Pudendal Nerve Decompression Surgery - post surgery recovery

[adg1403]

Hi Jacko

Yes, my operation was done on the NHS.

Thanks for your best wishes.

Regards,

Andrew

[peaches]

Hi Andrew and everyone else.

I've not been on the site for some months now but happy to be back. I too have a height adjustable desk and an Orangebox Giro chair that Dr Greenslade recommended and my employers paid for the equipment. I also got additional help with the cost via the Access to Works scheme were your employer can claim about two third of the cost of any equipment you need to stay at work. This was 2.5 years ago and I'm not sure if this initiative has been axed under the cuts in the UK, but may be worth Gooleing. However, I've now just recentlyhas some bad luck and have been made redundant. Big blow for me as I'm also in Admin/PA and not sure now I will get an office job again with my disability. I keep applying and have made an offer to my employers and purchased the desk and chair as part of my redunancy, so I now have these at home to take somewhere else, but it's hard as I'm not able to do temping jobs like I have done in the past and there is not much part time out there. So I've joined the ranks of the great unemployed.

Anyway my PN seems to be staying reasonably under control with the meds, if I don't break the rules. I've been trying a pressure cushion (you know the ones - waffle cushion - inflatable with holes in it). It seems to redistribute my weight more evenly on my pelvis and I'm finding, strangly enough that this is working!

I'm glad Andrew that you have got back to work and have been following your progress since your surgery. I do contemplate going down this route sometimes, but still have doubts. I just wondered if you had any regrets about having surgery?

Anyway Happy Easter to all of you everywhere.

[helenlegs 11]

Hello everyone,
Glad to here that your recovery has at least allowed you to return to work Andrew, good news, as long as you really listen to what is going on with your pain and monitor your progress. My problem being that I would just do that one more thing then two Take tons of care.
Peaches I am SO sorry to here about your redundancy, AAArgh, I can relate as we are a similar age etc, OK I'm older!! but getting another job is a tricky task just now.
When I was made redundant I had been told that I had a pelvic soft tissue injury which would get better, so I did go to the job centre and tried my best, but there are just so many jobs that have to be discarded, yes you could do them, if it wasn't for the additional PN problems, it's complicated. I didn't actually hear back from ANY job applications (how rude!) Although I did get a job through my own contacts, it was full time (44 + hrs) and I knew that I would just let them down.
I hope you got a good package to help you through, good luck with everything.
Take care all
Helen

[adg1403]

Hello

Peaches - firstly, sorry to hear about your job situation, I hope you find something that works for you. As for your question about having the surgery, have to say I didn't think twice about it - meds hadn't improved things, trying just to cope with the situation wasn't working, so anything that offered a possible improvement was something I was prepared to contemplate. I went into having the surgery knowing what was involved, and the likelihood of it bringing an improvement, but I can appreciate it's a very personal decision and it's not for everyone. I'm nearly at six months post surgery now, so hoping that the next six months will bring further improvement, but now knowing how badly trapped and scarred the nerve was, I think surgery was the right thing to do in my case.

Helen - I'm taking things as steadily as I can, still finding where the lines are though - I did a 2 hour drive in the car yesterday, with a 15 minute break in the middle. Felt OK whilst I was driving, didn't need a cushion (car seat is quite comfortable) but had a flare up about 2 hours after I got home. Fortunately it only lasted yesterday - but clear sign that I still need to take things carefully. Physio is going really well now, starting to feel a greater sense of normality at long last. I've managed to get onto the required dose of Cymbalta/duloxetine without there being any adverse side effects, and am feeling happier in myself, although that's clearly due to the anti-depressant nature of the meds.

I hope everyone has had a good Easter.

Andrew
So

[Skylar]

Hello Andrew,
Good luck with your progress, slow and steady wins the race. Am so glad that you took us along on your journey, thank you for that. Wishing you continued improvements.
Cheers,
FG

[adg1403]

Hi everyone

Thought it was about time I posted again, now a year post surgery.

Would say I'm pretty much recovered from the surgery, and life is getting back to a degree of normalcy. Continuing on the duloxetine, and am scheduled to do so until next June, when I see Greenslade again to consider what next steps are. Pain is still there, but the medication is keeping it under control - would say there's about a 25% improvement from pre-surgery, but when I come off the medication is likely to be the truest test of how much improvement there has been.

I'm now able to sit down for periods of time, albeit still with pain, and driving seems to be less of a struggle - which helped enormously when I was travelling to and from the Olympics. Also back on the tennis court and at full mobility, so it's slow but steady progress.

Andrew

[helenlegs 11]

Good to hear Andrew and good luck with the tablet tapering. Hope to hear more progress from you in the future
Take care,
Helen

[Violet M]

Hi Andrew,

Glad to hear of your improvements. For me the first year was the hardest and things continued to improve slowly over time so hopefully you will continue to see more improvements.

Best,

Violet

[molly]

There is somebody on this forum who has had surgery in Bristol, you will have to search back through the posts. From what Ican remember it was also a man. He reported his post op recovery at six and twelve months.

Regards Molly

[rj419]

I am currently in Houston awaiting surgery. I am seeing Lee V. Ansel. I have been suffering since '96. In the last year it has gotten so extreme to the point that it is severe even while standing. I find myself looking like I have Parkinson's(trying to shake off the pain.) It starts from the moment I wake up. the pain makes me so tired and irritable at the end of the day. I am bipolar, and this has gotten to the point that I have found myself in "legal issues." I don't want to use this as a crutch, but at the same time, I can't discount that this has been the leading contributor of my problems. I am trying to be optimistic, but am unsure that even if there is a 50% improvement if it will be enough. I'm so tired of carrying the pad around. I pray that this works for me. And I also hope that if anyone is suffering from this at my level, that they also get help. Suicide has been an option. I will post sometime after the surgery in hopes that it will be a guide that helps someone. Pray for me!