Finally...Got my tail docked!

[Kyrabee]

I have posted on numerous other threads regarding my spiky tailbone. I had a spicule or spur at the very end of the last segment of my TB pointing out the back…just like I had tried growing a tail. Anyway, it has been a chronic issue and become very annoying and limiting as time has gone on (probably due to fusion of the joint above that segment).

After a whole 'nuther round of doctor visits, imaging, and injections starting in January of 2016, the deed was done on Monday. It isn’t a common surgery. Finding a surgeon that will do it is interesting but I found one locally that has done around 50 coccygectomies. That is a lot. I did have to go out of network but so be it. I wanted the experience. The surgeon in network had done 3 in 10 years and was anything but enthusiastic. I understand, the surgery is a last ditch thing and there can be lots of complications but he only highlighted the negative and gave me no other options. Thanks buddy, but I pass. I still had to jump through some hoops in the form of injections with the surgeon that did the surgery. I agree, you want to be sure the pain was coming from the tailbone and not the sacrum or lumbar spine.

So far, it hasn’t been bad at all. My surgery was late PM so I stayed overnight but was home by 11am the next AM. I think so far, I have taken 3 narcotic pain pills, mostly getting along fine on my cocktail of 500mg acetaminophen with 400mg ibuprofen. I have been walking 3 times a day for about 15 minutes/time. Still fighting anesthesia hangover so enjoy my frequent naps but I have 4 weeks off of work so no need to rush anything.
My poor hips have about reached their max. I prefer to sleep on my back which is just a no go at the moment and even though I try to spend equal amounts on each side, they are sore. Oh well. I can’t spend much time on my stomach either. I am however, actually sitting now as I type this and it isn’t too bad. The incision is sore but the foreign body feel I have had for years is gone.

It will be quite awhile before I know how good (or not) things are going to get. I plan on staying off the horse for at least 6 months before trying to ride but after my 2 week post op appointment, I should be able to get back to ground work.
But finally, maybe I can get back to life. I of course would like to ride my horse but as I near retirement, I would like to travel some. At least around my beautiful state. Hoping to be able to sit in a car for more than 30 minutes at one time, heck, even go see a movie.

Susan

[HappyTalk]

You will probably recover very quickly. I had my spine resection surgery in July and I know I was riding by September.

[Magicboy]

Hoping your recovery is quick and you get back on soon!

[Bluey]

I broke my tail bone, twice.
Not the same by any means, but I know that kind of pain in the posterior.
It is worth doing something about it if it becomes chronic, like yours was.

Glad that at least you will have a chance at getting around and sitting like the rest of us can.
We don’t appreciate what we have until we don’t, right?

I expect you will heal soon and this will all have been a long nightmare, now over.

Let us know how you do, there may be others in the same predicament that would like to hear how this went.

[walkers]

Please let us know how you do with this recovery as I know the very nasty risks with this surgery. More importantly if all your parts continue to work please let me know if you have pain relief. I’m sitting home again today because it just hurts which for me makes it impossible to have fun.

[Kyrabee]

I am doing well. The pain is now just residual soreness but a deep soreness that is going to take some time to resolve. Most of the soreness is in the part of the glutes that runs on either side of the butt crack. That particular section of muscle was attached to the tailbone and now it is not so I expect some adjustment. I don’t plan on trying to ride my horse today or tomorrow though:winkgrin:.

I have had no complications. The incision is healed up with no infection. No hernias, no incontinence or other nasty things. My understanding is that it can be up to a year to know the ultimate outcome. I feel I am progressing. Sleeping is getting much better so I am confident that sitting will get there. Even with the pain I had before the surgery, after surgery I really noticed just how much pressure is on your butt when you sit down:ambivalence:.

I went back to work a week ago. That increased the soreness for a few days but it is starting to abate now. Luckily with my job I can either sit or stand so yeah, I have been standing more and my dawgs (feet) are tired but this too shall pass.

Overall, thus far I would say it hasn’t been as bad an experience as I envisioned but can’t yet tell you if it will have solved my pain completely. I put in for some time off in October. I am praying and hoping that I can actually go somewhere that is farther than a 30 minute car ride (my pre-op sitting limit).

Walkers, jingling you can find the sosurce of your pain and fix it. It is a daunting task as the doctors don’t seem very interested with pains’ in the butt. It took me 5+ years from my first big pain flare to diagnosis then another 9 months to the surgery. Good luck.
Susan

[Kyrabee]

Updating…yeah, that 6 month no riding thing…lasted 9 weeks:winkgrin:. I just got on and walked her for 5-10 minutes…I just had to check it out. It wasn’t exactly comfortable but it wasn’t horrible either and it didn’t flare anything. I was using my friend’s saddle since mine was at home and I don’t find it very comfortable even without the surgery factor. The friend that has been riding my mare had her saddle out there but how dare she come pick it up to use on her own horse :lol:. I did decide to give it (the butt) some further rest.

I will be 12 weeks next week and things are progressing very well. I still have some deep soreness in the surgical area and some of the muscles below it but otherwise am very happy with the outcome thus far. I am being able to sit in chairs for short times without my cushion and the pain seems to be fading a bit every week. I am going to clean up my saddle and take it back to the barn and next week (if our weather ever cools down below 100:disgust:), I am going to start a walking program. I am pretty sure I am not ready for trot and canter yet but a month of walking would be good for both of us. The walking actually kind of massages that area and it will surely help my stiff hips and SI. I have been having more problems with those since I haven’t been riding.

Anyway, I thought I would update the tail tale.

Susan

[Bluey]

Sounds good, just be careful, just heard yesterday about someone with hind end problems that was not careful, kept riding and ended up with a MRSA infection!

You don’t want that in there, take whatever time it takes to heal.

Walking around sounds like a good plan.

[RoughOut]

I hope your self-prescribed hippotherapy treats you well! I admire how positive you are and I think (personally) that it helps healing!

Good luck to you!

[walkers]

Any chance you could tell us your surgeons name as very few doctors have experience with tail pain. I’m not sure I am as brave as you but if things get worse…

[Kyrabee]

Dr. Richard Manos with the Spine Institute of Idaho.

Susan