dmcff, I'm 47 and was diagnosed with T2 diabetes last year.

High blood pressure and cholesterol. Doctor prescribed amlodipine and Altace HTC.

I've found simply using the Altace HTC which is used for both BP and cholesterol does a great job. I keep my BP and cholesterol in check and don't need to use the amlodipine.

Maybe you can consider the Altace HTC and discuss it with your doctor.

Good luck.....and I hope to see 73 myself someday.

Dmcff, have you heard of this clinic? https://www.thepelvicpainclinic.co.uk I just came across this today and thought I would suggest it in case you haven't heard of it yet.

Thanks, patience_and_healing - no, I hadn't heard of this clinic. I might ask my physical therapist if she knows anything more about it when I see her next week.

It would be useful to hear from anyone who has visited the clinic and has some feedback.

Also, there are some interesting and informative videos by and about Karl Monahan, the specialist who runs the Pelvic Pain Clinic in London:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiTyhrCUZDE&t=656s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4j06N_Tu7A

A good deal of the emphasis seems to be on prostatitis, but there is also discussion of CPPS (chronic pelvic pain syndrome). Advice seems to be to consult urologists initially rather than colorectal surgeons, and there is a lot of information about pain management (e.g. www.greglehman.ca). Reading around the subject (CPPS and prostatits) is also recommended.

An important aspect of the site is that - as the emphasis on prostatitis might suggest - it is mainly directed to male patients.

Main advice is: 1) Go to see your GP 2) get referred to an appropriate specialist 3) take necessary medication 4) find a physical therapist who is qualified to treat pelvic floor dysfunction 5) practice moderation in diet and exercise, and take rest. Don't spend too much time in online advice forums and chatrooms, as what works for one person may not work for another.

Yesterday I had my last physiotherapy appointment at the Pelvic Floor Clinic, St Thomas'. Together with one of the doctors my therapist examined me and then told me that she is now referring me to the Pain Management Clinic, where I'll be under the supervision of the CRS Andrew Williams again, and will concentrate on desensitisation techniques with a different team. These could include anorectal manometry, but are more likely to be an extension of the relaxation exercises I've already - only partially - done. I think I'm ready to go along with this, and have for the time being decided not to look further into the therapy offered by Karl Monahan - so much of it is really self-care and self-therapy, and I think I can probably manage to make some progress on my own, particularly if I have the pain management sessions to act as a focus. Though I don't know when the clinic will be able to accept me - it's an NHS referral, so may take some time to come through.

Although the examination yesterday was quite painful, I found that discussing my symptoms and pain problems with health professionals did help quite a lot, and I feel more confident about the future. The thing I'm starting to realise is how strong the human body is, and how it's possible to continue one's normal activities in spite of pain, or through pain, without causing physical damage to oneself. There's a psychological component there that's quite important. While swimming this morning I really felt almost back to my former self, before 2014 - back to normal! That must be progress of some kind.