Coccygectomy saved my life!

Diane Roberts of Riverside, California - diane_roberts@yahoo.com

Please include my e-mail address if you decide to post my story. Part of my success stemmed from the ability to contact a couple of other women personally who had coccygectomies. Their support was wonderful.

I've been trying to decide what would be the best way to convey my experience in a "short but sweet" fashion. I've decided to go for the "" approach! Some of the bullets may not actually have anything to do with why I suffered from coccydynia but since they were considered by the multitude of professionals I consulted, I've decided to include them.

• I am a 5'5" female. I am 45 years old as of May 2001.
• I severely injured my tailbone in a poolside accident when I was approximately twelve years old.
• I have delivered six ~7 lb healthy babies vaginally over the course of eighteen years.
• From mid 1994 to 1995, I reduced my weight from 188 lbs to 138 lbs by eating better and walking.
• I was able to maintain that weight until early 1997.
• In June 1997, I began experiencing pain in my tailbone when sitting and rising from a sitting position.
• Over the next three years, the pain increased to the point where I could not even sit on the edge of my daughter's bed at night and read her a story let alone sit on the bleachers to watch my son play baseball. I became depressed and put the fifty pounds back on.
• The first thing I was told by my doctor was that there wasn't much the medical profession could do to help me (he said I certainly didn't want surgery to remove it since this was very risky and dangerous!) and that I would probably have to learn to live with it!
• I tried acupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs and coccygeal blocks (pain shots). None of which gave me any long term relief. The blocks were great for a day or two but would wear off and I'd be back where I was.
• I don't remember when I discovered your site, but after doing a great deal of research and contacting some of the people who had posted experiences on your site, I began to wonder if the first doctor was wrong about the surgery being out of the question.
• I became excited about the prospect of getting the "damn thing" removed and getting on with my life. I found a physician that would at least discuss it as an option.
• I was afraid that having an HMO for my medical insurance would be a hindrance and that since I work full time (outside of the home) and have six busy children that I wouldn't be able to be out of commission for very long.
• I was way wrong! It turned out that an ortho doctor at my clinic not only thought I was a good candidate but had actually done a "couple" before!

Here's the most incredible part:

• My first consultation with the surgeon was on June 6, 2000. On Friday, June 16, I had "OUTPATIENT" surgery to remove my coccyx. On June 28, I had the stitches removed. He told me he hesitated to move so quickly but that I seemed informed about my condition and was definitely eager to move on.
• I admit I took a lot of Vicodin at first because I was afraid it would hurt. But it wasn't long before I realized that nothing could have hurt as much as having my coccyx still there so I gave up ALL the drugs!
• I have been drug free for nearly a year now. I still need to lose fifty pounds but I can't describe what a relief it is to be able to sit (in any position I want) again!

Thanks again, Jon, for your efforts and I would be happy to correspond with anyone considering a coccygectomy as I truly believed that it saved my life!

Sincerely,

Diane Roberts of Riverside, California

Updated 2001-05-08