Hi there xx

[QUEENIE74]

So a few weeks back I was getting this like stinging, scratchy pain in the back of my thigh and calf of my left leg. I was told it was the sciatic nerve which I thought. Anyway the last few days it has flared up again but this time the sole of my foot is hurting so bad and also,,,,,please forgive what's coming,,,,,,when I pass wind I get a stabbing pain and my bum cheek is getting the stingy, scratchy feeling now too. Again just the left leg. I was looking up on 111 NHS last night and I was shocked to read they suggested I phoned for an ambulance.

Has anyone else had any similar experiences please? If just to put my mind at rest at this being as I was told originally that it being the sciatic nerve.

I'm not sleeping, up and down all night!!!!!! I'm just exhausted and at the end of my tether with all this crap!!!!!! I apologise for my outburst.

Gentle hugs and love to all xx

[honeybug]

Hi Queenie

Ahhh sciatica my ole arch nemesis.

I have it on both sides now since 2000 and one side since childhood.

It originated in the lower back and the nerve runs down both bum cheeks to the soles of the feet.

When it flares its extremely painful and sleep disturbing as you described.

You must use caution when using your back to bend properly to prevent flares.

I use a tushy cushy as I call them to give support while taking the pressure off of the nerve while sitting.

Placing an gentle heat pack on your lower back for 10 - 15 minutes followed by an ice pack for 10 - 20 minutes will reduce inflammation. Taking NSAIDS if safe for you to use should help the pain.

There are special lower back stretches that can be done but a physiotherapist needs to teach proper technique.

If you have been diagnosed with sciatica you can safely follow all I’ve described.

However if not you should be seen by A & E to rule out slipped or bulging discs or any spine condition that could cause permanent injury or complications.

Not to scare you but to prepare you to take care of yourself.

I’m across the pond and been active in many communities on HU.

I’ve read how difficult it is to get appointments and the right doctors for each individual’s case.

At least A & E can do xrays to rule out the other conditions I mentioned.

Whatever you do I pray it will lead to a successful outcome.

Take care and abundant blessings.

EJ xxx

[QUEENIE74 in reply to honeybug]

EJ

Thank you so much for your advice.....I do have back problems,,,,,,,Degenerative disc disease. Had surgery back in 2007 but it didn't help and only made my back worse over the years and now with the Fibro it's just pain after pain. I'm glad to hear that it is the sciatic nerve, just to bear it from another sufferer puts my mind at ease. I was actually having physio a couple of months ago because of an accident in my car which caused whiplash and aggravated my back even more but the physio was only triggering even worse fibro pains so my physio said to stop and gave me exercises to do at home which again only trigger more pain. So when I said I was at the end of my tether I wasn't joking. Again thank you for your helpful advice xxx

[Hidden in reply to QUEENIE74]

Hi

Ii do know how you feel, I've got sciatica and it goes from my bum cheek right down to my foot, also got degeneration of the facet joint plus other things. Thinking of you. Please take care of yourself Lynne

[QUEENIE74 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you hun xxx you take care too xxx

[Hidden in reply to QUEENIE74]

Thank you xx

[honeybug in reply to QUEENIE74]

Sooo sorry Queenie that the exercises cause more probs than help. I’m the same.

But gentle stretching can often release the grip around the sciatic nerve followed by the heat/ice therapy is best.

Using a tushy cushy is a must for those of us that must sit most of the time. If you google seat cushions for sciatic nerve relief you might find a good one. Especially with your disc problems.

I have fallen on ground level 36 times. Once from 35 feet up in a tree.

I have scoliosis in my neck and thoracic/trunk spine.

The fall in 2000 caused full body damage to my connective tissues due to hEDS. I have a short leg because of that. Add that to the scoliosis osteoarthritis spurring of several vertebrae and a twisting of my spine that all was involved in a spinal injury when a specialist physical therapist bent me like a pretzel 🥨 5 years ago and I’m very limited in my ability to be active. I have to sit on special tushy cushys or I wouldn’t exist these days.

Be sure to take care of yourself my dear...don’t ignore or postpone getting medical care because your circumstances are more serious with disc involvement.

Best wishes to feel better soon.

Love hugs and prayers,

EJ 😊🌿🌸🦋🙏🤗💗😇🕊xxx

[QUEENIE74 in reply to honeybug]

I will defo look into a tushy cushy.

I always say there are others always worse off than me,,,,,wow you've been in the wars. Lots of love and gentle hugs to you darling xxx

[honeybug in reply to QUEENIE74]

Thank you dear. xxx

[Hidden]

I developed pains in my legs after being prescribed statins —- you’ve not been given any new meds ? The pains included a sciatica- like pain and although the calf pains stopped about 10 days after I ditched the meds the sciatic pain continued and has remained as hip pain.

I can only suggest seeing the GP, though I doubt they’ll do anything. Have you got gel insoles in your shoes ? I’ve found these the best to reduce foot and leg pain, I’ve even had to put them in my slippers.

Try hot baths with Epsom salts and massaging any gel or cream such as fisiocreme into your legs and VERY gentle stretching.

[QUEENIE74 in reply to Hidden]

Hi

I have been tried on so many pills, taking tramadol and paracetamol for pain now but even they don't seem to touch pain anymore. I really want to go and see my doctor again but I always feel like I'm just wasting their time cause there's never anything more that can be done. I will defo look into the gel insoles. Any advice is always useful. Thank you for your lovely words hun xxxxxx

[waylay in reply to QUEENIE74]

Just a note: If you get numbness or tingling in your saddle area (where your body would touch the saddle if you were riding a horse) or any difficulties with peeing/pooping, or difficulty moving/controlling your leg, go to A&E immediately. These can be signs of cauda equina, which is a medical emergency and requires immediate surgery to stop nerve damage. Rare, but it happened to a friend of mine.

[QUEENIE74 in reply to waylay]

Oh that's good to know, Thankyou xxx

[QUEENIE74 in reply to QUEENIE74]

So the pains got really bad over the weekend, affecting both legs now. I took your advice about a+e........I firstly went on to the 111 NHS online and put in all my symptoms and it said to phone 999 for an ambulance. I was quite shocked at having to wait to be put through to the ambulance service to start with, have never experienced that before. So when I did get through to someone I went through all my symptoms and was eventually given a late appointment last night at my local walk in centre. I saw a lovely doctor who after examining me said she was really sorry but there was nothing she could give me. She said that there is obviously something deeper that's going on and I need to have more MRI scans etc. She said that she is going to write to my GPS to get these scans pushed through asap. She said coming from her would hopefully make it quicker and I wouldn't get fobbed off by my doctor saying nothing more can be done. So I rang my gp for an appointment this morning, now I am always having to wait in a queue, never more than 3 but this morning I was 22 in the queue!!!!!!!! Gonna try again in the morning.

Gentle hugs xxx