Chronic pelvic pain

I'm new to this site and hope i can get some answers or help someone else. I suffer from chronic pelvic pain for almost a year.I had surgery December3rd last year.I had (Cystocele and Recotocele) The surgery my doctor said was a good,fixed the problems but i feel worse now than before.I have been to see my doctor 2 times since surgery and she said there is no reason for my pain.I'm having to go now to a pain treatment center for pain meds,nothing helps,I stay in pain all the time where i cannot sit in a chair for the pain,I have to wear a gown because of it.I cannot stand anything touching me.My husband put a bed in our living room so i could lie in there where the tv is.I still have to take meds just to go to the bathroom.I stay depressed because of this.I have did everything the doctor said to do but no relief.I have seen 5 doctors for this but none can help me. I have lost almost a year of my life and my husband suffers also seeing me like this.I don't know what to do,if anyone has had this problem please let me know.Thank you

Thank you for your reply.I know it has not been that long since my surgery but my doctor tells me i should feel no pain. about anything touching my skin,I cannot wear panties,jeans,I have been having to wear Depends at times but not for long because of the pain.I was like this before the surgery.When i do lie down i cannot lie on my back,it feels like something bulging in my rectum.On my side just the skin touching hurts me.I know it sounds crazy but that what happens.I went to a colon doctor in Sept last year,he did a colon test and said i was fine,he found nothing.My doctor wants me to go back again to another colon Dr.I just feel i have been pulled around told everything.Even before the surgery i hurt very bad and no doctor would help me,said the conditions i had did not cause pain.My Dr does not want to see me till March,I just have never been through anything like this in my life.But reading on these forums i see there are many women who suffer from this.I'm just trying to find out all i can about this,it's something i could not learn to live with.I take Mirilax everyday and Flomax.Thank you again for your reply,Do you have this or know someone who does? I'm not be nosy but i would like to know.Also i had the surgery December3rd 2015
Susan

[Thanks again for your reply.When I went to see the pain doctor he did not even look at me.He ask me where I was hurting the most,I told him and he wrote me a script for Norco 5,taking 3 per day but it wrote on the bottle every 8 hours.It does nothing for my pain.My Dr had me on oxycodone5mg,2 every 4 hours.I was worried about getting addicted to them and wanted something not so strong.I don't know how to tell him there not working.I get depressed a lot but I have to take meds for that.I will beat this.Maybe I am expecting to much to soon.It just gets me down so bad.I miss life so much.I hope your day is good.
Susan

Susan, what type of pain is it you are having when anything touches your skin? I ask because these PM drs hear people complain all day about their pain, that is their job. The issue here is you may not be conveying the actual type of pain you are having. This is real easy to do too, not be as descriptive as we should be. I always had a lot of numbness after every abdominal surgery, the nerves eventually woke up. On your return appt all you can do is explain to the dr the medication is not helping & ask if there is something else he can recommend to help you out.

Hey Howin674 & any other that can help!
To my new friends, I'm just like you Howin674, but a male! I had cancer prostate surgery on June 1, 2015, removed prostate and my lymph-nods. For the next unlucky male, I happened to document each day so I could help the next guy. On June 28th, I noticed same pain your describing. Its "HORRIBLE". have been to a number of dr's. (Urologist-2, Neurosurgeon, Radiologist, PCP). On Oct 28 I had my first nerve block(Mpls), was a bust, didnt do anything, Dec 8th had second block did absolutely nothing, didn't notice any difference, on Dec 29 had a Ganglion Impar Block, total bust/waste, not "any difference"...none! On January 14th, had a Superior Hypogastric Plexus Block, once again, zero difference. That's 4 blocks, none helped. I've applied to get into Mayo Clinic, it will be 2 weeks tomorrow, Thursday Feb 4th and still havent heard back from Mayo. (Also have had colonoscopy, PET, Pelvic,brain scans, Cystoscopy (that was fun!!!!!)
Just so you know, (don't want to gross anyone out but here goes)pain is between my anus and scrotum, it feels like some has taken a red hot branding iron to my bottom and or a grinding wheel and grind it until raw. Nothing is visible, all internal. My difference is I'm totally ok when I lay down. I can lay in a reclining chair, must be all the way back though. When I sit at my desk at work, I've taken a camo foam hunting pad, and cut a U about 4" in the center that I sit on. When I drive I "MUST" sit on a donut. There is no QOL, and no one seems to know anything. So with that being said, I'm also searching for some answers/help. I've yet to find another male, with these issue so I guess "I really am unique"! Taken Duloxetine, Gabapentin, and now on Lyrica. Howin674, if you ever want to discuss we could share phone # or emails, or this site is ok also, Humility was lost months ago! Wishing speedy recovery to all!

Howin674 & others:
I don't even know what to say! Just called Mayo Clinic wondering why I haven't heard anything since its been 2 weeks. "they have denied my request for them to see me, they don't have anything to offer me at this time for my condition"! WOW! I'm stunned! To suggestions, no ideas who to call, nothing but denied an appointment! My condition was reviewed by General Dr's then referred to Neruology, then back to General, all denied. WOW!

HD, my comment about CRPS to the OP was thinking she may have had an abdominal incision, however she never stated one way or the other. I use the Mayo's site to look up conditions if its something I have never heard of before, at least I know their info is accurate. It is a condition that is usually afflicts a limb such as a leg, arm, hand & ect. What you are describing pain wise I seriously doubt would be the situation.

I am shocked the Mayo declined a consult, wow.

Have you asked the fellas in the PC forum about a dr that may deal with the type of the problem you are having or even a good urologist in your area? They are the gurus of PC. Something else for you to consider is using the search feature here at HW. It is located at the top right under "Join Healing Well". Try typing in pain between scrotum & anus after surgery & see what you can pull up in older threads. If you find anything, click on the members name that has posted about it & it will tell you when that member last posted at HW. There may be a good chance the member is no longer active here at HW. We have thousands of people that join & post once or twice & move on.

I wish I could be of more help, but other than searching in the archives here thats about it.

HDHOG, has anyone mentioned the possibility of Pudendal Nerve Entrapment? From what I've read, it is usually treated first with amitriptyline hcl and anti inflammatories. It is recommended that you put a small stool under your feet when on the toilet and make sure you're getting plenty of fiber and water.

HDHOG: Your case may well be sensory nerves entrapped in the abdominal wall or in the overlying mesentery (this is the apron of fat that covers the abdominal cavity).

Note that entrapped sensory nerves and small pin-point hernias (small outward pouching of intestine that become trapped) do not show on imaging media. Neither will show on x-ray nor on CT scan nor on MRI.

I incorrectly termed the myofacial release technique employed by physical therapists to treat adhesions and entrapped nerves and small hernias. It is called the Graston Technique. I will edit and correct my post above to reflect the correction.

I highly recommend that you look into the Graston Technique. You can Google it and learn about its particulars.

Briefly, it involves deep tissue massage in a highly specialized and sequenced technique. It is not a haphazard "massage." The technique is used extensively in Europe and has been studied with several published clinical trials demonstrating its efficacy and effectiveness. An analogy is a twisted ball of yarn. Untangling a twisted ball of yarn. In doing so, in aligning the fibers and filaments that compose the connective tissue of the pelvis/abdomen and especially of post-surgical or post-radiation treatment adhesions. In this re-alignment, nerve endings are freed and tethering of soft tissue and muscles/ligaments/tendons freed. The results are often quite dramatic. Restored movement and tissue mobilization. Reduction or elimination of pain.

Physical therapists attend specialized courses and receive continued education to be certified in the Graston Technique. Your average physical therapist will not be knowledgable in the technique (although he/she may be well qualified to provide a beneficial massage).

Look for and seek out a physical therapist who is certified in the Graston Technique. The principal investigator who developed the technique maintains a web page and provides referral assistance to locate qualified therapists.

Many, many men suffer in silence with disabling pelvic pain. For some reason, people think that pelvic pain is reserved to women. Not so. You are not alone.
Although I am sorry that you are experiencing the misery of pelvic pain.

The Graston Technique is amazing. Give thought to looking into it.

Disclaimer: I am a physical therapist by profession and licensing. I am not Graston Certified, however. But I have been a patient and on-the receiving end of the technique for abdominal adhesions due to surgery. It has been a God-send for me.
- Karen -

All of the references I read were by Urologists. PN entrapment happens, in laymens terms, anywhere from where the nerve leaves the spine and runs through the bony processes that make up the pelvis in the area you are having pain, the ischia. From what I read, it is conservatively treated with amytryptaline and anti inflammatories. If these do not give relief, there is an injection/s done under CT of steroids and anti inflammatories.

Just google the condition and read, read, read. The one I spent most time reading was

urology.uci.edu/prostate/Postop.html

If I recall, it was University of California Dept of Urology. I don't know where you are located, but there are several University Hospitals that may be able to help you with a consult.

Pudental nerve entrapment deserves serious consideration.

The pelvis is about the size of a small tea cup. In men, the pelvis is narrower as compared to women. The pudental nerve travels through dense connective tissue in the lower pelvis and is pivotal in providing nerve innervation to the rectum and bladder. The rectum is an thick, muscular tube - an extension of the lower digestive tract. The muscularity of the rectum and small area size of the pelvis together contributes to entrapment of the PN.

Pelvic floor physical therapists offer relief in this area as well. They can provide specific postures and stretches to ease excessive muscular and connective tissue co-contraction - as tension eases, entrapment of the PN eases.

If you have had radiation therapy for prostate cancer or pelvic/rectal/bladder surgery, this too can aggravate PN entrapment via scar tissue tethering/adhesions. Radiated tissue tends to become coarse and thicken and can lend to a "frozen pelvis" wherein organs/tissues become fixed. Fixed tissue that is not mobile and not able to glide will cause pain.

Personally, I would seek a pelvic floor PT and/or a PT with specialization in the Graston Technique. A really knowledgeable physical therapist can be a God Send.
- Karen -

I do know someone (female) with PN damage. Her PN was damaged during surgery for a hysterectomy. Her symptoms are those of constant rectal pressure, a feeling of rectal fullness; urinary frequency with some stress incontinence due to high muscle tone/tension in her pelvic floor; constant pain in her lower pelvis. She has found pelvic floor PT "somewhat" helpful. She is prescribed a low dose of valium (as a smooth muscle relaxant) and Lyrica and low dose Elavil (amatryptaline). Honestly, however, she is still pretty miserable. She has been to several dozen MDs. I wish that I could tell you otherwise.

For what it's worth.....my husband has suffered for 2 years with pelvic/groin pain. His pain is in his testicles and shoots up the left side of his pelvic region. He has had prostate cancer for 10 years. Our oncologist says that the pain is most likely from surgery, radiation and years of Lupron injections. He also has had 4 nerve blocks.....those did not work. Lyrica and every opioid.....nothing works and nobody has any answers. He does not have to use a donut to sit down. His pain is worse when standing and walking so he is on the couch 24/7. He's done a little bit of PT 2 years ago but not much relief. I found a PT that does the Graston technique. He meets with her on 3/8. However, his oncologist said that that probably won't work. We are at our wits end! Our family is suffering. Our boys are 10 & 14 and their dad can't even throw a ball with them.
p.s. I just joined the group today. I have already posted in the prostate cancer forum.