Sciatica

[Marcy47]

Update on Sciatica. Managed to get emergency appt with Dr (not mine) this morning, after 2 sleepless nights and crying with the pain on Sunday. Nice young man who was very sympathetic and actually took the time to examine me. He has confirmed that I do have Sciatica and has prescribed a course of Coedine and Diazepam along with Paracetamol. He wants me to see my own Dr after 3 weeks to see if I can get some physio.

Driving to the surgery took it out of me a bit.

Took a Diazepam at lunchtime and slept until 3.30. Pain in hip reduced, here's hoping leg improves soon.

[Hidden]

I am glad you managed to get there even though it's tough. Presume you can't raise that leg. Am glad you had a nap. At the moment I am sure you will be clock watching for next pain killer dose so will be good at managing it. As pain gets under control make sure you take pain killers routinely on time even if pain reasonably ok. Don't let it take hold again for a week or so. I speak from painful experience. sleep well tonight and hope it feels better tomorrow.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

good!

[maria40]

I do sympathise. It is the most excruciating pain which would reduce anyone to tears. Mine was so stubborn I was put on Oromorph but I do hope yours will shift before that becomes necessary.

[Estellemac]

I Had Amytriptalyne didn't touch it. I take Duloxetine now which is usually prescribed for depression. 60mg at night worked straight away. Don't know if it is responsible for daft dreams though? Can't believe all these years of suffering and gone within a week.

[Hidden]

Sounds daft but main thing is to breathe and relax as much as possible. tHe diazepam will really help with that. Especially if it's the muscles that have trapped the nerve. You will find yourself holding your breath when you move but try not to.

[jinasc]

Have a look at Bowen Therapy..........white witch craft and not invasive at all.

[piglette in reply to jinasc]

I did try Bowen Therapy for my sciatica, but it did not work in my case sadly.

[jinasc in reply to piglette]

Bowen does not work for everyone, the best thing about using Bowen, is you know and they tell you anyway that if three one hour sessions over three weeks and no improvement, it is not for you with that particular problem.

Sorry piglette that it did not work for your sciatica, it got me out of a wheelchair.............

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to jinasc]

And kept me upright for the 5 years of undiagnosed/untreated PMR! It doesn't help the PMR but often helps the add-ons.

But it depends on the CAUSE - sciatica is like the term PMR, it is the name for the symptom and says nothing at all about the real cause.

[altywhite]

Hi Marcimay, I do sympathise with you, it's awful. Glad you managed to get some decent pain relief. I agree with Poopadoop...keep on top of your tablets, even if you think it's getting better. I was given Amitriptyline....10mg didn't really work but 20mg made me so sleepy!!

[Retailmonkey]

I started with Sciatica at the end of April and so can well understand the pain that you went through. Not sure it is as bad as giving birth (which being male i haven't experienced) but it definitely goes on for much longer. In my case the cause was in my sacroiliac joint with some pressure on the nerve. It affected all down the outside of my leg and back up the inside to my knee. The pain slowly subsided (as one averse to pills I managed mainly with paracetomol and caffine plus upping my prednisolone from5 mg to 10 mg for 3 weeks to hopefully help the inflamation to go down) but the biggest help was a weekly visit to the chiropracter and the exercises that she got me to do (doctor said live with it and it should clear up in 8 weeks - if not pop in to see us). Took a couple of months to stop hobbling and there is still some residual numbness particularly in my lower leg and a soreness in the nerve centre in my thigh (the point where you get a dead leg) but it is taking a while to get the muscle tone back in the leg.

As PMRpro says there are multiple causes of sciatica so it is important to find out which one and treat that - the effect will then start to wane.

Be careful what you wish for though for as soon as the Sciatica eased I got Bells Palsy but I guess all of these things come with the lowered resistance we have either through our condition or its treatment.

Hope the pain is beginning to ease - it does eventually go away and you wonder why you were screaming