

Today, I started what was supposed to be physical therapy for my SI nerve in my lower back. I have been having pain down the back of my left leg for almost a year now on top of the terrible bladder, GI, and gynecological issues. I figured the pain in my leg was just something else to add on to the list of weird symptoms with no rhyme or reason.

The X-Rays and MRI’s came back clean so the Doctor told me physical therapy and cortisone shots where my best bet since there was no clear reason for my pain. I was yet again defeated, but said I would do it because the pain was unbarable, even at times causing me to throw up and be unable to get out of bed.

This morning at 8:30AM I started my first round of physical therapy, but within 10 mins, the physical therapist said that this was way more than sciatica (the inflammation of the SI nerve.) She saw a patch I wear that allows me to have bladder medication always being infused into my skin. She thought that was an odd issue to have along with the leg pain so she stoped and looked at my pelvic region. I was told that the muscles in my pelvic area had little to no function which causes issues with the nerves, GI taffy, bladder, and female reproductive organs. Was I aware of this before hand? Not at all. The physical therapist was appalled that after all the specialist I have been to no one bothered to simply touch my stomach and feel the problem. I was diagnosed on the spot with pelvic floor dysfunction.

Could this have been prevented? We aren’t sure, but it could have been found way earlier like when doctors refused to do a cystoscopy on me because I was “too young to have these issues.” Well if they would have done the cystoscopy like my physican wanted, it may have never gotten this bad. After seeing over 10 doctors, one pushing on my stomach for 10 mins, was able to explain all the symptoms and pain I was having.

This being said, I will have to start very invasive pelvic floor therapy soon, but surprisingly I’m not scared at all; in fact I’m relieved that someone finally took the time to look at me fully and all my symptoms and get me the help I need. Will I be cured? No. We still need to fix the issue causing the pelvic floor dysfunction which won’t be determined until I have surgery, but at least we are one step closer to me finding an answer. It’s a feeling I cannot describe to know it’s not in my all in my head.