Never again

phylly · #1 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009, 06:03 PM

Hi All,

About three weeks ago, right before acquiring my dogs, I was becoming more active and using my leg muscles to bend. Well one day I bent down a bit too much and really needed to push up. I have never been the same! My sciatic pain started to come back as well as pain when sitting. It is the spot mid butt which seems to radiate into my low back (sacrum) during the day and into the back of my leg. It is the same pain that was not concordant on my discogram. I am so very bummed. (to be continued)

Then the dog puppies came and were so very sweet until they started fighting. Actually the younger one wanted to be the top dog and was killing the other one. Stupidly both my husband and I were bitten at different times but during the last horrible fight he ended up in the ER with 10 stitches on his finger. We were traumatized and after spending tons of money, hiring a trainer, cleaning up accidents, ruining the lawn , and then finally having to clean the blood out of the carpets, we were emotionally done. WE gave it 3 weeks and the dogs went back to their original owner. So NO more puppies for awhile. I guess I took on too much and we were also physically exhausted.

(Continued) I moved up my doctor appointment because of the pain. We are leaving for graduation trips in three weeks. He is amazing and is sending me for new MRI's of my pelvis and hips. He has sent me to another Dr. for EMG's and possible shot in the piriformis or muscle that may be clamping down on my sciatic nerve. He is disappointed as am I but he is not going to give up yet. I am still hoping that we can find the source of the pain in that dark black box. I will keep you posted. He does not think it is SI joint or a thousand other things I had on my list. At least the other back pain is better so it is easier to deal with the butt and leg although by the end of the day it is quite painful and affects me a lot. I wonder if it is my fault from using those muscle too soon? He did not say this. My tests are moving along at warp speed which is amazing and the office has arranged all the Dr. appointments also. After all the dragging along these past years I am amazed at how his response has been. It is wonderful. I will keep you all posted and am hoping we can find this other source of pain. What kills me it is the same pain I originally had after my fall in 4/05 when i broke my tailbone and no one had ever found the cause. So for 4 years, more epidurals and caudal and nerve blocks than I can count, and 3 back surgeries, I still have the same original pain. I knew I had multiple issues so maybe with the back taken care of I can go forward and find this.

I guess I was hoping that this would be my last surgery and still hope that. There is always a piriformis release which he says is a lot easier after what I have been through but it may not work, and there is always that dreaded SCS which I really don't want. So this is the latest most up to date news.

Phylly

phylly · #2 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009, 06:22 PM

Forgive the spelling error in heading.
BTW, I am open to any suggestions regarding my pain to ask this new Dr. on Tuesday. Like Why, Where, and What to do now?

Kathy · #3 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009, 06:24 PM

Phylly,
I'm sorry that you are having a bump in the road. Hopefully, it is just that, a bump in the road and you will feel better soon. It does sound like the puppies were too much, so your body may just still be worked up from that. I puppy sat my nephews puppy yesterday, they are a ton of work (up, down, take them out, let them in, feed them, clean up accidents, play with them, up, down, and all over again). I was tired and I only had the dog for 8 hours! I know it is disheartening having a setback, you feel like you will never be better and it's depressing. This recovery takes way longer than we would like and you are only 2 months post op. Don't you wish you could just wake up from surgery and pop out of bed and be healed? Wouldn't that be nice. I'm not patient, so this has seemed like a horribly long time to me. I spoke with the research department lady yesterday and she said that she hears this all the time and that in a year, I will look back and hardly remember the setbacks. I'll be praying for you and a stellar recovery, Kathy

dshobbies · #4 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009, 06:50 PM

Phylly,

How lucky for you that your doctor cares so much. Most of the stories we hear involve long waits. Your circumstances could be better but your doctor sounds top notch

Good luck to you, Dale

treefrog · #5 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009, 08:56 PM

Phylly, I'm so sorry that you are having this bump in the road, but as Kathy said, I hope it is just a bump and that you will be back to feeling better soon.

But it must feel wonderful to have this doctor who is really trying to help you. And making sure that things don't take forever and a day to get done. I'm sure he understands that you have been in pain for far too long, and don't want to wait weeks to have tests done, that you want answers as quickly as possible.

I really hope that you are able to find out what is going on, and that something can be done, soon.

phylly · #6 (**permalink**) 06-06-2009, 08:34 PM

Just got back from a really long trip for me-two weeks. Went to son's graduation in Ithaca and then London to see other son. We did tons of walking and EATING. I survived all the sitting and will take it easy this weekend. I have not decreased any pain meds but I will try now that I am home. I think at almost 4 months post fusion I hoped for less pain but I am so tolerant to all the pain meds that decreasing is going to be tough for me. I was happy I could go though, something I could never do before the surgery. Just wanted to say hello to everyone and will try to catch up on posts. I did not have email while away. I can see there have been lots of surgeries and news from all.
Phylly

mmglobal · #7 (**permalink**) 06-07-2009, 12:38 AM

Phylly... I'm so sorry that you are back in the 'game' again. I've been delinquent on the forum too as I've been dealing with a lot myself (4-level cervical/thoracic ADR 8 weeks ago) and am just starting to catch up.

Were any of the tests determinative?

All the best,

Mark

cls · #8 (**permalink**) 06-07-2009, 12:54 AM

Phylly,

Although you are still having some pain issues, I think it is good news that you were able to do so much traveling. I'm not sure that I would be able to make the flight to London! Hang in there.