Piriformis release surgery, discussion and information

I`ve had SEVERE nerve pain in my buttocks on both sides for several years! Mostly one side at a time but at times both sides at the same time.Sometimes it literally brings me to tears. It has completely taken me from extremely active to almost non-active. I`ve been getting injections for 6 months with maybe 5-7 days relief per injection. The pain is terrible in my butt and usually (but not always) SHOOTS down my leg to my foot. I`ve been told that my Acetabular Labrum is torn on the left hip and to have surgery. How do I get these doctor`s to see that it`s something more?! AND, will this surgery help with the Piriformis muscle/Sciatic Nerve pain?

Shirley:

Yep, my mom left and it's going pretty good. I'm stocked up on most everything so I don't need to do any major shopping and have just been running quick errands here and there. Staying close to home of course. I walked around 5 blocks yesterday which increased my pain slightly but recovered from it after a few hours of resting after. I so want to be able to get back to my normal life but will continue to ease back in slowly.

I hope if you're not feeling up to it you ask your friend to take a rain check...or order in! Take it easy.

Leesa

Hi Leesa,

I've been reading back over some of the posts. I noticed on 2/14 you mentioned that you received little relief from the injections. Just for curiousity...... did you have a conclusive MRN, did you have the piriformis muscle and/or sciatic notch injection, and how long did any relief last from the injections?

I'm still sorting things out, am now learning about the world of tarlov cysts.....anyone know anything?

thanks, Sadie

Hey all,

Question for the ladies: did you find that your pain got worse with your period. I'm obviously asking this because I think that is what is causing my latest flare up.

Hugs to everyone,

Julie

Sadie:

I did have a conclusive MRN and the piriformis injection. The relief started around 14 days after the injection and took my pain level down around 1 level up until the time I had surgery, around 2 months total.

The MNR also showed I have a cyst at S1 or S5 (can't remember at the moment) but I don't know if it is a tarlov cyst or what. Dr. Filler didn't seem too concerened about it.

Hope someone else can give you some info.

Leesa

Julie:

My period makes everything worse LOL (sorry men!!). There are times when my legs ache a few days before but not consistently so I don't know how much of this is PS related. Since my PS is/was (?) only on one side and BOTH my legs ache during this time I doubt it's related.

Leesa

Julie,

Strange thing with me was that my period completely stopped during those two years. Since I'm in my mid 40ies, I just figured I was going through menopause. However, starting the month right after surgery I started up again and have been regular since then. Not necessarily my favorite result of surgery, but the trade off has been worth is.

Donna

Julie, my sciatic pain was always worse right before and during my period. Sheila, Fillers NP said it was from inflammation the body has during that time of the month ? She is big on inflammation causing pain. HG 8)

Hi everyone. I had my 3 week follow up appointment with Dr. Filler today. He's not exactly timely, my appt was at 4 and I saw him at 6. Anyway, he said the incision looks good. I did tell him that increasing my activity has increased my pain and he told me to continue to take it easy for another week and a half then to return to work and my normal activities and see how it goes. He's still optomistic that I will have a full recovery. Overall, still doing very good on this end. I may have pushed it a bit too much over the past couple of days but now I know to continue to take it slow. Already knew that but need to be reminded! He perscribed a steriod pack which I will start tomorrow.

Hope you are all doing as good as you can be.

Leesa

Glad to hear your appt. went well. We were to have a phone consult at 5:oopm on 2-20-08 for my daughter and it never happened. Needless to say we both sat from 4:50-10:00 in anticipation and then hysteria set in because we were hoping it would bring us closer to the answer in getting her fixed. Watching a young woman full of life slowly disappear makes driving over a cliff easy. I am not sure what to do now. I did email and got a response from Dr. Filler at 1:40am on 2-21-08, saying he was told her pain distribution forms were not in. Well they were there on 24th for our phone consult with Sheila when they were training Ever. On Monday the 18th they called my house and wanted to know if we could reschedule my daughter told them to call me, they said to her no, the Wednesday appt will stand. So we counted on them, feeling slightly off balance right now, and very happy for you. Menzie

Forgot to say I am on the West Coast time, so our time and Filler time is the same.:-)

Menzie:

That is horrible, really. If I were you, I'd call first thing this morning and keep redialing until you get someone and when you do, give them all you've got. That is just unacceptable. I belive Dr. Filler is a good doctor but I must say after my 2 hour wait last night, your story and the fact that there was another woman in the waiting room that was flat out on the couch for 2+ hours waiting for her time with Dr. Filler in horrible pain while I was there yesterday really ticks me off. I know doctors overbook patients and that it is standard practice but it's just not right at all. And for you to be ignored completely is beyond.

I'm done ranting. Please call them first thing this morning. I get the "cliff" option but it's not an option. You and your daughter must keep trying to find an answer. There is one.

Leesa

Menzie,

So sorry to hear that your appointment time didn't work out. I know how you feel. for my 6 week phone appointment, he was to have called at 6 pm...I was in a meeting that we finished in anticipation of the call. I waited until 10pm and no call. Later I was told he tried to call and couldn't get through, which is a possibility when calling Honduras. He rescheduled for the next week and even then was about an hour late with the call.

Please don't give up. Even though the cliff option may sound easier, don't let yourself or your daughter think that way. We're all here for you and we're pulling for you to find an answer. I agree with Leesa, keep on the phone until you get an answer. You need to talk with Dr. Filler and you need to hear the answers he has for you.

Hugs
Donna

Menzie...UGH! I was thinking of you and your daughter because I knew that your phone consult was coming up and I am so frustrated that it didn't happen. I remember how devastated your daughter was when she found out that she would have to wait so long just to have the phone consult...and then for it not to happen...that is so frustrating. As patients, especially patients in significant pain, these appointments, whether by phone or in person, are SO important and I am just so sorry that it didn't happen.

I'm with Leesa, get on the phone and just keep on it until this is resolved.

I'm 28 years old (this started when I was 27, a year ago) and I wanted to let you know that I feel for your daughter and know that having chronic pain at a young age is remarkably hard. We have so many plans, are ready to get our lives started...we're supposed to still be young and stupid and it's unfair that she has to go through this at such a young age. Please let her know that I'm in the boat with her and am sending her many hugs and encouragement. She is so lucky to have such a supportive mom. Without the support of our families, this would be so much harder.

Just asking, but is she on anything to control her pain? I just started taking meds for this over the past month and it really has improved my quality of life. I hate that I'm 28 and taking pain meds, but at the same time there is just no reason to suffer. For me, it makes getting up in the morning and facing another day of this a lot more tolerable simply because I know that I'm not going to have to suffer through the day. Pain meds suck...but help...especially during the time when you are searching for the answer. I take them always keeping in mind that I will come off of them when I'm better. But for now, it's okay and I'm okay (for the most part!)

Please keep us posted on how it goes with Filler. I want so much for you to have that phone consult and get closer to the solution. I will be crossing my fingers and toes for the both of you.

Take care,
Julie

Thank you all so much, I totally appreciate all your advice. I generally try to be upbeat, but when you are counting the seconds for something so important, and then for it not to happen, it was just awfull watching my daughters anticipation droop to despair.

I emailed every email address I had and Dr. Filler emailed me back at 1:44 am 2-21 west coast time. Said he was told the appt was postponed because the pain papers weren't in. He was sorry. I immediately emailed back explaining that all the pain surveys were in because I had the phone follow up with Sheila when Ever was in his training on 24th.

I then called in and talked to office girl and explained the whole thing, she said that we had to fill out a pain form. I explained that we had, she said no, you have to have two in, I then said I did, because we went over both pain logs with Sheila on the phone. Then she said we needed a third. I told her that no where in any paper work did it mention 3 nor was I given 3. I told her that I was upset to say that it sounded like someone dropped the ball. All of the paper work I have states a 48 hour log, then a 2 week log after injections. I also said since you guys called us on Monday, that if indeed something was missing we should have known at that time, to prevent any delays. I told her to fax me a third, and to schedule a phone consult for this Friday, 2-22-08.

My daughter is now thinking maybe they are quacks. I explained the office people are definately unique in their style, but thank goodness they are not the ones doing the surgery. It's funny how out of touch some brilliant people can be. When we waited from 8:00am (our appt time) to 2:00 in the office on the wonderful blue couches, I really had a chance to observe the front office. I know it must be a hard job dealing with pain all day, but thing could definately be run more efficiently.

My daughter has taken Lyraca, neurontin, Percs, Oxy, and cymbalta. Cymbalta was harder to wean off than decreasing from narcotics. She now only takes 20 x2 oxy 300x3 each day. Nothing works for the pain so we figure she just needs to get off of them. Ibuprofen and Tyl do more. Narcotics wreak havoc on her body. Well, thanks again, I thank you all for your updates, you are empowering others by your progress. Talk to you soon. I truly hope the dr. call as I was told 2-22-08. :-)