((((((Barnie)))))) <<-- those are hugs!!

Just wanted to welcome you!!

""7 days"" -- good grief -- that's way too soon to be feeling top-notch again

Any kind of surgery is an assault on the body. Sounds like what you've been through is "major league".

Have you tried sitting on pillows or on a "donut" (that's a round, inflatable 'thingy" that was designed for (I think) hemorrhoid pain, but it might help for "pain in the tail end" (donut cushion).

I remember I went back to work about 4 days after 8-hour laser surgery for endometriosis. I rode the bus to work and almost passed out from the pain. My doctor said "what the heck were you doing on the bus -- way too soon for that".

Same for you, sugar -- give yourself time to heal. Hugs (and welcome).

Barb.

Painfree has a good point...

Do check out the Levator Ani, Piriformis and Glutes!!

I have lumbar facet degeneration at L4, L5 and S1. All of this time I thought the lumbar was causing the problems "where it counts". And I was wrong! At least in my case anyway. Prior to finding this all out I was doing lumbar PT and some Kegel exercises. Talk about severe pain! My PT had me to stop immediately and get to my ob/gyn. My ob/gyn noted that I had a small rectocele. She, in turn, then sent me to a Urogynecologist who ran extensive testing. The bottom line...no pun intended is that while I do have a SMALL rectocele it should NOT cause pain. The REAL problem is the Levator Ani!!! This in turn links to to the piriformis, glutes and on and on it goes.

So, my Uro told me to get the lumbar straightened out first because pelvic PT can be extremely painful. And by this he meant, get some injections; anything to calm the lumbar nerves down. So, I did this. The injections worked and I could definitely isolate then that it was the pelvic floor.

Now, in two weeks I am to get the right side facet injections (my PM only did the left about two weeks ago). I have called the "PT Specialist", and trust me, there are not very many around that do this kind of specialized PT. So, I am waiting on a call from her to get started.

I take Klonopin for PN and for spasms but I was told I could add a LITTLE Valium when the spasms were bad in the pelvic area and backside. Not to be gross, but the pain is mostly in the rectum. So, last night I took about a quarter of a tablet of Valium and did it make a difference! I slept like a baby and the spasms were taken from a roar to just a slight ache. So, this tells me now, for sure, that it is NOT the lumbar causing this NOR my Sacrum (the sacral area is just fine on my MRI). It all has to do with a weak pelvic floor.

I know it is tough isolating all of this because the lower back, sacrum, nerves, pelvis all tie in together one way or another.

And, another thing I just read is that IF you have a pelvic floor problem, DO NOT SIT on a donut or a coccyx cushion! I had been doing this a lot and had all kinds of cushions around. I noticed though it made me feel worse. The article I read says that sitting on one of these cushions can actually make the pelvic floor muscles even weaker. However, I do realize that some people need them for surgery and things of that nature. So, I am not using them at all anymore until such time as I can get into PT and see how they are going to handle this and what their recommendations might be.

((((((Doody)))))),

One more thing to think about or to get checked out:

-- have a physical therapist check out the length of both of your legs.

In my case, one of mine is slightly shorter than the other. My son had been telling me for YEARS, I was "crooked". It can throw a lot of stress in the low back area. I have problems in L1-L2-L3-L4-L5 and L5 is fused to the pelvis. All of that causes havoc in that area 'cause you're not "balanced". I, too, get "****" pain when I sit too long -- especially on non-soft seats.

Good luck.

Barb

I second the reply post asking if you have been checked for Tarlov or other spinal cysts. Have you gotten a high resolution lumbosacral MRI with contrast?

These cysts are often ignored or overlooked by doctors and can cause tailbone bone pain. If you are diagnosed with Tarlov cysts, there's a separate forum section of NeuroTalk under Other Disieases>Tarlov Cysts.

Hello corsair6477,
Welcome to the NeuroTalk Support Groups.

Here is the direct link to the forum that TomatoGirl has mentioned.

Tarlov Cyst Forum

all the best.
I hope you find some answers and are feeling better soon.

I had a hysterectomy with repair of a rectocele in May. Since this surgery I have been having muscles spasms at the very end of my tail bone.

This does not have anything to do with sitting. The pain always occurs at night and wakes me out of sleep. If I put pressure at the end of the coccyx it helps, but if I try and get up out of bed I can not even stand.

I have a feeling it is associated with my surgery. The prolapsed rectum that I had was not corrected completely and am still having issues with my bm coming down into the space between the **** and vagina. My GYN admits that this area is still weak even with his surgery.

Could this be what is causing my muscle spasms and if so how do I correct it without another surgery?

((((((Paula)))))),

I don't have any experience with any of the conditions that you've been dealing with.

But, it sounds to me like: (1) something is lined up incorrectly when you're laying down in bed; or (2) when you press in that area either the pressure is lining 'things' back up again or maybe the pressure is causing a sensation that overrides the sense of pain.

I've heard that it can take up to a year to get back your 'old self' after major surgery -- time for all the nerves to heal and the damage to the muscles to heal. Only five months since surgery, that's not very long

Why didn't he finish the repair?? Seems to me you're still having the pressure of the BM in an area where the pressure doesn't belong.

As I said, I don't know a thing about any of these 'conditions'. I'm wondering, though, why you think a 'defect' can be fixed without more surgery I can understanding perfectly WHY you don't want more surgery

You might want to also join up with HysterSisters http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/showthread.php?t=80081 since they DO have experience with exactly what you're facing.

You might also want to post your message in one or all of these places:

Women's Health
Chronic Pain forum

Also, in the Chronic Pain forum, there is an active thread entitled What can we use for pain caused by compressed or damaged nerves?? that you might find helpful.

Well, Paula, I wish you were here to pick up your Halloween candy -->> , instead of coming here because of lack of sleep and intolerable pain.



Welcome to NeuroTalk. Sometimes, just knowing that someone's listening also helps. I hope you can find someone that can give you much better advice than I can. And, I hope you get your miracle too.

Hugs.

Barb

Paula,

I don't have any experience with surgery but DO have minor, prolapsed rectocele and cystocele along with lumbar/sacral problems and and a fractured coccyx (never knew I had it). Anyway, what helped was pelvic floor PT. Ask your Gyn about it. It helped me considerably with all kinds of pain and spasms! I was and am still completely amazed at how much it helped. You wouldn't believe the how all those muscles connect and some of it was caused by nerve damage from the lumbar/sacral area.

BUT...it might be way too early just yet. I want to ask too...is there a puncture wound of sorts near your tailbone area? My mom had this surgery done to fix a cystocele and couldn't sit down for quite a long time. Evidently, they had to go in from the backside to do some "attaching". But I would say in a couple of months she was much better.

Oops, should have added that I had a hysterectomy back in 2000. So, these things happen...repair work I mean.

Anyway, I asked my Urogynecologist if, because of the rectocele, the BM sort of gets stuck in that pocket (You know what I am speaking of and sorry for being so graphic) if that would put pressure on the coccyx. He said yes. So, the only thing I could do before I went into PT was to make sure I took in plenty of fluids and used a stool softener when needed. And, really, since PT I haven't had near the issues I was having. But I would think your gyn is right...the area is still just probably weak and tender. But seriously, check into the Pelvic Floor PT when you get a chance. And by the way, it takes a specialist to do this; they are few and far between but it worked for me. Hang in there and I hope this all gets better!

I have the same problem that you had. I woke up one morning at the end of March 2012 hurting. Over time it got worse. They did X-Rays and said everything was fine. I finally got them to do a MRI but they did it of my lower back, not my tailbone. I got 3 epidural steroid shots.......the first 2 helped........the 3rd made it all come back plus lower back pain. My new doctor is going to give me an ozone shot and see if that helps. I honestly don't know what to do. Extreme pain and no idea why

I'm not sure how to return a reply, so here goes!
I am 67 yrs. old with a diagnosis of SEVERE DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS (L3-S1) lumbar Three-four, four-five, five-sirenol one ???? Not really sure what all that means except that I'm in a lot of pain. I know this has been developing all my life, but now it has caught up with me. I recently, pushed myself building a new fence on my property and used my back incorrectly which laid me up for 2 months so far. I had an X-Ray and an open MRI. All of this just told the doctors I was getting old and had stenosis of certain vertabraes. Just as I was feeling better, I fell backwards landing on my tailbone across a cement step (all 250 lbs.). I have been taking Naproxen 500mg and Bayer Back and Body OTC. I take them independently of each other. I will switch from one to the other. The doc gave me Prednisone but it made me very drowsy? Before I fell, I was going to a chiropractor with some good results, but then I fell on my tailbone. He said to continue with Naproxen, Bayer and ice packs. I decided to purchase do-nut cushions and this has helped.
MY QUESTION IS: DO YOU THINK BECAUSE OF AGE AND DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS....my tailbone will not heal properly?
I have read many post and I am really sorry to read about people of all ages that are in so much pain with out any relief. It's really heart breaking..I am really sorry, especially for the young people. They haven't even had a chance to enjoy a pain-free life.
Thank you in advance to all!