More on Piriformis Syndrome

I have now had two steroid injections into the piriformis. The first one was great and I felt normal for a short time. The second time, the radiologist managed to hit the sciatic nerve and that was a bit disastrous. I completely lost any feeling in my right leg. I couldn’t believe that the hospital let me go. They just told me  to be careful. But the leg wouldn’t take any weight and it felt like my knee was going to bend backwards…my husband had to get me out of the car and to the bottom of the stairs and he hurt his shoulder. I had to climb up the stairs on my bum and for the rest of the day, I had to ask for help to move. It was unbelievable.

The next morning there was still parts of my foot that were “frozen”. And the sciatic nerve was really irritated. Totally different. It took about a week for the irritation to go away but the piriformis is still hinkey although it is better. On Sunday Oct 11 the muscle went into spasm and would not stop. Horrible. The next day, the leg was so fatigued I couldn’t walk around the block. It’s coming and going which I’m grateful for. Before it was spasming all the time.

I saw Dr. Devonshire on Friday and she agreed that it was time to do the Botox. At least there will be a more lasting effect. I asked her what would happen if the nerve got hit again and she said that it would stop the pain fibers which is all right by me.

I have had tremendous relief from the lift in my shoe. I also had the left shoe built up all along the bottom. It is unbelievable what a difference this has made. Physio said that my leg length discrepancy was only seen on standing. Anyway, the lift puts me back in a more neutral alignment. That translates into less pain. All of a sudden I am standing straight. It’s so strange. I have exercises to do to strengthen the surrounding muscles (first stretched the piriformis but now it’s good). And we’re trying to move the ribs separate from the hips. I have been locked for a long, long time so even being able to do the side bend and move the ribs separately is a huge big deal. I”m just watching the end ranges of movement. Also strengthening proximal hamstrings. Amazing how those little things are so hard to do. One day I expect to get back on that reformer. I’m also doing the elliptical everyday or walking.

Pain Control, Pilates Reformer and Recovery

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Unilateral Work and Scoliosis

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Pain Control, Pilates Reformer and Recovery

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Is the short spine really an option for someone who has had an L5/S1 microdiscectomy?

Good News but more Magnesium Citrate :-(

Had a second x-ray. Really started cramping and my doc wants me to see a surgeon. YUK! Went to see her again because nothing from the surgeon – I could sit her forever in pain waiting. Because of the cramping now she was able to give me meds that have helped tremendously.

The second x-ray totally ruled out a blockage which is fantastic. Still wants me to see a surgeon. Could be twisting in the lower colon from the surgery I had in 1994…

Ordered a second purge and clear fluids though to clean out the colon. Still too much stuff hanging in there. Have to contact the neurosurgeon now to make sure it’s not the result of complications for the Laminectomy…

Contrast MRI

Tomorrow I’ll fill you in on the results from the Contast MRI. 4 pages and not all of it as expected. However, I need to rest now. So more tomorrow…

You know, a radiologist isn’t just some joker off the street. They have to go to school for 12 years to do the specialty. And my neurosurgeon doesn’t agree with the radiologist. I wonder how he’d feel if it were the other way around. I, for one, do not believe it. Especially when the radiologist is confirming what I am feeling.

I have to get the files. But when I sat there in the neurosurgeon’s office, I thought to myself, “I don’t care what he thinks or says. I’m not having another surgery until the pain is so bad that I don’ t have a choice.” I could run out now and get a second opinion but so what? The only result would be yet another surgery. I’m sure the day will come when I don’t have a choice and I feel that I do have one now.

I am able to 45min one day of the elliptical and 30 minutes the next for 6/7 days. Each day I start out that way and then I do either one hour on the mat or one hour of the reformer. When I finish that, I do some stretching or yoga.

I manage my pain with the MS Contin and the dilaudid. AND the Arthrotec which may be gone. I am still not feeling well after the purging so I don’t think we’ve come to the bottom of this yet. Without the Arthrotec movement is much more difficult.

I also have managed my weight through Weight Watchers and the exercise. I have lost 15 pounds that I put on slowly as my level of activity decreased because my level of pain was increasing.

Pain Medication Can Catch You Unaware

As much as I have tried to keep my pain medication down to a reasonable level- I am taking 60 mg of MS Contin twice a day and the very occasional 4mg dilaudid- I have failed to control the constipation. I’ve been feeling nauseated for about a month. Thought it was the flu. Hate going to the doctor for every little ache and pain so didn’t. But my stomach or rather lower bowel was very sore and there was a lot of pressure right around my belly button. It finally got so bad that on Monday I went to see the doctor. My regular wasn’t in but the very nice man I saw thought it was an emergency so that’s where he sent me. He thought it possible that I had an ulcer that had perforated.

I spent almost 5 hours in deplorable conditions that Lion’s Gate calls Emergency. They took my blood and after 4 hours took a urine sample. That’s about the same time I saw the doctor. The machine to analyze the urine was broken so it had to be sent to the lab which would take 2 hours. I was examined (not as thoroughly as I was by the clinic doctor) and told that this was not an emergency situation. Didn’t know what it was but didn’t think it was an emergency. So I said – so it’s the flu? No. He sent me back to my doctor and not tomorrow…I was in a lot of pain.

Got to Be Careful

Well, I was doing not too badly for my back lately. Not totally without pain but still feeling pretty good. Especially after recovering from that yoga. Whew! That took a long time.

So I have been doing the elliptical and trading off one day of Pilates Matwork with one day of Pilates Reformer. I always do my yoga stretches or a 20 minute routine from the yoga-download podcast. That is nice for variety.

Anyway, I have been having a real sore stomach and I’m afraid I’m getting an ulcer from the anti inflammatories. That is really scary because I don’t know how I will manage without them. But I guess that is not the point. First got to find out what is causing the stomachaches… Lots of fun. Haha. Not really.

The other day I thought I would do the Reformer Jumpboard routine for something different. Not a good idea. What can I say? I should know better.

Tomorrow I see Dr. Gul about my MRI. Boy, I have never been claustrophobic before. I always thought it was mind over matter. But I couldn’t get it together. I managed to get by by thinking of my sister, Joan. I knew she wouldn’t let anything happen to me and I just imagined her there. Like she was so many times in Holland for all the tests I had to go through.

Doing the Elliptical Again

Although I’m still feeling pain the lower back region on certain moves I cannot tell if it is muscle or something else. So I did some exercise to see if I noticed any problems. On the elliptical I was able to do 45 minutes without pain. A few days again I couldn’t do 5 minutes. So that’s an improvement.

I also did some exercises from the Intermediate Reformer Repetoire. I did not do the Short or Long Spine. I also didn’t do the Hawk or the Arrow. I decided not to do the Hamstring Pulls or the Clam and variations. I think that perhaps my quadratus lumborum has been strained and perhaps the iliopsoas. Not sure. But I get tweeks in those areas on some movements.

I did some stretching afterwards. Really tight hamstrings which is very unusual for me. So something is causing those hamstrings to work.

I went for a walk because darn it, it was so beautiful and sunny out. I picked up a muffin and went and sat at the top of the Zig Zag (Margaret Ashdown) Park. It was great. I just sat on the bench, ate my muffin and enjoyed the view. Very nice.

Unfortunately the walk wasn’t all that pleasant because my back was really sore. Had a hard time holding myself upright. Great.

Slept really well so today is a new day. I feel pretty good but I can tell my low back is gonna be a problem. It’s already fatigued. I’m off to do 3o minutes on the Elliptical and the level 1 Ball Pilates if I get the green light from my body. After that, it is off to Spanish class for two hours. Sitting that long will be interesting.