Hey David - Which muscle relaxant did you end up taking? Was it more effective than Valium? Thanks, I'm always looking for new information. Mary
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My turn...
Leesa,
Good luck tomorrow with your surgery. You truley have been a wonderful support to me and everyone on this forum and I will be praying for you tomorrow. You're gonna do great! Many, many, many hugs.
Take care,
Julie
Leesa,
Good luck tomorrow with your surgery. You truley have been a wonderful support to me and everyone on this forum and I will be praying for you tomorrow. You're gonna do great! Many, many, many hugs.
Take care,
Julie
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Hey all/Mary,
I got off Valium as it just put a whammy on me and I am just uncomftable taking something that potent. I am taking Skelaxin which I have to break into either 1/4's or 1/2's. It has really, really helped and now I am replacing my pain meds with just the muscle relaxer because my pain level is so far down. I can easily work and drive.
Frankly, I'm very surprised that Filler did not put me on them immediately. I would think that if a muscle is cut in half, it will flake out for a while. My pain level/discomfort went down dramatically with the Skelaxin. I don't want to be on it forever but when I spoke to him the other evening, he said he wanted me on them for about a month.
We are going on a cruise in mid-February and he wants me to take a steroid pack the week before. Hopefully, that will go ahead and completely chill the cut piriformis segments.
Tomorrow makes 2 months. I'm working full time, grocery shopping, helping around the house, going to see my son's sporting events, etc.. With the exception of yard work and workouts, life is rapidly coming back to order. I'm probably about 90% but I also recognize that this is achieved with some "band-aids"(muscle relaxers, one pain pill a day, Advil).
Hopefully, this next month will bring an end to my band-aids. I walked over a mile yesterday and I have no increased nerve pain but my butt is pretty sore. The good sore, at least I think. Also, I'm starting to sleep in longer. I actually slept for about 9 hours this weekend. It's been what feels like forever since I could do that.
Long post. Sorry.
Leesa, best of luck. We can't wait to hear from you. As I've said before, you're in very good hands.
I got off Valium as it just put a whammy on me and I am just uncomftable taking something that potent. I am taking Skelaxin which I have to break into either 1/4's or 1/2's. It has really, really helped and now I am replacing my pain meds with just the muscle relaxer because my pain level is so far down. I can easily work and drive.
Frankly, I'm very surprised that Filler did not put me on them immediately. I would think that if a muscle is cut in half, it will flake out for a while. My pain level/discomfort went down dramatically with the Skelaxin. I don't want to be on it forever but when I spoke to him the other evening, he said he wanted me on them for about a month.
We are going on a cruise in mid-February and he wants me to take a steroid pack the week before. Hopefully, that will go ahead and completely chill the cut piriformis segments.
Tomorrow makes 2 months. I'm working full time, grocery shopping, helping around the house, going to see my son's sporting events, etc.. With the exception of yard work and workouts, life is rapidly coming back to order. I'm probably about 90% but I also recognize that this is achieved with some "band-aids"(muscle relaxers, one pain pill a day, Advil).
Hopefully, this next month will bring an end to my band-aids. I walked over a mile yesterday and I have no increased nerve pain but my butt is pretty sore. The good sore, at least I think. Also, I'm starting to sleep in longer. I actually slept for about 9 hours this weekend. It's been what feels like forever since I could do that.
Long post. Sorry.
Leesa, best of luck. We can't wait to hear from you. As I've said before, you're in very good hands.
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David,
That's terrific news and we're all so happy to hear that you're doing so much better! Thanks for letting us know. Messages like yours give the rest of us so much hope!
Margie
That's terrific news and we're all so happy to hear that you're doing so much better! Thanks for letting us know. Messages like yours give the rest of us so much hope!
Margie
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As I said in my last post you all are truly very kind. Thanks for all of your kind advice in regards to me feeling so sad for my 21 year old daughter. I am so thankful that I can follow your journey.
Leesa, Good luck today, although you won't see this till a later date, thanks for your posts as well. I hope you all have a super Tuesday.
Leesa, Good luck today, although you won't see this till a later date, thanks for your posts as well. I hope you all have a super Tuesday.
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Menzie,
Do not worry about making your daughter worse. The surgery is very minor in that he uses an arthroscope through a small incision to just clip away muscle your daughter will never know she no longer has. True, there is a chance it may not help, I think would be very reasonable to try, with very little risk of being left worse(except your pocketbook). Now when you start talking about spine fusions, disc surgery, hip replacements, etc.--those are major operations.
Leesa,
Hope you did well today. The anesthesia may leave you foggy headed for a few days but soon clears.
lhuggable
Do not worry about making your daughter worse. The surgery is very minor in that he uses an arthroscope through a small incision to just clip away muscle your daughter will never know she no longer has. True, there is a chance it may not help, I think would be very reasonable to try, with very little risk of being left worse(except your pocketbook). Now when you start talking about spine fusions, disc surgery, hip replacements, etc.--those are major operations.
Leesa,
Hope you did well today. The anesthesia may leave you foggy headed for a few days but soon clears.
lhuggable
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Lhuggable, so sorry you have gotten no results from your surgery. I was hoping you could take your wife out to dinner, drive and then sit through a movie. Is there amy chance that the cause of your pain is the spndylolisthesis. My understanding is that walking is the main problem with L4-5 spondylolisthesis rahter than sitting but you would know.
Are there any options left? Did Dr. Filler have any other opinions re: your pain if the surgery didn't work. Is it too soon to tell?
Shirley
Are there any options left? Did Dr. Filler have any other opinions re: your pain if the surgery didn't work. Is it too soon to tell?
Shirley
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David, you sound great to me--one advil a day is nothing and I imagine that the muscle spasming will let up once you are off the muscle relaxant in a month. Great news.
I am still petrified at having surgery but I am calling tomorrow re: the appointment for an thorough assessment.
Hope all went well with you, Leesa--I did think about you today and will be so interested to follow your recovery. I may be asking some questions before I go out to California. Thanks for the offer.
Shirley
I am still petrified at having surgery but I am calling tomorrow re: the appointment for an thorough assessment.
Hope all went well with you, Leesa--I did think about you today and will be so interested to follow your recovery. I may be asking some questions before I go out to California. Thanks for the offer.
Shirley
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I've had two surgeries with Dr. Filler: a piriformis release and then work on the obdurator nerve. I had selective pain relief after the first surgery in my TFL muscle but not in my gluteal muscles. The pain seemed to move lower and that motivated the second surgery. Last December, I saw Dr. Filler in his office (my son now lives in LA) and he suggested a third surgery. I ended up seeking a second opinion at UCSF from Dr. Line Jacques. She ordered a MRI neurogram, an EMG and nerve conduction study, and a dynamic ultrasound. I got the results this week. My sciatic nerve does not have any scar tissue, it is moving freely. Unfortunately, the EMG showed abnormal readings in a number of muscles which the neurologist says "provide evidence from chronic left L5 and S1 radiculopathies. There is no electrophysiologic evidence of a left sciatic neuropathy or lumbosacral radiculopathy." Dr. Jacques would like to refer me to a multi-disciplinary clinic that treats chronic pain. Unfortunately, there isn't anything like that in our region (Idaho). On the good side, I will not have to have another surgery. On the bad side, this is the end of the road for a surgical fix. I've lost my job. I live with constant pain, controlled to a degree by medications that have, at the same time, greatly decreased my ability to learn new things or make memories. I am so happy for people who get great results from a piriformis release surgery. But it isn't a magic bullet. I think that these very expensive tests can be a significant help in determining if surgery is the answer.
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Shirley,
I'm afraid it's 1 pain pill per day plus Advil. Very good but not quite yet to the 1 Advil stage. In fact, today was a down day. Which brings me to a question.
Dr. Huggable, or anyone else, can the intensity of nerve pain be a function of changes in weather? We just had another front blow through today and I flat sunk. Nerve pain in the left leg just went up a step change. The reason I ask is that I seem to have low days when our weather changes for the worst.
Just curious. Poor day today.
Prayers went out today Leesa.
Heading to bed. Hope all our well.
David
I'm afraid it's 1 pain pill per day plus Advil. Very good but not quite yet to the 1 Advil stage. In fact, today was a down day. Which brings me to a question.
Dr. Huggable, or anyone else, can the intensity of nerve pain be a function of changes in weather? We just had another front blow through today and I flat sunk. Nerve pain in the left leg just went up a step change. The reason I ask is that I seem to have low days when our weather changes for the worst.
Just curious. Poor day today.
Prayers went out today Leesa.
Heading to bed. Hope all our well.
David
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David,
I'm a believer in the "change of weather" theory. My pain is always worse when I'm cold. I've not had a doctor confirm this but for three years I was getting treatments from a guy who did neuromuscular rehabilitation (not sure what that really means but he helped me a lot!) and he was actually the one who told me not to let myself get chilled because it would intensify the pain. So STAY WARM!!
Margie
I'm a believer in the "change of weather" theory. My pain is always worse when I'm cold. I've not had a doctor confirm this but for three years I was getting treatments from a guy who did neuromuscular rehabilitation (not sure what that really means but he helped me a lot!) and he was actually the one who told me not to let myself get chilled because it would intensify the pain. So STAY WARM!!
Margie
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David, sorry I misunderstood you re: pain med.. Was this bad day the day after you walked over a mile. I willsometimes have reactions the day after I have done lots. It is hard for me to say about the cold as we have lots of cold and I guess I am so used to it that I don't noticed if it affects my pain.
I hope you go back to good days and the bad days keep getting less. It must be discouraging for you when you have one of these bad days. One more month to go before you are at the 3 month mark and hopefully things will be more improved by then. It muast feell like it is taking forever.
Off to bed.
Shirley
I hope you go back to good days and the bad days keep getting less. It must be discouraging for you when you have one of these bad days. One more month to go before you are at the 3 month mark and hopefully things will be more improved by then. It muast feell like it is taking forever.
Off to bed.
Shirley
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Hello all,
I'm hoping Leesa is resting well tonight and feeling positive about today's surgery!
Do you think it could be as simple as our muscles tensing in the cold...therefore it intensifies whatever is going on and causes more pain? I find myself spending way too much time standing infront of our woodstove everyday, it just feels so good!
Let's hope that tomorrow holds some magic for David and rest of us who are looking for some.
I'm scheduled for a sciatic notch injection and then a consult with Dr. Barbaro the following day. Things have finally settled down following the piriformis injection I had several weeks ago....I guess it needed to be tried.
Margie, did the gal you spoke with who had surgery say how long she had ps? I'm wondering if there is any correlation between surgery success rate and the length of time the nerve has been impinged..... I'm going to have many questions for Dr. B.
TAke care all, Sadie
I'm hoping Leesa is resting well tonight and feeling positive about today's surgery!
Do you think it could be as simple as our muscles tensing in the cold...therefore it intensifies whatever is going on and causes more pain? I find myself spending way too much time standing infront of our woodstove everyday, it just feels so good!
Let's hope that tomorrow holds some magic for David and rest of us who are looking for some.
I'm scheduled for a sciatic notch injection and then a consult with Dr. Barbaro the following day. Things have finally settled down following the piriformis injection I had several weeks ago....I guess it needed to be tried.
Margie, did the gal you spoke with who had surgery say how long she had ps? I'm wondering if there is any correlation between surgery success rate and the length of time the nerve has been impinged..... I'm going to have many questions for Dr. B.
TAke care all, Sadie
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Shirley,
I do hope it is too soon to definately know if the surgery helped. But with no change at all so far I would say the probability is decreased. Week 3 was better than usual, then the symptoms back to baseline. Today doing better than usual again (but I had good and bad weeks before the operation--so it is hard to tell yet.
I have not spoken with Dr. Filler since the operation. He came by in recovery post-op but I don't remember anything he said. He did call my wife at that timeand gave her the findings. He did not come by later that night after surgery or the next day when I went home, but honestly, he didn't really need to.
I was told I would get a follow-up call By Sheila at 2 weeks, then by Filler at 4 weeks. Sheila and I emailed once at 2 weeks but I never talked to her. At four weeks I called to check on the call from Filler and office said I had to make this arrangement and now it would be at least 2 weeks until I could talk with him, so I actually set it up for 4 more weeks since my symptoms were unchanged.
I do think my spodylolisthesis may have something to do with my burning pain in the foot and may be part of the problem (see my prior note on "double crush" type problems)) But I definately have a tender area at base of my buttox that I feel is related to sciatic nerve irritation in that area--just hope the surgery helped, but I don't regret trying either way.
Lhuggable
I do hope it is too soon to definately know if the surgery helped. But with no change at all so far I would say the probability is decreased. Week 3 was better than usual, then the symptoms back to baseline. Today doing better than usual again (but I had good and bad weeks before the operation--so it is hard to tell yet.
I have not spoken with Dr. Filler since the operation. He came by in recovery post-op but I don't remember anything he said. He did call my wife at that timeand gave her the findings. He did not come by later that night after surgery or the next day when I went home, but honestly, he didn't really need to.
I was told I would get a follow-up call By Sheila at 2 weeks, then by Filler at 4 weeks. Sheila and I emailed once at 2 weeks but I never talked to her. At four weeks I called to check on the call from Filler and office said I had to make this arrangement and now it would be at least 2 weeks until I could talk with him, so I actually set it up for 4 more weeks since my symptoms were unchanged.
I do think my spodylolisthesis may have something to do with my burning pain in the foot and may be part of the problem (see my prior note on "double crush" type problems)) But I definately have a tender area at base of my buttox that I feel is related to sciatic nerve irritation in that area--just hope the surgery helped, but I don't regret trying either way.
Lhuggable
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Sadie,
In reply to your question, I believe she told me she'd had PS for nine years prior to her surgery. I just emailed her this morning to confirm that and will let you know as soon as I hear back.
Glad to hear you're scheduled for the notch injection and consult. Things moved very quickly for me once I had the consult after my notch injection. Hopefully it will be the same for you. If he recommends the surgery, I would encourage you to talk to Mariann at his office and have her match you up with a previous patient like she did for me. It's been such an encouragement for me.
Margie
In reply to your question, I believe she told me she'd had PS for nine years prior to her surgery. I just emailed her this morning to confirm that and will let you know as soon as I hear back.
Glad to hear you're scheduled for the notch injection and consult. Things moved very quickly for me once I had the consult after my notch injection. Hopefully it will be the same for you. If he recommends the surgery, I would encourage you to talk to Mariann at his office and have her match you up with a previous patient like she did for me. It's been such an encouragement for me.
Margie
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