Wise Anderson Clinic Dec 2009

[scotsman]

Well, I'm flying out to San Francisco tomorrow morning and getting things prepared. Really looking forward to the experience – though being away from my wife and 2 small boys is already pulling on the heart-strings.

I intend writing my experiences from the clinic in this thread. Don’t expect a daily diary/blog but I’ll post when I have something significant to add.

Pre Clinic experience:

After emailing Dr Wise, I was contacted by return by one of his assistants, Pat, and we arranged for a time when I could have a telephone chat with Dr Wise to ascertain my suitability to going. Enjoyed the chat with David and I was accepted into the December clinic.

Throughout my interactions with the clinic, the staff couldn’t have been more pleasant, helpful and responsive

I was then sent a Welcome pack giving details on the clinic – location, itinerary, directions, accommodation advice, appointment times with Dr Smith (Urologist) and Tim (physio). Also has a history questionnaire to complete and bring with me. Partners are welcome to attended - to be trained up in the treatment as well. I was very quickly contacted by Dr Smith’s office in relation to the Urology examination. This included charges, directions and a lot of background questionnaires.

I arrive in San Francisco on Tuesday night, staying in a hotel off Union Square, grabbing a hire car on Wednesday afternoon and driving up to Santa Rosa later that afternoon. I’m staying at the Flamingo Conference Resort for the duration, which is where the clinic is held. Dr Wise has negotiated a reduced rate and the rooms are apparently in the same wing/section as the treatment rooms.

I’m then driving down to Sonoma to see Dr Smith on the Thursday morning after which it is back up to Santa Rosa. My first session with Tim is on Friday morning and the clinic sessions start with Dr Wise at 12 noon on that day.

The clinic is 9am-5pm each day consisting of private physical therapy, physical therapy education and training for self-treatment and group relaxation training/behaviour modification/therapy. The clinic finishes on Tuesday 15th at 5pm.

I’m staying over that night then driving back down to San Francisco airport on the Wednesday morning and my flight leaves that evening. Arrive back in London at 2pm on the Thursday and arrive back in Edinburgh at 5:30pm.

I’ll look to make a post after my Urology appointment with Dr Smith on Thursday.

Richard.

[alprost]

Good luck Richard!

[Jay]

Best of luck at the clinic, Richard, and welcome to the States.

[Sherradin]

See you there.

It is 25d today and I saw it is snowing! in San Fran on the BBC weather and 3d surely not!

[scotsman]

The weather channel says it's currently clear but only 3 degrees, so not that warm (-1 where I live though this morning - so I'll enjoy the warmer weather!).

Currently stuck in the lounge at Edinburgh, first flight has a delay already....

[scotsman]

Just arrived at my hotel in San Francisco. Flight was fine - though long of course. Wasn't great on the pelvis and thighs I was lucky enough to fly Business Class - so could have been a lot worse.

San Fran looks amazing - I've been New York and Boston a lot, but this is my first time on the west coast. Very impressed.

Away for a walk to stretch my legs - very tired as didn't sleep on the plane and will try and stay up a bit later yet (6:30pm here).

Richard.

[scotsman]

Urologist Visit

Drove down to Sonoma this morning from Santa Rosa to see Dr Smith - one of the two Urologists that Dr Wise uses.

The drive down was lovely - what fantastic countryside, passing by all those vineyards. I hired the cheapest and smallest car I could from Alamo - only cost £103 for 7 days (very cheap compared to what it would cost us in the UK). When I went to pick up the car I was given the hard sell on taking a bigger car, but I said I was fine with the small economy one I booked. Turns out they didn't have one ready so I was given a free upgrade to a Lincoln Town Car - all 18 feet of it! At least it's giving me the experience of driving a big American machine Driving in central San Francisco was fun - especially when you're trying to get used to driving on the other side of the road.

I arrived at Dr Smith's clinic 25 mins before my appointment time as requested, so I could go through the various forms and paperwork - the staff were excellent - incredibly friendly and professional.

Dr Smith himself was first class - putting you at ease from the start. We talked about my history and the theory around the Wise/Anderson Protocol. We then did an ultrasound (external, lower stomach), quick examination of the stomach/testicles/penis, a DRE (digital rectal examination) to check the prostate and see if any obvious trigger-point areas could be found to help with the chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome diagnosis and finally a urine test to check for infection.

The above was to rule out any other, non-CPPS, cause - so that you went into the main Dr Wise/Tim part of the clinic on the back of an official diagnosis of chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome by a Urologist.

Session lasted around 45 mins in total. Never nice getting someone else's finger up your bum but I enjoyed the appointment nevertheless.

I then drove back up to the Flamingo for some lunch and a little nap (woke up at 3:30am again, not used to the time difference yet). Popped round the corner to the big Safeway supermarket that is here (open 6am to midnight) and stocked up on some fruit and goodies. My next appointment is tomorrow morning (Friday) at 9am when I have my first session with Tim. Can't wait for that one. The first group session with Dr Wise starts at 12 noon (to 5pm).

[webslave]

Thanks for these updates, Richard, we're all reading them with great interest!

[Jay]

Richard,

I'd also like to thank you for continuing your reports! I don't believe we've ever had someone detail exactly what's done during the visit to the urologist. Interesting read.

Let us know how things go after you see Tim, should you find the time. :)

[scotsman]

I think my appointment was probably a lot more straight forward than most - as I've no frequency or urgency issues and no erectile dysfunction - i.e. nothing I'd consider seeing a Urologist for. I think the procedure/tests will be the same for everyone though.

I met Sheridan in the waiting room - perhaps she might post at a later date how her experience compared to mine (female/male differences accepted).

[graeme]

Loving the posts, Richard. You can't buy first hand experience. Thanks for keeping us all so updated.

[carld]

[scotsman]

Physiotherapy:

My first session with Tim Sawyer was this morning at 9am. What a guy – puts you at ease, great personality and, boy, does he know his stuff.

Started off taking my history and we then moved on an external examination. Background for those that don’t know, my last remaining trouble spot is my perineum. My entire internal pelvic floor used to be a right mess (basically everywhere I pressed felt like I was touching an open wound with a salt covered finger) and I had urinary symptoms (usual ones) – but that’s all gone now through triggerpoint work and stretching along with a sporadic attempt at relaxation (down to a couple times a week these days).

Anyway, Tim found some bad areas on my right abdominals (which I knew about) and very bad areas on my adductors (upper, inner left thigh especially – which I didn’t know about) – plus perineum pain. My gluteals on my hips weren’t great either.

We then went internal and glad to say that around 80% of my pelvic floor is now ‘normal’ – no trigger-points found at the sides or back towards the coccyx. Found a couple sore spots up past my prostate and all around my perineum (internal & external) where I’m currently feeling 95% of my pain. He said that he’s successfully treated a couple cyclists with the same symptoms I have left, so that’s encouraging.

Everything is marked out on triggerpoint maps – both of the whole body (external) and the internal areas. He showed me a new way of treating my perineum (currently I do internal then external) where you basically work both sides at once. Working on the really tight adductors should also help loosen the perineum. I’m back to see him tomorrow when we’ll start the daily treatment.

The session lasted an hour and I was then sent through to see Dara, who showed me (over the next hour) how to do skin rolling (ouch – that’s a sore one!), triggerpoint work with a Theracane (which you are given) and a tennis ball (which you are also given) and stretching. All tailored towards the assessment results that Tim did. Dara was also incredibly pleasant and proficient – just like everyone I’ve met so far.

Dr Wise:

At 12 noon the main clinic started with Dr Wise. There are 14 people here for the clinic – and 4 of them have brought partners with them. 10 men and 4 women. The room was laid out with mats on the floor for each of us, a blanket each plus lots of pillows. No chairs. Each mat also had a set of headphones that are wired to a central system (didn’t use them today) plus you get an eye mask each. Water and apples/fruit were next to the door.

Dr Wise is exactly how you’d imagine him – calm, confident, compassionate and a good speaker.

The next five hours were spent teaching us the start of paradoxical relaxation – interspersed with lots of discussion around how we felt doing it, questions, etc. We also had a number of breaks which allowed us to chat with our fellow attendees. We probably had around 5 sessions of doing the relaxation work (practice is the only way) – each lasting 20-30 mins. Some people struggled with the concept of paradoxical relaxation whilst others found it easier to grasp. The hardest thing is stopping your attention going away – need to focus. A couple of the attendees said their pelvis felt better even after that short session.

At the end of day we were each given a tape player along with a cassette that we have to listen to tonight (only 20 mins) prior to tomorrow’s session.

We were told that this is the 80th clinic they have held and it shows – everything is well thought out, well prepared and professional.

My physio session with Tim is at 8:30am tomorrow.

Away now to get some dinner and to start with my stretching and trigger-point work with the tennis ball and Theracane. Need to start doing these 3-4 times a day.

[flump]

Physiotherapy:

He showed me a new way of treating my perineum (currently I do internal then external) where you basically work both sides at once. .

could you please explain how you do this?

[scotsman]

Physiotherapy:

He showed me a new way of treating my perineum (currently I do internal then external) where you basically work both sides at once. .

could you please explain how you do this?

Imagine the skin between your thumb and your first finger is like skin/muscle in your perineum - i.e. pinch that skin area between your thumb and first finger on your right hand with your thumb and first finger on your left hand and imagine your first finger on that left hand as being inside your anus and the left thumb being outside your anus on the perineum. You basically then just squeeze your left thump and first finger together and also slightly rock them whilst doing the squeezing. That way you are hitting that area from both the outside and the inside at the same time.

Makes sense?