Post by salda on Jul 16, 2016 21:02:45 GMT -6
So, I didn't really start researching my condition until after surgery and I came across this forum. I see there are lots of people who have had complications or have not recovered to the extent that they would have liked. I wanted to share my experience in order to provide hope for all suffering from these little bad boys.
I started noticing pain in my left hip upon waking up about two years ago. I just attributed it to aging (41 at the time), some type of injury, just something random. Always been active and had injuries for one reason or another, so no biggie.
About a a year ago, I started noticing more symptoms. Most notably, weird muscle strain in the left buttocks when raking, throwing my kids around, and other odd movements. Again, no biggie, just take it easy and let the body heal. By this time, though, I couldn't sleep on either side or my stomach. Always been a stomach sleeper. I attributed this to the new foam mattress we had bought, my wife wanted a firm mattress and again, I just figured my body would adapt.
By Sept/Oct, 2015 things were starting to progress. The pain in my left hip was really starting to become bothersome, and the pain would move, in my lower back one day, hip the next. I went a saw a chiropractor who took x-rays and said that there was some curvature in the spine and uneven hips. He laid out a treatment plan and I was fully committed. After about 7 visits, when we didn't see much improvement, he referred me to his partner in the same office stating maybe a different technique would work. I faithfully held to my visits, never missing one. Finally, the chiropractors were at a loss and suggested an MRI of my pelvis.
MRI showed mild tronchatic bursitis in the left hip. Everybody was focused on the hip/pelvis region since that's where the pain originated. Now on to an ortho for steroid shots in the bursa sac. Got my first injection and had 30 days of bliss, no pain. Then, it came back worse. i started back to the gym. Strengthening and stretching my core and leg muscles. I would experience a week here or there of being pain free, but nothing long term and I could never recreate whatever seemed to relieve the pain.
My primary Dr tried trigger point injections, anti-inflammatory med, muscle relaxers. He even pulled me off testosterone thinking it was causing the issues. (My T levels were on the high side, but, c'mon, really?)
By March/April of this year, I was really starting to get desperate. The pain had increased to the point that daily activities were becoming difficult. I would get sudden spasms/cramps in my legs that would make me want to cry. I would have to close my eyes and find an inner peace until they subsided. I was miserable.
I made an appointment with my wife's primary Dr, but being a new patient, that appt was 6 weeks out. That was a long 6 weeks. In the meantime, I tried whatever I could to find relief. Saw a well respected acupuncture Dr who said he would have me fixed after about 4-5 visits. The process itself wasn't painful, but after laying on my stomach for an extended period of time, I could barely get up! One visit I walked out barefoot because I couldn't bend over to put my shoes on! After 3 visits, I knew that wasn't the solution.
Finally, the visit to the new Dr was arriving. A few days before, though, the pain was so bad, I just couldn't stand it. Wife and the rest of the family said I needed to go to ER. Went to ER, diagnosed as sciatica, got shot up with Dilaudid, came home and slept good, but woke up to pain again the next morning. I was in tears!
I finally got in to see the new primary Dr. After listening to my experience and reviewing my records, she immediately ordered an MRI of the lumbar area. Came back showing a small bulge in the disc at L4-L5, but there was a nice white mass at L1. Ordered another MRI with dye (can't remember exact name) to get a better look at the mass. By this time, there had been three other ER visits (2 in an ambulance) all with same results, shoot you up with narcotics, give you an Rx and send you on your merry way.
Once the the results of the 2nd MRI came in, things started moving fast. Dr tried to get me into see a NS, but for one reason or another, couldn't make it work. Moved onto the 2nd option and got in within 2 or 3 days. In the meantime, I had heard from 2 others independent sources that this was the NS I needed to see in the first place. The NS came in, showed us the MRI and explained that it had to come out ASAP. By this time, I'm barely able to walk with a walker, missing work and hopped up on narcotics and muscle relaxers. One thing to mention, I could always gain relief with a hot shower on my lower back. Sometimes, I would take 3 or 4 showers a night!
So NS wants to schedule me for surgery the NEXT DAY, but I'm on Meloxicam, so he doesn't want to operate while my blood is thinned. Schedules me for the next week and pulls me off the Meloxicam.
That was probably the longest week of my life. I lived in my recliner receiving regular doses of meds from my family caretakers. When I wasn't in the chair, I was in the shower. Getting up or sitting down from the chair sent the most intense pain down my left leg, pain unlike any other I'd felt. Only two days before surgery did we figure out that if two people eased me up or down, there was little to no pain. That coupled with the spasms and I was ready for a bullet to the head.
At last, the day of surgery arrived. My pain was so bad, I couldn't get up onto the bed as the nurses were trying to prep me. It was horrible, they just couldn't understand why I was in so much pain! Finally get rolled into the OR and they start to recline the bed flat. I hadn't laid flat in 3 weeks. Got to about 20 degrees and I said that's as far as you're taking me. Anesthesiologist says, no prob, we'll put you under. So, they knock me out. Come to find out (I had a buddy who was the surgical tech), even after they knocked me out, I was still in intense pain. I was gripping the rails of the bed and biting my lip as they were trying to move me to the operating table. Anesthesiologist had to bump up the dose and take me further down.
2 hours later, I wake up in my room. NS was going to try and cut the tumor off the nerve, but it had encased itself and he said the nerve was probably too damaged anyway. Cut out the ends of the nerve at the mass and sewed me up. Luckily, that seemed to be a minor sensation nerve. I've suffered no loss of muscle movement or sensation (at least not yet.) Was told to expect a killer headache with loss of spinal fluid, just had a minor one on day 2 thankfully. Couple of cups of coffee and some meds took care of that.
I am now 2-1/2 weeks post op. NS just cleared me to resume life, albeit at a controlled pace. Actually went to the gym this morning and had a nice, light workout. I've got some weird muscle sensations in my right hamstring, but nothing I can't live with. Trying to ween myself off painkillers has been the hardest part, I don't need them anymore, but it's causing some dependence and depression. If you have surgery, be prepared for some depression, research it so you can look for signs. It is real and most Dr's will not warn you about it (or even acknowledge it.)
After reading other experiences, I count myself privileged that my surgery and recovery have gone so smoothly. I'm not on here to gloat, but again, give others hope. When you are diagnosed correctly, there may be problems afterwards, but why worry about what you can't control or has not happened yet?
One last thing, if you are in Oklahoma, Qualls Stevens was the NS. He is the guy you want.
I started noticing pain in my left hip upon waking up about two years ago. I just attributed it to aging (41 at the time), some type of injury, just something random. Always been active and had injuries for one reason or another, so no biggie.
About a a year ago, I started noticing more symptoms. Most notably, weird muscle strain in the left buttocks when raking, throwing my kids around, and other odd movements. Again, no biggie, just take it easy and let the body heal. By this time, though, I couldn't sleep on either side or my stomach. Always been a stomach sleeper. I attributed this to the new foam mattress we had bought, my wife wanted a firm mattress and again, I just figured my body would adapt.
By Sept/Oct, 2015 things were starting to progress. The pain in my left hip was really starting to become bothersome, and the pain would move, in my lower back one day, hip the next. I went a saw a chiropractor who took x-rays and said that there was some curvature in the spine and uneven hips. He laid out a treatment plan and I was fully committed. After about 7 visits, when we didn't see much improvement, he referred me to his partner in the same office stating maybe a different technique would work. I faithfully held to my visits, never missing one. Finally, the chiropractors were at a loss and suggested an MRI of my pelvis.
MRI showed mild tronchatic bursitis in the left hip. Everybody was focused on the hip/pelvis region since that's where the pain originated. Now on to an ortho for steroid shots in the bursa sac. Got my first injection and had 30 days of bliss, no pain. Then, it came back worse. i started back to the gym. Strengthening and stretching my core and leg muscles. I would experience a week here or there of being pain free, but nothing long term and I could never recreate whatever seemed to relieve the pain.
My primary Dr tried trigger point injections, anti-inflammatory med, muscle relaxers. He even pulled me off testosterone thinking it was causing the issues. (My T levels were on the high side, but, c'mon, really?)
By March/April of this year, I was really starting to get desperate. The pain had increased to the point that daily activities were becoming difficult. I would get sudden spasms/cramps in my legs that would make me want to cry. I would have to close my eyes and find an inner peace until they subsided. I was miserable.
I made an appointment with my wife's primary Dr, but being a new patient, that appt was 6 weeks out. That was a long 6 weeks. In the meantime, I tried whatever I could to find relief. Saw a well respected acupuncture Dr who said he would have me fixed after about 4-5 visits. The process itself wasn't painful, but after laying on my stomach for an extended period of time, I could barely get up! One visit I walked out barefoot because I couldn't bend over to put my shoes on! After 3 visits, I knew that wasn't the solution.
Finally, the visit to the new Dr was arriving. A few days before, though, the pain was so bad, I just couldn't stand it. Wife and the rest of the family said I needed to go to ER. Went to ER, diagnosed as sciatica, got shot up with Dilaudid, came home and slept good, but woke up to pain again the next morning. I was in tears!
I finally got in to see the new primary Dr. After listening to my experience and reviewing my records, she immediately ordered an MRI of the lumbar area. Came back showing a small bulge in the disc at L4-L5, but there was a nice white mass at L1. Ordered another MRI with dye (can't remember exact name) to get a better look at the mass. By this time, there had been three other ER visits (2 in an ambulance) all with same results, shoot you up with narcotics, give you an Rx and send you on your merry way.
Once the the results of the 2nd MRI came in, things started moving fast. Dr tried to get me into see a NS, but for one reason or another, couldn't make it work. Moved onto the 2nd option and got in within 2 or 3 days. In the meantime, I had heard from 2 others independent sources that this was the NS I needed to see in the first place. The NS came in, showed us the MRI and explained that it had to come out ASAP. By this time, I'm barely able to walk with a walker, missing work and hopped up on narcotics and muscle relaxers. One thing to mention, I could always gain relief with a hot shower on my lower back. Sometimes, I would take 3 or 4 showers a night!
So NS wants to schedule me for surgery the NEXT DAY, but I'm on Meloxicam, so he doesn't want to operate while my blood is thinned. Schedules me for the next week and pulls me off the Meloxicam.
That was probably the longest week of my life. I lived in my recliner receiving regular doses of meds from my family caretakers. When I wasn't in the chair, I was in the shower. Getting up or sitting down from the chair sent the most intense pain down my left leg, pain unlike any other I'd felt. Only two days before surgery did we figure out that if two people eased me up or down, there was little to no pain. That coupled with the spasms and I was ready for a bullet to the head.
At last, the day of surgery arrived. My pain was so bad, I couldn't get up onto the bed as the nurses were trying to prep me. It was horrible, they just couldn't understand why I was in so much pain! Finally get rolled into the OR and they start to recline the bed flat. I hadn't laid flat in 3 weeks. Got to about 20 degrees and I said that's as far as you're taking me. Anesthesiologist says, no prob, we'll put you under. So, they knock me out. Come to find out (I had a buddy who was the surgical tech), even after they knocked me out, I was still in intense pain. I was gripping the rails of the bed and biting my lip as they were trying to move me to the operating table. Anesthesiologist had to bump up the dose and take me further down.
2 hours later, I wake up in my room. NS was going to try and cut the tumor off the nerve, but it had encased itself and he said the nerve was probably too damaged anyway. Cut out the ends of the nerve at the mass and sewed me up. Luckily, that seemed to be a minor sensation nerve. I've suffered no loss of muscle movement or sensation (at least not yet.) Was told to expect a killer headache with loss of spinal fluid, just had a minor one on day 2 thankfully. Couple of cups of coffee and some meds took care of that.
I am now 2-1/2 weeks post op. NS just cleared me to resume life, albeit at a controlled pace. Actually went to the gym this morning and had a nice, light workout. I've got some weird muscle sensations in my right hamstring, but nothing I can't live with. Trying to ween myself off painkillers has been the hardest part, I don't need them anymore, but it's causing some dependence and depression. If you have surgery, be prepared for some depression, research it so you can look for signs. It is real and most Dr's will not warn you about it (or even acknowledge it.)
After reading other experiences, I count myself privileged that my surgery and recovery have gone so smoothly. I'm not on here to gloat, but again, give others hope. When you are diagnosed correctly, there may be problems afterwards, but why worry about what you can't control or has not happened yet?
One last thing, if you are in Oklahoma, Qualls Stevens was the NS. He is the guy you want.
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