Question:
Does anyone else's tailbone go numb????
I am 5 mths post op RYN and down 100lbs!!!! YAY!! but ever since my 5 night stay in the hospital my tailbone area goes completley numb and feel really uncomfortable if i sit for to long, like a half hour or so. This happens in the car and at work mostly. I cant figure out why. While i was in the hospital my epederial (spelt that wrong) fell out. Do u think it could be nerve damage from that? I also couldnt move much for the 5 nights i was in the hospital. But i doubt that 5 mths later this would still happen if the cause was not getting out of bed much for 5 days. I asked my doctore and all he said is 'thats normal' but its REALLY uncomforatable. Any ideas???? — EmyBaby (posted on May 10, 2008)
May 10, 2008
hmmm...I've never heard of this problem, nor did it happen to me. Doesn't
sound "normal" to me...especially 5 months later.
— cjjordan
May 10, 2008
Sore taibones and feeling cold are often byproducts of RNY surgery. This
has been discussed many times at our support groups. We had a plasitc
surgeon speak 2 months ago, and when he does lower body lifts, he
"folds a flap of fatty tissue" over the tailbone area, as he too
knows this is a common complaint.
— Dave Chambers
May 10, 2008
I am a registered nurse and this sounds like some nerve damage to me. If
this does not resolve seek another doctor's opinion?
— Faith13
May 10, 2008
Speaking from a person who has had lower back surgery, your description
sounds like it could be possible nerve damage. Have that checked out by a
neurologist. Hope all goes well for you.
— elle341
May 10, 2008
This was discussed at our last support meeting held on 5-6-2008 in Fresno,
Ca and most everyone who has had surgery has had a sensitive tail bone. I
have even purchased a pillow for when I drive my car and never had a
problem before. Most everyone agreed to some type of tail bone problem.
This was apparent to me within 2-3 months of my RNY and 70 lbs ago. I am
now out 12 months and 100 lbs less, but still an ocassional tail bone
soreness. Our nut who runs the group was not overly concerned. I would
pursue more if I could not sit, but as it is now, I just have to
re-position my self ocassionally. Good luck
— blossman
May 10, 2008
No expert here but without a lot of big tests and fussing you might
consider a visit to a chiropractor. In my life I have had lost of aches
and pains from being overweight, loosing, sleeping funny as well as post
surgery issues resloved by spinal adjustments.
To find the right chiro aks your hard working friends if they see
one...Mine like many good ones has a little clinic and is quite
reasonable.
One little nerve out of whack can really be a problem and you might just be
amazed at the difference it makes to pop it back in.
I adore my chiropractor!
— [Deactivated Member]
May 11, 2008
We are not discussing "sensitive tailbones" here....Everyone gets
a sensitive tailbone due to weightloss in that area. She is saying
"NUMB tailbone"...which to me..indicates the nerves are not
making the proper connections. It could very well be due to the way the
epidural was given. I'd definitely see a neurologist. It might just be a
matter of time for the nerves to reconnect...but I wouldn't wait to
see...I'd have it checked out. It ISN'T normal! Regards~
— Statuesque
May 11, 2008
If this onloy started after your epidural, then I would suspect it to be a
symptom of damage from the epi. The damage may only be temporary. I
suggest seeking out another doctor for a second opinion.
— gonnadoit
May 11, 2008
Hello.. I experienced Tail Bone pain for the first time two weeks ago, and
OMG was it painful!!!! I did go to my PCP, he didn't relate it to my RYN by
any means.. I am a disabled Veteran and I do have nerve damage from my
accident while I was in the military, so he related it more to that.
However, my motehr in law had WLS surgery and she is about 1.5 yrs out and
she also have tailbone pain... I will have to ask my surgeon and see if
there is a relation.....
— teekayoki
May 11, 2008
I am 1 year post op Lap RNY this coming Wednesday. I left the hospital
with numbness in my buttocks & hips. I initially assumed it was from
just sitting & lying around so much post operatively. However I worked
in surgery at the time and when I returned to work, I approached our
anesthesia staff and asked if she had insight or suggestions. She as well
as my surgeon & center RN states it was probably a consequence of the
poor positioning during surgery. I now work for our WLS center and we
recently had another RNY patient complain about the same thing. So then we
started discussing it in support group and found it is a somewhat common
thing, especially when patients carry alot of their weight in their hip
& buttock area. I still have some numbness occassionally on my outer
hip area, and have just recently started having a sore tailbone with no
known trauma. But my job is mostly sitting 8 hours a day, plus I drive 1.5
hours one way to work. I haven't had neither my surgeon nor my PCP to say
it was anything serious. My best guess is that it is from years of having
padding there and now I have none! Best of luck to you and Happy Losing!
— pam2007
May 12, 2008
I only spent 2 days in the hospital with my open RNY, but I had my
gallbladder out in March and spent 6 days in the hospital to regulate my
Coumadin (blood thinner) levels. When I left the hospital my butt was sore
too...around the tailbone area. It is a nerve that either got sore by
being bedridden or when they moved me off of the operating table. My
chiropractor and massage therapist really helped with this. Occasionally
if I have an itch in that area and I scratch it, sometimes I still can't
feel the scratching. It most likely is a damaged nerve and not the
"tailbone" itself. Like I said, try a chiropractor or a
therapeutic (key word being "therapeutic") massage therapist to
work the area.
— ALafferty
May 12, 2008
Thank God someone finally asked this question. I just had not related it to
the surgery and did not know other people who had weight loss surgery had
this same problem. Since I had spinal fusion in 2002 I thought it had
something to do with this problem but now I know it probably doesn't except
I have alot of scar tissue that is growing around the nerves in my back and
maybe it is nerve damage. Who knows but now that I have a so call lead on
what it could be I feel better and not so crazy. I'm going to tell my spine
doctor about this so maybe now he doesn't think it's in my mind since he
can't blame the problems on weight now (lost 197 in 14 months)
— TrevaDeck150
May 12, 2008
Is your tailbone numb or does it go numb? Is this something that happens
after you've been sitting or is it always numb? Does it feel like its
"asleep"? Do you get tingles or experience "pins and
needles"?
If you have nerve damage, my guess is that it is related to positioning
during surgery and/or positioning in bed post-op (not enough movement/too
much pressure) or that you've lost fat/muscle due to surgery and now a
nerve is being compressed due to loss of padding.
Ideas... invest in a good quality cushion. Go to a medical supply store,
look online... buy one designed for people prone to pressure sores. Make
sure you frequently change position / shift your weight while sitting.
It's not impossible, but I would be very surprised if the tailbone issue
had anything to do with the epidural falling out.
Good luck.
— mrsidknee
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