It was my second pregnancy where my Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) got really bad. This time it kicked in at 14 weeks. I got referred to physio, and it wasn’t helpful at all. I was told to “go home and do some exercises.”
I went home thinking, “how am I gonna cope?” It was horrendous, I remember trying to turn in bed that night. Night-time was the worst because my body would seize up. It would take 15 minutes to turn in bed and get up, and my husband would try and help. I was in so much pain I just didn’t want him to touch me. I could hear my bones crunching and grinding. It was vile. I had to wall-walk to the bathroom and back, and then go through the rigamarole of getting back into bed.
I was in pain every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every single day. I didn’t enjoy a moment of my pregnancy at all. I couldn’t wait for it to be over. Nothing helped.
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After my son was born, I went to a private physio. I turned up to my first session in tears- we had a lot of work to do. My rib cage was twisted. My coccyx bone was almost horizontal. I was seeing her every week, then fortnightly, then monthly. My youngest is five, and I still see her every two months.
I don’t know how I would have got through without her. I also see a chiropractor on a weekly basis. I’m in a lucky position where I can pay for private treatment, but the majority of women can’t. They are stuck on the sofa without any support for their pain. People can be quite naïve and say you can sacrifice this for that. That isn’t an option with the cost of living rising. I truly don’t think medical professionals realise how much of an impact PGP can have on women. If they don’t understand the experience, how can they be expected to help? Things need to change for the next generation, and then my work is done.
Angeline’s story has been shared as a part of the Health and Social Care Alliance’s (the ALLIANCE) Self Management Month, a series of events running throughout September. To join any of the free online events, please register using the link above. You can find out more information about the ALLIANCE’s Humans of Scotland project on their website. If you or someone you know has been affected by PGP, please reach out to the Pelvic Partnership for support. Follow Angeline @pgpandme on Instagram
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