Pudendal Nerve Entrapment/Neuropathy/Damage

Just joined the group this minute. I suffered from this problem since my late teens but it became worse as I got older. I had surgical procedure for nerve entrapment in my ankle but had no idea what this pain was from since it was never the same kind or in the same place - just in any place that was usually covered with underwear. In 2016, after suffering and being unable to sit for more than 15 minutes at a time, a Pain Specialist suggested that it was a GYN problem & suggested a few diagnostic tests. I'm an RN but knew nothing about this so I went online & found a gynecologist who specializes in minimally-invasive gynecology. After listening carefully to my history & nodding without interruption, she attempted to examine me but it was too painful. She scheduled an exam with light sedation & did a Pudendal block test:& Pudendal motor latency test. Once they were positive, she scheduled me for regular blocks & pelvic PT. It's a chronic condition but it is being managed pretty well now. I stopped taking Gabapentin or any other pills in 2016.

What medication was it that you started? Which doctor prescribed it for you?

Hello @marjorielyn1, Welcome to Connect, an online community where patients and caregivers share their experiences, find support and exchange information with others. Thank you for sharing your experience and what has helped you. It's good to hear that you have it pretty well managed even though it's a chronic condition.

Do you have any other suggestions you can share with members that has helped you?

John, I have a general,question for the neuropathy group but don't know how to post one. I was hoping you could pass it on. Three days ago my neurologist prescribed Cymbalta to accompany the Gabapentin I've been on for a few months. The first night I took it my RLS was augmented. I haven't slept in two days because of the increased RLS. I notified my doc this am that I cannot take Cymbalta. I wanted to know if Anyone else has had similar experiences with Cymbalta and have they had success with any other drug similar to Cymbalta. Thanks.

I am having trigger point injections with sedation in a few weeks. It’s Botox to relax the pelvic floor
Not sure it will help but I want to try
Has anyone tried Botox trigger point injections?
Not sure why no doctor offers me the pudendal nerve block
If this does not help I will ask for the block
I don’t know anyone helped by gabapentin and it caused me amnesia ( horrible!! )
Don’t take it!
Just yesterday I screamed twice when I felt the shooting pain you know where
Had it for twenty years
Added to trigeminal neuralgia and rheumatoid arthritis I get the work ups haha
I have pain pump for TN but does not help the pelvis and Humira and methotrexate for RA
I still survive
Meditation WORKS!

My Gyn has ordered Valium vaginal suppositories because I get spasms of the pelvic floor muscles. They are severe & random & wake me up sometimes. The suppositories probably help but I'm not sure. I also have an extensive repertoire of relaxation methods from the physical therapist.

With nerve entrapment, what I am experiencing is that for true nerve compression or entrapment, the only permanent relief is surgical release/decompression of the nerve.

I had a terrible tibial nerve entrapment that caused me so much pain I wanted to die. When I had surgery to release that nerve in October, it felt better quickly. Now, I need to go back to the surgeon and have more nerves decompressed to fix my other "pain spots".

I got this problem from a surgery, too. It took 4 years, failures, trying every conservative option possible, in order to find the right doctors to fix my problem. Doctors who did believe me. And to get to a point where I believed what I was told, that surgery would help. To rule out all other options.

There are doctors who specialize in peripheral nerve release surgery and others who dont sub specialize but at very good. I have seen several sub specialists but ultimately went with a plastic reconstructive surgeon closer to me for many reasons.

Thank you all for your suggestions/comments
I do use the suppositories but it’s a temporary relief
PT is hard due to all other issues, I will post my experience with trigger point injections due on sept 28th
My very best to all !

The truth is that the only real relief I get is from the trigger point injections and nerve blocks every 3 months. Everything else just makes life bearable. I hate that I have to do that for the rest of my life.

If you don't mind sharing where do they inject you or place the nerve blocks?