Health Organization for Pudendal Education

Hello everyone,

I haven't learned how to capture quotes yet so here goes. Reading that my case isn't the typical "post-hysterectomy" PN story actually gives me hope. I don't know if I wrote this before but I was also diagnosed with piriformis and sciatica issues along with possible PN. I hoping that my case is a sever case of piriformis vs. pudendal. My symptoms began immediatly after surgery however they didn't include PN pain at that time. It was mostly neurological symptoms and bladder problems. The pain begain 3 months after the surgery. Not sure if this makes a difference.

My instincts tell me not to return to the doc who performed the hysterectomy for possible pn surgery. For one he'd have to perfom various tests and agree on the PN diagnosis and I don't think that is going to happen. Physical therapy is helping but because I can only afford to go 2 times a month, I don't know if it's enough. In fact, I know it's not enough but I can only manage that. I do have PT at home. Lots of stretching to the heals, calves, and nerve glides.

When the actual pain began, it began with a searing pain in the area between anus and vagina, then moved to the left side of vulva and finally settled in the muscles to the left side of the rectum (levator ani?). The left side has been my primary source of pain. I have lots of spasms that I try to control with baclofen and I'm on pain meds as well. Ice helps a lot.

It took me a long time to come to a peaceful place in my mind about the doc who did the surgery. It's not in my character to hate someone as much as I was hating then. Trust has been a big issue for me. I feel that I can trust the docs in Houston even though someone I know told me a lot of pn patients come away with IC issues post surgery. Celeste, can you comment on this? Also, what percent would you say your cure is? Are you on medication post surgery?

Thank you for your comments

To quote somebody's post, click on the little QUOTE button in the upper right corner of their post. It copies the text into your message. You can then delete any parts that aren't relevant to what you want to discuss.

I don't know of IC issues post op, but it's really common for patients to have a combination of problems going in. Sometimes they get one pain problem resolved only to figure out they have pain elsewhere that was separate all along, or else they knew they had a combo and just wanted to get started chipping away at it with one treatment at a time.

As for myself, I take no medications since roughly a week post op.

Regarding doctor trust, I had some bad experiences along the way. I felt like it's a gift to myself to never go back after a poor outcome, or after not getting helped by them. The whole thing has made me very picky, and very clear on what I'm looking for in a doctor. I don't feel like I need to settle.