Anyone had success with an anti-inflammatory diet for PCOS and sciatica?

[Olive96]

Posting here for traffic really - other boards don’t seem to be seen!

I’m hoping people can give me some information on anti inflammatory diets. I have PCOS and after my second child I’ve been suffering from what I’m 95% sure is cyclical sciatica (in that it fits the pattern exactly). I’m finding it overwhelming trying to research

I’m wondering if anyone has any success stories?
Where’s a good place to start?
What foods are absolute no go’s?
Any information people have really so I can start to understand it a bit better.

as a side note - if anyone has any information about cyclical sciatica, or any other ideas about what might be causing the pain I would be grateful, I tried posting on a few other boards but only got a couple of replies 😩

thanks so much in advance!

Are you overweight op? Mounjaro can help massively with inflammation, alongside a protein forward non upf diet, I used to suffer from sciatica too before losing weight.
Avoid anything in the nightshade family, so no tomato or potatoes or aubergine, and cut out sugar and alcohol.

If you think you have sciatica you need to see a physiotherapist. Diet can help PCOS, but sciatica is caused by physical impingement upon a nerve - no diet is going to change that. Weight loss can help. Anti-inflammatories, whether through drugs or diet, can help. But the impingement is still going to be there.

BTW, I found that LCHF (which is not considered an anti-inflammatory diet) very helpful with my back problems. Partly because I lost weight and was therefore more active, but also because it meant I cut out foods that I react badly to. I didn’t know that I was intolerant to these foods until I removed them from my diet.

I saw a physiotherapist for recurring sciatica (through my GP) and they gave me some stretches - I’ve not had sciatica now for four months when I was getting attacks every couple of weeks - best course of action on the sciatica.

Thank you for the replies so far. I’m not super slim but have a healthy BMI so I’m not sure how likely weight is going to be the cause? I’m getting the sciatica pain for 3-4 days before my period each month and then almost like a switch is flicked as soon as I start bleeding it stops. But it’s very different to any cramps I’ve experienced before and is worse / impacts movement, radiates my hips and down my legs, it started with my 3rd period after having my second child and I’ve been able to track the pain to those 3 days before ever since! It’s really strange and initially I thought it was just 3 or 4 days to get through but it’s becoming really impactful now and at its worst I’ve been bed bound for a day 😣

Ive had a couple of bouts of sciatica. Last time was 10years ago and excruciating.. The GP referred me and I was given exercises and acupuncture.

They told me it can be when an a nerve gets inflamed? but continues firing even after the inflammation has gone away. I was told it could take 18 months to clear up.

I was offered a cortisol injection that is done at the base of the spine. Nothing seemed to work, but I just didn’t fancy the injection.

Around that time I read a book on Trigger Point Therapy. Basically when lying in bed I would deep massage the area in my lower back that hurt. I would also press in my thumb really hard. To start with it hurts, but as you keep the pressure on the pain dissipates.

Around the time I started doing this my sciatica went away. It may have been that it was just at its natural end point and TPTherapy was just a coincidence.

If you do try this, please look it up and read all the safety issues first, there are caveats etc.

I subsequently took a Swedish Massage course. I now find self massage is very therapeutic for all kinds of pain.

Many women retain water and bloat up before their period. This is indeed going to make any underlying impingement worse. I still think that you need to see a physiotherapist to check the underlying cause.

Do you swim or cycle? If you can do either of these every day for the week before your period it may help reduce the bloating, especially if you have a sedentary job.

I had period pain like that and ot turned out to be endometriosis. Which I was quite shocked by.

I tried a copper coil but it didnt suit.

Ended up getting an ablation and the endometriosis cut away.

Pain free (no periods) for 5 years

Just something to maybe explore