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.

Further to my original post, I had a minimally invasive spinal procedure done 14 years ago called Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy (IDET), to treat my prolapsed disc with sciatica. Two years of physio with a physiotherapist designated by the Orthopaedic Consultant, and two steroid injections, did not help long-term so he recommended this. It has helped me enormously and I only get a sciatica flare-up if I do any kind of high impact exercise, so I don’t do things like running or aerobics etc. Even then the pain is mild and settles with ibuprofen and stretching within a day or two at the most.

I have never found a GP yet who has heard of this procedure, but info can be found on sites like Spine-Health.com or a general Google search. It makes me feel so annoyed that many people are just being prescribed endless painkillers and told to go away - sciatica is hideous and not taken seriously enough imo.

As an aside, be aware of Cauda Equina Syndrome which is linked to sciatica - One symptom is a loss of bladder and bowel control and it is a medical emergency.

thanks so much. I managed to sleep 5am- 11am which is the longest chunk I've had in a while. Pain still awful.

will be back on phone to gp tomorrow

recommend gas and air

Sciatica is bloody horrible, the worst pain I have ever experienced. I was unable to get an NHS appointment and ended up with a private osteo and then a private sports physio, who both made a massive difference.

and I hope you find a solution.

I’m going through the same thing at the moment. I’ve had lower back pain for 2 years following the birth of my youngest as my sacroiliac joint keeps moving out of place due to hyper mobility. I thought that’s was bad enough but last week I developed sciatica and the pain is something else entirely.

I’ve been prescribed Amitriptyline, cocodamol and naproxen which are doing absolutely nothing. I ended up calling 111 in the early hours of Saturday morning as I was in agony and hadn’t slept all night and was prescribed diazepam which hasn’t helped at all yet. Just hope this Acute phase will pass soon. I have an mri booked at the end of the month for the sacroiliac problems so will see what’s going on hopefully. The pain is as bad as being in labour and no end in sight it getting me down.

Oh minai its so awful the pain isn't it. Sorry to hear you're in the same boat. How long have you been taking the diazepam for?

it is as bad as Labour and I yotally agree re it gettjng you down. My kids have asked to sleep at their dad's tonight do I so feeling even more dorry for myself all on my own.

Just watched a doppy film which was a bit of a distraction. Considering braving the stairs to get some snacks now...

keep posting if it helps x

I’m taking x2 per day and I’ve had 3 doses so far. They’ve only given me a 3 day supply though so I’m hoping it starts working soon! I’m usually comfortable enough if I’m lying down but walking or standing is agony. I’ve got a 1 and a 3 year old so I’m really struggling. Luckily my DH is working from home at the moment so he can help a bit but it’s so hard telling them I can’t play with them!

Heat is the only thing that's helps me.

Heat pads (worn 24 hours a day, including at night even though they expressly tell you not to do this) , hot water bottles, tiger balm, heat rub, baths as hot as you can possibly take them. If I don't get third degree burns, then it isn't hot enough!

My GP prescribes valium and codeine, but both make me sick and vomiting with sciatica is not fun, though the valium does work for me. I just have to balance the dose so it's enough to help, but not enough to knock me out/make me sick.

It's totally shit and I really feel for you.

I'm the same, lying on my back is painful but manageable. Sitting standing or walking is agony. I also have to kneeling in front of sofa with arms on sofa position for a bit of variety . I had diaz at hospital last night, one this morning and one just now. can take 3 x10mg per day. Like you, hasn't made any difference yet. Have you been referred for an MRI? I will be back on phone to GP tomorrow...

friends of mines dh had a v bad back recently, was immediately prescribed diazepam for a week. Took me 2.5 weeks and a 999 call. slightly suspicious... glad you've hot dh at home. Is there anyone who can help out? lockdown makes it trickier I think...

Must be so hard with little ones

I have an mri scanned booked for the end of the month because of the ongoing sacroiliac pain. It’s taken me 2 years to get this. GP has been completely uninterested apart from giving me painkillers, I’ve only got the MRI by self referring to an nhs physio a few months ago so hopefully it will give some answers as to what’s going on and hopefully some treatment. Everyone who’s treated me over the 2 years has said all the stretches will help. I’ve been doing them every day for months and getting worse! Unfortunately no family around to help either so just have to do my best and put on a lot of cbeebies!

Stop using heat it makes the tissues swell and makes it worse. Ice the area for 20 minutes every hour.

how on earth have you all survived this.

Have you tried sleeping with a cushion or two between your legs?
Also, have you tried very gently cycling? I know that sounds bonkers but as I can't walk further than the garden and have a border collie and 18mo toddler some way of tiring them both out has to be done. I've found I can pootle along on the flat for a mile or two while the dog trots quite happily. I appreciate it may not be possible, I certainly couldn't have done it 4 months ago.
Maybe try lying on your back on the floor with your lower legs up on the sofa, I find that quite comfy too. Don't give up, it's grim I know but keep pestering your gp. They can also refer you to pain counselling which I've found helpful, mainly to moan at someone who doesn't just get grumpy at my moaning!

thanks daffodils I've tried the side with cushion thing but find it really pulls across my right hip. A friend was just recommending capsicum or cayenne patches. and cranial osteopathy for general wellbeing. I dont think i coukd cycle now, but will keep it in mind....

I can totally recommend Entenox - gas and air - ambulance ride last night prob the most comfortable 25 mins I've had in a while...

Hi OP.

I hope that you're feeling a bit better this evening.

I'm bobbing on to reiterate what another poster has said up thread.

If you get numbness around your saddle area, so any bit that you would touch whilst sat on a saddle, or a problem with weeing, either struggling to go or not being able to go, or unable to hold your bowels please get your arse back to A and E.

I've had chronic back pain on and off for around 3 years, it finally went in December and I developed Cauda Equina syndrome 3 times in 15 days. I didn't present with bowel or bladder issues at the time (been left with them though) just saddle numbness and horrific pain in my leg. It's something that has to operated on within 24/48 hours. It is incredibly rare, but when I spot these threads I always chuck my two pence worth in purely because it can happen.

Hope that you get some relief soon 💐

I too suffered from a terrible bout of sciatica. I was on various pills but to be honest , I felt completely out of it for a while. It's the most painful thing I ever had and would Rather of had a baby.
In the morning just for a few minutes I was fine, then back it would come, I would feel physically sick, with pain and must admit to more than a few tears.
It went from my bum down to ankle and toes. After a few months my doc was going to give me an epidural. But it started to go out of my toes and my doc felt it best to not do the epidural and I was best left alone.
I had been to an osteopath for about 8 weeks with no improvement and then she gave me an xray. The stuff between my discs had squashed out and this is what caused the sciatica. My disc collapsed.
I took co- drydomol , diclofenac, I used tiger balm, my tens machine and even tried herbal stuff.
Everyone who suffers this has my deepest sympathy.
I was told not to sit for longer than 20 minutes at a time.
Eventually after months it improved. This was 20 yrs ago,and now and again it flares up but it's not too bad and I can cope.
Wishing anyone who has it now all the best, and I hope you soon improve.
Strangely enough, in this time I went on a holiday to Majorca, I laid on the sand and I don't know what happened but this improved it enormously. I think somehow the sand moulded my back.
I will also add I went to a faith healer, I was desperate and my sister suggested this. I'm not at all religious, but was willing to try anything at that time.

Sorry to hear that you're in pain OP.
Might I suggest a stepper exercise machine.
They're small enough for easy storage too.
I suffer sciatica due to slipping a disc some 20 years ago and after trying just about everything else medicine wise, I got one of those and I've never looked back.
I found swimming helped a lot too.

I feel for you. I had similar and was on vast amounts of tablets. I had a history of back problems and this is what sorted it out:

1. Insist on an MRI - go privately if you can;
2. Assuming the MRI shows something, insist on a referral to the consultant who can review the MRI and get a plan of action.

In my case the only thing that sorted it was surgery - I had a micro lumbar discectomy with nerve root decompression. It sorted the sciatica completely and I'm not in pain anymore. I've aged so much though - being in constant agony for almost a year really took its toll on me so try and be as pushy as you can to get seen ASAP.

thank you

momma thanks for the reminder about candia equina. I was told by 111 person that unless I was incontinent it couldn't be that. When youbsay numbness is that loss of pain if uou orob or loss of feeling totally?

mummylin thats great its never been so bad since. Plenty of tears here too tbh. At the moment I cant sit for more than 30 secs. We were due to go on holiday in 28 July but given last 3 weeks dont see how that could happen. dcs (and i) will be gutted.

poppies yes to swimming. I usually swim and do a particular yoga class once a week but lockdown has stuffed that up - part of why I think this is so bad...

dappled gp I spoke to on Thursday has referred me for MRI. I need to try and find out how long list is as otherwise I will get one done privately (despite it being 50 mins in the car 😱)

Well last night I slept solidly from 12-9 as I was so drugged up, so I guess that's something! Pain just the same though...

I highly recommend cranial Oesto as they can help calm the nerves.

All these stories are awful, this is a horrible thing to suffer with.

I had a chat with my back person today finally and she's referring me for a scan. Stupidly I forgot to ask what sort of scan. What do you think it would be? Will it be clothes off?

probably is an MRI rockbird and no you don't have to get undressed sometimes you can take in a CD to listen to

Hi OP.

111 are talking bollocks - it's a red flag but numbness alone can be diagnosed as CES. It's pretty much a total numbness. I couldn't feel the heat of the shower or, TMI when I wiped I could only feel one side. This are pics of my disc on all 3 of my CES diagnosis... first one is the first time.. 2nd is when it went 10 days later so had op nbr 2 and then 3rd pic is op 3, 5 days after the 2nd- never had bladder or bowel issues...