Our dear friend Joyce in England has been dealing with
a major setback.(Background - She had a L5-S1 fusion
done due to misdiagnosis & since had hardware removed,
leaving her with chronic scarring. But the fusion has
complicated her Piriformis Syndrome & treatment.)

Since her last posting, she has undergone 2 injections
of cortisone under CT guidance at the point where the
piriformis attaches to the sacrum. The first one
gave her some short relief but the second only
aggravated the nerves and she had an increase in pain
sensation, tingling, burning, etc. extending down to
the toes on the left side of my foot.

She flew to Rome in December lying down on 3 seats of
the plane. She came unstuck when she sat on a coach
for 45 minutes to get into town. The next day, her
pain was so chronic she ended up getting a lumbar MRI
scan - results were chronic granulomatous tissue of a
scarring nature surrounding the S1 nerve roots.
Evidence of left laminectomy at site of fusion (Also
the side her pain is on)

She is now taking Lyrica 150 mg b.d. and says it's the
best medication she has tried.

Back in London, she is debating whether to try the
Botox injections offered by Pain mgmt team or go for
Piriformis Release surgery by orthopod.

She also tried Deep Tissue Massage twice, but it only
intensified her pain.

One hospital orthopd staff told her Piriformis
Syndrome didn't exist. Pain team told her "that unless
I am incontinent or have other severe neurological
deficit, my case is not considered urgent. I think
that's pathetic when I have lost my job, am unable to
drive, or sit for any length of time, social life gone
out of the window etc. When the muscles are in acute
spasm, I even have to stand to go for a pee!!"

She is at the end of her tether.

Most of us have been there and can relate to her
frustration & constant pain. We are thinking of her
and wishing her the best possible outcome.




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