My progress to date - 85% better (Nov 2006)

[latte]

I take 50mgs when I go to bed.

[scotsman]

A month on and I thought I'd post an update.

Current symptoms:

• Feelings of discomfort are lessening - still there but much less.
  Pain around the rectum and "˜tense' feeling towards the end of the day (golf ball) has mostly gone now.
  Occasional pain in the penis (still have a constant ache but it's less).
  Still have frequency of urination - though this has lessened over the last few days (could be down to the Atarax though I did have a serious PT session a few days before hand).
  Had some prostate discharge over the past week after urination - which hasn't been good. Not in the leakage way but in a large discharge.
  Sometimes my internal trigger point PT causes 1-7 days of increased pain in the area the trigger work addressed.
  I'm having some side effects from the Atarax - muscle ache, muggy head, dry mouth.

Medication:

• Quercetin.
  Atarax 25mg at night (just started).
  Ester C (just started).
  Tramadol (Ultram in the US) - when required.
  St Johns Wort (to combat anxiety - which I've been prone to in the past).

Protocol:

• I'm doing 30-60 mins skilled relaxation per day using diaphragmatic breathing and the Theta Meditation System CD's.
  Internal tigger point work with my physio once per week.
  Most PT sessions also end with some acupuncture.
  External trigger point work with my wife each night.
  Stretching exercises as detailed in AHIP book every day.

So, still making progress - it's slow but still taking those small steps forward.

Richard.

[alprost]

Sometimes my internal trigger point PT causes 1-7 days of increased pain in the area the trigger work addressed.

I spoke with David Wise re. this once and he said it is actually a good sign - The inflammation is a natural part of the healing process as the muscle 're-sets' at it's new length. As a general rule, the more pain and inflammation I had in the days following a myofascial release session, the greater my subsequent improvement, although it often took up to 7 days for the pain to subside for me to notivce the improvement.

I believe that the inflammatory process (and subsequent healing and adaptation) after manual stretching of your PFM is essentially the same as you experience when you get muscular pain after performing any exercise you are not accustomed to (Dalayed Onset Muscle Soreness).

[scotsman]

Alan - completely agree.

A PT session a couple of weeks ago left me in pain for the whole week after but I have to say that the frequency feelings have reduced somewhat since then - the tigger points were pretty deep inside.

[scotsman]

Another month passes and here's another update.

Current symptoms:

• Very little pain around the rectum and the golf ball is completely away.
  Occasional pain in the penis (constant ache is still there but it is less).
  Still have constant frequency of urination - which is my main symptom - but it is lessening.
  No more prostate discharge after urination.
  I still get a reaction/flare-up after sex but this has massively reduced over the past 10 days. Whilst before the flare up was to a factor of 10 I'd now say it was a factor of 1 or 2.

Medication:

• Quercetin (down to one a day).
  Tramadol (Ultram in the US) - when required - usually 4-6 capsules a week.
  I've stopped taking the Atarax, St Johns Wort and Ester C (might start the Ester C again).

Protocol:

• I'm doing 30 mins skilled relaxation per day using diaphragmatic breathing and the Theta Meditation System CD's.
  Internal tigger point work with my physio once per week.
  Abdomen and groin work with my physio.
  All PT sessions end with some acupuncture.
  External and internal trigger point work with my wife each night.
  Stretching exercises as detailed in AHIP book every day.

The reduction in the flare up of symptoms after sex is the biggest improvement for me. My wife has also been shown some internal trigger point work by my physio this week - so that has been added to our evening sessions.

After long stressful days at work I used to suffer big time but it's not affecting me so much anymore.

When I posted this thread initially three months ago I said I was 70% better. Thinking back I feel I was right - as perhaps 70% of the pain was away but it's taking a long time to get rid of the frequency and the deep rooted pain. I'd say I was now 80% better and I'm feeling positive!

Richard.

[scotsman]

Here's another update - but it's not been that good....

Over the Xmas and New Year break I didn't see my physio, had the flu a couple times, my wife had the flu (which meant that between us we didn't do many nightly triggerpoint sessions), I didn't do my daily stretching and I wasn't doing my relaxation everyday. The outcome of all this was I had a flare-up that put me back to where I was at least 2-3 months ago. Not nice.

Anyway, since the start of January I've had my physio again once per week (my first session after the flare-up was tough - some bad internal triggerpoints which had sprung up again), stretching each day, nightly triggerpoint work with my wife and daily relaxation sessions. I'm pleased to say that I'm now back to where I was just before the flare-up at Xmas.

So whilst the flare-up was disappointing and distressing the good points were:

• 1) It was obvious what caused the flare-up (not following the protocol, especially over a stressful time of year).
  2) Whilst it put me back at least 2-3 months, it's only taken 3 weeks to bring me forward again.

Anyway, where I am today:

Current symptoms:

• Some pain around the rectum and ache in my bottom cheeks (worse as the day goes on).
  Constant feeling of discomfort/tightness in my pelvis
  Occasional pain in the penis (constant ache is still there).
  Still have constant feeling of frequency (I don't actually NEED to go though).
  Sex still causes an increase in symptoms but not by much (does vary).

Medication:

• Quercetin (increased dosage to three a day).
  Tramadol (Ultram in the US) - when required - usually 4-6 capsules a week.

Protocol:

• I'm doing 30 mins skilled relaxation per day using diaphragmatic breathing and the Theta Meditation System CD's.
  Internal tigger point work with my physio once per week.
  Abdomen and groin work with my physio.
  Started some pelvic exercises with my physio.
  All PT sessions end with some acupuncture.
  External and internal trigger point work with my wife each night.
  Stretching exercises as detailed in AHIP book every day.

I'm also trying to get some normality back into my life - just started playing golf and we're socialising with friends more. Feeling positive today.

Richard.

[webslave]

It's a slow, uncertain upward path. It was for me too.

[scotsman]

Mark - what symptoms do you have these days?

[webslave]

I sometimes have a hesistant stream, but that may be a little BPH creeping in. It tends to follow dietary indiscretion. I'm not taking any meds or supplements other than the usual: calcium, Vit D etc.

[scotsman]

Great news that you've made such progress though No pain at all these days?

[webslave]

Not enough to comment on. Vague discomfort, occasionally.

[scotsman]

:happy:

[nera]

Dear Scotsman,
Could you tell me how to get in touch with Bill Taylor? My email is [email protected] Thank you. Nera.

[scotsman]

nera - email sent.

[scotsman]

Almost been two months so here's an update:

Been a mixed bag really - had some good weeks and some not so good weeks - usual 3 steps forward and 2 back. However, the last 2-3 weeks have seen some interesting progress.

We found some hidden triggerpoints between the anus and perineum - which my wife has been treating nighly for the last 2 weeks - and my physio has also been treating. Also did some very deep internal triggerpoint work with my physio - which treated roughly the same area but from the inside.

This has led to a number of improvements:

1) Since getting chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome my ejaculate has been strange - very wallpaper paste like (lumpy, etc). However, I've had 3 ejaculations over the past 10 days (since we started to treat the new triggerpoints) and all have been almost normal in consistency.

2) Last week my frequency feelings were reduced by about 50% (!) - it was like that for around 4-5 days, then was bad again for a couple days before feeling slightly better again yesterday and today (not as good as last week though).

The tiggerpoints we're treating are very bad (my physio did some dry needling on them last week as well) - and I'm having a lot of pain during the day that I can feel emanating from the treated areas - but it feels like a healing pain (if that makes sense!).

Current symptoms:

• Some pain around the rectum and ache in my bottom cheeks/legs (worse as the day goes on). This has been worse recently due to the new triggerpoints we've been treating.
  Constant feeling of discomfort/tightness in my pelvis - but certainly less.
  Occasional pain in the penis (constant ache is still there).
  Still have constant feeling of frequency (it has been feeling better).
  Sex still causes an increase in symptoms but not by much (does vary).

Medication:

• Quercetin (dosage currently two a day). Not sure this is doing anything for me so might stop once the current supply runs out.
  Tramadol (Ultram in the US) - when required - usually 6-8 capsules a week. I've increased the dosage recently (usually taking 50mg a day). Helps a lot.

Protocol:

• I'm doing 30 mins skilled relaxation most days using diaphragmatic breathing and the Theta Meditation System CD's - also been trying Open Focus (http://www.openfocus.com).
  Internal tigger point work with my physio once per week.
  Abdomen and groin work with my physio.
  Daily pelvic exercises.
  All PT sessions end with some acupuncture.
  External and internal trigger point work with my wife each night.
  Stretching exercises as detailed in AHIP book every day.

I'm looking to try Prelief over the next few weeks - see if that improves the frequency feelings further (I've not noticed any increase in my symptoms due to what I drink or eat - so not sure if it will help).

So, whilst I'm still experiencing about the same amount of pain I know a lot of it is directly attributable to the new triggerpoints (which are still very painful to treat two weeks on). The reduction in frequency feeling and the change in ejaculate consistancy has been very encouraging.

Richard.