Piriformis release surgery, anyone???

Member

MARY...Thanks for the computer info Smile

I am now OFF to "water therapy"!! Very Happy

Candy

Member

Brandon, the only way my D feels slightly less pain is by laying down. She is in constant pain. Walking fast or slow really has no impact on her pain level, from how I observe and what she says. She has such a strong desire to be normal that in my opinion she is doing toooo much. Going to the YMCA for 5 min, has increased her pain level. Our youngest D has been impacted by all of the time and medical stuff we have had to do for our Big D. But honestly, she has truly been like that since she was born. Smile

We have always embraced her independence and tried to honor her personality, without harming her true being. She is a wonderful, bright, strong young woman. She just doestn't take the time to stop and think "Even if I have plans, or Even if I don't really want to, Maybe I should take some time and give it to my sister." She is opposite from her sister in this regards, and that is what makes it even harder for my Big D. She would do these things whether she really wanted to or not. She and Little D are so different. BD blond, LD brunette. One always had a smiley nature, one we had to work to get her to smile. But we love and honor both.

As a bystander trying to help, I am truly at a loss as to where to go now. Tomorrow will be 12 wks, and there still is not improvement with sitting or pain. I have decided to stop asking God to help, because I don't think he can or will.
I had a dream last night that I had placed a nail in a board and somehow had it go into my left side of my head. Then her neuro surgeon was telling me to check the screws, I told him why won't you check them, I've only been talking about the screws for the last almost two years. He never answered, all the while I am freaked out that I have a hole in my head and no one really knows it. Smile

Then there are a ton of people around hugging us and leaving, one lady said something in toungs(sp) as she hugged me and then said she will talk to me soon. Of course I awoke from this dream thinking. Those darn screws again! Not really crazy yet, but with an intentional hole in my head, I must be close. Confused

Well enough of my dream craziness. I hope you all have a great day. Menzie

Member

Hi everyone,

Sorry I have not been on in quite some time. Life has been so very busy but I figured it was time to provide an update.

I'm doing quite well. My leg pain is all but gone but my rear and hips are still sore. However, I'm living my life and activities just a touch off where I was prior to being hurt. For example, my wife and I spent the entire 93 degree Saturday putting in a new bed in the back yard. I shoveled, carried bags of dirt and mulch, lifted a beer when we were done and swam quite a bit to cool off. I still can't run(I think those days are essentially over) but I walk, stretch, do push-ups, dips, chin ups etc. I'm basically my old self with just a few limitations.

I'm still on the muscle relaxers but they are so mild I don't even really know I took one. Remember, I cut my pills into pieces. Wish I could rid myself completely but although it feels like a lifetime since surgery, it's only been 6 months.

I hope everyone is doing well. Work has been absolutely crazy but that's a good thing. I love being busy as it has made the time go by more rapidly. I'll try and make a better effort to check in more frequently.

Your very alive friend,

David

Member

David, thank you for giving us an update. Sounds like you are doing great. I was so excited to see your post. Thank you so much. I very happy that at 6 months you are doing well and are able to live a functional life with normal daily activities. Menzie

Member

Well, go figure. I got my MRI results. As I told Shirley, I'm not a doctor but from what it says it sounds to me like there are new problems since my last MRI in 2006 - in my back where I swore nothing was going on. I see Filler Monday to talk about all of it. If any of these new things are causing pain maybe that's good news to those of you who have been following my PS surgery recovery. Meaning, perhaps all of this pain isn't from not recovering properly from PS surgery but from something new.

Ho hum is all I can say. I guess I'll wait for Monday before I get too worried and let a "real" doctor tell me the facts instead of me trying to figure it out on my own. It could be nothing. I do like to try to self-diagnose which I'm sure many of you can relate to Smile

Hope you are all having as good a day (or night) as possible.

Leesa

Member

Thanks Menzie.

Like I said, it's been a very long 6 months but, yes, things are coming along pretty well. I wish I could say I was fully healed but I've learned to accept that may never be the case. However, I'll take where I am given where I was. I also hold out hope that maybe I'll get another tweak up over the next 6 months.

I spent a little bit of time reading over some posts since I was last on. I'm sorry if I left some of you feeling a bit abandoned. It certainly was not my intention. I always said I would stay on until the questions stopped coming and they had for quite some time so I kind of got more focused on my work and other things I had been missing since my injury. If I had known there were still people who needed answers or opinions, I would not have been so absent.

So, in summary, please, please accept my sincere apology and I will make it a life point to check in a couple of times a week and to check my PM box just in case. You folks are great and were/are a great floor of support when I needed it. Thank you.

Your friend and fellow butt warrior,

David

Member

David:

Just glad to hear you're up and somewhat running (not literally of course)! Always good to hear from you. Thanks for checking in.

Leesa

Member

Just read through all the posts so not sure where to begin. David, you are forgiven and we were sure glad to hear from you. We do need you so keep posting and thanks for answering all my questions in my private post. It sat in my outbox for about a month so I was surprised you got it. I may have more questions sao don't go away.

Brandon, the 26th is fast approaching. I am waiting to have surgery until fall after summer is over as I would rahter recover in the gloomy months like November. Also my son is coming from Vancouver this summer for a visit. You asked about when my pain comes on. It is usually better in the morning and gets worse with activity and especially some kinds of activity likewalking briskly or sitting for long periods or carrying my grand-daughter up and down steps (I have to use my good leg and go up one step at a time).Some evenings it takes a couple of hours of being off my feet and prone before it eases enough to sleep. But generally I just get worse as the day progresses.

Candy, good to hear from you. You are really trying hard but I hear your discouragement with the pain still being there. Leesa and Lynne can say a lot about that. Am interested to hear what you are doing in pool therapy. What do they have you do?

Leesa, you know how I am pulling for you and make sure you tell us both the good and bad. It is best for us to know and accept this may not be an easy road.

Menzie, plan more massages and facials. This is taking a toll on you --nightmares and all. You have GOT TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. You won't be any good to yourself or your D if you burn yourself out worrying about your D. I know it is so hard and we are all here to support you.

Also, Candy, I have found that if I don't post for about a week, then I quit getting notices of posts so you just have to keep checking on the forum to see who has posted and because you won't necessarily get notices..

I talked to Dr. Filler Monday night at 10:00 PM my time. He is recommending that I have an epidural in the spine where I may have some nerve compression. Really I am the one insisting on it because Idon't want to have butt surgery onlyto find it was the nerve compression in the spine that caused the pain. He still thinks that the p.s. and other nerve issues he saw on the MRN are causing my pain but it may be both and Iwant to know. I will have an epidural here in Canada and let him know the results but we have long waits for procedures so it may take a few months. I am pretty tired of waiting so will probably go ahead and schedule the surgery if it takes too long for me to get the epidural. This is the downside of universal health care but there are many, many positives.I have got to pay for this myself so I need to feel some confidence in the outcome. I know there is no guarantee. So more waiting for me but after 10 years, a few months is nothing.

Well, take care everyone and I will let you know when I book. Jodean called me today but I told her I would not be booking until later. She said I should book at least 6 weeks ahead.

That's all for now. My butt, leg and foot are screaming at me.

Shirley

Newbie

Well, it's been awhile since I've posted anything although I keep up with everyones conditon everyday. I started those supplements for inflammation on the 15th of apirl and my butt pain is much better and is not tight like it was before. I'm off all ibeprohen (can't spell) and started acai berry 8 days ago. I can tell it seems to be helping as well. Still cannot sit very long so I just don't, able to get out of bed more and walk around house and outside some. Then it's back to bed. Perhaps some of you might try those supplements since they are helping me. I still am on my pain meds but plan on trying to start decreasing if the pain continues to decrease on my current dose. I'm still going to the chiropractor once a week as well. Anyway you all are in my prayers.

Member

Remember the PT, who went to India for surgery and then disappeared from this group? I heard from someone that talked to him that the surgery did not help his problem. Just thought I'd let people know. Mary

Member

Hello Everyone Very Happy

Just to give you all a quick rundown on my recovery process..TODAY I have an appt. with my Surgeon (Again)..My P.T.s are (Baffeled?) as to why I do NOT feel any better and some times worse After therapy/exercises..I have gone back to my Chrio. twice in the past week just to take the "Edge" off the pain..But that is only a temp. fix...As I have known for years...And of course MOST Dr.s/Surgeons feel they (Chriopracter's) are "quack,s etc."...I understand 4weeks of therapy is NOT going to Cure me..But I and the therapists believe I should be feeling at least somewhat Better...So I will make my journey to the Dr. today and HOPEFULLY there will be a "Light at the end of the tunnell" Very Happy

I HOPE!!! Maybe he will suggest (or I will) an epidural block shot?? Or some other avenue of where and why my pain is STILL going strong at times....Just so Tired Confused

of going around in circles with this problem....
And as for the Pool Therapy you asked??? It is about 45min. of walking,water jogging,side stepping,scissor kicks,arm movements,etc etc..It just depends on what is "Hurting/aching" that day..Go figure...And then into the "Hot Tub" which is GREAT!!!!I can then Stay in the pool longer if I wish AFTER my time is up with the P.T...
Well.gotta get moving again..My "butt" is calling me to get up...
I will keep you all posted on the outcome of my Dr. appt later.
Have a GREAT DAY Everyone!!!
Candy

Member

Mary, thanks for the info on that guy and his surgical update. He was so sure his doctor in India was gonna cure him for less. I'm sorry it didn't work out for him. Interesting, thanks for sharing. Hope you are doing OK.

Member

Robyn in OK - What happened when you saw Dr. Hal Martin in OKC?

HawaiiGirl - Just trying to help. So often post-surgery patients disappear & we don't know if it the surgery was successful or unsuccessful long term.

How are you doing? How long has it been since your surgery? What is your next step? Thanks for the info, Mary

Member

Hi All. Candy, sorry you are still having trouble. I was amazed at what you do in the pool. I tried pool therapy and my p. muscle really screamed at me but mind you this was before I had botox injections and I haven't had surgery yet. I am planning to schedule for fall but will first have an epidural in the spine to see how much of my pain is caused by the spondylolisthesis and stenosis. However, in Canada you can have as long as 3-4 month wait once you are referred for the epidural. I hope you start to see some better days. Recovery seems to take a long time based on the people who have posted on this forum.

Nice to hear from you Preacherman and it sounds like you are making a slow but steady recovery. Mary, thanks for the update on the India surgery.

Menzie, how are things going wiht your D. Didn't you have a telephone appointment with Dr. Filler recently?How did it go? Maybe you have already told us.

I will probably schedule my surgery in the next 4 weeks. Am hoping I can get fast tracked kfor the epidural and then I will be able to have a better idea of how much of my pain is form the spine. I still think I will kdo the prirformis, etc. surgery because I am pretty certain that I get lots of pain from that area.

Lynne, how are you doing? I hope you are still doing better.

Brandon, good luck tomorrow. Keep us posted. You lmust be in LA now.

Everyone keep posting. I would hate for this forum to just die out.

Bye for now.

Shirley

Member

Scamp, thanks for asking about my D. No phone consult because I am a chicken to schedule it. I do not want to hear that maybe the surgery did not help. Sad

I will say that her ankle and calve were helped and in those areas she is completly pain free since surgery. She is 13 weeks and 1 day from her March 25th surgery.

I keep thinking about the screws and that I wanted them out 7 days post fusion. I did not feel right about them and now that it has been two years they will come out before we do anything else. They say the screw that may be touching a nerve or very close to it SHOULDN'T cause this type of pain. Key word SHOULDN'T. All people are different, as in like pain tolerance, and before I can honor any other options AKA spinal cord implant, the screws have got to go. Post fusion she was great for 3 months. The day all of this started, she used a back pack instead of the rolling one for the first day of her junior year of college. I kept asking her if she used the rolling one or if she wore her regular one. She did not want me upset so for three days into the pain she kept saying no, until I had a dream that was so real, I saw her wearing the back pack and I also in my dream saw her twist her body to take it off. In the hospital, I told her to please not worry, but that I really in the bottom of my heart felt that she wore her back pack. She and her boyfriend at the time, confirmed that she had worn the back pack. I truly have felt since the onset of this problem that part of her pain was due to the screw and her rotation when she put the back pack on and took it off. I could be way off. But I dreamed of the screws again last week right after I started the process for a stim trial.

Not that I think it will or won't help, it's just that the screws have presented themselves to me in my dreams ect.. and until they are out and we truly see if they are irritating a nerve, I won't know. If they are out then we will know if the screws are irratating or it will solidify that "Yes, Menzie has some screws loose." Smile

I hope you all know that before this all started I was a very grounded and normal person. Very Happy

Now, not to sure, but I am holding out some hope, although my jar is almost empty. I hope you all are doing well. You all give me hope for my Daughter's healing. There are several who have been healed and that my fellow Butt Warriors is worth holding onto. I read this site everyday, I just do not have much to note.

I almost forgot. I have my daughter swimming several times a week. In the water you would never know that she had an ache or a pain. She can do anything]in the water and I really mean anything. Laps, rolls, tread water using her legs. Is that odd? Today she swam from 2:45 til 5:30. In pool time she was completely pain free. We joked that she could be mobile if we had an elevator on wheels and we turned it into a water tank. She could bob through the day. Well it is just before 10pm, good night.

Piriformis release surgery, anyone???

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