Please help me, i'm in agony with sciatica

[OohMatron]

I went to A&E last week because i was in lots of pain and struggling to walk/stand up and my foot was numb. I was prescribed diazepam, co-codamol and ibruprofen.

I then went back to the GP on Friday because i was panicking my painkillers were running out and got given a bumper pack of co-codamol and the promise of a referral to physio if it doesn't get better in four weeks.

I'm in agony if i try and drive or walk for more than a few minutes. I feel sick most of the time and i hate being in this pain.

The pain is now mostly in my ankle and lower leg. I promise i'm not normally a wimp with pain and managed to give birth three times without even a whiff of gas and air but this is flooring me. I have to keep dropping to the floor to try and keep straight to lessen the pain.

Any experience or advice anyone can share with me?

Can you afford to see an osteopath? I would recommend one highly for this.

I get sciatica from time to time.

Lay on your stomach on the floor with a cushion(s) under your chest so your back is arched and feet fairly wide apart and relaxed. That will relieve pressure on the nerve. Do this when watching TV or at any time of day for several hours.

Also I have a back support belt which can be bought from Boots for when you are walking around or in bed. I wear it low down on my back and quite tight so it presses on the top of my hip bone. Take it off every few hours as it can get uncomfortable after a while and you dont need to wear it when laying down on your stomach with the cushions.

Don't take to many of those pain killers they rot your guts and that can make the pain worse as the sciatic nerve is linked to the gut. Mine got much worse when I had gall bladder problems as it did with my mother.

Madlizzy what would an osteopath do to help? I'm sure i could find one, i'd do anything to get rid of this pain.

MoreBeta i feel constantly sick which i think is the pain killers, should i just be trying to keep going despite the pain?

If you have vertabrae which are out of alignment, they can gently manipulate them back into place. They will also deep massage muscles which are in spasm. They will help. www.osteopathy.org.uk/

The pain killers will make you feel sick. Over the years I have found that taking a lot did not help. I usually try and keep it down to say a dose of diclofenac or co-codamol just at bed time.

Diclofenac is very good because it takes down nerve pain and swelling but is very powerful. My sciatica is triggered sometimes by certain foods (I am coeliac) or if I have an upset stomach.

The link between the sciatic nerve and the gut can in some cases lead to constipation which in turn makes it worse as your bowel presses on your spine. Try cutting back on the pain killers and eating light meals and drinking plenty of water.

In the longer term, I found that doing excercise to strengthen the back and abdominal 'core' muscles has been a big help to support the spine.

Have you thought of buying an inversion table?
Mine was about £60 on ebay. While I bought mine for another back problem, I have used it when I got a twinge of sciatica and it shifted it.

Go to an osteopath. It really is better than anything your GP might be able to do. (It might not cure you, but it may well help.)

I've not heard of an inversion table AlmightyCitrus, will have to look at that.

I just feel useless and depressed with it now, i need to get over myself! It's only been a week, i'm off work today for the first time after a week of really struggling. I've never had it before and just don't understand where it has come from

My last bout of sciatica was due to me bending over and coughing at the same time!

I'm sorry to hear what a hard time you're having. I'm just recovering from a nasty bout of sciatica, so I can so sympathise-its so horrid. An osteopath may be useful for you-It didn't really help for me but they can be really helpful for some. I found using frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel-10 minutes on, 5 minutes off 3 times in a row whenever you can really helped. I also tried to keep moving as much as possible, but with avoiding bending, lifting and twisting. I couldn't actually sit down for longer than 5 minutes (or drive) without severe pain so I had a little mattress on the floor to watch telly, so I could lie straight. I would also avoid any soft chairs like sofas etc and always opt for a hard chair when sitting. I also found lying on my front with a pillow under my tummy also helped take the edge off. I would also highly recommend a book called Healing Back Pain by Dr John Sarno. Google it and you will see the amazing reviews of it. I found reading this was the start of my recovery. You have to keep quite open minded when reading it, but I found it brilliant. The last thing I would say is try and keep positive, and keep telling yourself that you will get better (which you will!) Best of luck with everything.

Options could be:

1. Prolapsed disk - were you X-Rayed?

1. Piriformis spasm - go see a physiotherapist ASAP.

If it is piriformis (which the physio will release), pilates for your back will help. I only do the 1 exercise and it helps no end.

After years of back pain, I found osteopaths and chiropractors to be utter charlatans.

Thankyou all so much for your advice, i could cry.

My friend's DH has a physio practice so i'm considering paying him a visit because despite working for the NHS i can't get seen by occupational health. My GP seems to think i just have to grin and bear the pain and it will go away in three weeks and will only refer me to physio if it hasn't gone in that time. I suspect this means i'd be then waiting after that for a while with waiting lists.

The pain is now mostly in my ankle. Does anyone have any idea how much i'd be looking to pay for private physio?

Do you have to wait for your gp to refer you to physio? I started with sciatica in September and my gp just gave me the nhs physio number to arrange an appointment as self-referall, but I realise it's different around the country. The only thing I'd suggest is go back and demand a physio appointment, because although I'm still partially numb in one leg the physio did help with the pain, and you may be twisting your back further with the pain which I was.

Hope you feel better soon, it is miserable

you poor thing. I have suffered from this on and off for years. Ended up having an operation and I was perfect afterwards, for 3 whole years I had little back pain.

2 months ago I was doing twisty double turns (dancing) with my daughter and nieces at a kiddieds disco - next day agony for me. After my usual tramadol, diazepam and diclofenac concoction the pain eased a bit. I lost almost all of half term due to drugged sleep and tomorrow I am going private to see my old surgeon who sorted me out last time. He will refer me for MRI which is the way to see nerves and spine structure and get a plan of action.

Physio can help lots as does pilates. Wouldnt waste my money on Osteopath as I did previously and if anything it made it worse.

Try to get referred for MRI should be 3-4 wks wait but hopefully by then the pain should have eased off more.

I've checked out the referral system wherre i live MyPretty and it seems there is no self-referral here

I'm just waiting for my friend's DH who is a physio to phone me, i've decided i can't cope with this pain anymore so hopefully it will be worth the money.

The GP was basically saying pop pills for another 3/4 weeks and if it hasn't gone then he will refer me for physio and start looking at x-ray and MRI scans.

I can't carry on like this with 3 boys under 5 to look after

McKenzie exercises can also be very helpful - there is a book by Robin McKenzie which describes them. Also sleeping with a pillow behind your knees or between them if lying on your side might help.

MoreBeta - I've also noticed the link with coeliac and back pain.

I've had this....awful, could hardly walk when it was at it's worse.

Back supports are really good...also those gel packs that you can get in boots. Really worth getting as you can have a cold one in the morning (when the pain is at it's worse) and then maybe a hot one later on. They are re-usable and can be kept in the freezer....or warmed up with water from the kettle.

Agree to use painkillers only when you really need them...I was on Tramadol first but stopped those when I nearly keeled over...they were awful.
Co-Dydromol for me (paracetamol and codeine) were brilliant...no ill effects at all.

You could do exercises....but best to have these prescribed for you by a physio.

Go back to your Dr and tell them to refer you. You have 3 children under 5. Obviously your Dr has never had back pain like this!

morebeta what is the connection between coeliac and back pain? Interested in this pov. Just incase it is relevant to me at all.

I'm booked in for private physio tonight and then at least i can go back to the GP if needs be knowing what i'm talking about.

I can't wait to get some help

Hope it helps, daft of your gp expecting it to just settle down of it's own accord IME. The pain made me curve my spine which just made it worse, I have awful posture anyway because of my disability and the exercises I got from the physio were invaluable.

Best of luck (am still tutting at take all these painkillers and try to carry on with 3 young children mentality!)

Thanks MyPretty, the pain is better since i've tried to rest a bit so not taking as many pain killers now.

I'm now stressing about having to show the physio my white fat wobbly legs hopefully it will be worth it!

HerbWoman/CoffeeIs - I don't know of any formal link to coeliac but I know it from observing my own diet, the general state of my digestive system and the incidence of sciatica.

However, I picked this off a forum and it makes a lot of sense as coeliac is an autoimmune problem and I also suffered from interstitial cyctitis for decades which is also an autoimmune condition.

"Just a heads up, especially to you youngsters , really bad sciatica can be one of the first signs of ankylosing spondylitis. Its a nasty disease that makes your spine stiff and unbendable (in some) or just very painful in joints and tendons. So if you're constantly suffering from this, get in to see a rheumatologist as you can. There are treatments that can prevent a lot of the damage. It is an autoimmune disease so celiacs are probably more likely to have it than regular folks."

thanks more

oohmatron hope you feel better after some physio. IME - the next day is sore, but only because you are moving bits that are sore and other parts of your body are compensating.

Go back to your Dr, please - and see a different doc if possible.

I am just back and feeling much better and more positive. Have my homework excercises to do and feel relieved that someone who knows what they are doing has assessed the problem.

I can't thank you all enough for your advice

hope you continue to feel better and positive.