Sciatica hell. What might help?

[tattoonewbie]

I saw the e chiropractor last week and he diagnosed trapped nerve in three places Pain is in my bum, spreads down my leg and currently my outer lower leg is throbbing and my foot is fizzing.
I cannot get comfy. Back at chiro on Thursday but it's worsening. I've got GP tomorrow and will ask for some pain relief as it's awful. I've done my exercises tonight and it feels even worse.
It's so horrible. Just relentless.
Has anyone any top tips ? Please. I'm so miserable and can't see me being able to drive tomorrow to work. I can WFH but even the thought of sitting is making me want to cry. Sorry to sound pathetic.

It's better to know @tattoonewbie .

Yeah I know. I don't know what I'm thinking it might be but I suffer from health anxiety and need to remind myself that I fret like this every single test

I had a cancer scare in February. Did fret about that. Waiting for biopsy results I was so bloody fed up. Bad back, gastric issues re drugs, now this. Not a happy bunny.

Waiting for results is the worst. I got my mri report back on the same day so luckily didn't have to worry too long. But if there was anything sinister there I am sure you would have been informed by now.

It's rubbish waiting isn't it ? Ive done very little today. Felt quite nauseous and headache. I get migraines and I fear stress is bringing one on ...

@justasking111 have a non mumsnetty hug

Hoping to get in with GP to see if they'll read report and share but am not holding out much hope

Ask him to print out the report for you because your physiotherapist requires it. They can hardly refuse.

Any news @tattoonewbie

@justasking111 I was just wondering if anyone would be interested in an update as I bore myself now with this nonsense !GP has the mri report and I have bulging discs in thoracic spine. Forget which number and minor herniations without nerve compression in lunar. I thinknL4 and L5. I can't view it myself yet and have asked again for a copy for me or for it to be on my nhs app.
I've tried and failed to reach the surgeon ahead of my appointment (which is another 4 weeks) to ask what the decision is. His secretary could only tell me there are no major abnormalities. When I get the report I'm going to ask health insurance if they will pay for physio. And if not suck it up myself. I'm still in a lot of pain if I do anything more than lying down or lying on my side with cushions everywhere. I'm feeling a bit pathetic tbh. Surely the herniations are touching the nerve even if they aren't compressing it?
If I take max pain relief that I've been given I can control it but am exhausted and just want to sleep and can't walk anyway so what's the point in filling my body with it ? I'm doing short Pilates and yoga every day along with the stretches I was doing anyway that both practitioners I'd seen before advised.
Maybe it's just a long haul. I'm off work and realise I'm lucky to be able to be off but I am going mad with guilt and worry about being replaced and also about how my reputation will be tanking by being off and if they don't operate on me, I feel like i won't be believed somehow ?
I'm very low. I cried a lot yesterday including going upstairs to bed when something was sending mad pain down my leg and I couldn't weight bear. Anyway. Enough. I'm sorry. I might bow out of the thread as I feel I've been a big soft arse

You haven't been a big soft arse at all. I had less pain in labour and that was a back to back baby.

I'm L1, 2,3,4,5,6, so do understand the mad pain down the leg. I've sometimes wondered if a medieval torture rack wouldn't help. My toes kept curling up in cramps the other day, actually twisted twas agony.

I didn't have cocodamol today and felt no more pain than usual. But I'm not giving up the Gabapentin.

I've had my adjusted exercise plan which coincided with a nasty bladder infection. The symptoms and side effects of the antibiotics well let's just say that I had quite the pity party.

The physio should be able to explain the report for you if they're a good one. They have more time than the consultant.

You may get a spinal injection which can help enormously.

@justasking111 I wonder if that's what the consultant will suggest. Online searches and I'm ashamed to say 4am online AI resources whilst not sleeping, seem to think it'll be physio which I'm worried about as I've been actively stretching and doing exercise moves throughout with no improvement. I've had days where I've done bits of stuff like unload the washer or dishwasher and then been in such pain- sudden nerve pain and then the not so gentle hum of pain to remind me it was a silly idea afterwards. I'm just really down. There's been tears. I also want to go back to work even if I figure out a WFH option for now or reduced hours. I'm hating myself for being weak as it's "only" minor herniations Doesn't feel minor when it touches a nerve 😫😭😭

It certainly doesn't feel minor when I struggle to get out of the chair, get off the loo and get stuck.
Got out of the car yesterday turned to pick up my stick. Jesus Christ the pain. I'm frightened of getting stuck on the drive shouting for help from the neighbours.

I hear you loud and clear. It's horrid isn't it ? Really horrid

Hi OP, thought I'd pop back to see how your doing. This pain really is miserable I was off work last year with constant migraine and I'm not sure what is worse.

The GP did give me gabapentin thank goodness and I have an outpatient appointment already for next week. As I don't know the full results from my MRI I'm slightly worried they have got to me so quickly.

I have stubbornly gone back to work, which has been difficult but I'm not desk based and fine walking around upright OK as long as I have on a back brace. I can't walk for long or sit for long so doing a mix of things is more comfortable. But I'm exhausted from the pain. I also have an electric car (they drive like an automatic) and as its my left leg I can drive but sitting to long in the carseat is painful to. It probably helps that I only work part-time so get a rest day in the middle of the week. I did this to help with my migraines but it's been useful for this as well.

I've gone from using cold packs to using hot packs. Or doing a mix of the two as well.

I have also been doing the stretching exercises I've been given and not found them to make any difference. Which is frustrating, my left leg is weaker then it should be and if I get down near the ground I have great difficulty getting up. I can't bend over either which is frustrating when I drop something.

@MigGril I wouldn't worry too much. I think it's hit and miss for appointments and I've been slow as it's private and you can't see multiple people on my insurance. Your appointment might be different. You could ask GP if they see your result yet ?
Standing is hard for me. I'm interested in a back brace , though am maybe viewing myself in some kind of Georgian cinching corset...
I'm feeling very pathetic as it's "only" minor herniation. I don't consider myself weak but this has really done for me. If someone said push through I'd try but I'm in limbo with no plan which is the frustrating thing.

@tattoonewbie don't focus on the "minor" part, it does not mean there is "minor" pain. Any size of herniation, if it is touching a nerve is "major" pain.
A herniated disc is more severe than a bulging disc.
I was amazed how something so small could cause such pain and disability but nerves are so increadibly sensitive.
You will get better from this.

Thanks @AnxiousRose
It just feels like it's me complaining. I won't lie I was hoping for a quick fix of surgery/ injection as it's been so sore I felt it would be treated so my heart goes to those who do need surgery. Must be horrendous to feel that pain ongoing. I do feel like a wuss but was literally clinging to doorframe earlier answering the door to avoid weight bearing on bad leg. It's a tough one

https://amzn.eu/d/iKaRABT

This is the brace I got it's really helped me be able to move around.

Well this weekend I have been fractionally better. I have stayed in bed or lying down A LOT but managed a whole 10 minutes very slow walk earlier. Took my poor neglected dog and he pootled and sniffed and almost seemed to sense my need to go very slow and when I turned back way way earlier than we would have done before sciatica (BS) he seemed to know I needed to return. I've done my stretches and my Pilates / yoga moves each day twice so maybe, just maybe it's improving.
I googled and it said the disc matter might break off and be absorbed back into the body ?! Who knows.
I'm also going to book my own physio as I need control back somehow

Good to here your starting to get a bit mobil @tattoonewbie .

What I thought was maybe a slight improvement has possibly been me taking more painkillers then I should have. The hospital gave me naproxen 2 tablets twice a day, where the GP only gave me 1 tablet twice a day (same strength) but I hadn't noticed the changed and carried on with the higher dose. I now need to speak to the GP again as I have run out and they wouldn't automatically renew it.

Thank goodness my outpatient appointment is on Thursday. Hopefully will find out what was on my MRI then.

It took me months to get better, physio came to my home and arranged for my rollator and that helped me walk. I spent a lot of that summer laying down. I think in total it took 5-6 months before my foot didn’t drag when I walked, but physio and bed really helped. My mri showed Tarlov Cysts near bottom of spine, schmorl's nodes throughout. I already had been diagnosed with oa and ddd plus scheuermann's disease. This was a while ago, maybe 15 yrs?

A pain doctor at the hospital gave me nerve lock injections (Not positive of the name now) and THAT was a great relief to from the leg nerve pain.

*block

Probably already suggested but can you afford a rise and fall desk? IKEA do quite a few inexpensive ones.