Disc Herniations & Sciatica

Brain and nerves
1

Hi, I'm new to this forum and am really in need of some help and support from all you folks that are going through the nerve pain and stress of sciatica.

6 Months ago I was diagnosed with 2 herniated discs L5 / S1 and have had severe sciatica now for around 8 months. After about 4 months of physio I started to show signs of improvement and was getting to be on a low level pain (about 3 on the scale) eveyday. This I could live with as I felt each week was improving.

5 weeks ago my appointment finally came through for my nerve root block which I was really excited about as I thought this would give me the relief I needed to get back to being 100% pain free again.

I had the treatment which in itself was probably one of the most excruitiating experiences i've ever been through, worse than child birth and my labour was very complicated! But I got through it because I thought it was going to get me what I needed. How wrong I was...2 hours after the anaesthetic wore off I was left in severe pain (scale 10). I was told it would probably only be like that for a day or two. 5 weeks on it's still at a 9 and at points in the day 10.

I've been unable to weight bear since and the pain is so bad that i'm no longer able to walk. I navigate the home on my bum, and crawl upstairs on my hands and knees. 

Just to give you an idea of my daily meds, i'm taking Ibuprofen (3 x fdaily), paracetamol (4 x daily), Gabapentin (600mg - times daily) Amitripltyline (once at night) Tramadol 100mg (3 times daily), have also tried Oromorph (liquid morphine) and Lidocaine patches none of which work.

I get some mild relief from the Tramadol in combo with Paracetamol or Ibuprofen, but that lasts for about 2 hours before the pain kicks in again.

Yesterday I had a follow up MRI Scan but have yet to hear anything regarding results. And tomorrow my physio therapist is going to try acupuncture out of sheer desperation.

I'm worried for my future, I have a young daughter who i'm struggling to look after and elderly parents who I was caring for. I'm only 43 and I feel like my life is over as I once knew it. Everyday I have suicidal thoughts and have considered ending it all on many ocassions. 

Anyone else had a bad reaction to a nerve root block? and are you well now?  I just want to hear that some of you have got better...to give me hope.

Thanks.

 

2

Hi

I have just read your thread and will reply to you in more detail as soon as I have more time but I just wanted to tell you it does get better...I'm only 25 and at the age of 19 had the worst pain with a herniation at L4/L5. I had surgery and woke up with immediate relief from the pain...unfortunately just last month I went through it all again with a herniation at L5/S1...this time round the nerve was so squished I had and still have a completely numb leg. This will get better in time, it's still early days (6 weeks post op) All I'm trying to say is when you have suffered for so long and you have tried everything else from my experience this isn't going to get better on its own. You need to have surgery...the longer you leave it the less effective the surgery will be as each day is another day that nerve is being squished. Please book an appointment to see a surgeon...there is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel!

3

Your situation reminded me of my own, at 45 with 2 children. Nerve root block didn't work for me but surgery did - instant pain relief. My warning is this, don't let the hospital keep you waiting (18 mths for me from start to surgery) because the nerve becomes too damaged to recover and pain relief drugs will be permanent. My surgeon was great but the hospital are hoping you will just get better naturally, surgery is expensive! Unluckily, I had another herniated disc 2 years later and, because I knew the system and was VERY assertive, the second surgery was done in 3 months. Good luck.

4

Thanks for your advice, i'm on the waiting list for surgery and here in Bristol, the urgent list is 4 mnonths! I'm really worried about surgery going wrong so i'm hoping I get well in the meantime but it's not looking that way so far. I went out for the first time in 7 weeks yesterday on crutches to my daughters school fair. It was lovely to be out in the sun and fresh air, but boy did I pay for it today! I've only just managed to drag myself out of bed at 2pm in the afternoon and the pain meds are struggling to work.

What was your recovery from surgery like? I've heard it's 6 weeks before you can even sit up, is this true??