Should I go to the doctor about this?

[mamahill]

I had terrible sciatic nerve problems during pregnancy (it never shot down my leg, just permeated my left gluteals) and horrible back labor (only recently have I confidently been able to say that Ainsleigh will have a sibling someday). The first few months post partum, I figured my bones were shifting back to a position resembling pre-pregnancy. It took a while, but I feel like my pelvis is finally back to normal, except for one thing.

I think there's something wrong with my tailbone. It almost feels like it's bent wrong. I'm not saying it's sticking out (no third cheek or anything!), but there are a couple weird bumps that I don't remember being there. Of course, I didn't really know my tailbone all that well (who examines theirs?) but I began noticing that after sitting on hard ground or even the carpet, it will ache after standing up. And then I began getting back into yoga and pilates and I noticed that I can no longer roll straight down my back - I have to lean slightly to one side. It's like I have a weird seam on my pants I'm avoiding - but even when there ISN'T a seam.

Finally, I've complained about it to Joel enough that I insisted feeling his and this was only accompanied by giggles (STOP IT - you're a grown man for crying out loud!). From what I can tell, something IS wrong with mine, but I didn't know if men and women have different tailbones.

I wouldn't be surprised if my tailbone is all bent out of shape. During labor (all back labor), I remember feeling like my back was breaking. It was such horrible pain I couldn't even talk about it for a couple months without crying.

Ok, I'm coming to my real question (sorry for being so long-winded, I wanted to get in all the detail, because someone suggested it might be bruised, but I don't think so because it doesn't hurt throughout the day unless I roll on it weird). Do you think this is something I should go to a doctor about? If it's in the bone, is there anything they can do? Or has the damage been done and I'll just have to live with it? Has anyone had similar tailbone problems after pregnancy? Thanks for any insight you may have, and for reading this far if you still are!

edited to add Ainsleigh was posterior

[egoldber]

Sarah, definitely see your doctor and soon! While not terribly common, women sometimes end up with a broken tailbone from labor, especially with a posterior baby. And it is possible to gomonths without realizing it is broken. I would have it checked.

FYI, I also had sciatic problems throughout my pregnancy and still get it from time to time as well. FYI, my Sarah, while not posterior, was in an awkward position. My OB feels this is why I was never able to dilate past 1 cm.

HTH,

[spu]

Hi Sarah, I would see your dr. soon too. Sometimes those little bones can be broken (and cause lots of pain!) and it's so hard to diagnose.

I had really bad sciatic problems too, probably from the 4 months of bedrest. It did go away though as soon as I was up and around. One thing I noticed after the weight came off post-delivery was I could feel - and see - my bones alot more because the muscles had atrophied so much. My xiphoid process (the little bone that sits at the bottom of the sternum) sticks out so much and it seems a little crooked. I only know about this bone from all the years taking CPR, but I do know it feels much more noticable and a little different. I noticed my tailbone sticking out more too. Although I'm not having pain like you, I can feel it.

You're probably right. Things do change and move, and aside from taking time to recover from 9 months of changes, you might actually have an injury.

susan

twin girls 7.20.02
charlotte & else

[Rachels]

Sister, I hear you on the posterior labor!!! You may well have something out of place. Have you thought about a chiropractor? Mine saved my aching tailbone, and pretty quickly, too. I can get you the name of someone good if you'd like.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[nigele]

Sarah,

I can't offer any advice but I do hope you see a doctor so you can get this resolved ASAP!

Hope you feel better soon...

[mama2be]

First thing I thought of while reading your post...that it is broken. I don't know what they can do if anything, but remember studying in school that they can break in labor.

Keep us posted!!! I know tail bone pain is a "pain in the butt"...I too am experiencing it and it hurts!!! I feel like mine needs to be broken or cracked or something...

[sweetbasil]

Sarah,
Just wondering if you had an update to your post...will you be going to the doctor soon? I really hope it's fixed soon- mommying is so much easier when everyone involved feels well. Take care!

[nohomama]

Sarah,

It is actually VERY common for the tailbone to become misaligned after childbirth. Often women complain of their pelvis "just not feeling right" after labor. If this is in fact what your discomfort is from, I'm not surprised you're actually feeling pain considering you've likely been living with an out-of-whack tailbone for 10 monthes.

I'd recommend seeing a chiropractor. If you do see a doctor, you might try a D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) who practices both allopathic (western) and natropathic (including chiropractic) medicine. Also, I think I remember you had a midwive (?). If so, you might call her to see what she thinks/recommends.

[mamahill]

Thanks for your responses ladies - I made an appt to see my doctor tomorrow. I'll let you know what we find out. I'm in an HMO, though, so most likely she'll refer me to someone else since she's a family practice dr.

No, I didn't have a MW, and I didn't really care for my OB, so I'm not calling him! When I called to make the appt, I said I thought I broke my tailbone in childbirth and she asked when that was. I said, "Um, about 10 months ago?" She said, "WHAT?! 10 MONTHS?!" Ok, so maybe it's not broken, but something's wrong.

I'll admit right now that I'm a bit skeptical of chiropractors. Everyone I know who goes to one, has had to go for YEARS. Shouldn't they *fix* you, not just fix enough to make you come back? A good friend of mine is a physical therapist and worked on me after a car accident. Maybe I'll give her a call and see what she thinks (after the appt, depending on what we find). I'm curious as to what the rest of you think of chiropractors. If I start going to one, will I have to go for the rest of my life? I've made it this far w/out one...

[Rachels]

No, you won't have to go for the rest of your life. :) People continue to go back because it feels good and functions as preventative medicine. not because they aren't feeling better. If your spine is out of alignment, nothing is going to help long-term except putting it back IN alignment. You really can choose not to return once you're feeling better. It does help tremendously. But Sarah's suggestion for a D.O. is a good one, if the chiropractor thing worries you.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[mama2be]

I thought I'd never go to one, and then a neighbor who is an MD and a chiropractor (I don't think all are MDs...but I might be wrong), had a "special" and I found out I was covered at 90% so thought "what the heck". Well I went and got cracked and then they put me on this massage board that runs up and down your spine...I think I was going to cry when it stopped I loved IT so...

BUT as impressed with how quickly and smoothly my appt went after several visits my antenneas started to go up because I felt like I was really getting a 'sales pitch". I still go, but the sales pitch and the "Oh how is your pain today"...and all of the concentration on "the pain" and seeing folks limp even more once they are in the door did turn me off.

That said though...I love that spine massager :):):)

I also do think that my neck etc.. feels better but do not ever plan on going for the rest of my life...they tried to get me in there like three times a week and just flatly told them I don't ahve that kind of time. I now go every Tuesday morning and will till Tristan is born...but this one practice sure does have the sales pitch down very well...

[Zansu]

Sarah,

Are you doing Pilates at home or at a studio? If you're working with an instructor, see if s/he has any suggestions. I've had a lot of success in relieving my post-partum misalignment using the roller and several specific cadillac exercises.

HTH
Suzanne

[mamahill]

Thank you everyone for your kind words. I went to the doctor today and let me say first off that I'm thankful that all modesty went out the window with pregnancy/childbirth. I had no qualms about having the doctor examine my tailbone or getting x-rays done. In fact, I was impressed that they let me wear scrubs for the x-rays. I probably wouldn't have batted an eyelash, had they told me to get on the table naked. LOL! My doctor said that as long as it wasn't causing me pain on a regular basis (which it isn't), and it wasn't affecting any internal functions, that there probably wasn't a lot that could be done (read: your insurance won't cover it). But she did order the x-ray so that at least I will know that something IS wrong, and I'm not just making stuff up. She said that the coccyx (the tip) feels like it's going a little to one side, which would be one reason I feel like I have to roll to the side a little, rather than straight back. This would make sense since I always roll to the same side. She kept asking if I've fallen or something, which I haven't, and then said it is possible for it to have occurred during childbirth. This would explain why it felt like my back was breaking - it was actually bending!

I'm going to call a friend of mine who is a physical therapist and ask her what she thinks I should do. I don't know if I CAN do anything, but I'll also check out to see how covered we are for chiropractors. And thanks for your input on those as well. It's nice to hear others' perspectives and know that I'm not the only one who is a little suspcious. I wouldn't mind a good massage, though!

I'll keep you posted. The x-rays don't come back for a couple days, then my doctor will call me if it's anything urgent, otherwise she'll just mail me the results. I can't help but wonder if I had gone to the doctor sooner, if something could have been done... Oh well, live and learn! Thanks everyone!

[sweetbasil]

That just sounds like no fun at all, especially considering how much time we end up spending on the floor with our little ones. Thanks for keeping us posted- hope you're all fixed up soon!

[Rachels]

Yikes. Chiropractor chiropractor chiropractor. Put that thing back where it belongs.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[nigele]

Sarah,

I'm so glad you had it checked out. Good luck with the x-ray results and get your butt to the chiropractor!! :-)