Sciatica /slipped disc

I can't have ibuprofen because of Crohn's disease so I also partake of diazepam when the pain and spasms are at their worst.

I couldn’t deal with opiates they made me feel ill. So i iced my back and leg to take down the swelling/ disc on the instructions of my chiropractor. You shouldn’t apply heat in the early stages until swelling has gone down. I either laid flat or stood, and visit chiropractor regularly now.

I recognise everything you're describing. Sciatica is horrific but lying on your front on a hard surface might help. I needed a cocktail of naproxen and codrydamol longer term, and diazepam for 3 days to help relax things. The more tense I got, the worse the pain was.
I'd be phoning the out of hours GP and asking to be seen, especially as this has been going on for a good few hours now.

I had this a couple of years ago. It's horrific isn't it. You need good painkillers and a proper assessment. If you can find a pharmacy open then co-codamol can be bought over the counter. Gp first thing in the morning and in the meantime keep an eye our for caudia equina symptoms. I was given gabapentin and codine. Sent for mri to confirm the slipped disc following which I was offered either surgery or a nerve block injection. I took the injection which worked well for me. In all it took about a year to get better but painkillers made it manageable duringthat time. I still have a bit of numbness in the leg but no pain anymore. Lying on my left side was the only position which was comfortable.

They weren't useless

What can they do?
Take you to a&e
Advise to stay at home and contact GP

it's not like they can cure it or do much else

Tramadol was the only thing that helped my back. You can only really be prescribed it if a doctor has seen you, so try and call 111 and ask if a GP can do a home visit, explaining you can't get in a car and the paramedics were useless. I've suffered for more than half my life so I totally understand your suffering. I'll keep everything crossed that you get the help you need.

Absolute sympathy OP, sciatica was one of the worse pains I've ever felt and I've been through some painful stuff! Like you I can't take NSAIDs due to previous bowel obstruction which is frustrating.

I definitely found the TENs machine best- and some tramadol. Also I was a lot more comfortable sleeping propped up on the sofa so I didn't move around so much.

I had huge herniated disc last year. Had MRI in a&e because the sciatica was bilateral. Even if you get the mri there is no treatment at the hospital as such just the diagnosis. I was told it was a year wait for surgery if it got to that but it was a wait and see. Diazepam was the only thing that stopped the muscle spasms for me. Was on that and Tramadol for about a week while transitioning to amitrypiline. I was given a diazepam when I first was triaged but A&e wouldn’t prescribe me any diazepam at all to go home with so has to contact my GP anyway afterwards. You have my total sympathy it is beyond awful.

Prednisone always helps me.

It's your call of course and if you don't have anything stronger than codeine you might want to go just to get some stronger drugs. Be prepared to wait hours. Morphine never touched mine though and amitriptyline is a build up.

Get to physio as soon as you can or see an osteopath. I get it intermittently and am currently suffering due to slipping and jarring the nerve a week ago, asking with a minor sprain on the same ankle. I'm doing physio 3 times a day which does give relief.

Same here. DH drove me to A&E and I was lying across the seats in the back.

2 fairly large doses of morphine in A&E allowed me to move a bit and talk but I needed surgery because I couldn’t walk with the pain.

You have my sympathies OP, it’s horrendous.

Might you be able to kneel up on the back seat of the car, facing backwards? That was the only way I could be driven to hospital when I was in labour. Different thing I know but worth a try?
I feel for you- Ive also been there with sciatica and that nerve pain is like nothing else, no painkillers touched it and only amitryptiline gave me any relief.
Best of luck!

Do not avoid eating and drinking - I know why you want to, but you will just be storing up more problems for yourself. Just keep peeing in the jug, but don't reduce fluid intake, especially with a history of blood clots.

Honestly it's just time usually
I took paracetamol, naproxen, codeine and diazepam. Ring the GP tomorrow
Heat can help too, a hot water bottle or heating pad or stand in the shower with it on your back

I started with similar pain in January one year, by March I was on morphine and asking a&e to cut my leg off
I lost feeling then which was a relief and was having to walk dragging my leg
Developed cauda equina in the May and had surgery

Pain doesn't equal severity/urgency which is the hard thing, they won't operate as an emergency unless it's cauda equina

Don't sit, either stand or lie down. Pillow under or between your knees and keep moving very gently. Google log roll out of bed

Op I was exactly the same it's horrific and I'm terrified it ever comes back like that. I was given co codamol and diazepam they were the best I don't know how.
I rang the doctors and someone got the prescription for me, I was terrified anyone medical would come to my house and try and move me the pain was like when you're in labour and bearing down.
See if you can get diazepam and cocodamol I really feel for you good luck!

I could have written your post last Friday. The pain was awful as you describe. I’ve been prescribed Naproxen and have been doing physio online and have face to face this week.

Thankfully, a week on, the pain is now greatly reduced but I’m walking with a stick and if I move wrong I get a sharp, painful reminder.

I wish I had an answer for you - it is horrendous.

I had similar a couple of months ago, OP, and have been visiting an osteopath and it is sooo much better now. It took a few repeated visits to get there but well worth it in my opinion. Good luck x