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Gluteal tendinopathy - endless pain - losing my mind
Has anyone else dealt with this:
I'm now up to 5 months of daily pain, the the last two weeks have been the worst. I'm totally losing my mind.
First diagnosis was L5/S1, with disc pressing on nerve. I had cortisone shots, then an epidural. Not much relief, although with time the L5/S1 pain seems to have subsided. I've been doing physical therapy for almost the entire time.
For the past two months, increasing pain in left buttock and often sharp pain in left hip area. Diagnosed with piriformis syndrome, new MRI shows gluteal tendinopathy. I got two cortisone shots for that 6 days ago.
The hip area pain just keeps getting worse. I've had to cancel many plans and limit my activities. It's very depressing and is driving me crazy. Just wondering if anyone else is dealing with this and if they have any suggestions for both physical and mental health. Thank you.
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@chrisc58
Hi. The diagnosis of the core issue seem to be such a big problem with this stuff. I hope you get it figured out.
In my case, the doctor now thinks that all the gluteal tendinopathy hip/buttock pain, piriformis irritation etc go back to the L5/S1 problem with a disc pressing on nerve. That was first seen on an MRI 5 months ago, and I had PT etc for it, but as pain developed in other areas I got other diagnoses as well. They weren't necessarily wrong, but my current doctor - who wasn't in on this until about 2-3 months ago - is convinced it's all attributable to disc/nerve. He thinks that just takes a while to heal (in the meantime I'll try the shockwaves for the pain, which is driving me a bit less crazy. A bit.)
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6 Reactions@loyd1957
That sounds really rough. I'm sorry.
I just replied to someone about how my doctor now thinks that mine all goes back to a nerve/disc issue that was discovered this summer - has that been explored?
And in terms of the pain, have you looked into shockwave therapy? I knew nothing about it until reading people's comments here, and when I asked my doctor about it on Monday he said yes, that was the next thing to do (cortisone shot didn't work).
And I know what you mean about how the pain shows up. I think it might be because those muscles are so totally involved with any body movement. My "favorite" - I felt a twinge in the hip while buttoning a shirt collar button on Thanksgiving!
Hang in there.
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4 ReactionsJust to update: I've had 2 of 4 scheduled shockwave treatments. Cautiously optimistic. Some relief, and some relapse, but hopeful. Still on duloxetine but have decided to taper off and stop gabapentin. I don't like the studies showing increased risk of dementia/mild cognitive impairment.
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6 ReactionsI have the same thing. I am using a massage gun as well as the bridge and clam shell exercises plus heat. I am on a mission. Very very slow. Don't give up. It's a daily commitment. It takes months.
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5 ReactionsTo emarks and szucker99 -
Finally, after two sessions of three shock wave treatments (i.e., 6 treatments in all), and several months of intense physical therapy (clam shell exercises are not enough - one needs to do SLOW side-lying abduction exercises), I'm now able to walk several miles on flat ground WITHOUT pain. This took 13 months to achieve; progress is slow, so don't give up! I can climb stairs with minimal pain now, but don't know if I'll ever be able to hike again. Anyway, I'm SOooooooo happy to be able to walk without pain. Don't give up hope. 😉
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7 ReactionsI've been to 7 doctors and told I have several different afflictions, none of which is correct. The latest is "pseudogout". My PCP disagrees with this. My physical therapist referred me to a sports medicine provider affiliated with their practice. He did a nerve block which has helped some but I'm still trying to get shock wave treatments and/or platelet rich plasma injections. He wanted to see if the nerve block will ease the pain so PT will help more. Then we can look at the other treatments. About 6 months ago I had to start using a walker when I leave the house. I have so much hip and outside thigh pain that I can hardly walk. I know where you all are coming from. Pain with no relief in sight.
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1 ReactionIn 2009, I fell on my buttocks and months later, the pain, sharp and painful, went down the outer side of my right leg. With every step I took, it was horrible..total and complete pain, like a lightening rod. I went to a pain specialist, and he tried epidurals, but the pain wouldn't go away. Finally, an MRI was done, and it showed the L5/S1 impinging on the nerve...I saw a surgeon, a good one, and had a spinal fusion at L4-S1...the pain finally went away after surgery...it was a tough surgery, but the nerve was involved, and that pain is so, so hard to take...I've had no pan in my back since my surgery...
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1 Reaction@catheem
Fabulous, Catheem! Very happy for you.
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1 Reaction@spillihped You are so lucky! My MRI showed something similar and my pain specialist tried to set up a consultation with a neurosurgeon but he refused to see me because I hadn't done "enough" physical therapy for my back.
Well, that is so weird! Have you had an MRI? The MRI would show how much damage there is and whether or not exercises would improve the situation!! Sometimes it's an insurance thing! I wish you the best of luck!' ps I would try to get your surgeon to fight that!