Spondylitis Association of America Forums General Discussion Women Only Message Board a little embarassing but here goes...

I was wondering if any of the women have experienced this. I was having sex with my fiance. it was the usual nothing crazy or anything. when we were done i went to the bathroom and when i tried to get up i couldnt. i have this horrible pain on the left side of my back. right where my SI joints are. its hard to walk or move at all. it started to feel a little better yesterday so we had sex again now every time he enters me it feels like he is hitting a nerve or tendon or something that is connected to my SI joint or that area of my back and it hurts like hell. i have never had this happen before. anyone experience this? my doc had said at one time the pain in my SI joints might me gynecological i am thinking maybe she is right. she said something about if my uterus is tilted it could be pulling on those ligaments in my back.

Hi! I experience pain in the SI area after having intercourse with my husband. It is not immediate, but by an hour later I am feeling it. I also have a tilted uterus, but was never told anything about that. My SI joints have been really flared up in the last year, so maybe that's why. It is very frustrating, I don't have much advice for you. Only that I have been going through this as well. Kera

Kera
thanks for the reply i thought i was crazy lol. it is very frustrating i try to avoid at least once a week but i dont want him to think i am not attracted to him its just very painful. i go to the doc tomorrow so i will be talking to her about this for sure. she has told me before that when your uterus is tilted back that it could be pulling down the ligaments in my SI joints or draggin along them when i move. Ask you GYN about it and see what he/she says. it is the first time i have heard about that as well

I've been single since almost 2 years before my AS diagnosis, so my sex life is nonexistant. But - for about the last year we were together, I had a really hard time after/during sex. Either my SI joint area would become really painful, or afterwards I couldn't walk because my hips were so bad, or my muscles would be in spasm and not relax. And we weren't trying any acrobatics either...

I have to say that I'm almost thankful that I don't have any pressure to have sex. It would be so stressful to think about having to because it seems like it would be SO painful. I can completely understand the not wanting to make your partner feel rejected, and I really wish you the best of luck and hope you can find a way to be intimate and comfy.

By the way - if you think that post was embarrassing... A few months ago I took an anatomy book in to my rheumatologist so I could show him exactly where my crotch hurt and what muscles were painful and where I wanted a steroid shot for enthesitis! He handled it so well - only blushed a little. Although as he gave me the shot he kept muttering, "I think this might be something for your gynecologist..."

lol i can just imagine!!! i am hoping my doc tomorrow wont look at me too funny. its a female doc though so maybe it wont be so bad.

When you say your SI joint hurts, does that go into your pelvis area. The other part that hurts me is when my legs are spread. That's embarrassing too.
Amy

its the joints that connect your lower spine to your pelvis

Without going into graphics, I have found that there are certain positions that hurt and will make it difficult for me to move afterwards. I am lucky in the fact that I have been married to a loving guy for more than 12yrs. We have tried new positions that work much better for me, I might still have a little pain afterwards; but if I have to chose-I am not giving up sex!!!

I have had pain with sex for the last 6-8 months. Sometimes I can barely walk for days. Everyone knows in my office what I have been up to becaused they asked and I told them. Now my husband is afraid he will hurt me. I will get over it, just takes a little longer. lol

I have the same problem. Haven't had sex for almost 7 months because of it. The last time we had sex, I hurt the whole time we were doing it. I don't think my husband understands how much it hurt, because he is pressuring me for sex again. I really can't get excited about doing something that hurts like h...

I have been married for going on 38 years so I think I have a little experience. My husband and I have a pretty active sex life and I want to keep it that way not just for him but for me. We have gotten into a routine that involves a lot of pillows. Three for my back so that I am propped up and two for each of my hips and knees. Makes it much more comfortable. If he has any problems with it just tell him would he like to go without all together. He will get more creative too. This has worked for us since I have become so stiff in the hip area and surgery on my knee. I did have some pain this last weekend due to a piriformis muscle pressing on my sciatic nerve. Hope to get that resolved with some PT. But serious you need to find whats comfortable for you and let it happen with that position.

My problem is that my SI joints are starting to fuse, plus I have either bursitis or enthesis problems at my hip. Makes it difficult to rotate the hip joint without pain. My hips and buttocks hurt non stop. I'm thinking of asking my rheumatologist for a cortisone injection to see if that will help.

Thank goodness I found this. Ever since we met my wife and I have been having sex less frequently to the point of frustration.

We finally talked about it, and it turns out that her hips have been causing her increasing pain during intercourse for the last couple years. She's tried exercising and stretching, and while that seems to slow down the progression of it the pain won't stop or reverse.

As mentioned previously, yes, pillows help but don't solve the problem. Seeing as how even taking longer strides while walking is beginning to bother her it's getting fairly serious. I promised her I'd go online to try to help figure out what's wrong and ways to fix it (cost be damned), so if anyone can offer any advice or insight we'd be eternally grateful.

If further information is needed she is a massage therapist and can likely give a fairly detailed explanation of the problem.

I have this problem also. Sex is a planned event in our house, spontaneity went out the door a couple of years ago

My routine:
Before each session I will take a nice hot tub bath, pop a pain killer or muscle relaxer (this really helps), and slowly work up to the necessary flexibility needed .

My husband deserves a "Man of the Year" award.

He will have to compete for that award with my DH

My hip pain is far worse than my SI joint pain and sex in any is almost impossible, at least any position that requires me to open my legs.

My routine is a bottle of wine, hot shower, massage from DH with tons of pillows then afterwards the pain pill (for that after pain and the hangover).

Poor guy is so patient!

I remember the first time I talked to my PT about it, he is a middle age man. His reply " I have a handout for that". Several months later we now talk more openly about it and he is really helping me with achieveing that comfort in that position with stretches and strategy.

This *&(*&(* disease can really effect your life. I have been avoiding the NSAIDs as my stomach is bad now. But on the day I think we might have sex, I take NSAID in morning, afternoon and an hour before. We have 7 pillows. Also ah hm laying on bed with hips at end of bed, knees NOT on floor (my knees are bad too) from behind.

Get up immediately afterward. Do not sit on toilet--hold the pee. Walk around. a lot. Stand up.

Good luck, there is also a book "joy of Sex" which I read in the 70's surely it is still around.

Anna

Anna,
That made me laugh, the part about the Joy of Sex book, I still have mine...!!! what a hoot, haven't thought of that book in years..! should re-read it..! could use some of those idea's...

The below position works best when my hips and SI's are acting up.

[img]http://www.orthop.washington.edu/uw/tabI...ictureView.aspx[/img]

Sex??? Fiance???? You lucky woman, you. :-) Unfortunately I can't help in this area. I do however own a 90's edition of "Joy of Sex". Just for the memories.