Please help sciatica has me sobbing

[colouringindoors]

2 and half weeks. Not improving. Keep ringing GP they keep prescribing more naproxen and codeine but they're not making any difference. can almost not walk now it's so painful. Home alone now. tried hot water bottles, lying on back with knees up (best position). Rang 111 yesterday they ended up making me appt with my gp who prescribed more codeine. Dont know what else to do.

I usually am prescribed a short course of Diazepam for my sciatica.
It relaxes the muscle spasms and releases the nerve. And tramadol for the pain, again a short course.

I agree tramadol can be horrible and unlikely To be any better than codeine. Diazepam might help more but they are very reluctant to prescribe it nowadays. You might manage to get a few days worth out of them though. I would agree with pushing for an MRI and I would try acupuncture too, it cured my Mum’s back pain after a car crash and it’s never returned. So you might get lucky. Don’t let them fob you off, just keep ringing again and again until it’s sorted. Good luck!

God I really feel for you Op. I had this and it was the worst pain I've ever felt in my life.
At 25 my GP was super dismissive and it took breaking down in tears to get anywhere.
Physio was pointless. Finally had an MRI which showed 'deposits' what ever that means, but they refused to do any surgery because of my age.

The only thing that helped me was seeing an osteopath every two weeks for months and buying an orthopaedic memory foam mattress which helped enormously. It was pricey but so worth it.

Really hope the pain begins to get better soon.

Just to add to others saying be wary of tramadol. It is fucking horrible. Diazepam is much better if you're at the point where codeine isn't working. It's a relaxant and seems to alleviate the spasms. Ofc they won't just prescibe it willy nilly but it's absolutely appropriate when you get to the stage that you're at OP where you can't function. It will also help you sleep and just stop you being so upset and overwhelmed.

Sounds horrific op, push your gp to refer for an mri and referral to a physiotherapist. Depending where you are you can self refer if you can find the details. I had chronic sciatica and had both of these, nothing on mri found so went to physio who said I had a piss poor core strength and flat feet which caused my issues. Got podiatrist to make special insoles and a series of core strengthening exercises, mostly done at home and on the floor so not strenuous. No sciatic pain since.

My mother has managed extreme sciatica through yoga for the last 25 years, no painkillers at all. Please try it, Yoga can do wonders. But only after the pain goes. You may have to try out several yoga teachers to find one who works for you. Get one to one lessons so asanas (poses) are tailored for you

thanks so much everyone xxxxxx

have sorted it when mild with my osteo and yoga usually keeps it at bay but lockdown screwed up my special yoga class. ostei confident he can fix when pain is lower.

lurcher thats exactly what my osteo does re points. unduly works but this wedded it and think its made it worse.

on Thursday gp referred me for mri but don't know about wait

I take 100mg off amitryptaline and dihydracodeine at night as needed. Sciatica is the worst, my first pregnancy kicked it off when I was 19 and I had to basically drag my leg behind me from 6 months. These days I also have auto immune issues and STILL struggle to get my go to take the sciatica seriously when it flares up. I do find that diazepam is a god send when it's a bad flare and nothing else helps.

no gp has offered me diazepam

Yoga helped me. (Painkillers didn't work) I got help from a skilled teacher and now do the exercises when it starts-even at night. Amazing control!

Hi op, chronic sciatica sufferer here. I’ve had it since I was 27 and am now 42. I’ve tried every medication under the sun.

For me, pacing myself is key. It has taken a long time and lots of tried and tested methods but i listen to my body and know when I need to rest.

When the pain is really bad I rest. It’s strange but keeping moving actually helps which is awful when you’re in pain but it does work.

I take dihydrocodeine/paracetamol, Naproxen, Diazepam and Nortryptyline which all just takes the edge off.

Tramadol is a vile drug. Many doctors are moving away from it. It’s not too far off morphine and made me feel even worse.

Heat packs are great. I’ve never tried cold ones. Sleeping on the side where the pain is also helps me which sounds all kinds of wrong!

Don’t just accept it like i did. I always just thought it would go and 15 years later here I am, addicted to painkillers and still in agony.

zoflora you poor thing that sounds horrendous.

I've been really trying to keep moving but its got harder and harder this week as more and more painful.

Oh god you poor thing. I had similar a few years ago and could hardly put any weight on my leg, it was horrendous. GP suggested swimming - I hate swimming with a vengeance but it did seem to work. Hopefully pools will be opening again soon so maybe give that a go

I feel your pain op.

10 years ive been suffering, only ever had cocodamol, naproxen and amitriptyline.

After passing out in pain in the doctors surgery i was finally xrayed and scanned at hospital. Its a disc problem and there is nothing they can do I'm told. Its been constant now for about 6 months. It usually comes and goes but its not going this time.

I did see osteopath last year and it helped so much so just waiting on her opening again.

If you can afford it you might want to consider getting a MRI of your back done. I had mine done at a local private hospital and saw a specialist back consultant. Apparently one of my discs is shot - I could see it on the scans. It helps understanding what causes the pain even if I can't fix it.

Hi OP, ouch you poor thing.
As my user name suggests, I have had experience of this! I had severe sciatica last year from a prolapsed disc, had to have surgery.
I know it’s probably hard to move but do keep moving otherwise your muscles will seize up.
An mri is the only thing really that can diagnose what’s going on, although your osteo should be able to tell from symptoms.
Also, don’t want to worry you, but has gp/osteo mentioned red flag symptoms to look out for of cauda equina syndrome? This is a severe condition that needs surgery ASAP. So things like loss of function in your foot (this is what I had), and loss of bladder/bowel (happily mine didn’t get this far!).

And another one saying step away from the tramadol! I got given it in hospital post operation - glad I had it there as it made me go a bit funny and throw up - which was a treat with lots of stitches in my back ...

Had it years ago..left leg was numb and couldn't feel much in the foot...diazepam and osteopath got rid of it...took about 8 sessions and then I started yoga and this prevented further episodes...no issues for over 20 years now...the physio at hospital was useless...try to get the diazepam as stops spasms so you can at least get mobile again and not tense up fearing more pain. I wish you well.

I had sciatica last year. I just got it from over-reaching into the dishwasher and pulling a muscle in my back. It was one of the most painful things I've experienced. The doctor said it usually lasts about 6 weeks and it did.

The thing which helped me most was a muscle relaxant, which is valium by any other name, but it set me on the road to recovery. I am against anti depressants, in general, but they obviously have other benefits. I also went swimming a lot and just floated in the pool and it felt like heaven. Leisure centres are opening on the 25th but a deep bath full of water may help.

I'm now in a and e and after a three hour wait have been prescribed diazepam. ive heard good things about it so fingers crossed. a and e doc is giving me prescriptiin for v low dose for next couple days so am praying it makes a big difference.

thanks so much for everyone's support. its really rubbish so many of us suffer so much. When this has calmed down I'm going to be yogaing daily!

I have sciatica. From a bulging disc. And the fact I have bad osteoporosis especially at the same level of the disc doesn't help either. The first time I had it I could actually feel the disc moving. All I did was put my little backpack back on. I was lucky in that the GP gave me Versatis patches. They gave me Tramadol in A and E. May as well have been smarties! I can't take Votarol or Antiimflamatories as I take a high dose of Warfarin. Was referred for physio. Told to go back after about a week and to get my GP to give me more and stronger painkillers as my back was in spasm and I was in too much pain for them to even start physio with me. I found swimming great. And I do physio every day too. Ice packs help if it's bad. Tramadol is a horrible drug. I was prescribed it post major surgery and it made me so constipated I was nearly vomiting.

Oh, OP, I’m glad you got some diazepam. Sciatica is awful; I have MS, and ongoing nerve pain, but sciatica is totally next level. I ended up on a blend of diazepam, cocodamol, gabapentin, and liquid morphine for it at the start of lockdown after I slipped a disc. Diazepam is good for relaxing it and helping you sleep - great for evenings and early mornings. Hot baths also really helped me; I found the floating feeling cut some of the pressure I was feeling.

My main advice would honestly be to be persistent with your GP. I got in touch almost every morning for a week, until one day I was literally sobbing down the phone, and she prescribed me the final piece of my combination. The six-eight week thing is accurate, but it does get easier as you recover.

Fingers crossed for a smooth recovery for you; if you can work out (or have been told by your doctor) which vertebrae it is that’s getting squished, you could consider some targeted physio for when you’re feeling more up to it.

@AveEldon

Ask for a pain clinic referral and a physio referral

Definitely this.

I started off with NHS physio and I literally could barely move when I first went in but 8 sessions were a massive help and I had a lot more mobility at the end of it.

She really drummed into me the importance of having strong muscles around a bone weakness, as did the osteopath I went onto seeing when the physio ended. I saw the osteopath once a month for 6 months, so I'd say it took nearly a year to get fully mobile again after my worst episode.....

Now I walk loads (got 2 mad spaniels), and swim whenever I can (walking up and down the pool is really good too). I avoid sitting for long periods of time, and have got a really supportive chair for work (Orangebox). I was initially referred for surgery but am so glad I took the conservative approach even though it was a long road.

You'll get there, if it's any consolation I've never had another episode that horrendous since . Hope the diazepam gives you some respite.