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Original poster

Sciatica desperate for hope!

23 replies

Billydessert · 24/04/2018 18:54

Posting to hopefully get some advice and support, I've been suffering with sciatica for 2 years now. I was referred to physio and given stretches to do and also told to take ibuprofen and do as much non load bearing exercise as possible (although I can't take ibuprofen anymore because it upsets my stomach). I've also tried to be proactive by eating a healthy diet (I'm a healthy weight) and started going for deep tissue massage.
The problem is that it's not getting any better. I've been told to do exercise and get fit but when I do it increases the pain. Should I keep going? Do I need to plough through the pain and keep going? I do walking, yoga and swimming.

The pain drives me to tears and distraction much of the time and my leg is always slightly swollen. I find it difficult to get to sleep and I'm woken by discomfort throughout the night. I've been back and forth to the doctor but they keep telling me they don't treat sciatica on the NHS, all they can do is prescribe pain killers. Does that sound right?
I don't want to accept that this is it and I'll always be in pain. Can anyone pleasE tell me there's light at the end of the tunnel?

OP posts:

Laska5772 · 24/04/2018 19:01

I was referred to a NHS physio after mainly dose of painkillers and an antidepressent tablets (which is often prescribed for back pain ) with made me so ill after 2 days i stopped taking them .
She (NHS physio) diagnosed where it was actually radiating from and taught me Mc Kenzie extension exercise to relive it .. it was incredible I could feel the pain receding up my leg as she got me to do them..(when i went in I couldnt even feel the base of my foot, as it had gone numb) I now do the exercise regularly.

You can fins Mckenzie extension exercises on you tube but you really should to see a physio though as it really depends on what nerve is being trapped .

UpperWallop · 24/04/2018 19:01

I had 'screaming out in pain' sciatica. I do still have it but it's mainly like a residual ache in the background that I can cope with and a very occasional flare up. Everyone will have a different story of what worked for them but for me, it was diclofenic (sp?), doing a tennis ball massage and Pilates to strengthen my core and maintain stability. You have my sympathy though op - bloody awful condition. I hope you find something that works for you.

Original poster

Billydessert · 24/04/2018 20:12

Thank you for the replies and sorry my post isn't very well written. It's really good to hear some positive stories.
I have another doctors appointment in a few weeks and I think I'll refer to the physio again and see if there's anything else they can suggest.
@upperwallop when you started doing pilates did you find it made the pain worse for a while? I'm never sure if I'm over doing things or whether the pain is ok and I just need to push through it.

OP posts:

Viviennemary · 24/04/2018 20:44

I had this about a year ago and it was total agony but it only lasted six weeks. But a friend of mine had it for about 18 months. I think you just have to keep doing the exercises. There are some on the NHS website which I did. But it does eventually go away but 2 years is a horribly long time to suffer.

UpperWallop · 24/04/2018 22:02

I could only start to move once the diclofenic kicked in. The Pilates came later, once I had the pain under some kind of control. At its worse, it took me an hour to get out of bed, so any form of exercise was out of the question.

funmummy48 · 24/04/2018 22:07

Another Sciatica suffered here. I had it for 4 weeks. I saw a Chiropractor twice a week from week 2-4 during which time it improved dramatically and he advised me to do Pilates. I've been doing Pilates for a year now and it has kept it at bay. Good luck!

Pompom42 · 24/04/2018 22:12

I had it 10 years ago for around 2 years. Tried diclofenic had paid to see a chiropractor and had acupuncture. In the end after various x rays it turned out the sciatica was coming from a slipped disc and consultant said I needed an operation but there was no guarantees of it working plus I would be 'out of action' for a long time.
I declined the operation as had a small child so I was very careful with it even though the pain was unbearable. The consultant even said he didn't know how I was walking around like it.
It did get a lot better and I can walk and work like a normal person although I do get a flare up from time to time

Footle · 24/04/2018 22:12

If you can't take Ibuprofen , you probably can't take Diclofenac either. But you may be able to
if the GP also prescribes stomach protecting medication.

KriticalSoul · 24/04/2018 22:13

First of all.

Ask them to refer you to the Musculoskeletal Team, you need an MRI to get to the bottom of whats causing the sciatica.

You also need to talk to someone about getting Amitriptyline or Gabapentin on prescription as Ibuprofen does FUCK ALL for nerve pain, all it will do is reduce the inflammation and hopefully the pinch on the nerve.

Please don't let them fob you off.

It took me 18 years of back-ache, then 2 years of acute pain, physios, painkillers...etc before they finally referred me to the MSK team and the Consultant ordered an MRI that discovered my L5/S1 disk is fucked and I have signs of degenerative disk disease... and then got me on the right meds.

Am I pain free? Nope, I never will be, but at least i'm not yelping and feeling like I have a hot knife being dragged down my leg every 10 seconds!

Pompom42 · 24/04/2018 22:21

In the colder months I noticed my sciatica was a lot worse and eased up a little in the summer. The weird thing is the chiropractor told me to put a bag of frozen peas etc on the base of my spine the bit that hurt the most. I stopped doing it as thought the cold def made it worse. He was adamant though that it was the right thing to do.
Nothing worked for me, the hospital did give me a corset to wear under my clothes which I must say eased it a little as some days I couldn't even walk.

theunsureone · 24/04/2018 22:36

I know people with that you need to ask for an MRI and find out the cause and get proper treatment. By the sounds of it you might need op to fix it

fabricstash · 24/04/2018 22:37

Hi had it really badly about 3 years ago. It got to the point That half my foot went numb and stopped working and I was on opiates which was the only thing that took away the agonising pain at night. The mri scan showed a trapped nerve and generally knackered discs. The nhs physio I was seeing suggested trying acupuncture as about half the staff are trained in it. I was sceptical but read up a bit and tried it and amazingly it freed the nerve. I would really recommend it as it really frees the movement in the spine. Spine still had to a long way to get to fully mobility but better than it has been in years!

Tryingoutanothername · 24/04/2018 23:55

My symptoms were nowhere near as bad as yours but the pain and discomfort was restricting what I could do.

We got a new mattress which was enough to solve my problems.

It might help a little for you?

theunsureone · 25/04/2018 08:08

The mattress may help you sleep better but is unlikely to be the cause after 2 years. Just get it investigated ie MRI scan, X-ray might not show anything

Original poster

Billydessert · 25/04/2018 10:41

ThankS everyone. I will write all this down and make sure I bring it up at the doctors appointment.
It's really good to hear your experiences and know that most of you solved the problem eventually. I tried the mackenzie exercises lastnight and they felt good to do but didn't free the nerve. It's so frustrating. It feels like I have a rod sticking in my leg bum and back and the numbness is a constant distraction..by anyway you guys know all that.

Going to try some pilates too as I've not done that before.
We have a pretty decent mattress already so I'm sure that's helping but thanks for the suggestion.

I'm working towards cutting out sugar and caffeine and anything that causes inflammation but yes it's sounds right that I need to find out exactly what's causing the issue.
This might sound rediculous but the doctor and physio here seemed to fob me off slightly because I'm not overweight. They said because I'm a healthy weight I should be able to solve it with exercise and it shouldn't be that bad. It's a negative cycle though really as when I push myself to exercise more it creates more pain, I cease up, the tension causes horrendous constipation and that puts more pressure on things and makes exercise more difficult. Argh!
Thanks so much for reading this, is so good to rant on here. I feel sorry for the RL people that have to listen to me droning on about my aches and pains

OP posts:

KriticalSoul · 25/04/2018 10:48

Exercise isn't going to fix anything if your disks/spine are the issue.

At most, the exercises you ought to be doing are the core strength ones to support your lower spine which might provide some relief (but not when you're on your period, the muscles/ligaments relax more and you can do more damage than good. so take it easier)

BG2015 · 25/04/2018 21:33

My DP had/has sciatica - he works in the building trade and had to give up work for 8 months because the pain was so bad.

He tried physio, which did nothing, he was given various painkillers but found the only things that worked for the pain were co-codomol.

He had an MRI Scan and eventually was in so much pain he went to A & E and the dr there showed him his MRI and he was referred onto a specialist. He has 2 crushed discs and a trapped nerve.

In November 2016 he was given a steroid injection into the nerve - it's been amazing! He still has some pain down by his ankle but so far it's worked. The consultant told him he could have a second injection in the future too.

biscuitraider · 25/04/2018 23:04

Would you consider getting some cannabis oil Op. My dd works in a health shop and many people have sworn by it for sciatica. Most health shops stock it. Might be worth a try.

biscuitraider · 25/04/2018 23:07

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5019411/Cannabis-oil-ends-13-year-misery-sciatica-patient.html
Thought you might be interest in this Op.

Original poster

Billydessert · 26/04/2018 08:31

Well, I rang and spoke to a doctor and they've brought my appointment forward which is a relief. It's difficult to get all the information across when they're in a rush, I'll have to write it down.

I'd consider the oil, I'll certainly have a look at what it does. Thanks for thinking of me.

OP posts:

allypally999 · 26/04/2018 09:15

I am angry that you have been suffering for so long. My nerve pain (which is what sciatica is) lasted a few months. Had an MRI which showed a massive burst disc so had surgery. Am only 80% fit now 10 years after surgery so its not something to go into lightly. Agree get some actual nerve pain drugs. or at least swap the Iboprofen for Paracetamol but really you need amytriptilene at the very least. Burst into tears - that tends to help at the GPs lol

Original poster

Billydessert · 26/04/2018 20:46

Thanks @allypally it's really nice to have some sympathy. I'm actually really shocked that people have sorted theirs in a matter of weeks or months in some cases.
I really might cry at the docs, I'm so teary lately from the pain anyway. You're probably right that it would help!

OP posts:

biscuitraider · 26/04/2018 22:44

Billy I'm so sorry you're in so much pain.Please do consider the oil, i really think it might help.

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