I have been living with SPD or PGP since 2005. I was on a walking holiday in the lakes with my husband at about 14 weeks when I literally woke up one morning and could not get out of bed. I initially out it down to too much walking and ordered myself to rest. We were staying in a nice hotel so I would lay in bed eating pastries and drinking coffee and discovered Jeremy Kyle on the TV.
When we returned home the pain was worsening each day until I finally decided that I needed to see a doctor, at this point I had not even had my first midwife appointment so I was a little naive and bamboozled by it all.
The pregnancy itself was great, I hardly put on weight I felt great in myself my skin hair and nails looked fantastic, but I was in constant chronic pain across my pubic bone. I could not get the pain under control despite repeated trips to the doctors and midwife. I was eventually referred to the hospital physiotherapist and told they would be able to treat me. That treatment involved wearing a support band across my hips to help stabilise my pelvis area and support the growing bump. It also involved crutches. And there my affair with a pair of metal sicks began.
After child birth (an emergency c section) the pain eased a little for the first few weeks and I was relieved thinking that this part was over and I could return to my normal fitness routine in time. I had once been a very good martial artist and was even considering running my own club for children once I had obtained my black belt.
At around 8 weeks after giving birth I was back to chronic pain. Across my pubic bone and now around my left hip. I struggled to pick up Molly when she cried and I was awake so much in the night because of the pain whilst she and my husband slept soundly through. By morning I was so tired and starting to get really down about the pain.
I started to search the Internet for post pregnancy spd information. There was very little. Since then I have read everything on spd or now known as PGP. I am lucky enough to have found a surgeon who will operate on my pelvis this year. A part of my hip will be removed and then used to fuse the two ends of the pubic bone together held in place by a metal plate and some pins.
The outcome of such operations is not well reported, in fact if you search online most sites and posts tell you not to do it! So why am I? Well if I don't I risk not having more children. And after a couple of miscarriages already I can't face that pain. I have taken this operation seriously. I have spoken with my husband, friends, family and our minister.
On Monday 10th May 2010 I will have the surgery
Standing on both legs - can see a gap between the pubic bone
Standing with right leg raised - can see approx 5 cm movement in pubic bone (raised and pushed forward)
Left leg raised - again a few cm gap and pushed forward (lesser displacement then previous picture)
