Piriformis release surgery, anyone???

Member

Hi all, I talked to Dr. Filler yesterday. I will fill you in later. A neighbor is coming by for a glass of wine.

Jax, seems everyone here has been very athletic before this awful pain comes. And most have been through numerous doctors and treatments to try to get better before finally deciding on surgery.

Andy, are you saying that Dr. Filler did surgery on both sides twice. Wow that is a lot. Were there any other nerves involved besides the sciatic nerve? You are very brave to have gone through all that. Hope you got Leesa's private message. It can take as much as several days for them to go out sometimes.

I'll get back to you tomorrow.

Hi Menzie.

Bye for now.

Shirley

Member

Just sent a post but it didn't go through. I talked to Dr. Filler yesterday and will let you know what he said tomorrow. A neighbor is coming by for a glass of wine right now.

Hope everyone has had a reasonably good day.

Bye for now.

Shirley

Newbie

It's great to hear that other people in pain from their Piriformis also still have their sense of humour! Amandaruni said something about her Playboy modelling days that were over!!(now that she has the scar) hillarious! I really just want to know- WHAT TO DO ? and WHAT NOT TO DO? Regarding my recovery period. Today is day 6 after my surgery, i feel great! must i walk on both legs, must i sit up, how far may i walk etc? didn't get much info from my Doctor or Physio? I feel better now than ever??? is that possible(maybe its still the nerve blocks that haven't worn off?) Thanx for the support everybody!

Member

Thanks Menzie. I think of you and your daughter often and still hoping for the best.

Jax: I can offer one bit of advice - DON'T OVER DO IT. Great to hear that you feel good, just take it slow and easy. I took very short walks at first. I mean short as in "around the house" - the inside of the house, that is! Would probably be best to see what your doc advises on what or what not to do. Anyway, just my 2 cents worth.

Leesa

Member

Leesa is right. I have never been one to take things slow and maybe that is why I am not better. Dr. Filler had no words of advice for me except that if it aggravated me not to do it. There wasn't much that didn't aggravate me but especially walking too much or too fast, lifting heavy loads, sitting too much. Dr. Filler did say not to stay in the same position for over 20 minutes for the first 3 weeks. ot My physio would not see me until the 9th month. Most of what I have done is keep flexible by stretching and very gentle stretching of the gluteals when ready but not at first.

Jax, I thik you have a very good chance of getting better sooner rather than later because the injections worked so well for you. Thatt was a very good indication that you should have a good recovery.

Andy, I hope you are feeling better. Leesa said she did get back to you. What about the others?

Hey Leesa, good to have you back on .

Menzie, you know I love hearing from you so stay with us.

I still haven't told you what Dr. Filler said but am just to sore tonight. I will try to post tomorrow. Bye for now.

Shirley

Member

Judy, I hope I didn't upset you about the seprafilm and your other suggestions. I jsut couldn't find much information about any other products that helped keep the nerves form getting adhesions after surgery. May be you know more than I do.

Shirley

Member

Ok, here is what Dr. Filler said. There are 3 possibilities. If I have formed scar tissue which is localized and not too diffuse, then he could give me an anti-scarring injection. If the adhesions and scar tissue are diffuse in the whole area he worked on, then he said there is nothing he can so. He told me that I was just filled with adhesions and fibrovascular bands which could have something to do with taking so long to heal. He indicated that it is unusual to have as much adhesions over such a large area as I did. And finally he said depending on what he finds with another MRN, then a 2nd surgery may be needed. Of course none of this was good news but the best would be if he thinks he could inject anti- scarring solution, Wybase.

So I have spent the last couple of days trying to plan my trip to LA. It is very expensive to fly or I could use air points, 55000 of them.

I did another sittercise class and was aggravated but not as much as from the other one. My glutes just don't seem to like being used much. There is atrophy in muscles and I am hoping to strengthen them over time.

I feel like I am answering my own post as I now have 3 in a row. Oh well.

Take care. Wondering how Andy and JAX are doing.

Bye for now.

Shirley

Newbie

Hi, i am only going to see my Dr. in 2 weeks time. After reading all the older posts, it seems like i had the older fashioned way of Surgery, 10 to 15 cm scar.I can't wait to ask him what excactly he did cut? I have said that i feel better than ever, BUT, a short slow walk around my house exhausted me so much,that i had to rest for 3 hours! Feels weird, because i am an Endurance sports junkie! The cronic pain burden seems to have been lifted of my shoulders, i feel like a new person already.(finally) 5 years and 27 Specialists later. I wish for you all to have success in your surgey.
Regards
Jax

Member

Jax, there were a couple of people who had doctors other than Dr. Filler who had 13 inch scars. One was Margie and she had great success and jokes about her scar. You may be able to find her if youkeep reading through the earlier posts.

Don't wory about getting so tired this soon after your surgery. That is natural. Still itsounds like your pain is much better. Just take it slow like Leesa says

I have an appointment with Dr. Filler on Feb. 17. I will be out there for 2 days to check out what may be causing the lingering pain. I'll keep mu fingers crossed.

I don't think there are a lot of doctors who are doing just a 3 cm. incision
for surgery but Dr. Filler is one who pioneered it for piriformis surgery. I will be very interested to know what your surgeon did. You can ask for a copy of the report and ask him to explain it to you. I am curious to know if there were any other nerves involved in addition to the piriformis. You've had a number of falls so that is why I wonder if other nerves were involved.

Andy, wondering how you are doing.

I am feeling a bit better today. I haven't done any lifting or much walking in thepast few days. Also my physio gave me ultra sound

Hi to everyone else too.

Shirley

Member

Jax, just reread my message I meant other nerves besides the sciatic, not the piriformis.

Member

Shirley, I am hoping the injection with Dr. Filler goes well. I wish I lived in Ca then you and I could hook up. You are a great friend and all of us benefit from your postings.

Not much has changed with my D. Today is 1213 days of a dark nothingness that I can't seem to beat! I do every day to day activity, but I can not seem to help my D! The anger, loss, and sadness seriously make me so sad. My D deserves better, as do all of you. She has been a bit grouchy. I have purchased a home that will allow me to put in a pool, but now I somehow have to come up with the money for the pool Very Happy

Not sure, but I think it may fall from the sky. hahah

As a family we used to be so great. We were a singing dancing family, only in front of ourselves of course Embarassed

but we were fun and loving. I know my family basically died, and I have got to be ok with the way it is, because it is what it is, nothing more, nothing less. But there is such a disconnect. I hope, but am so afraid that that too is energy spent, but truly going nowhere. As the watcher I am helpless, it is not me, but it is my mind body and soul! It has consumed me! I am at a loss as to how to help my darling daughter, I have lost my other daughter who at 19 really is on another planet.

I really appreciate being at this site and finding support. I can at least say things and know that there are people that understand. Thanks for being there. Talk to you soon. Menzie

Newbie

I just have time and emotional energy to give a quick update. As I mentioned in a previous posting, I have had two surgeries, each surgery was on both sides. The first surgery in July 09, the second in December 09 (6 weeks ago). I am still in a lot of pain, and the second surgery has left by legs numb from the incision to my calves. I spoke with Dr. Filler Yesterday. He was still hopeful that we will be able to get on top of this eventually. He suggested that I wait another couple of months and then have another neurography (special MRI that shows up the nerves). My piriformis muscles have been surgically reduced (to about 15% of their original size) and so are probably not the problem now (my sciatic nerve had passed through my piriformis). Dr. Filler thinks that the pain could be caused by my Obturator Internis muscles. However, he has injected these muscles in the past, and I didn’t see an improvement.

Shirley, thank you so much for your help and the encouragement and understanding. I appreciate all the postings on this forum.

Menzie, I hope it doesn’t sound glib for me to mention that I am praying for you and your family. It is a hard road, but I feel it must get better.

Has anyone else had Obturator Internis problems? Has anyone had injections in their Obturator Internis muscles that have not worked, but have subsequently determined that these muscles were the problem?

Newbie

Menzie-your situation is heartbreaking. I feel so bad for you and your daughter.

I know it's expensive, but do you think there's anything Dr. Filler could do if your daughter went back to see him again? I should talk, I haven't been able to motivate myself to go see Dr. Filler even once. Does your daughter follow any kind of a stretching routine or is she seeing a PT?

It's hard to maintain hope after everything we've tried (multiple times) doesn't help, but we have to hold on to some type of hope that one day it won't hurt so bad.

I prefer to have the pain than for my child to have it. The frustration at not being able to help her must be enormous. I feel it across the internet.

Shirley-I hope you can make it back to Dr. Filler and that he can help you. Your situation (as well as Tafoya's) is heartbreaking too. To think you're on the cusp of reclaiming your life and then to have this thing return with all it's weight is so unfair.

Tafoya-are you still here? I'd love to know if you found any relief. I was so happy for you when your pain was gone after surgery. I'm hopeful you've found someone who can help you.

Dave

Member

Hi All. WAnt to reply to everyone but was out all day and didn't get home until 9 PM and was just too tired. More tomorrow. Am thinking about you Andy and Menzie. Dave, nice to have you back on.

More later.

Shirley

Member

hi!

i haven't been to this site in a while. Andy, I hope you feel much better very soon!!
Jax, who was your surgeon? I am so glad you are doing so well.
Scamp: Of course I am not mad. I still admire you a lot and I am most thankful to you actually for keepint this forum alive all the time, and for keeping track of everybody who had good or bad results!!

The plastic surgeon I saw who told me about Alloderm was not just any plastic surgeon. He is the kind of plastic surgeon who rebuilds a hand that was completely crushed in a car accident, I mean almost flattened. He literally re attaches nerves that have been cut and works with tiny nerves of babies's hands who were born with too many fingers or distorted limbs. He is a nerve expert actually.

I do know that there are other kinds of anti scarring material. In fact I came across a site called www.pudendal.info of people who have had pudendal nerve surgery. a surgeon there uses a nerve tube, a nerve cover that is not seprafilm. From what I read, his patiets did well after surgery and some swear by the anti scarring material. I don't know yet the name of this nerve wrap because I have not continued my research into that.

I know it might be useless to concentrate on this. But it is quite puzzling why some people need two or more surgeries while others do not. I know the reasons could be many as dr. filler has lots of succesful surgeries, but it is best to have too much info than too little.

how is tafoya?

take care and good luck to all.

Jax. What anti scarring material did your doctor use?

I just can't afford one surgery, the first. but if i have it and then f I need a second due to scar tissue i will be homeless.
sorry for the mispells. it is painful to sit and i am writing as fast as i can/

Piriformis release surgery, anyone???

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