To try and get the GP to take me seriously? Sciatic nerve pain

[JuneHolidays]

Sorry, long!

A year ago, I unfortunately had an ectopic pregnancy which was treated by injection. (Might be relevant) The methotrexate injection was given to me through the top of my bottom.

A few hours after this injection was administered I had the expected pain and vomiting - fine. However that night I also experienced (for the first time ever) excruciating sciatica pain down the back of my left leg. I mentioned the pain to my consultant during one of my check ups and she said I should do gentle exercises and that it was not related to the treatment I'd had.

I have experienced this sharp, lightning type sciatica pain almost every day or every other day since (12 months later). It happens sometimes once a day, sometimes up to 4 or 5 times. It happens at any time with no pattern (when I sit down, when I am walking or exercising, at work, when I am sleeping and wakes me up). The attacks last for a few seconds and I am often stilled in the spot by the shock of the pain, sometimes it's stronger and I cry out but I return to normal movement and no pain immediately after it subsides.

I have mentioned this sciatica pain to my GP a few times over this year who has told me to take painkillers and exercise. I've believed them and thought that over time it would get better. Then yesterday, I had up to 10 separate attacks throughout the day, in the morning, after a long walk and during the night. It has really started to worry me.

I have booked a GP appointment but the first appointment is not until the end of June.

Has anyone experienced long term sciatica? How do you cope?

AIBU to now that think that it was the intramuscular injection that has caused a sciatic nerve injury? I don't even know if there are any treatments if so.

Thanks so much for reading.

From experience I would recommend seeing and osteopath. It was the only thing that helped my sciatica. It’s still not perfect but is at least manageable now and I can sleep

You need to see a physio.

I believe that exercise and osteopath/physio is the only way to treat sciatica so I would definately see someone. I have found GPS not great for this type of thing.

Hope you get answers and relief

Hi yes, I’ve had sciatica in the past and I reckon it lasted 18 months. It was fairly constant and would catch me out all the time. Things like opening the fridge door (slightly bending, slightly turning) could be agony. I remember having to stop while cooking onions to lie flat on my back, while it spasmed.

my Gp arranged acupuncture for me. I had a few sessions, but I’m not sure that it helped. I had been doing a massage course, and had been reading about trigger point therapy.

The idea is that the muscle fibres get bunched, and nerves get trapped. So about the same time as acupuncture ended I tried this. I would lie in bed and with my thumb push into my muscle around the area of pain in my hip/bum. You know when you’ve hit the spot because it’s agony. Keep pushing really hard and the pain fades. My sciatica gradually went. I don’t know if it was the acupuncture, just time, or my trigger point therapy.

The acupuncturist explained about inflammation starting around the nerve and sending pain signal down the nerve. The inflammation dies down but the nerve keeps firing.

This all happened a long time ago, so if anyone thinks I’ve got anything cock-eyed, please tell me.

I think you need to badger your GP for a quicker appointment. Tell them how much agony you are in. Keep ringing and ask for cancellations. Just be a pain in the arse.

Good luck, I know how awful it is.

Osteo recommended here to and swimming, swimming is fantastic even if to start with you can only walk up and down the pool. If it really flares up so you can't move amitriptyline was the only drug that worked for me even morphine didn't touch it. Amitriptyline takes a while to build up then really works. Sorry to hear you are suffering. Sciatic pain is awful.

The last time I had sciatica it lasted about 9 months and when it finally went away I was left with 2 numb toes on one foot. That was 2 years ago. The doctors say it’s either permanent nerve damage or will get better one day. They’re not arsed.

Try a physio but don’t expect the gp to do more than give you exercises and maybe pain meds if you’re doubled over in agony.

This isn’t acceptable, to answer your question, yes you can absolutely have iatrogenic injury caused by a poorly administered intramuscular injection.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6495581/

I would contact the hospital right away and get PALS involved. Write a letter, email or call, they should get back to you faster than your GP. Document everything.

Indicate that you want your pain to be taken seriously - document (in spreadsheet or notes) each incidence of pain you’re experiencing for a week. Ask to see another consultant and don’t get fobbed off. Good luck.

Use a physio.

I'm another one to suggest a good physiotherapist. If you have health insurance e.g. through your work you might find that some sessions are covered. Your GP would not necessarily have expertise in this area, but it sounds like the sort of thing a physiotherapist could address with you.

I would choose a physio rather than osteopath.
I had shocking sciatica 15 years ago and the physio pinpointed the cause and sorted it.

I know you said you had pain but not sure if you have any issues affecting mobility. Can you move? Walk ok?

I had a ruptured spinal disc and eventually after about 4 months of not being able to walk (on crutches) and in constant 24/7 sciatic pain I was referred for a spinal injection which really helped. I have nerve damage now in my whole leg and foot though.

i do second acupuncture and a qualified physio who has experience with nerve problems. Not an osteopath or chiropractor. An MSK physio or sports physio.

you need to get this early before it progresses but alas, they might refer you for an MRI I don’t think it’s the NICE guidelines pathway to do anything apart from physio/pain relief, they will refer on if an MRI shows anything up.

nerves and nerve damage is bloody awful, I have nerve damage in my face (from wisdom teeth out), leg and foot from my back and all across my stomach from abdo surgery - it’s very random and painful. Gabapentin was kind of helpful, some people find amiltriptylin helpful

good luck