Buttgirl, (or is it Chris? I feel kinda funny calling you Buttgirl :oops: )
Thanks for the good info, would definitely like to try the valerian sometime. Right now I take ambien for insomnia and probably should wait until I quit that. Maybe I wouldn't need ambien, it is hard to quit taking cuz I think you start depending on it. My neurologist thinks my insomnia can cause migraines for me.
I really feel like my body is just falling apart sometimes.
Fiss,
You sound like me, nothing seems to help me sleep, seems like I can go for days.
:( Sorry you can't get the cream inside, it is very hard for me also, can't tell if I am getting it there or not.
Lecia,
Thanks for the advice. I do have some Skelaxin and Flexeril from my neurologist for migraine prevention, usually I save for night time use. Do they make you tired during the day? Does one seem to work better than the other?
Myofasical sounds great, what does the physical therapist do? Is it like a massage?

I love massages!
I haven't tried the heating pad for months now, I'll have to use that again..
It has been frustrating day. I missed taking miralax 2 days ago, maybe 3 and now haven't had a bm for over 2 days...now lots of bleeding again. I skipped a day cuz things were getting a little bit too mushy..sorry! Maybe that is better than this because today really seems to have set me back again. :(
Sorry this is kind of long....Jo

Hey Jo,
Sorry you are having a run of bad days. It can be hard to get the right routine down that works for you. Do you normally go every day? I would rather go with mushy as long as it doesn't burn than hard. I keep mine at mashed potatoes softness.

I get a little sleepy with flexeril but after a few days it didn't have that effect. Skelaxin didn't have that effect at all.

The OT that I see does a type of massage but it works to help unwind and relax the fascia (the cover of the muscles) and the ligamenture in my pelvis. It feels better than a massage in my opinion because it is so gentle. I can't take these heavy duty rubdowns-not relaxing at all.

My pelvis gets locked and she helps to free it up so that things fit better. She also does some visceral manipulation to help move the organs in my pelvis a bit. Everything has kind of veered off to the right. Whenever I go in for a pelvic I have to tell them where to go because it can be hard to find my cervix because everything is pulled over. I had to have an inguinal hernia repaired on that side last Summer.

Here is a link that is helpful if you want to find someone who is trained in cranial-sacral, myofascial release and viseral manipulation. http://www.iahp.com/

I take klonopin for sleep. I get migraines too if I don't sleep well. I will probably wean off of that once I get to a better spot though, but it is nice not to have to worry if I am going to fall asleep at night because then that just keeps me up longer worrying. I listen to a book on tape at night and that helps to take my mind off of things though. I am listening to the new Mary Higgins Clark book and the new Jan Karon book-Home to Holly Hills.

:hi: Lecia,
Thanks. It is very hard to get a routine, I've struggled with constipation for years. That is what probably what got me into this mess, (along with my surgeon, grrr...). Usually when I skip a day of miralax, things usually don't feel this bad, not sure why though I think also been lax on fiber. I really feel better if I do go every day, sometimes its OK if I skip a day. Last fall my meds got changed to Inderal from Verapamil which really caused me some constipation problems. Thought things were better but now not so sure. Miralax has really helped me though, I just need to keep taking it, maybe just lower the dose?
Does the OT really help with relaxing your pelvic muscles? I think the botox sounds good, but I am a little scared it would cause some loss of control. I know this is just temporary though.
Massage has really helped with my stiff knotted muscle in my shoulders and neck when I am struggling with lots of migraines. Thankfully this hasn't bothered me much recently.
Sorry to hear you have struggled with surgery, also. Last June I had to have emergency surgery for a 15 cm cyst attached to my ovary. It's been a struggle with my abdominal scar also because it is now a 7 inch keloid scar which has been hurting. My surgeon was scheduled to excise it along with steroid injections but I had to cancel because of all this anal stuff...not sure when I am going to get that fixed now.
I think I will start taking at least some flexeril during the day and see if that helps. Last night I read that you are only supposed to take it for 3 weeks, Hah! guess I went way past that by now (years). Didn't think the skelaxin worked as well. Do you take any pain meds with the flexeril? I've been taking some darvocet, not sure if that mixes OK with the flexeril.
I haven't heard of klonopin. Ambien CR really has helped me, I am a worrier too.. I even worry about quitting the ambien!!
How are your books?
Thanks again! Jo

You can call me either. I tend to get put to sleep really easily. Taking one benadryl is enough to make me conk out. you can imagine what vicoden does...
the other thing I have taken in the past is melatonin. that put me to sleep fast and I slept soundly for a scarily long time. I am usually a light sleeper, but I slept deeply for 12 hours on it. It is not supposed to have that profound of an effect, but then again, I'm apparently a light weight.
I have been preferring the valerian tea because it also seems to relax the pelvic muscle spasms.

Hi Jo,

I have taken verapimil and had to quit because it does cause constipation and for me it was quite severe.

My SIL has had quite a few surgeries due to ovarian cysts and I know how painful it can be. I wonder if puttin some kind of silicon pads that they make for scars would help with the keloid.

I take vicodin regularly. I sometimes can cut back here or there but with the complexity of the pain and the amount of distress it causes I will probably wait awhile longer before weaning off. I think the darvocet and flexeril would enhance the other which may or may not be a good thing.

I do find the OT really helpful. I wish she were closer or I would probably go every week. I am going to try accupuncture this summer I think.

:hi: Chris,
I wish the benadryl would put me out...I used to take it before I got a script for ambien. It really didn't help me much. :) Glad you are able to sleep well, I get tired but just can't seem to fall asleep, even if I would I have a problem of waking about 3 am.
Wow, 12 hours is a long time, probably not a good thing for you.
I think I tried the melatonin years ago but it didn't seem to help..I may not have taken it long enough. The valerian tea is something I would like to try sometime, especially if it is helpful with relaxing muscles!

Thanks Lecia :) ,
I tried the silicone strips for about 6 weeks, didn't seem to help much, wish my surgeon would have suggested the steroid shots before this caused more problems. I wonder if my body is just not working right to cause the keloid and now the slow healing of the butt. I've had 3 other surgeries without the keloid problem, so this is something new for me.
Accupuncture sounds like something I may like to try, I think there is a chiropracter that does that around here. How far do you have to drive to get to your OT?
I am now trying 1/2 flexeril (5 mg) generic along with 1/2 darvocet, it seems to be helping. Things got a little worse and now I have to reheal because of the straining yesterday.
It sounds like you suffer from pain, sorry to hear that, hoping things only get better and better and you heal very soon.