Sciatica pain, can't stand it

[challny]

I'm up from bed with an ice pack on my hip after 2 Alleve and 4 aspirin. I have been in unrelenting pain for a week now with this. Have had it many times before, but never like this. I'm beginning to get angry, too, because it is pointless to see a doctor. The answer would be some strong pain medication, but they will never give you any these days. It has to ease up soon or I'm going to lose my mind. The pain is that bad.

[Hidden]

I am so sorry for you challny . Sciatica is the worst of all pains, there is just no relief, standing sitting lying whatever. I've only had it once and live in fear of it returning. Not much help to you, but it sometimes helps a bit knowing that people know what you are going through. It surely can't last much longer. 😟

[challny in reply to Hidden]

Hi, @Don-1931. Yes, it's truly bad. Maddening. I've had it many times before. Usually, it will eventually go away, but this has been with me for a week now. It woke me from bed. Now I'm sitting on a ice pack. That actually helps. Good to hear from you, and I hope you're doing well.

[Alice70 in reply to challny]

Oh challny sciatica is an awful nawing pain ,I've had in the past the best thing I did was to see a phisiotherepist spelling , hope the pain goes away soon x

[Caspiana]

Hello challny . 👋

I had this pain , it started when I was pregnant with my second baby. It was excruciating and no matter how I tried to find a comfortable lying position it just would not ease. So I feel very sorry that you have this. The only thing I remember that helped was after the birth I took to wearing a strong support belt for my back. It took the edge off the pain especially when I was up and about. Also, I used warm packs rather than ice.

I hope you feel relief soon. Thinking of you.

Cas xx 🙋🐶

P.S. Also sleeping with a long , hard pillow under my knees at night seemed to give me pain relief.

[Patsy164]

Hi Challny so sorry to hear you are in so much pain. I’ve had it before so know what your going through and it makes you feel miserable. No one really understands unless they have had it. I hope it eases soon.

[Darceydoo]

Hi I’m sorry you’re in such pain, when I had it I went for Bowen therapy I got to a point where I though Drs can’t help have you been offered to see a physiotherapist ?

[sassy59]

Dear challny that’s awful. I had sciatica when my eldest was a year old and have never had pain like it.

Pete has pain down his right leg and had a spinal chord stimulator fitted which doesn’t work. He’s been in pain for over 5 years and was prescribed Gabapentin. This was taken off him when he had sepsis so it’s just paracetamol now.

I think you need something like the Bowen technique or physio perhaps and I wish you well. Xxxxx

[challny in reply to sassy59]

sassy59 Thanks for your kind response. I know Pete has it worse than me, but in my little world this sciatica is elbowing everything else out. And I thought COPD was bad. It's 3 a.m. and I'm gulping more gabapentine (?) for pain and sleep that never comes. It puts you in a black mood. I'm even yelling at my dogs.

[sassy59 in reply to challny]

I totally understand challny, the pain is all consuming with no escape. I really do feel for you.

Pete gets quite depressed and is very irritable. I truly hope things improve for you.

Thinking of you. Xxxx

[judes]

Hi

You have my sympathy the pain from sciatica is horrendous, and nothing seems to calm it. As you say docs are very reluctant to prescribe strong painkillers.

I personally find heat works better than an ice pack, these days I even take my hot water on holiday! But we are all different.

I hope things improve for you.

J

[challny]

It's 2 a.m. and I am at my wit's end. No sleep. Just day after day of pain. I'm losing my mind. I'd go to ER but would just sit there for hours. I've taken six aspirin, three aleve ... really can't take it anymore

[challny in reply to challny]

I hate myself for complaining. Please don't even respond to my whining. Thanks

[Skatergirl1]

Hi challny, please stop the ice pack, this tightens the muscle and you need to release.....I would suggest sitting in a hot bath to relax muscles, then do pigeon pose if you are able to stretch and if possible hold that position for about 20 mins, and even better whilst in that position get other half to massage your lower back/buttock to help release tension on nerve. X

[Hacienda]

Morning my Love, Bless you, Yes, I had it twice many Years ago when I lived in Spain, the GP gave me an Injection of Adrenaline on both occasions, it worked. I prayed never to have that Pain again. Hope you feel better very soon. xxx

[Izb1]

Hi challny, I have had this quite a few times and the only thing that helps is the exercises the physio gave me, but that takes time and when in that kind of pain its horrid. I also find ibuprofen better at dealing with this type of pain. You need to get to the physio pronto and release that trapped nerve. Can so sympathise x

[hypercat54]

H I sympathise as sciatica is awful. My mother had it badly years ago and went to a chiropractor. It took a number of sessions but thankfully he managed to free the nerve and she recovered completely. You are right though as doctors don't 'do' backs. x

[kflatt]

What Caspiana said above is correct. Support/belt for your back, warm packs & pillow under the knee on the affected side.

I use a chiropractor and it helps a lot. Physio did not help.

Here's part of your problem from a recent post of yours:

"Mowed my partner's lawn yesterday. Front and back, edged with string trimmer and used a blower on all the pollen and leaf covered walks and ..."

Take it easy.

[challny in reply to kflatt]

Thanks, @kflatt. As I mentioned (I think), I have grappled with this problem for years, but it has never been this bad before. I'm up again in the middle of the night. Have not had any sleep in a week. Lying down seems to be the worst possible position. A friend gave me a prescription pain pill yesterday evening and I was sure that would help; it did nothing. I must seek help today, either from my doctor or, perhaps, as you said, a chiropractor. I have never seen a chiropractor before. I cannot go on like this. This makes my COPD seem like a walk in the park.

[kflatt in reply to challny]

challny I battled with my sciatica until a shop assistant, who I asked to carry some heavy stuff to my car, asked me what the problem was. He said he tried physio for a year with no real improvement but was fine now due to going to a chiropractor.

That's what started me using chiropractors and it absolutely helped me. I still go from time-to-time if it starts playing up.

I also recently bought an online video course that demonstrates ways to stretch in order to prevent the problem and that is helping to maintain and improve my posture, hip flexors and general alignment.

Here's the link: recommendedsite.org/goto/Ba...

It's up to you to decide, but for as close as possible "immediate relief", I can only recommend a chiropractor.

[Ergendl]

I used a recommended registered osteopath when I had severe back pain that put me in hospital but the NHS didn't treat it right. Back to normal doing all the usual things in 4 months.

[challny]

Ergendl I don't even know what an osteopath is, but I'm glad he helped you. In the past my sciatica has disappeared on its own. I'm wishing the same with this. Go away, I say.

[Oshgosh]

I suffer from sciatica from time to time. I used to suffer,then about 5 years ago. I decided to try something different ( I had previously had NHS physio with little relief. )I looked for. Sports physio ,picked the one who was most recently qualified.

It was a success,after The first session I felt a tiny bit better,after 3 sessions,the pain had totally gone away.was so happy.

I go back if it flares up. I do my stretching exercises every day(given to me by the physio.keeps everything fairly supple.

I do have to pay and it’s not cheap,but it’s worth every penny not to be in pain.

The GP has previously prescribed me Gabapentin or Amitryptylline,which both help with nerve pain. I hope this helps and that you get some relief

[Whitechinchilla]

That sounds horrendous challny.

I have only had one episode and clearly recall the pain. I have a friend who had it recently and after months of treatment the only thing that helped was the exercises from physio therapy. That said I guess exercise is probably the last thing you want to think of right now. You have had some great advice from members here and I hope you will soon feel better and be pain free.

Good wishes,

[Stephend]

Morning challny

Just to say I have bad arthritis of the lumbar region of spine I take a 7 day morphine gabapentin and Zapain for the pain I’ve been on Tramadol so there are a lot they can do I have bad asthma and emphysema as well as pain clinic said they could do nothing for me so doctor gives me all this and I’m on more stuff I take 9 different medications a day and when you have to take them a number of times a day it’s a lot but do ask

hope this helps take care 🤓

[Maximonkey]

Hi challny, I too suffer from sciatica in the lower back through the right buttock and down my right leg. When I had disc sciatica which was horrendously painful but only happened for minutes at a time the doctor prescribed Amitryptylline as well as my usual co-codymol. At first I took one at night but it did not help me sleep or help with the pain, in the end I was told to take three at night, this is the dose I take now and when sciatica strikes I also have physio and acapuncture which doesn't work for everyone but I find it really works for me. Good luck and I hope you are pain free soon. Maximonkey