Right hip/buttock and leg pain

[tellybeth]

Hello! I have been suffering with extreme pain in the right buttock starting at tail bone, into right hip, thigh, shin ankle and foot for 2 years. I have seen every specialist in town and have even gone to a research center to get further testing. The pain is like nerve pain in the thigh and the shin and top of ankle and foot is more of a numbing and duller type pain. I have trouble walking, sitting, laying down and cannot carry my 7 month old without suffering tremendously. I have had MRI and it showed only slight deterioration of L4 disc but, all doctor's state this is not my problem. I also have deteriorating disc at C5-C6 which I am actually getting fusion on soon.
Specialist tells me that he "thinks" I have bursitis caused by piriformis syndrome. Apparently, the spasming piriformis muscle is squeezing my sciatic nerve and is also causing the inflamation around the bursa area in the hip. Dr recommended pt and cortisteroid injections. I have had 4 of these and have now been put on so many medications that I must have a daily pill reminder. I take at least 14 pills a day and am beginning to feel overmedicated with the same amount of pain if not more.
I finally quit therapy after 3 months of 2 time a week visits. I just don't feel that my diagnosis is correct. All treatment has failed and I am very quickly becoming emotionally drained. I have pain ALL DAY EVERY DAY! I feel like I would do anything to relieve my pain and have turned into such an angry bitter person because of it. I am only 30 and want to play with my daughter instead of constantly pushing her off to grandparents and my husband due to the intense pain
Any suggestions, advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

[Unregistered]

Have you had any laparascopic or female surgeries? I have the same symptoms and mine started after laparoscopy to remove cyst and cauterization of endometriosis adhesions in my pelvic lining. There are nerves in the pelvic area that can cause you to have pain in your tailbone, back, hips, and legs.

[BETH27584]

it's possibly a ruptured disk - see a spine specialist. My ruptured disk made me think i was going to permanently lose the use of my arm and the pain was unbearable... I had epidural steroid shots and don't have pain or numbness - as much anymore.

[tellybeth]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions
I have had 3 laporoscopic surgeries. 2 were just exporation and one was to remove endometriosis that had attached to my liver! I never thought about that being the cause before. At one time, they thought that maybe some endometriosis had attached to some nerves but, they dismissed it and decided against surgery when I got pregnant. I was actually told that the endometriosis was so bad that I could not have a baby!
Beth--I have a bulging/deteriorating disc at C5-C6 and know the pain of that. I sympathize with you on that. I am actually at thepoint with it that my only option is spinal fusion. I too have the numbing and horrible nerve pain in my right arm.
I have had MRI on lower back and only found slight deterioration of L4. They are telling me that this is not the cause of my pain.
I am so frustrated!

[acuann]

I take at least 14 pills a day and am beginning to feel overmedicated with the same amount of pain if not more.

Wow, at the very least please look up ALL the meds you are taking on www.drugs.com - click on drug interactions checker. Please do this to see what sort of interactions you are having from these meds, and consider taking fewer medications, especially since they aren't offering you relief!!!

With that said, have you tried acupuncture? Acupuncture is extremely helpful for sciatica, disc herniation and ruptured discs. It is often the only thing that provides relief, and it is often the LAST thing that people will try. Please look into this and visit www.acufinder.com to find a practitioner near you.

You need to give this time, there is no quick fix and no magic pill that will make your pain go away. I am very concerned for you - especially with the amount of meds you are taking. This can cause liver toxicity, and add further problems. Please look them all up, or if you'd rather, list them here on this post.

Best wishes
DOM

[tellybeth]

I am very cautious about the medications and have liver enzymes checked on a regular basis. I have just recently gotten my acetomethaphine dose lowered due to the liver concern. I am taking Celebrex, Lyrica, Soma, Hydrocodone, Amitiza for the constipation, Zyrtec(unrelated), and of course my birth control. I am not taking 14 different meds but take 14 pills daily with the dosage of my medicines. It is a lot considering I am so young. I go back to the specialist at Emory May 22 and hope to get some alternative plan for this. I have received all of the steroid injections allowable in one years time with no relief. Physical therapy has also offered nothing. I have thought of accupuncture and actually visited one while pregnant but, they would not treat me. I am planning to look into this again.
Thanks so much for the helpful websites. I will look into my meds on there.

[GaNurse]

I had the Exact same thing and the doctors could not find anything wrong! It started after I had my second child then 6 years later it disappeared! I have no Idea what it was, if I had know another child would have taken the pain away, I would've did it a lot sooner! Of course I'm not suggesting you have another baby, just thought I would share my experience with you.

During the pain I went to physical therapy, used TENS units, took OTC pain meds. needless to say, didin't work.

[GaNurse]

Apparently, the spasming piriformis muscle is squeezing my sciatic nerve and is also causing the inflamation around the bursa area in the hip. Dr recommended pt and cortisteroid injections.

Oh and yes, I had this same diagnosis, and I also had the steriod injections from the pain clinic. I thought I was the only one who experienced this!

[acuann]

Try to find an acupuncturist who is also an NCCAOM certified Chinese herbalist - this will be very helpful for your endo. I have treated several cases of endometriosis with excellent results.

The acupuncturist you went to most likely wouldn't treat you for liability concerns - I think this practitioner may not be the best choice for you. Ask them if they are certified in Herbology, as this is extra training they will have needed to take, and they will be better qualified to treat you.

I first tried acupuncture for severe sciatica over 10 years ago. Docs gave me muscle relaxants, which I promptly threw up. A friend of mine suggested acupuncture, and I was in so much pain I thought "what do I have to lose"? Well, after just two treatments my pain was GONE. It was such a dramatic difference that it moved me to study this form of medicine and I am now a Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Everyone is different, and more chronic cases take longer to see results like the one I had. But I have seen huge differences in patients pain levels with many different problems.

Best wishes
DOM

[tellybeth]

Ga Nurse--
I know how you feel. It seems that noone I know has heard of my diagnosis and they cannot sympathize with something they know nothing about. I have actually had worse pain since my pregnancy and now, I carry around a 24 pound 7 month old most of the day so that does not help. They diagnosed you with Piriformis Syndrome and Bursitis in hip? My mother-in-law has shoulder bursitis but, when I hurt I am unable to rest my hip/leg like she can her shoulder. I am not trying to take away from the pain she is feeling or anyone with shoulder bursitis. It is just so hard when walking, sitting, laying down and just about anything else hurts so bad ALL the time! Driving is the worse! I can drive just a couple of miles down the road and begin to hurt really bad. I noticed you are from GA I am too!
Are you feeling fine now? I am going to look further into the accupuncture thing. It can't hurt to try. I am honestly at the point where if they told me they could remove my leg and my pain would be gone I would not think twice about it. I have read that they can actually do Botox injections into the Piriformis muscle and it will paralyze that muscle for several months to relieve the pain. They can also remove the muscle itself and the bursa. This sounds like a last resort.
Did you have constant daily pain? Was it intense pain?
I too thought I was alone. I hate that you are suffering too but, it is nice to have someone that understands what I am suffering.