I've been dealing with sciatic pain for 8 weeks. It's is the most dehibilitating excruciating pain I could never have imagined.
I have been referred from my Primary to a Pain Management specialist. They want me to do a steroid injection but I get so many mixed results from others who've had them done.
The pain is so bad that I can't get more than 2 hrs sleep, can hardly walk, can't sit or lay. I can't work at all.
I'm taking anti inflammatories, muscle relaxers and tramadol. They just seem to take the edge off.
I've also been in physical therapy, which helped at first, but the last round of exercises seemed to take me backwards.
My pain actually seems to be getting worse.
I welcome any of your experiences where sciatica is concerned.
Thus far I am surviving by laying flat on carpeted floor with hips flexed.
Best wishes
What about when you have to use the restroom, or any other type of movement?
it hurts, typically I will have electrical shocks down both buttocks and the back of my thigh.
Heat helps more than cold
Are you able to lay flat on your back in bed WITH YOUR HIPS FLEXED...sometimes I sort of begin a sit up with feet flat and pulled towards my butt but stop and hold the stretch on my back.
This is easier and more effective if I use the heating pad first to warm the cramped muscles.
hugs
I can't lay on my back at all. The one time I did, it took me an hour to roll over.
that is not good.
Are you able to sit up tall in a straight back chair?
No way. I end up on the floor in horrible pain.
Hi Crystal
I had one course (of what would have been more had my consultant not been called up - he was a reservist when Afghanistan/Iraq was flaring up); the replacement consultant referred me back to physiotherapy, which hadn't worked four years previously, which was why I was referred to the hospital in the first place!- he later had the gall to take me off his list "as I had missed an appointment" - well no actually, I had phoned the hospital the day prior to that supposed missed appointment to tell them that I was in absolute agony and would not be able to drive to the hospital (about 20something miles away) and could they do something about hospital transport - no they couldn't, that would have to be arranged by my GP, so I phoned my surgery, who also said no, as they would need more than 24 hours notice to arrange it - about three or four years later I was again referred to hospital, a much more understanding consultant who eventually performed a discectomy and decompression on L4/L5 to relieve the sciatic pain - anyway, I digress, if offered to me I would take the spinal epidural like a shot - mine lasted the six months that it was due to last, and I got so much relief from having it done - all I would say is that when performing the equivalent to a Lumbar Puncture, if the anaesthetist hits your spine with the needle instead of the 'sweet spot' that he/she should find, it bloody well hurts an awful lot - my trainee guy had six goes at it before he gave up and passed it to a lady trainee, who got it right first time - if you're under general anaesthetic you won't feel where/when they make that error, but I believe it's best to be fully awake so that you can let them know they're doing it wrong
Hope that helps
Hey CJ
My med list. This is what works for me. It took 4 weeks of taking the pills before my body started feeling the benefits, cause I thought the pills were garbage until they actually spread out through my system.
Lyrica - 150mg twice a day
Celebrex - 200mg in the morning
Cyclobenzaprine - 10mg three times a day
Oxycodone - 10mg twice a day
Oxycocet - 5&325mg one when pain is bad
Two weeks ago (in a hurry) my wife and I had to hop a plane to deal with a family matter. Only when I got there did I realize I forgot my meds. I figured "oh well, what's two days, they're prolly just placebos anyways." Guess what...not placebos...back pain still very real under the meds.
As I discussed with you in pm, follow the steps. I have heard of a lot of cases that got better. Stick with the painful physio, or see if you can get into an Aquasize program, and find a set of meds that work.
Go for the injections! Mine helped just a little, but even just a little is better than not at all.
Good Luck! TB
And as for the steroid injection(s)...any credible place will give you a numbing shot, followed by a shot of dye, and should be monitoring your insides with a live X-ray (that's why the dye) as they give you the actual steroids in the 3rd shot. If they don't do this...find somewhere that does. Last thing you need is...
Let's just say you don't need it done wrong, how's that.
The place I'm looking at doing it uses the X-ray for guidance and I've heard from the Drs other patients, that he does a good job. Hoping to have my appt tomorrow.
The stories of people in this horrible pain just makes me so sad for them! I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I have my injection scheduled for tomorrow. Hoping that is helps me!
One day post ESI. Can't walk AT ALL. excruciating pain with every movement. Have to be carried everywhere. When will this agony end?? I'm now wishing for the sweet release of death. Not sure what will happen when I have to urinate. Probably end up just peeing all over myself since I can't get to the toilet.
MRI is happening today, hopefully they'll figure out what is happening in my back.
have yourself hospitalized...this is so not how ot should be.
hugs
It gets better. Message me.
I've been admitted to the hospital, and I have a microdiscectomy tomorrow at 11 AM.
My prayers are fir an easy surgery followed by a quick and complete recovery.
hugs
judith
Day after surgery. I'm walking around PAIN FREE! Minus the sore incision in my back. I am so happy I just cry! I felt like my life was over. I am restricted to only walking, sitting and laying down for the next 6-8 weeks. I will do everything they say. I will not be amoung the 14% who reherniate their disc!
The surgery is the best thing for my herniated disc.
As soon as the surgeon saw my MRI, he put me on the surgery list for the next available slot. Which was 1 1/2 days after being admitted to the hospital.
I am crying tears of joy with you!
Very Merry Christmas!
Sciatica a few times in the pasy when I fell in a contorted position in the ice playing hockey (45 years). Would go to a chiropractor. Lie down on a low bench, cross one leg over the other and he would snap my shoulder in the opposite direction. Heard a pop...walked out like the sciatica never happend. Did this about three times over a few decades.
Six years ago, different story. Chiro didn't work, pain injections didn't work. Had an MRI and went to see a neurosurgeon. Found out that I had a bove spur literally "crucshing" (doc's word) the sciatic nerve at L4/L5. Simple laminectomy to shave off the spur and part of the calcified disc at L5. One day hospital stay...good as new in a few days. All sciatica gone.
Had a new knee installed in March and developed some sciatics on the left side (same as the new knee) becuse my SI joints had locked up from walking "funny" with the knee pain. Five chiro visits fixed the problem.
Now it's back but this time BOTH legs simultaneously. Only thing that causes this is lumbar stenosis as verified my my MRI last week. L2 all the way through L5...oen or both sides. Narrow canals and spurs impinging on all the nerves exiting the spine at those lumbar levels. Can barely walk...always bent over so I avert most of the pain. Surgery in the next 6 weeks or so to take care of it. Simple open, remove spurs, bore out the canals, shave back some disks, close. Should be as good as new virtually immediately. Like the first L4/L5 surgery only more vertebrae involved. No problem...get it done.
So you see that there can be a lot of reasons why you have sciatic pain from simple hip alignment issues all the way through lumbar vertebrae causes. Imagery of the lumbar region plus hips and pelvis will help both a chiropractor and neurosurgeon pinpoint the actual cause of your pain and direct you to the proper treatment.
One thing is sure: drugs only mask the underlying cause of the pain. You have to solve that problem and not focus on the pain. Hope this helps.