sciatica - is there an end??

[dipsy210987]

I have been suffering with sciatica now for nearly 6 weeks

It all started with me pulling me back (although I have had a week back for years but this is by far the worst I've done it)

the back pain slowly got better, but then I started getting sciatica. I have obviously been in contact with doctors and i am on numerous pain killers and have been signed of work as well

I have been referred to physio (a month ago) and my appointment is next month

my pain was so unbearable I paid to see a chiropractor - they think it sounds like a slipped discs. He gave me a range of exercises which I THINK are slowly helping, but the pain still comes and goes, although it is less frequent - is this a sign it is slowly getting better?

i've been told by doctors I can't be scanned till i see the physio

If it is definitely a slipped disc- can they heal on their own with the exercise I have been given plus physio ?

I am due to go on holiday next week and I am rather worried!

Hello @Topjoe19, no I’m not on any meds. I’m lucky in that children grown up and I wasn’t working when this kicked off. I was given naproxen initially but couldn’t take it as it gave me awful in digestion. TENS machine helped a lot as did a heat pad. Had about 7 months of physio which did help initially but I always seem to go backwards so stopped going. About a year into things I tried gabapentin but that sent me wappy and gave me awful anxiety so stopped it after about 3 weeks. I have got some pregabalin but very reluctant to start taking it. I just muddle through best I can.

I ended up getting a nerve block at Christmas which has helped kick start things and started curable ap at the same time. Like you I can have a few better days then boom it’s back full on. I’m still doing curable and it’s definitely helped me but I’m wondering whether to try acupuncture to try and settle my nervous system and calm me down. Also menopausal 🤪.

I've recently withdrawn off pregabalin, it was helpful but i found I reached tolerance a couple of times & needed to increase the dose, which I was reluctant to do so just came off it. Acupuncture is nice but not hugely helpful for me. Physio has helped me gain strength but not a miracle cure. I'll keep at it though. I'm hoping for an injection soon. Have you had MRI? Sorry if you've already mentioned you have, my brain is fried tonight.

When it was bad, my sciatica was right into the ankle, it is miserable. You need to keep moving, which is hard as it is so painful, but it will ease. As others have said, once it has settled, Pilates. Pigeon pose gets right into the pirformis and it lovely. You should get an instructor first to get the poses right. I do four classes a week.

My husband has a slipped disc and has flare ups of sciatica. It's awful for him. He paid for a private MRI due to waiting list. His experience of chiropractor was not positive. He's had lots of different pain and nerve meds. Most effective exercises he finds are regular stretch routine advised by physio. It's miserable being in such pain you have my sympathy.

This probably isn't very reassuring but surgery - decompression and/or fusion can be very successful. Mine certainly was, I had both. I was off work for a bout 12 weeks, but I was playing sport in about five months.

@Topjoe19 yes I had an MRI in January 2023. It showed a slight bulge at L5/S1 and an inflamed sciatic nerve. Orthopaedic consultant suggested a nerve block but thought it might get better in time. So here I am 18 months on and still crap and ended up getting nerve block anyway. I wish I’d had it done initially instead of trying endless physio.

Having said that I have been back to my physio this morning and he thinks I will get there…..he’s given me a couple of exercises for my hamstrings which are apparently tight and also to do pigeon pose which I think has been mentioned.

For now though it’s a hot bath and a large glass of red..

Just out of interest what dose of pregabalin were you on and did you have to taper it when you came off ?

Exactly the same as me. From MRI to spinal block it took nearly a year. I was on 300mgs of Pregabalin and it worked.

Late last year after 2 years the spinal block wore off and pregabalin didn’t work. Up till then the spinal block was a miracle.

2 weeks ago I had surgery and touch wood the pain is gone.

I found nothing worked for the pain except Pregabalin, spinal block then surgery.

I also didn’t taper Pregabalin after my block then surgery, I went straight cold turkey, wouldn’t really recommend that.

@Foundation31 225mg a day, I tapered down with GP advice - although their plan was slower, I found I could do it faster without awful side effects (just a couple of woozy type days but nothing I couldn't cope with). I wouldn't hesitate to take it, the stories of the awful withdrawal wasn't true for me at all (appreciate everyone is different).

I'm sure you will get there, I've heard so many stories of the length of Time it takes- basically a long long long time. All you can do is exercise, strength core & do what your physio recommends.

@WednesdaysMentor hope you are recovering well after your op

I have had sciatica on and off for years. I tend to have it for months. In the end I went to see a sports physiotherapist for 6 sessions. He taught me how to stretch which I had to practice daily and then how to exercise to build up the muscles I needed. I don't have sciatica now.
I liked the fact that I was in charge of my recovery and learned what I needed to do. If I have a flare up I can deal with it my self

My sciatica started almost exactly two years ago and it was super painful the first 4 months. Then it slowly improved to the extent that I started jogging, lifting weights etc. It probably took 12 months for tingling and pain when sitting to go completely away. My back is still often stiff and I instinctively want to “protect it” by reducing the speed and range of movement, but I am trying to ignore that and doing as much exercise as I can, particularly pilates. When my sciatica presented, I had an MRI scan (on NHS) that showed a disc extrusion that looked scary, but clearly it wasn’t that dangerous. One thing is that I lost a 1cm of height in the last two years and I wonder if this is because of the disk compression. This said, a friend of mine discovered that sciatica in her leg was caused by a nerve that was squished high up in her back. That was bad and she had an emergency surgery for that. It just seems to be so personal how the healing and issues present… I would think that if pilates and the brain reset following Sarno’s technique reduces pain, that is probably a sign that this is the right way to go. If it doesn’t it would make sense to press NHS to find the reason for the pain.