DH's sciatica and work tomorrow.

[BloodyPlantagenets]

Dh has had an awful sciatica flare up since Boxing Day. I took him to the walk in centre on the Sunday and it took us fifteen minutes to get from the car to the surgery, that's how bad he was. He was prescribed a boat load of meds and told he was unlikely to be able to work until he was pain free as he sits at a desk.

So for the past however many days he's been hobbling around the house and occasionally whimpering in pain. He's on a heavy duty painkiller and anti inflammatory as well as diazepam.

He reckons he's going to work tomorrow. I've told him I think that's ridiculous and he is being pig headed. He says that because he can walk ok and drive (he drove to the shop today as a test) that he'll be fine to sit at a desk and type for 8hrs.

Please tell me I'm not being unreasonable here. I think if he rushes back to work he'll fuck his back up even more and end up with more time off.

AIBU?

[Marzipanface]

8 weeks? oh heck I thought it would be sooner. Hope he gets on top of the pain soon.

[coffeeisnectar]

I first had sciatica in 2006. I was given painkillers and referred to physio. Eventually I was sent for an mri and told I needed surgery.

As a single mum with two kids, one still a toddler I declined. Three years ago I finally had the surgery where they removed part of the disc that was causing the problem. That hasn't worked and I'm having my spine fused in three weeks which will be year ling recovery.

Get your dh to ask for a referral for a)physio and b)a consultant. If this keeps happening it means the disc is moving and pressing on the sciatic nerve. Left untreated it will eventually cause problems with permanent loss of feeling, numbness, muscle weakness and mobility.

He should not be sitting down all day, the curving of the spine means it will make it worse.

He shouldn't be driving either. A flare up when driving will cause an accident. The pain is so intense you literally cannot control your automatic reaction to it. Get him back to the doctor and fgs don't let it go on as ling as I have. I now qualify for PIP.

[ItsANewDayToday]

I think he should stay home and see how it goes. I think he should stay home and that you should be really, really nice to him. It depends on his work though. If they are a nice friendly casual place he might be able to go in for a short while and see how it goes.

I felt awful,when I used to get sciatica. I could barely crawl sometimes. I used to get it when the DC were little and my DH was out the country a lot. I used to feel VERY sorry for myself. I slowly stopped getting it and I've not had it for years. I've no idea why as I do the same high intensity sports as I always have.

for your DH.

[ItsANewDayToday]

My backs twinging just reading this thread.

[independentfriend]

Maybe better for him to plan a short day at work and/or just to go in to say hi to colleagues and pick some work up to bring home - he might be able to do and concentrate on work if he can work standing up or in other positions beyond sitting on a chair. Not madness IMO to try to do something useful with your brain while your body catches up. Also not madness (though shouldn't be necessary) to allow colleagues/bosses to see you're obviously in pain/not right, particularly when missing the first working day after a holiday period.

Some bits of the country are allowing self referrals for NHS physio - this is worth investigating (or seek a referral from his GP).

[bbcessex]

He must be concerned about work or feel ok to go in? I had a ruptured disc years ago and could barely have got out of the house had it been in fire, so perhaps he is on the mend or better than you think?

[bbcessex]

coffeeisnectar very sorry to hear that your first surgery didn't work. . I hope the fuse is a success xxxx

[PitilessYank]

What is his underlying concern, if any? Is he worried about his reputation at work?

I had a severe bout of sciatica several years ago and what was worst for me was changing position- getting in and out of bed, going from sitting to standing, etc. I still went to work as usual but my work is part mobile, part desk work.

for your husband and best wishes.

[BloodyPlantagenets]

He's worried about money. He gets paid for time off sick but he wants to do overtime. I think I've got through to him now though by reading some of your posts to him.

[diddl]

Can you survive on sick pay?

If you can keep a roof over your heads, eat & pay bills then he needs to take time to let himself recover properly.

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

After experiencing a few days of Sciatica pain (I think it was, hurt like a fuck down one leg) I say he needs to stay at home and rest.

[Effic]

Chiropractor & fast IME. Preferably a mctimoney chiropractor. I suffered for weeks until I went - two sessions and I was fixed!

[antimatter]

show him this video
it may help him to get some respite from pain

[VioletEffingham]

I have had two laminectomies, the first when I was 27, the second a few years later. One thing your DH should watch out for is needing to go to the loo more often than usual, which can suggest that the nerves supplying the bladder are being compromised by pressure from a prolapsed or ruptured disc, which can lead to incontinence. Worth mentioning to the GP if it applies. I had this and could barely make it to the loo in time, but didn't make the connection until a locum GP asked me about it.

[liletsthepink]

Op, you have to listen to the doctor as they don't sign you off work for fun! Your DH is ill and he has to stay away until his sciatica has improved. I have chronic sciatica (caused by another lifelong condition affecting my spine) and I am permanently disabled by the damage it has caused. Sciatica isn't just a 'bad back' it's a serious illness that can affect your DH for the rest of his life if he doesn't listen to the advice given to him.

I assume that your DH is a terrible patient and stubborn too. Tell him that a week or two off work now may well save him from being off for months instead which would include needing surgery and repeated visits to hospital and doctors.

[BloodyPlantagenets]

Thanks all. Common sense has prevailed and he isn't going in today, he's going to the gp to see about getting signed off and an x-Ray.

[Friendlystories]

IME docs are useless with back problems esp sciatica. Can I just second a PP's advice to look for a Mctimoney chiropractor, I could barely move and have never known pain like it, Chiro fixed it in 6 sessions 5 years ago, had no trouble since.

[DyslexicScientist]

I have this, moving and stand up desks help a lot for me.

Left my employer partly as they were being shit at providing a stand up desk

[stopfaffing]

My back pain was caused by my pelvis misaligning and the muscles all around seizing up and cramping. Unbelievable pain and I was twisted out of shape (couldn't stand up), I struggled at work and took (too many) painkillers that did not hit the spot.

Eventually, I saw an osteopath who also practised acupuncture and she fixed my pelvis back into position and used the needles to stop my muscles seizing up. Amazing, it worked!

I wonder whether such a thing would help your husband, OP?

[liletsthepink]

X Rays don't help much with sciatica as the soft tissues won't show up, although fractures or other bone damage will be seen. A better diagnosis is achieved with an MRI which is much more expensive so, unless you can pay privately, you would need to wait for a month or two to see if the problem resolves itself.

Is your DH feeling generally unwell at all? I discovered (from a consultant) that when a disc prolapses the liquid stuff within the disc causes irritation similar to an infection when it leaks out. It takes several weeks for the body to recover from this which is what makes you feel so ill with it as well as being in pain. It's important that your DH tells the GP if he feels generally ill or has any other symptoms as well as the pain.

[Mistigri]

It might be worth your DH getting in contact with occupational health at his work. They should be able to recommend some adjustments that your DH and his employer can make to enable him to continue to work safely, if that's what he wants to do.

[BloodyPlantagenets]

Thanks all. He's been signed off for a week and is listening to the doctors advice.

[Marzipanface]

Good to hear :)

[TheFuzz]

Painkillers are a nightmare for me as if I feel ok, I will get on with stuff. I have long term ongoing pain (nerve pain in a specific part of the body) but I'm currently in hospital from an RTA and have a few fractured vertibrae. I'm coming nearer towards discharge but have knocked back my morphine with the pain nurses as I explained it will mask pain and I will do something silly. As it is the back pain isn't too bad but lying still on my back is uncomfortable (part of the treatment).

I have been told it will be six months or more before I can work. Body brace for 6 to 12 weeks after then time rebuilding muscle and strengthening back.

[QOD]

I've had sciatica for nearly 2 yrs now
But my nerve is stuck in my sacro iliac joint. Slightly compressed in lower back as I've got arthritis but the pin point pain is deep in my left buttock
I sit on a memory foam cushion at work that has a cut out for the coccyx as that reduces pressure on the spine end
I've had facet joint injections and a nerve block and then 2 lots of steroid injections into the s I joint under x ray in theatre
and still it's there
I wish I hadn't left it for 5 months before I did anything about it. Mine was clearly not as bad as his as I carried on working and running ... idiot but a constant niggle and a gasp of pain everytime I lifted my leg
truly glad he's doing something now
fyi I'm under a chronic pain specialist and seeing him for a post op follow up Monday and I don't know what's next as I'm still niggling
can feel it as I lay here
I'm lucky in as that I don't have slipped discs but sure aa shit still dealing with in after 1 yr 10 mths and 3 wks

Ps I'll never star jump or burpee again as that's how I did it - at boot camp