movement within the joint. These procedures are not routinely offered to most people with SPD and appear to be reserved for severe cases involving significant instability and ongoing disability despite...

From My Bed, I Built a Lifeline: When I ran a helpline during the years I was bedbound, I came across far too many women from all over the world calling me for help, support, and simply someone to listen. Some were pregnant with their first child. Others their sixth or seventh. Many had been abandoned. I listened, comforted, reassured, and helped them navigate systems that often seemed impossible to access. One woman's story has stayed with me all these years. She was pregnant with her sixth or seventh child. Her husband had left her. She was alone, disabled, in pain, caring for multiple children, and had no support network around her. I helped her explore what support might be available, including carers, adult social services, advocacy referrals, and local assistance. I wrote supporting letters and helped signpost her to services that could make a difference. All whilst I was bedbound and housebound myself, living with permanent Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) and Ehlers-Danlos...

Finally our council tax issues are resolved, may have taken over a year but thankfully all is sorted now. I am in absolute agony today, the front and back of my pelvis are just excruciatingly painful today :( Got a support cushion from the internet to hopefully help me when I am sleeping, help with my position and if I ever get the chance to restart breast feeding it will be really useful then too. Keep phoning the Dr.'s as they keep prescribing me only 2 days worth of Morphine and I constantly run out, which is why I am in absolute agony today, it's really hard to have a prescription written at my Dr.'s and I am still waiting for a Dr to call me back so I can explain to them what I have explained over and over again to the receptionist already, how much pain I am in and how desperately needed the Morphine is, you'd think they would give you a bigger bottle wouldn't you? I am on the slow release tablets too but they are not doing much on their own, the Oramorph and ...

Well I was sent to hospital yesterday morning early hours by an out of hours urgent care DR. I had a female problem and increased bleeding and large clots etc.... (not very nice to state in a blog really is it, but anyway that was the problem.) The lady Dr that examined me was adamant I should try to have the examination without the use of gas and air, and didn't have my notes, so obviously didn't take me seriously and I am still suffering now! Internally I am in agony and she has made my SPD worse. I was crying during and after and got some gas and air but when it started working she took the gas and air off me. She then kept saying assertively which i did not appreciate, (my name) look at me! Look at me! Over and over. It got to the point where she said (my name) your pulse is normal! I replied, it has been normal before when I have been in agony with pain that it has taken morphine to reduce, and she kept saying (my name) look at me! over and over again. I then said you are ...

Well right now I am on lot's of morphine. 2x 10mg of morphine slow release morphgesic tablets in AM and again in PM can be increased to 3 AM and 3 PM if needed and 4x 5ml of Oramorph allowed every 4 hours daily = 40mg Morphine. I have had to stop breastfeeding to do this when baby was 14 days old and it's really got to me, had plenty of tears and just gutted, miss it sooo much... BUT I am more use to baby like this as it allows me to be a little more mobile sometimes. Mainly I am completely immobile and my pelvis is constantly locking up but atleast morphine is helping. I cannot lie on flat surfaces and had to sleep on sofa for ages! I am only just in bed now by piling lots of pillows up and i mean 7 pillows in total and another one making it 8 cushions that goes under my knees. My pelvis still locks as I have not had my O.T visit yet and the pillows keep falling over etc... so i need something else to aid me with the bed height or I am stuck immobile completely and cannot even...

(HEADER:) BIRTHING PLAN (MY NAME IS HERE) PAGE 1 OF 2. D.O.B: --/--/---- BABY DUE DATE: --/--/---- NHS NUMBER: ----------- UNIT/HOSPITAL NUMBER: ------- CONSULTANT: (NAME HERE) MIDWIFE: (NAME HERE) (HOSPITAL NAME HERE) HOSPITAL BIRTHING POOL PLEASE NOTE : I HAVE SYMPHYSIS PUBIS DYSFUNCTION (SPD): This means that the joints in my pelvis are unstable and painful and I need 24/7 care as I am in a wheelchair and immobile. Clexane injections daily due to stop at week 39: 25 th November 2009. There are certain things that are recommended and certain things that I cannot do during labour and birth; this is to avoid anything that may cause damage to my pelvic joints . These are outlined in this birthing plan: BIRTH AND LABOUR: I am in a wheelchair and immobile due to SPD. Clexane 20mg injections have been daily self-administered and are/should be stopped at week 39 in preperation for birth: 25.1...

We had to set off at 8am for my husband to push me all the way to our new house in my wheelchair which took about 30 minutes so wasn't too bad, although was prettty bad for him as there were bumpy paths, curbs, steep paths upwards and downwards and I can only imagine how much pressure that would have put on his back. We had to get our electricity key sorted, that took ages as the ladies at the shop were extremely helpful but had not coded a number (tag overwrite or programmed a code) onto a key before. They did an RTI overwrite and it worked the balance on the receipt had lots of zeros so we didnt know at that point if the key had the balance of £41 to clear the debt that wasnt ours on the meter etc... Got to the house and thankfully it worked. The men sorted the gas and electricity (safety check) and my dad had got a fridge freezer from that lovely lady from SVP. (catholic church charity). It was ages until we got home, and when we did get home I phoned my midwife as I have been w...

I found out I had SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction) which is mainly known as Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) as the Sympysis Pubis is not always the only area that is affected, when I was about 16 weeks pregnant. I will be exactly 23 weeks pregnant on Wednesday 05th August 2009. This is my experience with PGP, how I feel, the problems I have faced and I am still facing, the action I am taking and how I feel. I suggest others post their stories in this discussion section at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Supporting-sufferers-with-Pelvic-Girdle-Pain-Symphysis-Pubis-Dysfunction/99814304228?ref=mf This will help others and raise awareness and allow YOU to speak out about what happened to YOU.