Severe sciatica

Brain and nerves
1

Hi everyone 

I’m looking for some advice - I’ve just joined out of desperation. 

I have recently had an mri and I have a disc protrusion l4/l5 I initially felt the pain in my back in August 17 which lasted about 3 weeks - I woke up one morning and all the pain had gone. I was pain free for 2-3 months and then in October 17 I started with sciatica, horrendous pain in my bum and left leg, I have no numbness or pins and needles just this horrendous pain. Laying down for 20 minutes will take all the pain away. I can’ walk into a supermarket pain free by time I’m at the check out I’m feeling excruciating pain all down my leg and bum to the point o can’t even weight bear!

I found I wasn’t getting anywhere with gp, so I went private to see a spinal consultant who said I could have the injections this month, he also started me on gabapentin which has taken the edge of ever so slightly but I’m not pain free by any means. 

I’m 33 and feel like I’m 80! I have a 4 year old and a 16 months old and just found out I’m pregnant which was unplanned and a total surprise however I’m thrilled... but I’m now very very anxious as the surgeon said he won’t do the injections now and has dropped me like a hot potatoe he isn’t even going to review me! I’m still taking the gabapentin.

I’ve stared having physio and I have to be honest o don’t rate it I’m doing the exercises but I’m 5 months in now with this daily pain and can’t see how raising my legs and flapping my arms will help! I’ve already spent so much money seeing osteopath, surgeon privately and a private physio! 

It’s atarted affecting my mental health I snap at my children I’m tearful I’m anxious, I dread taking them to the park as I know o can’t stand there and push the swing! I feel disabled and I feel like nobody will help me and that this is it for me! I have no quality of life at the moment which naturally impacts on my husband and children! 

I can’t explain the pain I’m feeling and I’m at the end of my tether I’ll do anything I really will to make this go away! Naturally now being pregnant I’m so worried what this will mean and it feels so bittersweet! 

The surgeon did say to me that with my issue it was a case of who gets to the disc first him or Mother Nature! But surely I should be seeing some improvement now? 

It feels so wrong that I’m being left in such excruciating pain and I feel like nobody will help me! 

I have my children to take care of and I need to be able to function. 

Please if you have any advice please contact me 

Thank you 

Ps sorry it’s such a long post 

2

Hhhmm, so were you going to have a nerve root black and is that not possible if you’re pregnant?  If it’s not, then you may just have to wait.

3

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

No drugs...no shots...  Find the root cause...cure the root cause.  That's it.  You don't have to live with the pain.

4

Yes that’s right but I’m only 8 weeks pregnant so have 7 months left before anything can be done 

5

I know the root cause it’s a disc protrusion beyeeen l4:l5 but they won’t treat me 

6

You poor thing. The private consultant is very uncaring, so much for patient support. Look, whilst it's all very well to do physiotherapy exercises to strengthen your core - I think this horse has already bolted and there's little they can do until after you've had the baby. The weight on your pelvis will intensify as the baby gets bigger and starts to press down. Check with your gynaecologist what pain drugs you can and can't take during pregnancy. I'm not sure that pregabalin is so well rested in pregnancy. It's going to be a matter of resting horizontally to reduce the pressure on your lumber spine until after the bi. There are also other exercises to treat disc protruding like the semi sun salutations done on your tummy but I'm not sure if that's advisable during pregnancy due to squishing the fetus whilst lying on your tummy. A steroid injection would be dangerous to the unborn child and you can't have spinal surgery until after birth.

7

My doc went in, got rid of the bone spur at L4, shaved back the calcified L5-S1 disc and did a laminectomy on L4-S1 to clean out anything that could impinge on the nerve.  Solved my sciatica in a day.  Not treating you is abhorrent!!!!!  Can you get a doc who will?

8

Spinal surgery isn't so easy as you make it sound. I've also had L4-L5 laminectomies and fusion but the problem is the recovery. U can't apply extra weight to the compromised vertebrae for many months until it heals.. this lady is in the early stages of pregnancy and the baby is only going to get bigger and heavier and weigh more on the lumbar spine. That's why the doctor can't treat her until after the birth

9

I've had two laminectomies and two fusions.  All successful but varying short-term, post-op results.  You are totally right...spine surgeries are not to be taken lightly.  I see them as a last resort when all other modalities do not bring enough relief for someone to experience a good quality of life.  I don't think any doc will put a pregnant woman under GA for a spine op...  And the pain meds could affect the fetus.  Tough situation.  

10

It’s terrible I feel like I’ve just been left - I’ll be referred to obstetrician so will chat about medication then.... the private consultant did say to me it’s a case of who gets there first him or Mother Nature and that these discs can just sort themselves out - I’m hanging on to that for the sake of my mental health that maybe it might go away 😢 I wouldn’t be at a surgery stage yet anyway as he wants to try the injections first - I feel t he same about the physio isn’t this too little too late but she assured me that 99% of cases improve and that backs are her area of expertise. 

I’m considering going to see a chiropractor this week as there the only ones who will do something I think and I have to be be able to pain free and to physically function for my children and to get through the pregnancy 

11

Have you tried Cranio- sacral massage? If you can find a genuinely good practitioner and they ate not easy to find, they can work miracles. A friend of one with 2 slipped discs was able to avoid surgery completely after a few sessions. Well about 6.