Pete's Story

[peter griffin]

Peter G - Patient story
July 2013 -

PN most commonly compressed:
Between sacrotuberous & sacrospinous ligaments -70% cases Within pudendal canal (~20% cases)
Causes:
Repeated mechanical injury sitting on bicycle seats or slouching sideways on sofas for prolonged periods over many years.
Trauma to the pelvis during childbirth.
Damage to the nerve during surgical procedures in the pelvic or perineal regions Compression from intrapelvic tumours Peripheral neuropathy (e.g. diabetes or vasculitis).

Name – Peter G
Age – 48. Height – 6’2”. Weight – 13stone 7lbs Status – Married - 2 Children
Hobbies: Regular gym weight-training - 25 years scuba diving 5 years walking dogs daily socialising with friends

Work:
Owner of office fit-out company for 26 years.
Carpenter - now mainly office based with frequent visits to London

General Health
Was fit and healthy, no medication, non smoker, moderate drinker, healthy eater, all health checks, Blood pressure, cholesterol NAD

Fractured head of femur in December 2004 in motorbike RTA - pinned and plated

General – Very happily married - 2 wonderful kids - 2 wonderful dogs Good group of long-term friends Beautiful 18th C Grade II home in Rochester Kent Work - stressful at times but cope well

Chain of Events:
April 2008 – Spent evening at friends, sat for several hours on their new soft leather sofa - felt temporary coccyx pain/discomfort.
Next morning had unusual urinary symptoms (bladder irritation)

• 22/4/08 – Visited MEDOCC - urine test, GP prescribed 3 day course antibiotics (Trimethoprim).
• 25/4/08 – Lab tests clear, symptoms persisted.
• 01/05/08 – 2nd urine test GP prescribed 5 day course of stronger antibiotics (Ciproflaxin 500mg)
08/05/08 – Symptoms persisting. GP gave blood test for prostate/bladder and kidney function.
GP - prostate exam - normal. Referred to BUPA urologist.
• 16/05/08 – Blood test results negative.
• 02/06/08 – Urologist consultation, prostate exam again normal.
• 06/06/08 – CT scan with contrast – prostate normal for age, small stone in left kidney. Symptoms worsening.
• 07/07/08 – Flexible cystoscopy. Prostate and bladder normal.
• Symptoms worsened still. Bladder frequency.
• 22/09/08 – Rigid cystoscopy, nothing found, referred to London consultant urologist.
11/11/08 – First consultation – prostate exam and massage, prostate painful, prostate fluid collected for analysis. No bacteria present. Diagnosis "non bacterial prostatitis"

• Followed: Urodynamic study – Rectal ultrasound – cycstoscopy – flow rate (slightly low) • Results of procedures : some prostate inflammation identified.
• Regular consultations continued, urinary symptoms worsened. Voltarol.
• Symptoms worsened again. Pain when sitting. Diagnosed with Chronic prostatitis.
16/02/10 – 1st TURP – improvement to urinary symptoms, still painful to sit.
• Regular consultations, prostate massages, pain worsened.
• July 2010 – Prostate biopsy.
• 19/10/10 – 2nd TURP –improvement to urinary symptoms but not cured. Still painful to sit, after bowel movements and sex.
09/08/2011 – 3rd TURP
• Advised no further treatment to prostate possible without causing damage to sexual function and urinary continence.
• Referred to consultant surgeon : MRI to pelvis. NAD January 2012 - Referred to consultant in pain medicine - MRI lumbar spine - NAD, prescribed Arcoxia with minimal effect, followed up with steroid infiltration. No improvement.

• June 2012 – In desperation I did my own internet research and concluded that the symptoms may be in connection with the coccyx.
I arranged my first consultation with Michael Durtnall who was highly recommended - had digital xray and examination – xray showed pelvic and coccyx misalignment - - examination showed pelvis and gluteal muscles in spasm and coccyx seized up. At last a diagnosis that made sense!

• July 2013 – Ongoing treatment with Michael has made vast improvements to pain and mobility of coccyx and is still improving.

In conclusion:
In the past 5+ years we have literally been to hell and back. At the lowest point I pretty much lost the will to live and if it wasn’t for the love and support of my family I am not sure I would still be here, which is quite a statement from someone who is normally very positive and loves life!

Michael thinks the chain of events was a combination of:
motorbike accident in 2004 leaving my pelvis misaligned, muscle tightness due to years of weight training with the final trigger - the soft leather sofa at our friend’s house

I deeply regret not seeing Michael sooner but who would connect urinary symptoms with coccyx problems when the obvious first step was to see a urologist.

I only hope that my story will prevent this happening to someone else but I believe the Doctors/Consultants I have seen have all tried to act in my best interests.
I hope in future that Michael or another equally well qualified Chiropractor will be on their list of treatment options for coccyx and pelvic pain or 'prostatitis' without evidence of infection.

Finally I would like to thank Michael for all his advice and support I am now 98% better and positive I will be 100% in the very near future.

Updated 09/10/15

I have continued with regular maintenance visits to the sayer clinic (once or twice a month) to see Nobue Imai for acupuncture & deep massage/coccyx manipulation and my symptoms have continued to improved to a point where this is no longer major problem for me and I have my life firmly back on track.


This condition is curable and don't let anyone tell you any different !! You will need to be persistent and patient, but with the help Dr Michael Durtnall, Nobue Imai and the rest of the team at the sayer clinic and of course the support of family and friends you can and will get better.

Pete

[janetm2]

Pete,
Sorry to hear it took so long but maybe your story can shorten someonne else's journey. Thanks for posting the light at the end of the tunnel! Wishing you pain free days forward.
Janet

[Alan1646]

Pete, thanks for posting your account. Something I don't understand though: I can't see anything in your story about you being diagnosed with pudendal neuropathy/pudendal neuralgia/pudendal nerve entrapment. It appears from what you've written that the cause or causes of your pain lay elsewhere.
If I've misunderstood, could you please clarify this? You do refer to PN at the start of your post but I'm not clear whether you were told that information you express about PN refers to you or is just for general information. Could you please explain? Thanks.