Thursday, February 4, 2010

My story by 20/03/2007

Date updated: 20 March 2007

1. Which pregnancy did you have PSD? Was it during the pregnancy or after birth or both?

I got Diastasis when I was giving birth to my daughter. I didn’t know anything about PSD before the birth.

2. Did you have injuries BEFORE the pregnancy that you think might affect your pregnancy or PSD? (For example some people hurt their back by pulling a boat or lifting a lot of boxes) If so please provide details.

Back injured when lifted a lot of boxes at work. Was diagnosed as ‘soft tissue strain’ Lower back pain till now. Thought this might be related although was not pregnant then.

3. Did you have injuries DURING the pregnancy that you think might affect your pregnancy or PSD? If so please provide details.

No.

4. Do you think there’s anything else that might have affected your pregnancy or PSD? If so please provide details.

My back was painful during the whole pregnancy so I didn’t have much exercise, only about 20 minutes walk every day. In the late pregnancy I was mostly in bed because my back was too painful to walk or sit. The doctors said it was the hormone or relaxin produced by pregnancy that caused this pain not the injury any more.

5. When did you go into labour? How? How long was your labour?

I went into prelabour (contractions) on early am of 23/12/6 and first stage on am of 25/12/6. The midwife broke my waters because my cervix was dilated too slowly. The baby was born early am of 26/12/6

6. Do you think there’s anything in your labour that affected PSD?

Yes definitely. I was pushing with 3 people pulling my two legs. I heard a cracking sound in left thigh/groin area when pushing. Then after the labour I found I couldn’t walk. I believe this caused my PSD.

7. What were the symptoms when you were diagnosed with PSD?

 I couldn’t lift my legs hence couldn’t walk. I could only move my toes so I could move to the toilet.
 My husband had to lift my legs to help me get into bed and out of bed.
 He had to lift my upper body to help me sit up on bed
 I couldn’t roll in bed. I couldn’t actually move in bed. I couldn’t lift my legs in bed.

8. What were the treatments you received?

The doctors in the hospital said they were going to do nothing about it.

I took Panadine Forte for 2 weeks then Nurofen and Panadol for about a month.

The physio from the hospital saw me while I was in hospital and gave me some bands to hold my pelvis together (it was public holiday period so she couldn’t get a pelvic belt). She sold me a pair of crutches so I could walk. She also gave me a sheet to tell me how to take care of myself in activities, such as keeping my knees together all the time and going backwards when on stairs.

A week later I went back to see her and she sold me a pelvic belt so I could hold my pelvis all together.

I went back to see her at 6 weeks, 7 weeks and 9 weeks postpatrum for my back pain.

I went back to see her at 10 weeks and another physio suggested very gentle ball exercises. And suggested to see Registrar.

The registrar referred me to see Orthopedics surgeon. I’m due to see him at 13 weeks.

9. How have your recovery been?

 Week 1: I could walk very slowly with crutches. I could walk on stairs by going backwards one step at a time. It was very difficult to get into and out of car.
 Week 2: I could manage to get in/out of bed myself, although very very painful. Tried to sleep on tummy for a little while, because too hot/painful to lie on back for long time. Except for toilet and meals, all my time was in bed. With the help of the pelvic belt, I could lift my leg for like half a centimeter from the floor and had to put it back onto the floor in half a second. Still in a lot of pain from the very swollen vagina area and the pelvis. Really difficult to cope with the pain without pain relief (even my labour was a drug free one). Have been having Panadine Forte since the childbirth. End of the week I was able to walk without crutches or belt, like a penguin. When coughing still very bad pelvic pain.
 Week 3: I started walking without crutches as physio said better not rely on crutches so can recover sooner. I walked downstairs for the first time (except having to go to the appointments). Walked without crutches all day. Found the two sides of the pubic bones were not even: one seemed to be more out than the other. GP said no lifting, and the uneven bone maybe due to swelling or bone sliding during birth.
 Week 4: I can walk forward on stairs now!!!!!
 Week 5: I can walk on stairs continuously, not one step one rest, and don’t have to hold my breath. First time to wash dishes after the childbirth. And went to the shops across the street for a little walk
 Week 6: still too painful to do pelvic floor exercise. Went to shopping mall. Very very tiring and painful. There’s still a long way to go.
 Week 7: stopped pain relief. Painful lower back. I believed it was because I was trying so hard to walk, that I pull the muscles in my back too hard and they got strained. Physio did some treatment and gave me an exercise to toughen my tummy muscles. For the first time after the birth, I drove to my friend’s place which is 10 minute away and stayed there for 1 hour.
 Week 8: can sleep on my side for a little while. The lower back pain got better.
 Week 9: admitted to hospital for mastitis. No progress in pelvis this week.
 Week 10: Upper back was painful. I guess it was from the tummy muscle exercise: lying on my back and bending my knees, lifting my head and trying to touch my knees with my hand. Was told to put a rolled towel under upper back when lying for 2-5 minutes a couple of times a day.
 Week 11: physio advised to try exercise ball to tighten my tummy muscles. Still not much improvement.
 Week 12: lower back very painful. Read some articles and realized that it might be a symptom of PSD. I feel when I walk without the belt it’s like my pelvis is wiggling. I finally decided to get a disability sticker.
 Week 13: it’s less painful to roll in bed now and I can sleep on my sides for most of the night. Lower back is still very painful and hard to sleep because of this pain.
 Week 14: I’ve been able to sleep on my sides most of the nights. Lower back pain has been less because I haven’t slept on my back a lot. Walking is better too but long walk (eg. 1 hour) can still cause sharp pain in pubic area. It would still feel like something’s trying to break/tear that area and come out. Once I make more movements like up and down stairs a lot carrying bub this sharp pain can come back too.

10. What have you found helpful for your recovery?

My physio’s advice: to try to walk without crutches when possible, to keep my knees together, to wear the pelvic belt.

11. What do you think aggravates your condition?
 Doing housework, like washing dishes, doing laundry.
 Parting my legs.
 Lifting.
 Tripping over something.
 Being too tired.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Rowena thank you for this blog! It feels comforting to have someone who understands. I just have a question? Were you afraid to walk without crutches? And was it uncomfortable to walk without the crutches? Im on a cane my left side seems to be more sensitive like heavier when walking without it so I am still using it. Did you still have pain when walking without your crutches? If so how long did it take for it to feel normal to walk without them? Oh and did your pubic area get inflamed if you walked a lot? My physical therapist says it's normal and part of the healing process it will guide you to when I need to slow down. I put ice and it goes away pretty fast. I'm only 5 months postpartum and almost ready to drop the cane I can walk without it but sometimes I feel I need it to lesson my weight. I read you said that walking without crutches makes healing faster did you find that to be true?

Oh and I know this is quite personal but when were you able to have sex again? I still haven't I'm waiting til I am pain free. I dud have an Xray and I am 4mm which my dr. says is normal but my physical therapist says it's the ligaments and muscle that need time go heal at least 6 months to a year.

Thank you so much for all your help Xo

Thank you for your time much blessings to you and your family.

Rowena said...

Hi there

Yes I was afraid to walk without crutchs, and it was uncomfortable to walk without the crutches.

Yes I still had pain when walking without the crutches and it took me about 2.5 years to feel normal to walk without them. Before that, I was afraid to walk more than 10 minutes at a time. Yes my pubic area got inflamed if I walked a lot (hence a 10-minute limit). So I tried never to walk more than that at a time (I remember back then when my colleagues and I wanted to go out for lunch together we always had to choose a restaurant close to our work because I was so famous for not being able to walk far).

Yes I think ice would help but I never bothered much. I just tried to avoid walking much. I think that was better than having a swollen pubic symphysis often. It was healing, and it didn't want too much stress.

Yes I believe the crutches/cane help lessen the weight. I don't think walking without crutches made the healing faster. Looking back at it now, I would have used the crutches more than I actually did. I wouldn't rely on them too much but I wouldn't give them up at all either. There is a balance there and the balance I think should be the pain and the inflammation. We should give the area a chance to be active so the muscles could continue to grow stronger but at the same time we shouldn't give it too much stress. I hope you know what I mean. I'm no expert but I'm speaking from my own experience and hope this can help you in some way. I believe the physio therapists are doing the best they can but they don't know the pain you're going through every moment, only you know. So I would say use their words as guidance, but at the same time listen to your body.

I think I tried to have sex a couple of months postpatrum but it was very very painful, mostly because of the cut (I can't remember the medical term but you know when the baby's head is too big they have to use scissors to cut you so that the baby can get out otherwise you can get a tear). The cut was very bad too and I think it took me about a year to finally be brave enough to have sex again. I think the PSD played a role too because it was very scary for me to spread my legs too, and for months and months I couldn't roll in bed so it was very difficult to get another position...

4mm sounds good. I don't think I'm 4mm even now. I think the inflammation can probably last a long time, as that's an area where you use all the time, not like part of your arm or leg that you can fix to a position and not move it at all. Even lifting your arm can affect your pubic symphysis so it's very hard to heal.

Again, please take it wasy, listen to your body and if there's pain, slow down.

Good luck!

Rowena

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much Rowena! I am taking it easy and icing my pubic symphysis as needed. I will start work in two weeks I've been on disability for 5 1/2 months so I return having been out for 6 months. My husband is working really hard do that I can eventually not have to work but we must make money to pay bills and eat you know what I mean. I am always so glad after my physical therapy sessions I get cold laser treatments and lay on a healing mat called the Beemer 3000 it's supposed to help aid healing the tissues and body. I am now graduated to doing a little floor work with my physical therapist to help with balance and strengthen my core:)

I am thankful to still have my job and also thankful that I have a desk job sitting down all day the only thing I will have to get up for is to use the restroom which will allow me to walk a little throughout the day. Did you have to return to work after you gave birth the first time? If so how long did you wait before returning?

Oh yes I am 4mm my Orthepedic surgeon says it's normal for a nonpregnant woman but the Xray showed a slight misalignment, he says it takes from 6 months to a year to fully heal ligaments so they can tighten up again. My physical therapist told me if I wanted to see if ligaments were torn I would need to get an MRI, maybe I will but it would just be for curiosity to know what the ligaments look like.

This is such an emotional and physically challenging experience there are days when I can laugh easily with my 5 month old son and other times where I'm crying by the end of the day from pain and frustration from not being able to be the mom I imagined to be like getting on the floor with him so he can practice crawling, or just carrying him in my arms. I am thankful to have a wonderful and understanding husband who is my rock through all of this.

I'm glad you dont mind all my questions, I hope to keep in contact with you to also share my journey with you and others who will read your blog. We are really SUPERWOMEN! o

Bless you and your family I'm so glad for this blog you
created It helps to have other women to turn to that can share experiences with.

Best,
LC

Anonymous said...

Oh I forgot to tell you I'm also seeing a wellness chiropractor who is terrific she has me on vitamins to help my ligaments it's called Ligaplex by standard vitamins. I also wish to buy this supplement that the famous natural cures guy Kevin Trudeau highly recommends to heal and regenerate tissue in the body it it is called ableheal it's $195.00 ! so i have to save my coins to get that one. The website has lots if testimonials too. If your interested it's www.ableheal.com. I will let you know how it us once I can afford to buy it.

Best,
LC

Rowena said...

Hi LC

You're welcome.

I returned to work 1 year after I gave birth the first time, as originally planned. I was lucky enough to have a desk job too and I drove to work at that time so I could minimize my walking.

I totally understand what you mean by 'emotional and phsycally challenging experience'. I didn't enjoy my first baby at all because I was angry and frustrated and in pain all the time. I was diagnosed with postnatal depression at 15 months postpatrum, when I wanted to cut myself and decided to go ask for help. Sometimes I hated my first baby for bringing me so much pain. Sometimes I hated my husband for not understanding what I was going through. It was horrible experience. I'm glad that I'm so much better now. And like someone said, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. That's what I feel now: I'm strong. We ARE superwomen. Only we know the secret. :)

Feel free to leave comments when you want to. And ask questions when you want to. It's not nice to try to remember what happened to me back then, but it's nice to share my experience with someone and hopefully to be able to help someone, if what I have said can help them reduce even just tiny bit of pain.

Take care.

Rowena

Anonymous said...

Thanks a bunch Rowena,
I know life can be challenging and painful sometimes I just keep reminding myself the way out of it is getting through it and I'll be able to say I did it I overcame my struggle and it's behind me just like where you are today. I have gotten counciling sessions from my church to help with the emotional pain which has helped me a lot.

Yeah that's great that you didn't have to return to work so soon I wish my job here was like that but 6 months is better than nothing I guess. My husband will drive and pick me up from work. Taking the train and bus would be impossible at this stage. The maternity leave in the US is really short unfortunately this needs to change.



Now that you are over it can you walk for an hour? Pick up your child if they are still little? Sit on the floor? Bend over to pick up something? Carry a bag? Drive without pain? Sleep in different positions?

My Orthepedic surgeon says I will have a full recovery but its comforting to hear from someone who's experienced it.

Anonymous said...

Any tips on going back to work like did you have a cushion or pillow for your back? Did you ice during breaks? And did you wear a belt around hips?

Best
LC

Rowena said...

Hi LC

Yes I'm grateful that I live in a country where women are very well looked after. :)

Yes I can do everything you asked, walking for however long I like, pick up whatever, sit, bend, carry, drive, sleep in different positions. I'm 99% recovered. Like I said before I know it's still not 100% but as long as I am careful in what I'm doing so that I don't get injured again, I can do almost anything I like. So there's hope!

Yes I made a cushion for myself to use at work. I used whatever that could make me more comfortable. I didn't use ice. I found it too much trouble, so I just made sure I didn't overdo myself to the point to have to use ice.

Yes I did wear a belt when I needed. You will know when you don't need it. :)

Good luck!

Rowena

Anonymous said...

Hi Rowena, that's great! Were you able to carry your first born? If so how old was your first before you could carry your baby? Did you experience pain in your pubic area when you did? How long did it take to carry your baby pain free?

Thanks
LC

Rowena said...

I can't remember much about when I was able to carry my first born. I remember trying to avoid it all the time. She was like permanently in her stroller. I did have to carry her when we went overseas when she was 9 months old (about 10kgs!) only in the airports, you know where the strollers were not allowed. But apart from that, I don't remember I ever had to carry her or wanted to carry her. I just always tried to avoid any weight on myself. Then after she was 3 years old I fell pregnant again and she started to be quite independant and hasn't needed anyone to carry her. I went back to work full time when she was 12 months old and on the weekends my husband could help me with her needs so I didn't have to carry her much.

I don't think it was possible not to have any pain in pubic area when picking her up or carrying her. I don't think I was ever pain free if I had to carry her, in her first 2.5 years of life.

Now looking back, I can see the difference between my first baby and the second one. I didn't rest enough after I had my first baby. But I forced myself to have absolute bed rest for at least a month after I had my second. I made 'recovering from birth and pelvic pain' the top priority after I had my second. And I think that made a HUGE difference. My life after the first couple of months of having my second baby was 1000 times easier than after my first. And I'm almost 100% normal now. So I have been able to carry my second baby most of the time without any problems.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your experience Rowena your story gives me hope, inspiration and strength. I'm returning back to work 6 months postpartum and am 4mm and practicing at physical therapy to walk without my cane:-) I am excited to walk again without aid and look forward to a bright future. Anytime I start to think negative I remind myself that bad times don't last forever;)

Thanks a bunch for your blog
I will keep you posted on my recover this will be good to share.

LC

Fiddle1 said...

Hi Rowena, how amazing that you got comments just a month before my PSD occurred with my daughter. I'm still recovering (she was born March 14). I had all the same symptoms you described following her birth. I remember a popping/flash of pain as they pulled her out..she had mild dystocia and so they did a mcrobert's maneuver. But I had been laboring in a supported squat and that may have contributed to it. anyway, I couldn't walk, my legs kept spreading apart, I couldn't pick my legs up on the bed, couldn't step forward to walk without support (a walker). I had a big bruise above my pubic bone. the xrays hurt WAY more than labor (I was unmedicated too). My gap was 2.7 cm. I needed the walker for 10 days. I'm pleased with my mobility around the house, but exercise, which I love, is out of the question. Going up hills or around the grocery store makes my lower back stiff and aching. I haven't tried intercourse yet either. I'm only 8 weeks post partum, so I'm trying to get an idea of how long it might take for the gap to close. I was never prescribed "bed rest," just a pelvic binder. I can't go without wearing it except when I sleep. I sleep on my side to try to close the gap more. I go back for xray set #3 tomorrow to see if it has closed more, but I'm thinking it hasn't much. I never stopped to think that my normal activity taking care of my two kids might be inhibiting the healing process. Arg!!! Thanks for your blog..I look forward to reading more.

Rowena said...

Hi Fiddle1

Thanks for your comments. I hope my blog has helped you or will help you. As time goes by the memories of my PSD have become blurry, but I still remember the pain, the darkest period of time in my life. I wish no woman would have to suffer from this but unfortunately every now and then I see a comment like yours describing the same experience as what I went through.

I was never prescribed 'bed rest' either. From the doctors' and the physios' point of view I guess PSD is something you can live with while living your normal life. I guess unless they suffer from this condition themselves they couldn't understand how important rest is during the first few weeks/months after the injury happens.

I strongly believe once the damage is done, the top priority is to bed rest as much as you can for at least 1 month, ideally 2 months. Trying not to move your pelvis will give it opportunity to heal. During this time any movements in that area will affect the recovery. Take a very simple example: if I have a cut on my finger, I would put on a bandaid and try not to use that finger as much as possible; I wouldn't keep rubbing the wound. It should be the same when it comes to PSD. I wouldn't want to irritate that area. I would want to give it a long break for it to heal.

It takes time. If you haven't had enough bed rest during the first 2 months, I guess it would take longer. The binder is almost compulsory. I would keep using it until I'm confident walking anywhere. Lucky you can already sleep on your side. I couldn't roll in bed for months. So it seems that you've recovered much quicker than I did.

I would say take pain as your guide, as I've said to many people. If it hurts, stop doing it.

And try to build/use your core strenth. It can probably help hold things together.

I wish I could predict, or any woman could predict this condition and know straight away what to do with it so they can suffer less. But unfortunately this condition is so rare that no one would think this can happen.


Anyway I wish you all the best and hope my blog can be of some help. Drop your comments any time you want to. And hope you have good news from tomorrow's xray.

Take care

Rowena

vani said...

I just had my baby last week and I am diagnosed with PSD. My pubic Symphsis is separated 18 mm and there is complete tear of ligaments. It looks like a severe case.

I have read your blog and it looks like our separation is almost same size. did you have any ligament tear? my MRI report shows complete tear

Rowena said...

Yes vani, I was told that the ligament was torn even before any scans. I'm sorry I couldn't reply earlier...Just too busy before Christmas. If it were me, I would bind my pelvis and stay in bed for as much as possible. I would say the first couple of months are crucial for the recovery. I didn't listen and ended up not being able to recover until I had another baby. Good luck with your recovery and comment here if you need any help or to just vent. Take care...

Rowena