Help please, sciatica and amitriptyline

[Pixie1771]

Hi, hoping I can get some help...been having crippling sciatica for 6 months now . Have tried numerous pills etc and had a spinal nerve block last week (hasn't worked)
Most days I can't get out of bed, the pain is literally horrific.
Just been put on amitriptyline....started really low 5mg a night, got the usual dry mouth and sleepy etc.
Has anyone had a good response for sciatica on amitriptyline? I just need some hope as I honestly can't go on like this. Desperate.
Hoping someone can give me some reason to carry on. Thanks

Oh that nerve block sounds a horrible experience!

I'm not surprised you're sick of feeling the way you feel.

When your pain came on did it come on very badly straight away, or did it start out as lower-level pain then increase over a period of time?

To be honest it wasn't too painful, it was more me getting uptight. I'm prone to it for medical procedures lol.
It started in January in my right side...went o doc etc etc and it died off after a couple weeks.
Then about month later it started on my left side, periods of couple weeks pain then couple weeks off. On it went but the periods off became less and less and I paid to see someone privately and then got referred on nhs for scans, xrays, and further consultations etc . It's slow on nhs but I chase chase chase all the time and it def helped paying to see him initially , I also paid again when I couldnt see him again for ages but I can't afford anymore so it's nhs all the way now.
But it helps knowing if I'm desperate there's the private avenue to see him.
Nerve block followed which hasn't worked and here we are today.
Never ending.....banking on amitriptyline working soon.

What kind of consultant did you see to help you diagnose the issue? General spine consultant?

I'm considering this route myself - starting out private to get a diagnosis - because the GP just wants to refer me to physio, but the physio exercises he gave me made it worse.

As I get some hip pain as well for all I know mine could be a hip issue rather than a back/disc issue and I'd really like to get a correct diagnosis so I know what problem I'm trying to solve.

Sorry rhe first couple lines of my last post referred to the injection not the condition.
So...yes I called my local private hospital, part of Nuffield group and asked to make appt for spinal consultant. This guy my mil had used before but I wasn't bothered who I saw tbh but I got him for the next day, he had a cancellation. But you never wait long for a private consultation. Even others were only a few days. Originally I was going to pay for private mri but when I thought about it that would mean it got referred back to my gp with mri results and then I would have to wait ages to be referred to a dpecialist. Doing it this way I got his initial thoughts and then he told me to tell my gp to refer me to him urgently on nhs for scans and further appts. The gp can't really refuse as he's asked you to do it. It all takes time but I def did the right thing as now I know o have access to him on both pathways. You should def fo it.
The first time I saw him I literally burst into tears, but he didnt seem worried, ptob seen it loads of times, he just gave me a tissue and on we went.

@Pixie1771

Little...so glad tp hear amitriptyline is positive for you. I hope its the same for me...how long did it take to work for you? It's not making me too drowsy either which is unusual. I'm only 3 days in though...I need some relief soon. Feel like I'm going out my head.

It was pretty quick for me - just a few days I think, certainly no more than a week.

Pearl...gosh that's quick, most stuff I have read it says weeks. Praying for relief soon
Sunglasses....meant to say that all things physio , exercise, osteopath, pilates all made mine worse too so be careful

@Pixie1771

Ps can I ask anyone who's been on amitriptyline long term can you drink? I'm not worried about it now but if I end up on this for a long term thing......

Yes, I drink 3 - 4 days a week, a couple of glasses of wine (sometimes a bit more ) and haven't had any problems.

Sorry you're suffering so much Pixie, I remember how low it can make you.

Really hoping for something to change for you. Don't give up hope

Pixie that sounds a good way of doing it, to see the specialist privately but then get referred by NHS.

I've been looking up specialists in my area and it's difficult to work out which one to choose as nobody seems to deal in both spine AND hips and I'm not yet sure of the cause of my pain. Having said that this evening my buttock pain has been replaced by horrible lower back pain and a weird kind of dead leg achey feeling so maybe it is the back.

I'll definitely be careful re physio, osteo etc as had 1 osteo session that made it worse and the physio sheet I got from GP also made it worse.

Sunglasses...my back specialist checked my hips so I'm sure you would be fine seeing a back consultant. He moved them about etc so that was checked.
Go for it, yes it costs but despite my frustrations, I am a lot further forward than if I had been referred on nhs, I doubt I would have even had first appt yet. In fact my gp told me that 4 out of 5 referrals to spinal pathways are refused. Me seeing my consultant privately paved the way.
It cost me £240 which is a lot but its saved me prob a year. Any follow up appt is £140 so I have that if desperate. I have contact numbers for both his private and nhs secretary so I must admit I do a lot of chasing but when you feel like I do you have to.
IMO it's worth every penny.. I spent so much on other stuff like osteopath visits and other stuff and that was a big waste, my consultation def wasn't.

Little...thanks for your wishes and the hope I won't be tee total for life lol.
My oh had a cold beer this evening and I had a couple of gulps and was petrified lol. But I was fine! Wine may have to wait a while.
Just need to get out this rut, but its hard when you're in agony. Feeling sorry for myself and weird outbursts of crying is the normal at the moment.

@Pinchoftums

When I was 19 I had such bad sciatica that O was referred for surgery (kept fallen down from the pain, could go up stairs etc). My amazing gp referred me for acupuncture. Twas amazing and improved it after about 3 so much.

Acupuncture helps me tremendously when my sciatica flares up. And a trip to the chiropractor at the first sign helps too.

The best acupuncturist I had was the best, but sadly he moved to Devon, 250 miles away. If you're in SW, OP, I'll gladly give you his details.

It really is horrifically painful.

Pixie thanks, I'll look into it, it sounds a good option.

Hope today is not too bad for you. Hugs to you for having to go through this nasty thing.

Lakie....thanks, I have heard it can help but I'm not great with needles lol hence my bad experience with my nerve block!
Sunglasses....not too bad this morning, it seems it now gets worse as the day goes on. I'm wondering if the pills are helping but not yet at the level to keep it at bay all day.
But positive is I'm out of bed and put some washing on and had a shower.
Sad that these things used to be the normal but now they're big things.
Go for it with the consultant....its def worth it. Keep me posted.

Hopefully the amitriptyline is starting to work. I remember at the beginning I found it worked well till about 3pm, then the pain gradually increased all evening. Eventually I went up to a slightly higher dose and that helped a lot.

Maybe a slightly encouraging sign if you've had a better morning?

Lucie ...thanks.
Yesterday I was better until lunchtime ( not gone, just better) today it def carried on longer.
The problem I face now is ..is it the nerve block, is it the amitriptyline or is it wearing off like it sometimes does , only to return again?
Will just have to see what happens, just so relieved to be better, hopefully it will continue to improve.
Will keep going with amitriptyline.
Did you find you put on weight with it? I feel like I have! Which is not what I want....
Even managed to sit in the garden for an hour this evening.

So glad you managed a shower and to put some washing on, and also a sit in the garden for an hour.

As you say, it's tricky to work out which bit is helping, the nerve block, amitriptyline, or the pain wearing off for a while. Whatever it is I hope it's onwards and upwards and that you keep seeing improvement.

Pixie - yes, I've put on weight since taking it. I don't know how much of that is down to the drug, but I will say I've found it very hard to shift any weight. 🙁

Hopefully you'll only have to take it for a short while though. I've been on it nearly ten years.

I've suffered with sciatica for 5+ years and switching meds to Pregabalin (Lyrica) has helped so so much.

Lucie....why have you taken it fir so long?
Have you tried coming off it, is your condition fixed?

Pixie, I have nerve pain in my face. It's permanent so I anticipate taking amitriptyline or something similar for the rest of my life.

Over the years I've got the dose down a bit, and I've done a pain management course which helped, but otherwise I'm just glad there's a drug that works!

Sorry to hear that luciejean, thank goodness the amitriptyline worked for you .
I have been loads better today, again, not sure what's worked!!!
But have been exhausted today, I think I have been in pain so long, fighting it every hour that now it's dropped off I feel shattered.
Not going to rush back to things, have been there before and it never ends well.
Upping my amitriptyline tonight from 10mg to 15mg. I probably wouldn't bother given its getting better but I don't know if its the amitriptyline that's working so will err on side of caution and keep going on that front.

Haven’t RTFT as I’m rushing out to work but wanted to say, don’t take amitriptyline too late at night as it stays in your system and can make you unsafe to drive the next morning. My GP said take at night, so I was taking at bedtime and couldn’t function the next day. A friend who is a nurse told me to try taking them no later than 6pm, this made a huge difference

Pixie that's great that you've been loads better! Hope that continues for you!

Labradorite...yes I started taking it at 9 but now down to 7 and thats been suiting me fine. I have been on it a week so don't think my really tired day was down to that, I have ten mins when I wake up a bit fuzzy but then fine.
Not sure how's its gonna be upping it tonight but hopefully OK
Sunglasses....thanks, I feel so relieved, not sure what's working, could be the spinal block ir the amitriptyline....hope it continues to improve