Pain in buttock, outer hip and hamstring

I too have the same pain, but in both sides. I was told by three neurosurgeons that this is caused by lumbar stenosis, spondylilithosis, and pinched nerves in my lower lumbar vertebrae. I also had PMR which began last March, so it’s hard to tell the difference with the pain. Physical therapy has helped me tremendously, as it has taught me the correct way to move. Movement does help too!

Hi mydogsbestfriend,

I will say this - you are very honest and fighting the good fight. I have the same problems you have. my lumbar spine is held together by a strong core. But I have stenosis, scoliosis, listhesis (one disc sliding ahead of the one below), degenerative arthritis, degenerative discs - sounds like you do too.

I've had two bouts with sciatica and a ruptured disc. I only had surgery once - lamintomies at S1, L5, and L4. That was 10 years ago. I had my knees replaced in 2022. I used that as motivation to get back to the gym to get my legs strong pre-op and to keep them that way post-op.

I lost 30 lbs this last year - a combination of cutting a LOT of sugar and taking up spinning. You might want to try spinning. Just sit relatively tall to keep your lumbar spine in proper position. Try a class, it's fun. And people in spin class are focused on their workout. So there's no reason to be shy.

As for sugar - it was really one thing - a can of coke I drank every night - that was the culprit. I stopped that and along with the spinning, the weight came off. And sugar contributes to inflammation and so makes arthritis worse. And I did cut back on candy and other products that had a lot more sugar in them than I knew.

There is probably one or two things you're eating that are adding most of the sugar. Cut those out and you'll almost certainly lose weight. Great job on salt!

I don't pretend to know your situation. Other than rampant arthritis, I have never really struggled with weight. I realize how fortunate I am. But I am 5'10" tall (I used to be 6'1"...... until my lumbar spine collapsed) and 190 lbs and dropped to 160 lbs in a year.

Your walking is an excellent form of exercise. You sound like you have the will to get better and I believe in you.

All the best, and thanks for sharing. I hope some of this helps.

Joe

Thank you Joe. I appreciate your comments. I never was one for soda (pop) but my Gramma had a grocery store & I think she got me hooked on candy ! I just got my blood test results for my annual wellness visit next week & they were (mostly good). My LDL is just below what it should be ( sorry bacon bests candy) but my glucose & A1C are the same as last year, just a tenth more than they should be. My liver enzymes are now all normal. Unfortunately my spinal problems remain. Today I am leading my monthly “senior stroll” at a nature center I have been volunteering at for just under 25 years. We will walk for at least an hour. Later I’ll be walking my dog. In the last few weeks I cut out all candy except for dark chocolate ( which I hate! But it’s supposed to be healthy). I am fighting off a bad cold too but I’m not letting that stop me, my husband & I spent last weekend trimming trees using 2 chainsaws. I am not looking forward to holidays because we see family & they try to push sweets & carbs! Last year after the holidays I managed to lose 10 lbs but gained it back. I’ll have to start losing now instead of waiting until after the holidays. Changing from sweets to nuts is helping.

@citywoman Have you had any further imaging that may determine if something is wrong? That's a long time to be in pain. One thing to consider is that surgery creates a lot of scar tissue and it gets tight, so it can pull right into the area that was operated on. Something I could suggest is to look into Myofascial Release which can stretch out the scar tissue. I have done this for a long time, and I am a spine and ankle surgical patient. I do have to periodically work on my scars and muscles to retain suppleness and movement.

Here is our discussion on MFR where you can learn more.

Neuropathy - "Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain"
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/
Have you heard of MFR therapy before?

Thank you Joe. I appreciate your comments. I never was one for soda (pop) but my Gramma had a grocery store & I think she got me hooked on candy ! I just got my blood test results for my annual wellness visit next week & they were (mostly good). My LDL is just below what it should be ( sorry bacon bests candy) but my glucose & A1C are the same as last year, just a tenth more than they should be. My liver enzymes are now all normal. Unfortunately my spinal problems remain. Today I am leading my monthly “senior stroll” at a nature center I have been volunteering at for just under 25 years. We will walk for at least an hour. Later I’ll be walking my dog. In the last few weeks I cut out all candy except for dark chocolate ( which I hate! But it’s supposed to be healthy). I am fighting off a bad cold too but I’m not letting that stop me, my husband & I spent last weekend trimming trees using 2 chainsaws. I am not looking forward to holidays because we see family & they try to push sweets & carbs! Last year after the holidays I managed to lose 10 lbs but gained it back. I’ll have to start losing now instead of waiting until after the holidays. Changing from sweets to nuts is helping.

You are very welcome. Self-awareness is so important and it sounds like you are very dialed in with what's going on, good for you!

I can take the 70% cacao dark chocolate, but the 90% stuff is awful. Of course milk chocolate is my favorite, but that doesn't count in the "healthy" category. I still have chocolate, just not as much.

I went from 190 lbs to 160 lbs through a combination of "sugar elimination (cutdown)" and really getting serious about cardio workouts (for me, that's spinning 5x/week). I'm fortunate to be able to do all the exercising I do, and these HIIT sessions on the stationary bike are really important, and I enjoy it.

If you can pull off a switch from sweets to nuts (seeds are good too) that would be terrific. Nuts and seeds are great, we all have our favorites, and an easy snack. and hey if you can gain and then lose 10 lbs, well you know you can do it. If you follow your plan for the holidays, chances are you won't gain much extra weight.

Be well and Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

Sorry about your cold! Get better soon.