Sciatica & low back pain

[Horseshoebeach]

I was hoping all this would be gone by now or at least easing a bit. But several weeks on the low right back pain, buttock (rump area), sciatica in leg down to the ankle, is quite literally making life hell. First off I thought it was down to a fall I had. The x-ray I had confirmed there was no fracture with a little additional info re osteophytes lower down in the spine. Sitting for longer than 10 minutes is difficult to say the least. Then there's getting up from sitting with muscle type spasm, then finding a comfortable position to sleep. It's always there. Had an MRI (don't know results yet) & I'm so embarrassed to admit I barely made it through (felt panicky). Then at the end when it was over I asked the radiographer if he had all he needed and to take longer if he wanted (had calmed down by then) but he said he had all he needed. Now I'm worried in case he felt the need to rush it because of my anxiety. Many people have it so much worse with pain and illness and I know that. I just feel in such a mess with this and want this thing to start feeling just a little bit better. Has anyone been through something similar that seemed to go on? This is my first time posting so apologies if I'm on the wrong thread (& so sorry for the moody rant) X

Anyone know what I can do?

I had Mri in May of whole spine, result being large bulge in c5/c6 with nerve impingement and l5/s1 also with nerve impingement. The symptoms of pain and numbness to right side have not ceased and in pain from March last year. Gp referred to neurosurgeon and I was prescribed gabapentin.

I visited a and e last year as I had red flag signs (still do, i am incontinent) kept in 2 nights with another mri, which showed no CES. On discharge letter referred to neurosurgeon.

I called neurosurgery dept in November as heard nothing and Gp and employer had also written to find out why.

Last week GP called me in to say neurosurgery advised I am referred to local msk triage. GP said its a waste of time, I need surgery but I have to go through this step now.

I am at a loss at what to do I am in agony, taking amitriptyline now, which at least gives me sleep.

Are you in constant pain?

I am. I feel the problems have spread to left side (have told GP).

Things are hard, I work full time however I am fortunate as I can work from home and do so approx 2/3 days per week.

I would recommend taking CBD oil from Holland and Barrets... it helps ease the pain, my partner used it and works really well. I have heard that other CBD items are great too..also go and see a chiropractor

Christ Annieberrie that is appalling! Maybe PALS at the hospital where the neurosurgery is could help?

I thought of PALS until I remembered my GP told me neurosurgery want me to go through MSK triage first.

I am glad to have found this thread though as its not just me!

I cant afford chiro, or see a neurologist privately. As its nerve impingement I do not know what a chiropractor could do. I tried cbd, gabapentin, co codamol and now amytriptyline which just helps with sleep.

Yeah they can be expensive. I mean I don't no what area you are from but there is a place near us in chingford and charges free consultation and £30 for any treatment

After my success of herniated disc and CES and recovery post op, my back has gone
It's the left side so opposite to my previous pain and only in my back so I'm hoping it stays there
The doctor told me most back pain wasn't dangerous and was self limiting so I wasn't very.. backwards in coming forwards and pointing out I've already has cauda equina thanks very much!

Oh @ClientListQueen you have my full sympathy. I'm back with my neurosurgeon in the morning as also having issues 5 weeks post op.

Fucking CES. It's an absolute twat!!!!

It's sort of just above my waistband area, feels tight so maybe muscular (I hope!)
My trusty thermacare lower back and hip wraps have saved the day for now

Walking and check your mattress. I've only had one bad back incident in a year since I bought a new (just Ikea) mattress.

Sorry just jumped in there without RTFT.

How is everyone doing? RedDhalia, sorry you are still having issues!

I was doing really well, pretty much got to be pain free which was amazing but I went back to work for first time in 8 weeks on friday and it's been a bit achey since then :( Not all the time and not the agony it was but can also feel strange fuzzy feeling in right foot again. I'm trying not to panic but I'm desperately hoping i haven't buggered it up again. I don't even have a particularly strenuous or physical job. I work in a museum/ art gallery. I was helping with a simple task of envelope stuffing and lifting the boxes of brochures which I did very carefully and gently but it was enough to have made it ache by end of the shift and hasn't been the same since :( certainly not the horrific pain it was and I can still walk fine etc but enough to have set me back a couple of weeks :(

Hey, i hope this helps too. My partner went to a herbal shop. And they gave him patches that work really well if he starts feeling aches. Also dragon balm helps slightly too.but the patches are very very good. I do recommend them

Sorry to hear so many are suffering this is so debilitating,especially when you have been through surgery as well red and client. I bought a tens machine as my accupimcurist said it could help at night tried on lowest setting was in agony for the whole 15 mins and thought it would let up but no got worse have been worse since , seems on searching internet I’m the only one as far as I can tell that this has happened to 🤨 am feeling easier today though it’s a total mind fuck princess hope you don’t go backwards after working, feel like I’m improving one minute then backwards the next 😤

Hi User, good to hear from you again. I'm feeling a bit down this evening to be honest. Been at work again today, not even done any lifting or bending but feeling tender and leg is aching. It's just crap sometimes. Feels like one step forward 2 steps back all the time. Not sure about the TENS machine, I don't think it should hurt that badly at the time surely. I don't feel pain at the acupuncture place at all. I'm aware of the electricity making it contract etc but never really causes pain.

I just want it gone now though. I know it could be worse but I was so looking forward to being discharged soon and not needing medication anymore. But it seems like I am now heading in the wrong direction again! :(

Oh god princess you have come so far I often go over your old posts to keep me going and give me hope I’m over 3 months in now, so exhausted emotionally and physically I think because it changes all the time had an easier day yesterday managed to sit in restaurant for 3 hours fairly ok pain minimal as have had bad week, then up last night couldn’t lay down, it’s so soul destroying. I don’t think acupuncture should hurt or tens it’s crazy so fed up too feeling your pain

Sorry you had a bad night User, I re read this thread and realise how far I've come. The constant horrible nagging in my cheek has gone, no pins and needles and only get the horrible shooting pain every so often now so please don't take me having a bad day as a sign you will never improve. My bad days are still way better than my good days were back in November and I need to remind myself of that. There will be ups and downs I suppose recovery isn't a straight easy path. I slept for about 6 hours straight last night though and I had a bit of pain getting up, shooting pain right down to foot but only for a minute or two. By the time I'd shuffled through to the bathroom and got down to the kitchen i was fine and haven't had a twinge since. It's strange. I need to remember that the disc is still herniated, it hasn't miraculously gone away. As the acupuncturist said to me, he can't unherniate it or make it better, it's just my body and time that will do that. You will get there. Enjoy the good times and we will try to get through the bad I suppose!

^^Butt cheek not actual cheek! Haha

You are so right that’s why I often read the thread from when you first posted I think I’m at that stage now less pain in general but still some really bad days and nights just got to hang on to how far we have come i haven’t cried for a while so must be improving 😁 I remember sobbing after reading one of your early posts I felt like you really understood what I felt, I’m terrified of it getting worse as well so that doesn’t help, I think you have made really good progress to be pain frrr mostly wow hang on to that I do when you say it 🙏

Hi guys, sorry not contributed much, I've been keeping an eye on the thread but not had too much to report.

Saw the neurosurgeon on Saturday. All a bit depressing really I think. However, if could always be worse and I'm doing well currently, I guess we will just have to wait and see what the future holds!

Love to you all x

Sorry to hear that red was thinking of you how is your pain, are you in a better situation than before or worse, really gets to you doesn’t it

Hi Red, been thinking of you. Hope you are managing ok and not feeling too depressed with it all. The mental toll this takes on you is massive. I hope you have lots of support.

User, glad you are crying less! That was the first sign of my recovery. I honestly used to cry most days at some point either through pain or fear of it all. Watching my life, my work, even my kids all slipping away was terrifying. Then I realised one day, I was still in pain but hadn't cried for a week! Huge progress haha. Gradually it eased but so slowly sometimes and with so many ups and downs. Weirdly I re read the thread and actually my recovery has been remarkably quick really, although on going, this past month has been amazing but when you're going through it with all the ups and downs it's hard to see the improvement if that makes sense?! So re reading this has been a real eye opener. Woke up again and struggled a bit to actually get out of bed, I can do it but I'm braving myself for the pain right down into my foot. However it wasn't too bad this morning. Once I'm up and about I have very little pain now (touch wood!!!) I was on a course for work today and just a couple of months ago I'd have dreaded it, not being able to sit, not being able to walk about etc but today I sat for full 2 hours with no pain and got up and walked out with no pain at all. Bloody marvellous after the past 5 months i finally feel like my life is coming back.

That’s so brilliant princess, I think the pain at its worst is so bad that such small improvements are hard to see in the early weeks of recovery. I had 6 hours sleep last night that’s a first as I haven’t been able to manage more than 2-3 since it started in November so even though that was it for the night as was in pain and couldn’t settle again, still feels like a big yippee 😅 that’s totally how I feel though I really get that everything is going on around you, and you can’t take part like you can’t sit or stand for any length even though walking slowly helps really weird. It’s definitely a slow process and soooo frustrating I can’t ever imagine being able to lean forwards again the thought terrifies me I’m always going back over the thread if I feel it’s a bad day it really helps calm me down and remember that I am improving a bit, so good to hear your doing good. Hope spam and red are ok must be awful to go through op and still have problems thank goodness you held off.