Now, anyone who knows me ALSO knows very well that I am not "normal". I never do anything the easy way, or the right way, or the way that would be good. Nah. What would be the fun in that? I like to be different. Go against the grain. In other words, I enjoy torture. A masochist of sorts...perhaps.
Well, pregnancy is not going to be any different in terms of "normalcy" for me. Hell, I certainly took the long and hard road to getting pregnant...why would I want pregnancy to go any more smoothly? Nope...doesn't seem like fun at all!
So, I have "decided" to throw myself into that "less than 2% of all pregnant women" category of, SUFFERS FROM SYMPHYSIS PUBIS DYSFUNCTION. Here is some information on the topic, taken from various online resources:
Your symphysis pubis are the two bones that connect to form your pelvis. Shaped like a heart, your pelvis is formed by three separate bones that are held together by very tough ligaments. Traditionally, these bones are not designed to allow movement to occur. When you are pregnant however, a hormone called relaxin is produced which allows the pelvis to move slightly during birth. The reason this occurs is because the hormone actually works to loosen the ligaments holding the bones together.
When the ligaments loosen too much, a condition called symphysis pubis dysfunction can occur. When this happens, the pelvis joints become unstable and move around. The growing child makes matters worse because of the intense weight bearing down on these bones, and can actually cause the joint to separate. Mild to severe pain in the pubic area are characteristics of this disorder.
The symptoms of SPD vary from person to person, but almost all women who have it experience substantial pubic pain. Tenderness and pain down low in the front is common, but often this pain feels as if it's inside. The pubic area is generally very tender to the touch; many moms find it painful when the doctor or midwife pushes down on the pubic bone while measuring the uterus (fundal height).
Any activity that involves lifting one leg at a time or parting the legs tends to be particularly painful. Lifting the leg to put on clothes, getting out of a car, bending over, sitting down or getting up, walking up stairs, standing on one leg, lifting heavy objects, and walking in general tend to be difficult at times. Many women report that moving or turning over in bed is especially excruciating. One woman wrote, "There were days that I didn't think I was going to be able to get out of bed and actually had to roll out of bed and onto the floor to be able to do so!"
Many movements become difficult when the pubic symphysis area is affected. Although the greatest pain is associated with movements of lifting one leg or parting the legs, some women experience a 'freezing', where they get up out of bed and find it hard to get their bodies moving right away--the hip bone seems stuck in place and won't move at first. Or they describe having to wait for it to 'pop into place' before being able to walk. The range of hip movement is usually affected, and abduction of the hips especially painful.
I can say that I have experienced all of the excruciating pains described above, and it is very hard to live with day in and day out. I cannot believe that I actually have to "live" with this condition for the next 3+ months, and that it will only get WORSE throughout the remainder of the pregnancy. Ouch. That is what it boils down to, and that is all I can really say. Ouch.
My OB's office is referring me to an Orthopoedic doctor to be fully checked out. The hope is that there is SOMETHING that can be done to help with the pain as I move forward. Who knows. She may or may not be able to provide an action plan. I will find out on Tuesday night when I go for my visit with her.
I know that the outcome of all of my suffering WILL be more than worth it in the end...I just have to make it to that end, hopefully with some amount of sanity, and even perhaps a smidgen of dignity, left in tact. Hopefully...
