[Texas-T]

So now I'm 24 weeks along and wanted to let you know how things have been going....

I think the 15 - 17 week time period was the WORST for my back. I started having horrible pain in my hips (sacroiliac joints) which wasn't easy to manage. And then just as suddenly as it started, the it went away. My OB said that the levels of the hormone relaxin vary each day / week during pregnancy and that is probably why I started feeling better... (relaxin causes all your joints and ligaments to relax which can cause hip pain) however she cautioned that it will likely get bad again as my due date approaches. So I'm enjoying the break and preparing for the worst again...

So far though, I've been fine. When things got bad, I saw my pain mgmt. doctor and they were ready to give me a steroid shot in my hip joints to help. (Steroids are commonly used during pregnancy and are considered safe). I also started wearing a hip brace (I got the New Serola Sacroiliac Belt on Amazon which has a low profile and doesn't compress my tummy). Now I just wear it when my hips get sore and it really works.

My OB also prescribed vicodin for when the pain was unbearable (and it was really bad for a few days). I've only taken 1/2 pill a few times, but it has been a sanity saver. My husband and I were VERY concerned about taking this while pregnant and my OB really made me feel better. She said that in all her years of practice, she's only had one baby be born addicted to vicodin and it's mother had to take it several times a day for weeks prior to the birth and even then, the baby was okay. Given all the limitataions the pain was putting on my movement, she felt that the benifit of taking a pill every now and then, far outweighed any risk. Additionally, she told me that codeine has been prescribed for pregnant women for years and is considered safe. We saw a fetal genetics counselor later in my pregnancy (for other reasons) and he was not concerned about me taking vicodin either.

Thankfully the pain subsided, but my hips still hurt a great deal at night and when I roll over it wakes me up... so my doctor also suggested that I take Benadryl at night to help me sleep. Benadryl is considered a class A drug during pregnancy (meaning it has been testing on pregnant woman and shown to have no effect on the baby) so that has really helped me get some decent sleep. Also, I've started doing the 'log-roll' which I used after my back surgery to get in and out of bed and that helps too.

I also started a prenatal aquatics class which has been really fun, once I got over the humiliation of swimsuit shopping... I would highly recommend this to any pregnant woman, especially those with back pain. However, if you have a history of problems be careful not to over-do it! My first class I did EVERYTHING and ended up having horrible cramping pain the next day which required a visit to the OB to make sure I wasn't having pre-term labor. Moral of the story, take it easy and remember that's it good just to keep moving, you don't have to be a super start in the class! Also, make sure you tell the instructor about your back issues before class so they can suggestion modifications.

In the last 2 weeks I've started having bad cramping pain (like menstrual cramps) which can be scary, but my OB said it's round ligament pain, which is common in pregnancy and is caused by your muscles spazzing out due to the weight of your now extended tummy. I don't know if having weak ab muscles from back issues makes it worse or not... When I lay down and rest it goes away, so I'm just resting more and now my hubby makes dinner (and when I say 'make' I mean picks up take-out).

As I've gotten larger I have started arching my back more to compensate for the change in weight distribution. I've found that if I stand in one place for a while, it starts to hurt and at night it feels like my tail bone is sore. I haven't seen my pain mgmt. doctor in a while, but she warned me about this so I'll see what she says next time I go....

Despite all this, the baby is very healthy and is doing great! We learned we're having a little girl and even when she's kicking me to death, I think she's adorable! My OB has scheduled my c-section for July 18th and I'm already counting down the days (104). We did learn one potently upsetting fact about back patients and epidurals... if you have scar tissue in your spine there is a chance that an epidural will not work. So if you're having a natural birth, you won't be able to use that for pain relief and if you're having a c-section (like me) you may have to go under general anesthesia. If you have to have general anesthesia for a c-section you won't be awake for the birth and US hospitals will not allow anyone (i.e. the father) to be in the delivery room. We're meeting with the head of anesthesiology in a few weeks to discuss this, but I'm hopeful that an epidural will be an option. I'll let you know what they say!

Anyway, that's all for now. I hope if there are any other ADR patients expecting you're having a healthy and happy pregnancy!