Sciatica

[FallenMadonnawiththeBadBoobies]

Can anyone give me a positive story about having sciatica for 9 weeks or so and then it getting better of its own accord? I'm in a considerable amount of pain pretty much all of the time. It's utterly relentless.

I've been seeing an osteopath, who has helped a bit, but it seems to have got worse again over the last couple of weeks. I'm waiting for the results of an MRI scan, but that might be another week or so.

I'm doing quite a lot of commuting into London for work, and it's like a descent into hell!

Sorry, but I'm shamelessly bumping this.

I did think about putting a title "I've got an ice pack down my knickers" as I frequently have nowadays to help with the pain!

Surely there is someone out there who has been through this..........help please.

FallenMadonna, Not me but my friend had this. He was in absolute agony, thought they were 'wrong' about the 9 weeks and was almost driven mad with the pain. They weren't wrong - 9 weeks and it was done.

Get massage if that helps, ice packs, hold yourself in 'positions' that are comfortable for you - and take the painkillers. My mate was on Tramadol and codydramol - these were rotated for safe dosage, do that would be my advice.

Sorry you're going through this, it's apparently the most distressing sort of pain that doesn't end... but it will, in 9 weeks.

I’m a physio - find a really good private physio (seen quicker & not limited to certain number of treatments). Acupuncture is really effective, manual therapy and a progressive exercise programme. Hope that helps. You will not be like this forever. Avoid invasive intervention.

No positive story here I'm sorry - over a year for me. I can't even stand at the sink to wash up, I can't use the hoover, walking makes me feel like my back is about to fall apart.

Just wanted to say I feel your pain and I really really hope it fixes itself very soon for you. Wouldn't wish this pain on my worst enemy!

I've had it for about 10 years.

I had it during pregnancy. TENS machine was amazing.

I've had it twice first time about 15 years ago lasted 7 or 8 months
Second time when I was pregnant so about 3 months then got better on its own

I had severe sciatica for a year before I had an operation and took morphine for the pain. I still get it but it’s not as bad. My mum had sciatica for 3 months and it went away on it’s own.

Hi I get this, pregnant and not pregnant.

When I'm not pregnant I find one those supports around my stomach help.
They are a bit restrictive but it also helps me stopping doing stuff that aggravates it.

I'm pregnant and suffering now, so plan on seeing an osteopath next week, and accupuncture. I've text my friend who does massage to see if that will help as well.

I'm pretty sure mine is down to having absolutely no core strength thanks to growing massive babies.

Do Pilates and/or yoga if possible. Hamstring stretches are the most important thing as the sciatic nerve is in the same part of your leg as your hamstring.

Also if you sit at a desk, make sure you've got all the ergonomic stuff sorted out and everything at the right angle etc.

Yes to that.
I can't sit on my sofa or sit up in bed anymore because it makes it 93629 times worse.
I have to be at a perfect right angle. That helps me significantly.

I've just ordered a Tens machine from Amazon, on the PP's recommendation. The reviews on there were excellent.

I had terrible sciatica this year.

The pain was horrific, literally screaming with the pain.

Tried chiropractor (rubbish), a chiropractic massage which helped a bit, physio (rubbish). Spent £hundreds.

I found heat packs helped somewhat and it eventually subsided.

It came back just before I was going on a walking holiday. After the 1st days 20km walk it miraculously went, and hasn't come back since.

So my only advice is to try to walk it off.

I had a bulging disc and sciatica and could barely move for 2 months. I was in agony and couldn't stand up for longer than 2 minutes without nearly passing out in pain. By month 3 I was able to move about a bit more and then once I was moving and stretching a bit I improved considerably. I was back to work after 4 months. Looking back, I should have asked my GP for stronger painkillers to get me on my feet sooner but I didn't like the idea of morphine. I never thought I'd be pain free and it was a frightening time, but I had definitely turned a corner after 3 months. Could you get stronger painkillers?

Er I had emergency spinal surgery and that helped. Not helpful
Thermacare lower hip and back wraps, try not to sit, stand or lie instead. Pillow under or between knees. Hardcore drugs
People say "you went to a&e for sciatica?!"
Yes, yes I did and I skipped straight to the front of the queue, had morphine shoved down me as I was grey with pain and then I lost all feeing in my leg and foot. Much empathy with you

Tempting fate but here goes... Had sciatica on and off for a few years, given pain relief by GP and that took the edge off and made my relatively mobile. Eventually muscles in back went into spasm and was referred for physio.
The physio and the exercises that I was given seem to have sorted it. I am vigilant in protecting my back i.e. do my exercises if I feel a twinge, lifting and carrying safely, bending my knees not my back etc. It has now been 15 years since my last episode.
Hope this gives you hope OP and others.

All I can do is empathise. At least once every two years I go through a period of extreme agony. I can only lie down/sit/stand for small periods of time. I'm going through one right now. I take tramadol and zapain anyway and was supposed to be put on naproxen (which didn't work last time) but was mistakenly prescribed more of another med. I'm lying down now with my tens machine on. It gives some relief but not much. I've tried physiotherapy. I've just bought a back stretcher which is ok when I'm using it but you're only supposed to use it for 5 mins two times a day. A while back (during my last "episode")I went to the walk in clinic as I was absolutely stunned by the pain. I waited 4 hours to be told that he couldn't do anything and I'd have to wait it out. I was offered no alternative. I must have been in that cubicle 40 seconds and didnt even take my jacket off. At that point I was so desperate I'd considered throwing myself under a train. The doctor didn't even exam me. I walked out the door crying my eyes out. I sobbed all the way home too. Now its come back and I'm so upset. I'd just got a casual job in a football ground that I enjoy. If I turn shifts down I won't be asked to do others or work at other times. Each episode lasts at least 5 months. I'm gutted.

I have had periodic attacks since I had my son (12 years ago). I had one a couple of days ago, funnily enough. What works for me is not resting - don't sit much, don't lie down.
I actually did a whole lot of vaccuuming, which seems to have improved it a lot, though I suspect it was simply being active rather than the vaccuuming specifically.
The pain's horrific though. It hurts to the point I'm nauseous .

Oh, one of those physio rollers also helps me a bit. Inline skating. Cycling - all small rocking movements of the pelvis.

Oh, goodness. I wasn't expecting to get many replies at all, and then you all responded. Thank you so much.

I'm so, so sorry for those of you that are still struggling . It is the most overwhelming pain. I have no idea how you can cope with this on a long term basis. Sometimes I feel like I can't cope with this anymore, so I have nothing but admiration for your fortitude.

Thank you all for your suggestions. The osteopath has been giving me acupuncture and, if it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't have had the MRI scan so quickly (I had a dropped foot). I was trying exercises, but they hurt so much, the osteopath told me to stop.

Generally, I'm a walker. Poor dog has had to make do with sub-standard walks from DH & DCs 😀. I have to walk and stand quite a lot when I go up to London to work. After 3 days, the agony is overwhelming. I haven't tried a tens machine - so that's a good idea. I have naproxen and co-codomol, but I may ask for something stronger. Problem is all my work is fee paid and my brain has to function properly! Also, no work no pay!

One of the things that helped me was lying on my back with a tennis ball under my left arse cheek. It did offer some relief. I bought some spiky balls (oo-er) designed for the purpose but found the tennis balls better. Dh used the spiky ones in the tumble dryer

I would honestly do nothing except tens/harder drugs/heat/ice until the MRI is back
I had physio and she refused to treat me after 4-5 sessions and sent me for MRI which revealed I needed surgery and nothing she would have done would have helped

Would like to add I used a TENS machine at 32 weeks pregnant when I literally could not walk, managed to go camping and sightseeing without any pain at all!!
Ask at Boots as lots of options available!

I threw my back out and it cussed sciatica. I get a ‘relapse’ every 6 months or so where I can’t straighten up. Lying flat on the floor helps andnaprixen at the first sign of it twinging (bastard started today and i’m Going on holiday on Wednesday sonit better be ok). Chiropractor told me it’s caused by swelling so no heat just ice for 20 minutes every hour.

Has anyone ever gone to hospital and demanded something for the pain? I remember seeing a woman in A&E (I was in agony with gallbladder pain and waiting on morphine) and she was crying in pain. She couldn't stand up straight. She told them she wasn't leaving until they gave her something for the pain. She was later beside me on the ward so I presume they gave her the good stuff. I often think of her when I'm suffering and doing what she did. I'm a wuss though. She'd been suffering for years with sciatica.

Sharon - yes. I had taken
Full dose naproxen
Full dose paracetamol
Diazepam
60mg dihydrocodiene (4 times a day)

I threatened to cut my own leg off and they shoved oramorph down me before chucking me in the MRI again. I came out the MRI to find them waking up a neurosurgeon who seemed delighted to tell me it was the biggest herniated disc he had seen in ages and he was amazed I was walking

5hr op, discharged 21hrs post op, he said I was wilful and stubborn and would likely recover very well

Does the gens machine work for everyone? I only ask as I have had MRI and they found 2 bulging discs and eroding hip joint. Does tens literally just treat the nerve pain or can it be helpful where there is a physical cause for the pain?