SPD

I'm about 95% sure I have a condition called SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction).  Check the link for a more detailed explanation.  It's a condition that occurs sometimes among pregnant women when their body releases too much of the hormone called "relaxin".  Relaxin is supposed to relax the joints in the pelvis to prepare a woman's body for delivery of her baby, but sometimes the body releases too much of these hormones.  As a result of too much relaxin, the joints in the pelvis become very loose and unstable, causing severe pain when the joints are used.  The symptoms of SPD are pain when walking, when shifting weight from one foot to the other, when rolling over in bed, when standing, when using the stairs, etc.  Another symptom is a cracking or popping noise (as if you had cracked your back or knuckles) only the cracking comes from your pelvis when you move certain ways.  Women with SPD often waddle, and not from the weight or size of their stomach.  I have all these symptoms.  I'm frequently in lots of pain when I'm walking or moving, I waddle, and I've been "cracking" for a few months now.

Some women with SPD have very mild symptoms, while some have very severe ones.  In the most severe cases SPD can be debilitating and can require the use of crutches or a wheel chair to get around.  Some women even have to give birth in different positions than normal so they don't cause any extra pain or damage to their pelvic joints.  Usually SPD goes away soon after delivery, but occasionally it doesn't.  This can be a seriously crappy thing and the worst part about it is that doctors aren't really as aware of SPD as they should be.  It's common for doctors to blow it off when you describe the symptoms, telling you that it's "normal".  I guess true SPD isn't really all that common, but it certainly does exist.

I called the doctor today because I've been experiencing this pain since about week 6 and it's getting progressively worse.  Today I can hardly walk.  I can walk if I want to, but I'm grimacing in pain with every step.  For some reason the person I spoke to on the phone was concerned that I was in labor or something and asked me if I was having contractions, and then proceeded to tell me what contractions feel like.  After she ruled out labor she told me "That's normal, it's just your ligaments stretching from your growing belly.  Use a heating pad or take a warm bath, and take 2 extra strength Tylenol.  Call back if it doesn't help."  Puhh-leease.  I have been pregnant before and I know what a contraction feels like and I sure as heck know what ligament pain is.  This pain is JOINT pain.  I hate that every doctor thinks you have no idea what you're talking about.

I pretty much rolled my eyes at the response, it's just what I expected.  But I followed their advice.  I had hubby boil like 6 pots of water (we don't have heat or hot water) so I could take a warm bath, and I soaked in the bath tub for at least 20-30 minutes.  I actually felt worse after that and every movement I made pretty much killed me.  I took 2 Tylenol and rested for a while.  Upon standing up and moving an hour or so later, I didn't hurt quite as bad as usual, but I could still feel my joints in my pelvis grinding together the same as always.  I think the Tylenol just took the edge off of it a tiny bit.

We don't have a phone right now.  The only one we have available to us is MIL's cell phone.  She's sleeping and won't get up until 5:30 PM so we'll call back tomorrow morning and tell them that the warm bath and Tylenol did not make it go away and that I seriously think it is joint pain rather than ligament pain.  Maybe they'll listen to me this time.  I hope I'm wrong, I hope it's something that can be easily treated, because I have no idea how I will be able to take care of my son when hubby goes to work if this keeps getting worse.  If I'm across the room and his little fingers are headed toward something sharp or dangerous, I don't know how I'll get across the room in time to save him when every step I take is slow and excruciating.