Piriformis Syndrome Surgery: How Debbie Went From Hell to Heaven
“I feel like I went from hell to heaven in one surgery.”
That’s how Debbie describes her piriformis syndrome surgery with Dr. Tim Tollestrup. Before it, she had seen 22 doctors over nine months. She went from running marathons to being unable to walk to her mailbox, and no one had ever told her she had piriformis syndrome.
A Run That Changed Everything
Debbie was a serious runner. She had finished nine marathons, qualified for the Boston Marathon three times, and hiked Machu Picchu with her family.
Two years ago, she was running on the trail near her home when she felt significant pain in the back of her buttock and down her leg. She thought she had pulled a hamstring, so she took a couple of weeks off. It didn’t heal, and the pain got worse.
Misdiagnosed as Hamstring Tendinitis
An MRI led to a diagnosis of high hamstring tendinitis. Debbie knew that wasn’t right.
“Nobody’s going to be in this amount of pain with a little bit of tendinitis,” she says. “He didn’t take me serious, and it was really frustrating.”
Her pain was hard to put into words. “It felt like my leg was being twisted around and pulled off my spine,” she says. “As if you were taking a turkey out of the oven and you were moving the leg around to see how well the meat was done.”
Getting Through Each Day
Debbie kept trying to work full days. She stayed at her standing desk and wouldn’t move. She didn’t eat or drink at work because she knew she couldn’t make it to the restroom.
At home, the pain took over. “Sometimes I’d have to take a hydrocodone just to get a break from the pain,” she says. “Then I would lay on the floor in a fetal position, and I would hang on to the leg of the coffee table, and I would just cry for hours because I was so miserable.”
Eating, moving and even talking hurt. There were days she didn’t think she could go on.
22 Doctors, 39 Appointments
Over nine months, Debbie saw 22 doctors in about 39 office visits:
- orthopedic surgeons and spine surgeons
- family doctors and pain specialists
- radiologists
She tried nearly everything she was offered: up to eight cortisone injections, PRP injections, a stem cell injection, physical therapy, red light therapy and ice therapy.
“Nothing could help me,” she says.
Dismissed and Told It Was in Her Head
Each time, Debbie told her story again, and often she cried while she told it.
“They would look at me like I was not a strong person, or possibly a psychiatric patient,” she says. One doctor told her she needed antidepressants and a pain psychology program. Another called her condition an act of God.
“It was none of these. I was really frustrated, and I was about to give up.”
Discovering Piriformis Syndrome
At her lowest point, Debbie and her daughter started researching on social media and came across piriformis syndrome. No doctor had ever mentioned it to her.
Piriformis syndrome happens when the piriformis, a muscle deep in the buttock, irritates or compresses the sciatic nerve. It can cause deep buttock pain, pain that runs down the back of the leg, and pain that gets worse with sitting or activity. It’s often mistaken for a hamstring injury, a disc problem or sciatica from the spine. That’s one reason patients like Debbie can go so long without answers.
Dr. Tollestrup’s name came up in her research, and she made an appointment.
Diagnosed at Last
“He was very kind. He’s a very good listener,” Debbie says. “I didn’t feel like I was a mental health patient, but truly an individual that had an injury.”
Dr. Tollestrup diagnosed her with piriformis syndrome. To confirm the source of the pain, she had a diagnostic nerve block, an injection that temporarily turns off the targeted nerve.
“My pain immediately went away,” she says. “So I knew we were in the right area.”
Dr. Tollestrup is one of only four surgeons in the U.S. performing pain-focused peripheral nerve surgery. He has performed hundreds of piriformis surgeries.
Walking Out of Recovery
After surgery, Debbie woke up and walked out of the recovery room on her own.
“I walked to the rental car. My daughter drove me to the motel. I walked out of my car into my motel room,” she says. The next day, she flew home to Washington State. “I walked off the plane across the tarmac into my daughter’s car. I was thrilled to be able to use my leg. I was coordinated. I had balance.”
Nine Months Later: Running Pain-Free
“At nine months post-surgery, I am doing amazing,” Debbie says. “I can run seven miles pain-free. I’m back to hiking. I’m working full-time. I am where I was prior to my injury.”
She credits Dr. Tollestrup, his team, and her daughter, who helped her find him.
“Every day I wake up, I feel like I’ve been given a second life.”
Debbie’s Message to You
“Do not give up. Lean on your family. Lean on your friends. Lean on your faith. There’s help. You can do it.”
Living With Unexplained Pain?
Living with unexplained chronic pain? You may be suffering from nerve pain, and there are solutions. If you have deep buttock pain, pain down the back of your leg, or a “hamstring injury” that never heals, Dr. Tollestrup can help find the source.
Book an appointment: nevadanervesurgery.org/contact-us/
Call: (702) 666-0463
Individual results vary. This story reflects one patient’s experience and is not medical advice. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, U.S.).