A's Mommy's 4 month post-operative report (Hibner)

THERE IS HOPE

Dear friends,

I wanted to share with you my 4 month update. I am now 4 months post-op from LEFT sided pudendal neurolysis with Dr. Michael Hibner, Phoenix, AZ. I've posted along the way here and there, concerns, etc., but I want to try and break it down a little bit.

--Before my surgery, I was in 7/10 pain as soon as my feet hit the floor in the morning. My left Alcock's canal felt like a knife was stabbed through it. With every step I took, I felt a horrible pinching, burning, pulling sensation in the crease of under my buttock and perineum. It would send neuralgia (tingling, burning, shocking) into my vulva, up through my piriformis and all over the place. By 12 noon, I had to lay down completely prone (on my stomach) and it would take at least an hour for the pain to subside.

Post-surgery (4 months) --- there is no stabbing in the Alcock's canal when my feet hit the floor. There is no pulling, pinching, stretching sensation. There ARE devastating (at times) new symptoms such as electric shocks that feel like lightning strikes my crotch. However, I have been told this is a GREAT thing as the nerve is regenerating and the shocks should subside and get less frequent over time, which THEY ARE.

--Before surgery, I took no pain pills (opiods). I was only on 300 mg Neurontin 2x a day, Vaginal Valium suppository 10mg once at night, 10mg Amitriptyline at night, and Prozac 20 mg once a day. I did not take opiods because they did not work for my neuropathic pain, plus I have a toddler and had to look after her. It was only after my Botox that I gave up and had to hire a nanny part time and put her in daycare. I couldn't do it anymore.

Post-surgery (4 months) --- I took Percocet for a while in very low doses (maybe only 2 pills a day at the max) for about 2 months post-op. This helped with the incisional and ligament repair pain and sacral pain. It did nothing for the nerve pain. The thing that helped the nerve is the ON-Q pain pump. I swear by it. I wish I had a permanent one! Now, my meds are Valium (oral) 5mg 2x a day, Prozac (which will most likely and hopefully soon change to Cymbalta --- I see the psychiatrist Friday), Lyrica 75 mg 2x a day, and the Amitriptyline 10mg at night. I also take TONS of vitamins --- a multivitamin with no iron because I don't want constipated, colace, Miralax, High Potency B Vitamin complex for nerve health, Vitamin D, and cranberry pills, also Culturelle (a probiotic)

At 3 months post op, I started driving short distances, using no cushions. I lean back in my car, sorta, while driving. I feel my right side a lot more while in the car (as you can see in my signature, I will have another TG later on this year for my right side). While walking, I feel my right side pinching, pulling, stretching, but NEVER to the same degree my left side was before my surgery. The left side was way worse (as indicated by clinical examinations by Dr. Hibner, Loretta, and by the 3Tesla MRI I had by Dr. Potter). I started PT at 8 weeks post op. I started internal PT at 12 weeks post op and gave up after two internal exams, which flared my right side so much it had me down for the count for a whole week. My right side needs done.

Good news --- my left side feels softer internally than my right side. This has SWITCHED since before my left sided surgery, where my left side was as hard as a brick. The nerve is no longer entrapped, so the muscles have either atrophied due to lack of use, or they are calming down.

---Sitting--- hahahaha... not so much. I can sit on a completely hard surface for about 30-45 minutes with no nerve pain, just pain and pressure from the ischial tuberosities. My husband made me the modified Antolak gardner's kneeling pad cushion thingamabob and that helps some. Ice in the Alcock's canal still feels the best.

As the weeks go on, I am noticing less pain on the left and more on the right. Remember, my right side is still entrapped.

My ligament feels completely solid and grafted. My PT said with ligament repairs, at 4 months they should be good to go. I'm still careful though not to bend it <90 degrees. Still too chicken. Picking up A still causes a bit of an increase in pain. I am getting stronger. I am eating more. I have gained weight. This is good.

BOTTOM LINE: I HAVE MANY BAD DAYS. I AM TRYING TO FIND THAT "BALANCE' BETWEEN DOING TOO MUCH AND NOT ENOUGH. We still can't have intercourse. However, I am thankful and eternally grateful that I had the surgery with Dr. Hibner because there was nothing else. My life was zero. Life is coming back. I have accepted that my nerve may take 12-18 months to fully heal. I am glad I have come to that acceptance. You will still see me on the boards complaining from time to time, because I'm a human, and I don't know what to expect. However, I don't regret it FOR A SECOND. I NEEDED THAT SURGERY. It saved me. Thank you, Dr. Hibner, but most of all, THANK YOU JESUS! YOU PROMISED ME I'D BE HEALED, AND SOMEDAY I WILL BE COMPLETELY HEALED.

I hope that this post gave some people hope. That is what we are here for : HOPE.

God bless,

A's Mommy