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Original poster

Would you go on holiday with sciatica?

122 replies

Sameold23 · 29/07/2023 10:02

First family holiday abroad. Desperate for it. Kids never been on a plane or abroad. I got sciatica for the first time yesterday. I cannot describe the pain. I was in A&E so all checked out. It seems like a big improvement today, but still numb leg. Flying on Thursday. Would you go??

OP posts:
Original poster
Sameold23 · 29/07/2023 10:02

I have all the pain relief and tranquillisers.

OP posts:
W0tnow · 29/07/2023 10:04

How long is the journey? Have you been given exercises?

AnchorWHAT · 29/07/2023 10:06

Yes, there are a number of pilates exercises that are great for reliving sciatica or see a chiropractor if you can and take the drugs…. All the drugs.

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Original poster
Sameold23 · 29/07/2023 10:11

It's only to Spain. I haven't been given exercises. I'm not sure how to help myself. The level of the initial pain has given me the fear. I stayed in bed yesterday which I know is not recommended, but I really needed to take the pressure off. Plus the diazepam made me wobbly.

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Hoppinggreen · 29/07/2023 10:11

I would give it a go if possible but once when I had it and DD was a baby. We had a UK holiday booked with mil and I knew that if I could get there I could just completely relax. It was a 3 hour drive and I wasn’t in too much pain until we arrived and I literally couldn’t get out of the car. Gradually over about 20 minutes I managed to gradually inch my way out while sobbing.
In your shoes I’m not sure how you will get on and off the plane etc

Original poster
Sameold23 · 29/07/2023 10:12

Yes I suppose I have a few days to make my decision.

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TrueScrumptious · 29/07/2023 10:13

I’d be worried about the flight, stuck in the seat, and jolting. Maybe you can stand up for some of it.

NeverThatSerious · 29/07/2023 10:14

Yea I’d definitely go. I’ve suffered with sciatica on and off (luckily mostly off the past year or so) for a long time and I’d rather be uncomfortable in the sun while my kids had a great time than in rainy England 😂

Original poster
Sameold23 · 29/07/2023 10:19

Yea I’d definitely go

Loving the positivity!

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surlycurly · 29/07/2023 10:19

I'm currently on holiday with sciatica- I am waiting on a operation for mine though. I would recommend getting better travel insurance than the average one, that way you're covered if it flairs up. I've been ok in the main, although we did a day trip that included lots of stairs and that's made me a bit miserable. Just be careful and you might be ok.

Original poster
Sameold23 · 29/07/2023 10:20

surlycurly

Did you travel OK?

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Dreambe · 29/07/2023 10:20

I’ve had sciatica for 20 years following a prolapsed disc, although these days it only flares up occasionally.

It depends on the cause as to whether this will be a brief episode or not but a few tips I could offer are:

-Avoid sitting for long periods of time as this position loads the spine the most, so during the flight see if you can get up a couple of times and walk to the toilet or back of the plane etc
-Do some gentle sciatica and Piriformis muscle exercises a few times a day
-Don’t do high impact exercise like aerobics, HITT etc until you know what the cause is. Swimming, gentle cycling and walking are ideal.
-Keep moving and avoid spending the day in bed
-Avoid lifting heavy items so definitely use a luggage trolley or pram for young DC
-take the medicine and keep on top of the pain even if you feel ok, and if it’s still bothering you on return home go back to the GP for further investigation. I was fobbed off by the GP and eventually went to a private GP and needed an orthopaedic referral, an operation and years of physio.

Be very aware of the signs of Cauda Equina - this is a medical emergency and you must go to A&E without delay.

Soonenough · 29/07/2023 10:21

Can you get maybe a couple of physio visits before you go ? Might help immediately and give you exercises to do to help. Good exercise hints online too.

Original poster
Sameold23 · 29/07/2023 10:23

How do people handle the numb leg?

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amylou8 · 29/07/2023 10:24

What rubbish timing. Let your travel insurance company know or you'll likely not be covered if you have any problems while you're there. But yes its a short flight, I'd definitely go.

Thatswhatitis · 29/07/2023 10:39

Do not go to a chiropractor , consider an osteopath.

I had sciatica so badly I had to use a walking stick many years ago. I do get some smaller flare ups but nowhere near as bad. I walk quite a lot at a gentle to moderate pace and change position often. Mine improved immensely when I stopped working as was desk bound. As much as I got up and walked about and also they did a risk assessment and were great with a new chair that position just totally messes me up. We have a reclining sofa. I never lift anything heavy or push anything. I do have a scoliosis of the spine and hypermobile joints as well.

It would be the stuck in a plane seat that would worry me. Would need to stand up on and off. Assume it’s a very short flight.

Pain and numbness sounds a bit weird but I got used to it to an extent.

Original poster
Sameold23 · 29/07/2023 10:42

Yes desk bound job has done me no favours at all. Especially sitting cross legged and feeling constantly stressed.

I had lower back and hip pain and saw an osteopath this week. He said not sciatica and did some exercises. A few days later I'm in A&E, so now very scared.

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Original poster
Sameold23 · 29/07/2023 10:56

I'm also in the overweight category.

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Original poster
Sameold23 · 29/07/2023 17:49

I just can't see it happening. So gutted.

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Princessconsuelabananahammock9 · 29/07/2023 17:52

I have sciatica most days. I would go.
Google stretches for sciatica and stretch as much as you can. Alternate hot and cold.

Yoga helps and pilates help.

lljkk · 29/07/2023 18:06

Sorry to hear about your ruined holiday.
I had revelation this year which is to keep moving thru the back pain, just don't get in bed, or not for long, anyway. This seems to be my path to faster recovery.

back problems suck. Commisserations.

kessiebird · 29/07/2023 18:17

I've had chronic pain from sciatica in 6 month bouts. The first time I screamed as they straightened me out at A&E. DD was 15 weeks old, she's now 12 years old. Pain free for 4 years.

The advice I was given was rest for two days while on diazampam then walk / move but no exercise. I saw an osteopath very quickly and he manipulated it.

Set an alarm for four hours after you go to sleep and stretch in the night. The osteopath gave me the exercises. I still do them now. But not in the night.

Use heat and ice packs. I used to ice my back for 20 mins every morning and that got me to lunch with no painkillers.

It went on for years but after that initial two days of agony, settled into a chronic but manageable pain. 12 years post childbirth of my youngest, I do think it's healed.

I see you may not be going on holiday. I'd have said give it a try but it depends if it loosens up a bit before you go and further decisions you took today. So sorry if you miss your holiday, that sucks.

Original poster
Sameold23 · 29/07/2023 18:21

Thank you for the kind messages. I tried to not take my meds and completely locked up again. I was doing quite well with them. Do you manage bowel movements OK? Sorry for the tmi. It's my next big worry.

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CornishGem1975 · 29/07/2023 18:24

Absolutely, you could have it for months yet.

And is it definitely sciatica? I was mis-diagnosed with sciatica and it turned out to be a torn ligament in my pelvis.

olympicsrock · 29/07/2023 18:29

I don’t think I’d go. The flight could be hard and imagine if you end up needing medical care while there.

FIL needed a medical evacuation due to sciatic first to another island for MRI and then back to Uk on a stretcher . Was hideous…

make sure you have travel insurance if you do go…