Have had intermittent back pain for years. I do a fairly physically demanding job (hcp) so put it down to wear and tear. It comes and goes, worse after sitting down too long or equally overdoing it !
In may I unusually started getting right sided backache. The day after a particularly busy shift at work it progressed into an excruciating pain down the back of my right leg. This went with painkillers but later on in the day I noticed an odd pins and needles feeling in my big toe/ top of my foot up to my ankle. Gp felt it was referred sensation caused by disc irritation and prescribed pregabalin which for the most part works.
I've had telephone consultations with an nhs physio (who advised me to watch some youtube videos for appropriate exercises) and also the spinal team who agreed with gp but felt an mri scan wouldn't tell me anything new and surgery wasn't necessary.
The other day I stupidly ran out of pregabalin by mistake and had 2 days without it. The pins and needles sensation is back and I feel like I'm at
square one again. It doesn't seem to have gone. I'm starting to think I'll be on medication for it indefinitely. Anyone have experience with sciatica and what was the time scale ? Tia