Leg pain and weakness

I have been having a lot of pain in the back of my right leg. Specifically in the right glute and down the back of my right leg. It has been going on for about two months now and the pain is constant while driving or sitting. I can deal with pain, but what I can’t deal with is a new symptom where my right leg (the leg that has been affected by pain) now feels like it’s getting weaker. I can walk on my toes and heels. But my leg doesn’t feel right. I am very anxious about this. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Jonathan - it basically sounds like what I'm going through. Back pain, radiating down the butt, into the back of the leg, all the way down to the heel. Weakness in the leg, numbness and tingling. The leg feels like it wants to give out and sometimes the pain associated with the numbness is nauseating. 

I think you're experiencing classic sciatiica and that can be confirmed by xrays and an MRI. In my case, I have an L-5/S-1 disc issue and I received the same opinion from two different neurosurgeons. An operation called a Foramenotimy, will be the only thing to help me out. It's a surgical procedure that I've been trying to mentally prepare for. The problem is, if you let it go too long, the nerve that is being compressed can become damaged, hence any surgery won't help.

See a good neurosurgeon or neurologist and I'm sure they'll run xrays and an MRI to see what the issue is.

Good Luck!

Here ya go...classic symptoms...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/sciatic-nerve-pain-from-the-perspective-of-many-decades-629096

 

Yes..  my husband was having trouble driving and still does.  Had MRI's and he is now during physical therapy.  It is helping some. Not sure the pain will ever go away but lots of stretching is helping.  He has also visited a chiropractor to help him out with his back issues.

First off, thank you for responding. 

Secondly, I am thinking that this is sciatica related. But I made the mistake of looking up symptoms of als and now I’m convinced I have it. 

Yeah, my pain is usually constant. But it is especially apparent while driving. I drive for a living so this is becoming quite an issue.

Thank you for responding, I have been to a neuropathologist and he seems to think it’s spine related. I haven’t had an mri on my back, but I have had one done of my brain following a traumatic brain injury two months ago.

LOL..."Sophomore Syndrome".  In the second year of med school, all future docs start to learn about symptoms and diagnosis.  Within a few months, every one of them is convinced that they have every disease in the book.  Cure???

STOP GOOGLING!!!!!!

No kidding.  These tips can help...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/reliable-tkr-information-582123

I wrote it for my TKR group but it applies to everyone.  Start non-invasive, non-RX and cheap...go see a chiropractor.  If that doesn't work, climb the ladder until you find the fix.

Yeah, I’ve gone to a neurologist who said that I’d have a myriad of symptoms following my concussion. He told me the worst thing I could possibly do was to look up the symptoms, but I did it anyways and now my anxiety is through the roof. He has assured me I don’t have als. And I know he has no reason to lie to me. I’ve never had anxiety before, and I’ve worked some of the most demanding and critical jobs in the oil and gas industry. Literally nothing phases me. But after hitting my head, everything has changed. I know that if I had als I wouldn’t be able to walk on my tip toes or my heels. So there’s that. Along with the fact that I had pain first and now weakness, all associated with sciatica problems. Thank you for helping me out, you don’t know how much it means to me.

Hi Jonathan 

If you're in London please try Spine disc clinic, try to get an Mri scan. Cut out all the long hall of pain killers nerve injections or even surgery. The treatment has cured myself and others also saving me from the surgery when I could hardly walk sit or lay down.

Intervertebral Differential Dynamics (IDD) Therapy is the successful and trusted non-surgical spinal decompression treatment for back pain,neck pain and related conditions such as sciatica.

I've been trying to spread the word because it has helped me and given me my life back. 

Enough unnecessary suffering. 

Good luck. 

HI jonathon,

It sounds to me as though you are suffering from Sciatica going by the symptoms you have stated. I have had the same issue for nearly 5 years now which eventually required decompression surgery. All I can say is try anything and everything before surgery as there is no going back afterwards as I've been told that although I had surgery on 24th it may take up to 18 months for the pain to go away and then hopefully I can start lessening my high strength opioid pain meds. Push your GP for a referral to a pain specialist or Physio.

i wish you well on your own personal pain journey and I hope that yours is shorter than mine! 

Hi Jonathan, i am considering IDD therapy  i too have sciatica and have  in both legs for 3 months.  PILLS PILLS and more PILLS is all the Gp wants to give me which are helping a tiny bit but, still in constant pain. i am under physio and chiro neither helping me much. There is a clinic in sheffield who do this prcedure it is £60 a session and it lasts 45/60 mins a session. There are some good reviews so i am  thinking of giving it a go xx

Thank you so much, I will start looking into some methods of treatment. It’s always good knowing you’re not alone when going through something.

Any time and you're right Jonathan, I know the forum has been invaluable to me over the past few years.

I only signed up after a friend recommended it to me.

I've had sciatica on and off for decades.  In October 2016, I got it down BOTH legs...could barely walk.  The problem was diagnosed as spinal foraminal stenosis...the narrowing of the foraminal canals through which all nerve roots pass from your spinal column, through the vertebrae and out to your body.  Mine was at L2/L3.  The cure is to widen the space between the vertebrae thereby opening up the foramina and relieving the pressure on the nerves.  Had an LLIF fusion done...Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion.  Miracle op.  One night in the hospital, no rehab, no brace.  Zero pain.  Cured the stenosis instantly.

how are you feeling now? Going through similar