I am a white male in my early 30s, 6”, 145 lbs. I have always been healthy before this. No car accidents, no previous injuries. In the last year I have developed this awful pain in my butt, it is diffuse across my glutes but is not tender to the touch. When it started it was more noticeable when I sat down but now it is with me every day regardless of whether I sit or stand. It is not like any pain sensation I’ve had before (it’s doesn’t feel like a sore muscle or a bruise) and while it fluctuates throughout the day, it is extremely uncomfortable. Sometimes I have what feels like a muscle cramp / knot higher up in my back at shoulder level. It doesn't matter if I do strenouous exercises or be completely sedentary. It has gotten to the point where it really interferes with my work and my personal life. If I cannot find a way to deal with this, I really don’t know how the rest of my life is going to play out.
No one has been able to give me any answers. Even the pain meds are only 50% effective at dealing with the pain, and they make it extremely hard for me to concentrate. I don’t think my HMO will pay for me to go to the Mayo clinic but I am getting ready to just pay for it myself. Here is what I have been through:
I went to my primary care doctor, who gave me a steroid shot and an oral course of steroids. She did a set of back and hip x-rays which were clean. I went to an orthopedic surgeon who thought it was a slipped disc and sent me to a physical therapist who gave me stretches to do. I had a lumbar MRI which was completely clean. I went to a pain management doctor who gave me two epidural steroid shots in my lumbar spine. I had a bad lumbar puncture which led to a brain MRI which was completely clean. I went to a chiropractor. I went to a neurologist who did a nerve conduction study (clean) and blood work (clean). He did a hip MRI which was clean. I went to a 2nd physical therapist who prescribed core strengthening exercises. I went to a rheumatologist who did a bunch of bloodwork which all came back clean. I went to a physical medicine doctor who has scheduled an SI joint steroid injection for later this month.
In addition to all that, I have tried the following medications:
- anti-inflammatories: naproxen, ibuprofen, celebrex, diclofenac, meloxicam
- nerve pain: neurontin, lyrica
- muscle relaxers: cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone
- general pain: cymbalta, ultram, hydrocodone
- misc: requip
I don’t even know what is wrong with me. I don’t even know what type of doctor I should be seeing. How do you get medical help with difficult diagnoses? I am not a whiner or complainer but I am in severe pain just about every day - this is ruining my life.
No one has been able to give me any answers. Even the pain meds are only 50% effective at dealing with the pain, and they make it extremely hard for me to concentrate. I don’t think my HMO will pay for me to go to the Mayo clinic but I am getting ready to just pay for it myself. Here is what I have been through:
I went to my primary care doctor, who gave me a steroid shot and an oral course of steroids. She did a set of back and hip x-rays which were clean. I went to an orthopedic surgeon who thought it was a slipped disc and sent me to a physical therapist who gave me stretches to do. I had a lumbar MRI which was completely clean. I went to a pain management doctor who gave me two epidural steroid shots in my lumbar spine. I had a bad lumbar puncture which led to a brain MRI which was completely clean. I went to a chiropractor. I went to a neurologist who did a nerve conduction study (clean) and blood work (clean). He did a hip MRI which was clean. I went to a 2nd physical therapist who prescribed core strengthening exercises. I went to a rheumatologist who did a bunch of bloodwork which all came back clean. I went to a physical medicine doctor who has scheduled an SI joint steroid injection for later this month.
In addition to all that, I have tried the following medications:
- anti-inflammatories: naproxen, ibuprofen, celebrex, diclofenac, meloxicam
- nerve pain: neurontin, lyrica
- muscle relaxers: cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone
- general pain: cymbalta, ultram, hydrocodone
- misc: requip
I don’t even know what is wrong with me. I don’t even know what type of doctor I should be seeing. How do you get medical help with difficult diagnoses? I am not a whiner or complainer but I am in severe pain just about every day - this is ruining my life.
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