Gina - coloradoavschick@yahoo.com
Original posting, 2004-04-04:
I am writing because I have increasingly worse pain on my tailbone for three months now. At first the doctor's just gave me anti-inflammatories, then after a month it progressed to Vicodin for a month, then they sent me to get an x-ray. The x-ray showed nothing, and now a month has passed and it is getting worse and worse. The Vicodin rarely provides any relief and I have started double dosing just to make it through the day. Unfortunately I have a desk job with 10+ hours a day and its getting unbearable now.
I requested a referral to a specialist through my HMO and was denied. They claim that tailbones just take a long time to heal (even though I never actually injured it!) and they won't refer me until the pain progresses for another month.
Sitting is definitely the worse, but standing, walking, even laying down all hurt 24/7, some are worse than others. I find no relief in any position, drugs are the only thing that help take the edge off.
I am currently pushing the doctor's still for a referral in hope of some diagnosis down the road or least some better relief. I also hope to get a MRI once referred, to hopefully rule out the possibility of a tumor.
It was nice to find this site and discover so many other's in pain as well. I'll admit, in the beginning it was 'tolerable' but after months now it just makes me flat out angry. I know everyone around me is tired of hearing me complain about it. I am tired of it affecting my daily activities.
If anyone has suggestions for me I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks :-( Gina
Update, 2004-04-25:
After battling the HMO, I finally received an MRI. I went in yesterday for the results and they have come up totally clean. They have no clue why I am suffering this pain that it is getting increasingly worse. They gave me a cortizone shot and a Lidocaine shot into my tailbone yesterday. It hasn't helped much. The doctor I was referred to that approved the MRI has had me on Darvocet which I am still taking. I fear that I am getting addicted because the two times I have tried to stop taking it I have ended up hunched and sweating over the toilet with the dry heaves until I take another.
The specialist has no answer for me and can only suggest a pain specialist. I am starting to get very depressed as I feel I may be losing my job soon due to this. I missed a lot of work, even though I have had my job for 10 years and they been patient with me. It's not going to hold out much longer.
I am going to have a special cushion made for me to sit on as I have felt no relief from those donut rings.
Has anyone out there received any relief from some exercise or stretching or any kind of physical therapy (for the people that did not have an injury to begin with)?
Please email me at coloradoavschick@yahoo.com if you have any further suggestions for me to cope with this.
Thank you for listening and sharing your stories as well.