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This is my first post but I have become increasingly frustrated over the years with such of a lack of compassion or understanding with health professionals that I need to vent. I would also like to know if anyone else has had any issues with their pelvic floor muscles post surgery.

For starters, I had my jpouch surgery (2 steps with temp ileostomy in between ) about 12 years ago. I have chronic pouchitis and have had numerous complications over the years, obstructions, rectal prolapse, etc mostly being GI related but most recently they have been more GYN related. I had a right hydrosalpinx removed in december and they found my left tube was partially blocked. Yay for a glimmer of hope! And a polyp removed on my endometrial lining

Anyways- i am pretty active, yoga is my friend and have run several races /mud runs but over the last 3 years haven't been able to run as much due to major back problems. I've had sciatica on and off for 3 years and it sucks. Ive done x-ray thing and they found disc space narrowing from L3-S1 and with working on my core strength i have gotten alot better until my leg just goes numb again for no reason. My physical therapist thinks at this point my back problems could be related  to pelvic floor musclular problems  or dysfunction due to my extensive surgical past. This is something I would have never thought of but i have had about 5 operations...and it sure makes sense. Anyone else out there have problems like this?

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HI Jano,

Well, multiple surgeries; yes.

Back pain, sciatica: yes

Lombard disc problems, sacroilitis etc: yes

Salpangitis and other problems in the region: yes

So, yes, I sort of understand. 

I can no longer run (been years) but I walk daily more than most American do annually...15 000 steps/day with about 1/3 uphill.

The sacroilitis throws my hips off, which throws my knees off...generally it is mostly on the right side...

I have tried everything short of surgery. I take Nsaids, tylenol, and more rarely some sort of pain med (tramadol or codine but they slow my gut down and I hate that).

I do yoga, pilates, walk, have a chiropractor and ethiopath, a physiotherapist and have just come back from 11 days of intensive PT using hot water (saunas, steam, jaccuzi, warm pools...) in the afternoons and ice water (baths, swims in icey ocean...) in the morning. They did  1 hr our deep tissue on my whole body daily...it felt like they were ripping my muscles off of the bone and shoving their fingers in between the muscles. I have red welts and bruises all up and down my body.

But my muscles are stronger, my joints more flexible and I feel less tired...for now...but the pain is still there.

I do bridges daily, all sorts and do deep breathing, pelvic floor exercise and all sorts of stretches and dips.

I do not know how much this helps but I am afraid to imagine in what condition I would be if I stopped (I had to for a few months and I was miserable)...what does the most good is a chiropractor or ethiopath...the cracking of the joints is the only real relief that I get but it is short lived.

I think that it is a sort of 'moderation' in all things including moderation. A healthy diet helps, so does regular exercise, good posture and some sort of antinflamatory med. (natural stuff exisits)...

Good luck and if you find something that helps, do not hesitate tolet me know.

Sharon

 

Sharon thanks for sharing ...so Do you think surgeries were the culprit with your sacroilitis ? I do a series of excercises daily and have found pt and yoga to be more effective then my chiropractor. And running is such a struggle but I'm not quite ready to give up on it. Yes I agree that continuing treatment and excercise really helps moderate my pain . I just wonder if I have sacroilitis never heard of it before or if my surgeries are behind my problems. It's generally my hip that causes my pelvis to rotate because of instability .I'm 29 and feel like an old lady....But it could always be worse ! 

Yes and no, 

I think that in my case, things start with a moderate case of scoliosis (S curve at 18 % and a pelvic rotation)  followed by a massive number of abdominal surgeries for all sorts of things...pouch related alone I must be up to around 18 or 20...plus hernias and girly stuff...so yes, inflamation around the old surgical sites, adhesions that just won't let go and goodness knows what else all contribute to the misery...

I am a fighter...so I keep on fighting...I am also post menopausal (55) and thus fighting all of the other gifts that nature has to offer like thinning muscle mass, weaker joints and ligaments etc...which cannot be helping this at all.

So I keep walking, climbing, doing, stretching, twisting...all in the hopes that I am doing more good than bad to my body...but there are some days that I truely do wonder.

Keep up the good fight

Sharon

I too have had problems with compassion from many doctors.  I have major problems with my pelvic floor.  My current GI and OB/gyn are both understanding but these problems are beyond their education.  I am going to see a urogynecologist about this.  My vaginal area hurts and have not gotten anywhere in 12 years.  I am now going to see if I can get help.  After my j-pouch surgery 14 years ago, I had fecal incontinence for 2 years before I got any help.  All the doctor's I spoke with told me to live with it.  It was horrible! I finally got to a urogynecologist that was able to help me.

Last edited by ksr

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