Sciatica /slipped disc

If you run out of the cocodamol and they won't give you any more, you can get a weaker strength over the counter
This is good

www.pharmacy2u.co.uk/shop/products/paramol-caplets-0140835

Just be careful with meds especially if you are a bit woolly headed. I know how painful it is from my experience, I really do. I was lucky and had good care and fairly rapid (few months) treatment

My younger cousin wasn't so lucky and begged and begged for an MRI and was screaming in pain. He took someone else's prescription meds in desperation and never woke up again age 34

Also these heat pads kept me sane when nothing else was working. I think I had them on 24hrs a day at one point

amzn.eu/d/2Abt2Ex

Yep. £600 for a private MRI. I really wish I’d had one when I went 3 months without any improvement. Instead, it was 19 months….. the damage might have been more reversible.
Honestly, if you can get your hands on the cash, I’d do it.

I was coming to say this too
My Neuro said to stay well away. They can do more harm than good for a lot of things.

I think it's awful they will not give you more meds. I had it so bad I barely slept for 10 months. I could barely walk and could not lay in bed. My GP prescribed morphine in liquid and tablets form. I had surgery but it's never completely gone away. I now have two disc bulges!

I was in a bad way with similar and paid £250 for a private mri . I took it to an and e and sat it out then was sent for an emergent operation .

an ice pack and a hot water bottle next to each other are really good on the pain

@pelotonaddiction that is so sad. But I can absolutely see how it happens, the pain is so dreadful. No wonder he was desperate.

@Allofaflutter i find that absolutely shocking that they won’t give you anymore painkillers. I was given a hefty supply of tramadol and a week or two of diazepam while transitioning to nerve meds. Seems negligent to just leave you in pain. Wonder if a pharmacist could advise.

Can I just recommend belladonna patches if you can get them. I put them on the area of the sciatic nerve and for me they do make a difference.

Find one with decades of experience and really good reviews.

ive had 2 surgeries for hernited disc in my lower back... i litterally feel your pain.

piggy back paracetamol and ibrupophen (sorry about the spelling) if you can 2 hours apart.... if you have codeine then i believe thats every 6 hours?

cold and heat... so ice and then hot water bottle

and lastly, i know it hurts and you don't want to move, but trust me... move you must!

dont lay on your back, try lay on your side with a pillow between your legs...

fingers crossed for you.... i still have issues and its been nearly 2 years since my surgery!!

as ive just replied... after surgery twice on herniated disc, i now have numbness and loss of sensation in my right leg... i also have bowel and bladder problems.

when i had the surgery i was told the surgery was to relieve the pain and issues in my leg... they dont do it to sort the pain in your back

but amilitripaline is great to help with nerve pain... i swear by it

oh please dont do this... thats so unfair! make an appointment with your GP...

That's what happens when you post on AIBU I'm afraid. There's a very good thread on General Health full of excellent advice and very supportive people:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/general_health/5034812-excruciating-sciatica-please-help?page=4&reply=134337273

OP, can you afford to see a physio privately? If so, they might be able to refer you for an MRI if they are concerned. I totally understand your worries. Your symptoms are scary. I also worry about using too many painkillers. Having had neck surgery and only one dose of morphine at home (I hated the side effects) I also recommend using ice on the painful area. That doesn't help with numbness of course. I hope you turn a corner soon.

You've actually got to go through it to understand

Really that's your take from this thread

Shame you can't take anti-inflammatories. I've had severe back and hip pain this week ( big car shunted my small car whilst I was sort of half in/ half out of the car) and naproxen have been amazing. Gp was a bit reluctant to prescribe them due to stomach issues but they have been amazing. I'm still in agony in the mornings but can at least move freely for most of the day. Also have diazepam but have held off on them for now. Hope things improve soon.

so sorry you're struggling.. another person here with similar issues, although mine are long term/chronic now.. i have degenerated disks and my l5/s1 is fubar'd and dried to a husk.

Gabapentin or amitriptyline are the only things that's ever knocked the sciatic pain on the head for me, alongside anti inflammatorys, and even now on 900mg gabapentin dose daily it still does bleed through occasionally.

If you DO lay down, the old pregnancy trick lying on your side with a pillow between your knees and ankles to keep that hip/knee/ankle bone all level does offer some relief.

YANBU - it's absolutely unfair of the GPs to not give you enough adequate pain relief. I hope you get some relief soon. Amitriptyline takes a while to work, also you can up your dose of that too. Or there are other meds you can try. Hope you are a bit better today.

Be careful with naproxen. Got me admitted to hospital with internal bleeding and I am not the only one.

This was incidentally because the doctor would not provide an opiate or other painkiller.

Naproxen is imo dangerous. I will not take it.

Pretty sure you’re meant to take a stomach protector with Naproxen - GP should presrcribe both at the same time.