Sciatica /slipped disc

I have suffered many years with sciatic nerve pain and it’s crippling. I have constant low/medium level pain plus flare ups of excruciating pain. I found monthly physio, low dose daily amitriptyline keeps the worst of the pain under control and through flare ups it’s strong cocodamol and diazepam. It’s still extremely painful but seems to get me through it. I hope you can get some help soon.

How are you today OP?
The only thing that worked for me was surgery, which is not what you want to hear. I did find 2 positions which were comfortable and let me get some rest in the meantime . One was on all fours, though not useful for sleeping, the other was kind of propped up on my side. I couldn't sit normally, but if I leaned to the side away from the slipped disc, with that arse cheeky off the ground, and put my weight on my other side against a wall of cushions and pillows, I could get some rest.

Acupuncture was the only thing that gave me actual relief and allowed me to sort of walk without extreme pain. It only lasted until I had to get in the car to go home though!

I feel your pain so much OP. I several herniated discs and main issue from one in particular is not being able to sit down. I've had cortisone injections, Meloxicam and muscle relaxants, over time they have improved (until yesterday when I stupidly lifted something heavy 😭) I joined this Herniated Disc FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/95535021966/ for a bit of support, especially when I was at my lowest mentally and physically. You might find some answers there about suitable medication

@tabulahrasa i’m not in the 90% either sadly. Months on and still have a numb foot and foot drop - although with physio the foot drop has improved from where it was. You have my sympathy- wish we were not the 10%

I had this for about 5 months (but I had an 8 month old so I pushed through it everyday leading up to that, no doubt making it worse!) and one day woke up and it was significantly worse to the point I couldn't do anything. Sit, stand, walk, nothing.
As the day went on it got worse and worse and eventually I lost control of my bladder and was urged by 111 to get to A&E asap. Got there and the triage nurse told me they weren't going to do anything for sciatica 🫠 so I just cried at her and very meekly sobbed 'but I can't wee'. She seemed a bit annoyed that I was refusing to go home, but a scan a few hours later showed just how far my disc had actually slipped out. My 'sciatica' resulted in Cauda Equina and I've been told that if I didn't get in and have surgery when I did, it's very possible it could've caused paralysis.
That was almost a year ago and I still have problems with my back now and have days where moving feels absolutely horrific but so much better than back then, so please get this seen to properly as soon as you possibly can!

I really do feel for you, it's the worst pain I've ever experienced. I'd take labour again over that.

The hospital gave me oramorph to take home, but when it ran out the GP gave me tramadol instead.

You might be a while waiting for an MRI, I’ve only ever had them at A&E, the last one they checked the waiting list for an emergency neurology one and it was 2-3 weeks (which is why they just did it instead)

Oh op just reading your posts gave me chills. I did the same thing years ago and the pain was unbelievable. I had diazepam and some sort of morphine to take at home. I couldn't move. Had to pee laid down into a jug. Couldn't shower for nearly a week. Fucking terrible. Still makes me go cold at the thought of it 15 years later. You have my sympathy. It will get better though keep in touch with your doctor and book an osteopath.

Hope you’re feeling a little better today OP & I really hope the pain eases for you soon.

i know this will be furthest from your mind at the moment but one thing I would really recommend if financially you are able to, is to outsource as many ‘chores’ as you can for the forseeable future and really focus on resting & recovering.

My pain wasn’t as severe as yours (still pretty painful but I was able to move around, albeit slowly!) so I tried to carry on cleaning, food shopping, cooking etc and made my slipped disc a lot worse.

I never managed to get an MRI quickly; it took months. Recently was back in the NHS for this and had to pay privately for one.

I paid privately for my MRI and subsequent surgery. It was either that or be incapacitated for months (I could barely walk) and get addicted to hard drugs.

The delays on the NHS cause such problems as conditions deteriorate during the wait.

I am seeing a cardiologist privately at the moment as an NHS appointment would have taken a minimum of 5 months. During that time I would have been unable to walk far without shortness of breath and I would have become steadily more unfit, and the damage to my heart would have worsened. It is all a bloody disgrace.

Please make sure to mention absolutely everything to your doctor. Some things may seem small and irrelevant but it can't hurt to mention them and actually may increase your chances of better treatments. Don't let them fob you off, I let mine do it for months and just kept getting told they'll put me on a waiting list for physio or putting me on various NSAIDs, none of which helped

I have had an mei recently and 2 slipped disc. It's just a. Case of sit it out unfortunately or lay it out. Took me two weeks before I could get out of bed. Even the toilet was excruciating getting there.

This is the third time my disc has slipped in past year. Does losing weight really help. I have been told to do yoga and strengthen the muscles in my core.

Try not to sit, it's so bad for your back
Standing is much better if you can
Or lie on your side with a pillow between your knees
Numbness is fairly usual as the nerve gets trapped

Hope you re getting some ( chemically induced) sleep OP x

My husband had to take me to hospital lying down in the back of the car, fuck seat belts. It was agony.
My neighbour was taken to hospital (screaming like a banshee in pain) by ambulance and was admitted, they had some job controlling the pain.
Had a good laugh reading over the counter meds will do it. Yeah, right.