Butt, hip, groin and leg pain = hysterectomy (I hope!)

Hi Everyone,

I've just discovered this forum, and have really appreciated reading the posts. Thanks to everyone for posting, for answering so many questions, and for your amazing attitudes. This is my first post.

My story:
I'm an avid marathon runner. I love to run. It makes me happy Even when it's raining or snowing or windy. There is no such thing as bad weather; only bad clothes! Two years ago, I started to get really pained after running longer distances. My lower right back/butt hurt and it hurt to lift my right leg (I noticed this getting up on a curb). And it really really hurt to sit down after and drive - the pain in my hip and leg was excruciating. Better to stand than sit, and better to keep moving than stand. Sitting is just evil. I had many many tests on my back, hip, and right knee (several MRIs, x-rays, ultrasound), several injections - facet joint, SI joint, inner hip - and a LOT of physio. Two years and nothing has helped. And it's gotten worse and worse. I've pretty much give up on the running because I just can't take it. However not running doesn't make it better; driving hurts, sitting hurts. Heaven-forbid I bend or twist too much. Then last fall one specialist sent me for an MRI of my right hip and everything came back pristine - everything except for my uterus. I was pretty surprised! The MRI showed that I have a bulky uterus (yes that explains my stomach), as well as a 9cm pendunculated subserosal fibroid, a 4 cm non-hemorrhagic cyst on my right ovary, and a 1cm or so endometrial polyp. Woohoo. I went to my GP, and this was all confirmed with an ultrasound (another lovely procedure). All no big deal unless this was perhaps the cause of my pain. I was referred to an obgyn - all I wanted to know was if my back, hip, groin, and leg pain could be caused by the 9cm fibroid. I have always had painful periods but I just assumed that that was "normal" so I wasn't concerned about that at all. The answer to my back/hip/groin/leg pain question was "maybe - we won't know unless we remove it." The recommendation was a hysterectomy. I was shocked, I said "no thanks", I left the office, I cried, I researched, I talked a lot with some amazing friends - and in the end I decided that it was worth the chance. It's been 2 years of this awful pain. I'm ready to say "yes" to anything that might help.

Sorry for the super long post! (I type quickly... ) So after all this... my question for anyone who has made it this far, does this sound familiar to anyone? I'd appreciate hearing back anything. My surgery is scheduled for April 15th. With some luck, I will be in less pain by the summer!

My goal for 2008: Happy!

Happy8

Happy8,
I also had back pain and burning, tingling down both legs at various times. As I am a therapist and do a lot of lifting with work, it was easy to attribute the problems to my back. However, during a check up with my GP, I mentioned the pain as well as my growing stomach. She sent me for an ultrasound and found the same type of fibroids as you have. I am scheduled for TAH on this Wednesday. I will let you know if the leg pain symptoms are relieved.
Looking forward to a good outcome!!
Allie19

I too have had a lot of the leg pain, back pain, feels like something is sitting on the nerves to my legs, have been blaming it on a bad back etc for years, recently the back pain has gotten a lot worse and heavy periods and heavy pelvic pressure etc. finally went to the doctor and found out had fibroids and also need a bladder suspension, so I too am hoping getting the TVH will help with the back and leg pain.
good luck
pt201

Me too, me too! I have been having terrible back pain the week after my period and for a few days just before my period (which comes every 23 days.......geez!). Most of the time it's on my left side and goes down into my butt cheek. Though sometimes, it's on the right too, but not as often as the left. I get a feeling of heaviness in my back and pelvis that gets worse as the day wears on. Lots of bloating and some cool tingling sensations like I put icy hot on my back.....but I didn't. I've had internal and external ultrasounds, an endometrial biopsy and physical exams all of which revealed no fibroids, unusual enlargement or cysts....only a retroverted uterus (tilted towards my back instead of towards the front). I was told that the retroverted uterus could be the cause of my pain.
So......I'm REALLY hoping that my TVH on Wednesday will solve the pain problem. I KNOW it will solve the heavy bleeding and clotting : )

Good luck to you all. I'll post again and report on whether or not my pain problem gets solved.

Take care all,

You described my pain PERFECTLY. I also have an enlarged uterus and a fibroid. I also get burning, feels like a blow torch. I have just recently started having trouble driving without pain. I might not have any pain all day (for one particular day) I drive somewhere, and that will be the start of it!

I wanna join in too!!! That's me as well!! I have had a bad back for a while, although nothing really made it better. The first of this year I started working out and my back was TERRIBLE. I remember going for a walk with my neighbor and we were about a half hour away from my house and I had to stop because the pain was so bad. When we finally got home, I laid on the floor for an hour with my feet on the couch trying to relieve the pressure. I finally went to the doctor (the friend I was walking with threatened me if I didn't call!!) I also had the heaviness in my pelvic region so I figured I might as well start with my gyne (I really like him anyway). Well, all that to say, I have known about my tipped uterus for a while, and I had some minor fibriods a few years ago and now it is prolapsed. So, it is all going in 17 days....

Happy, I know you are looking for people who have had the surgery and feel better, but thanks for posting your question so that so many of us could let you know we understand!

BTW - I am planning on running a marathon the year I turn 40 (2011)!!

Annessa

Hi,

I'm so glad this was brought up as I too have had pressure in the lower middle of my back for a long time now. I wasn't sure what to attribute it to and have not mentioned it to my doctor. I am scheduled this Thursday for a TAH so I am looking forward to seeing if my pressure goes away.

Thanks

yes I have a tipped uterus too, and personally I think thats more the problem, then the fibroids, or maybe because its tipped the fibroids are felt more. Yes driving or just riding in a car make it worse. sometimes I don't have back pain and then it will wake me up at 4am and toss back and forth till I get up at 6.
also standing in one place for very long irritates it.

I'm on my feet 9 hours a day and sometimes this doesn't bother it at all, but lately there have been days I have the back pain all day, trying to see the pattern in my cycle. Now that I know I'm having the TVH, and that the pain isn't just something I have to live with, its better. Now have a stool at work, to try and prevent it getting so bad. I work with my hubby, and he's been very supportive.

glad to see this thread going, I lived with this pain for so long, can't believe others are out there too.

pt201

I also have the back and hip pain. Mine is on the left side the and the surgeon confirmed two weeks ago it is because of the fibroid and what it lays on/against. I always thought I was getting arthritis from bike riding and years of tennis. I have my surgery on the 18th and look forward to the hip/back pain going away. Yeah!

You are all an AMAZING bunch! Wow :-) For the past 2 years I have thought "surely I can't be the only person walking the face of the earth with this pain. Why can't someone help me?" And look. I'm not alone. We've all somehow arrived at this point in our lives. How cool are we! Thanks to everyone for posting!!!

Annessa, you can do it!! Training and finishing a marathon is quite simply an amazing feeling. I ran Miami last year. Every kilometre was a gift. It was soooo much fun :-)

To everyone with their surgery scheduled this week, my thoughts are with you!! Be strong. Everything will work out, and tomorrow will be a beautiful day because every day is beautiful. Please let us know how you are doing. To everyone else with their surgery or whatever else coming up, if you're like me, you're just loving the waiting, the thoughts, the planning, the anxiety. It's all just so much fun. Focus on what you can change, and the good things today and tomorrow will bring. And if you're like me, I like to ask everyone I know the most uncomfortable embarrassing questions. Last car ride I had with a bunch of friends.. "anyone here ever had a hysterectomy??" Hey. If they're true friends, they'll humour and hug me. I'm just sharing the fun that is my world :-)

Here's to showing our uterus's and pain who's boss!

O.k. back to my regularly scheduled job… I'll post more later.

Please let us all know how you're going.

Happy8