Just over two months now and steadily improving. I do Mckenzie method in the morning it does seem to help. My Dr put me on Pregabalin Sciecure 75 mg for three months. It seems to be doing the trick? I walk for half an hour every morning to get a paper. I try not to sit for at most half an hour.
I'll get back to the gym if Boris opens them up after the 2nd? I think minimal exercise definitely helps but you pay for it if you over do it, I did on Saturday!
Go luck fellow sufferers
I've tried everything in the past.
For the last couple weeks I've been doing a Hasfit(?) lower back stretch and strength work out on YouTube and without wanting to tempt fate, it seems to be helping. Only a 20min session so it's just become part of my morning routine.
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The pregablin or Lyrica which I have was thrown in the bin last time by Mrs B.Originally Posted by wildheart
She's a nurse and said they are banned in the states due to a link with dementia. Her Mum died from it and she's a bit touchy on anything that's tied to it. I dont really take those if I can help it
The Tens machine did its job at 4am again today. Seems to be like clockwork now when I wake up in pain
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I tried allsorts before simply walking. It hurt like hell for a couple of days but since then, it has gradually cleared. Slow but steady progress and I try to walk every day now. It's easy to just sit in a chair or lay on the bed but trust me (as they say) walking works. No stick, no supports, just let your body heal itself. As above, don't sit on your wallet (seriously-back pockets should be banned) and don't sit on bad chairs. I was walking, with a stick, on holiday and the local guide (a qualified Greek physio) told me to carry the stick or throw it away! I carried it on the walk and never used it again!
The most annoying pain in the world for me. Had it for years. There are some good ideas in this thread so thanks for those.
Keep on moving is the best advice by far.
I have suffered from Sciatica and lower back pain for 15 years, 8 years ago I had surgery (Micro Discectomy).
It has not always been the same and throughout the years almost everything has worked at some point and not at others, what I do recommend though is avoiding surgery at all costs.
The surgery did improve things but not completely so I spent 6 months afterwards recovering and totally focused on my physio, to this day I still think that if I had put the effort into the physio beforehand then I would probably have got better without the surgery. 12 months later I had got lazy again with my seated posture and core stability, guess what it came back....
Physio, Osteopaths, Chiropractors, I have tried them all, what is most import is to find one who doesn't want to see you again, by that I mean puts your interests first rather than their revenue. Most practitioners can apply their miracle hands and make you feel better almost instantly but you want one that helps you treat yourself as well.
One of the best physios I have been to recently was a young girl who didn't lay a hand on me (yes I was slightly disappointed) but the exercises she gave me sorted me out within 3 weeks - they were time consuming , 30 minutes 3 times a day.
Today I am mostly pain free but I will have a flare up about twice a year, Yoga is my way of keeping flexible and it also helps with core strength.
My top tip would be check you seated posture whenever you sit down, lie down if necessary and when it goes totally tits up get some Diazepam.
I guess it depends what’s happened for the nerve to be traumatised but I’d say the opposite of the above in regards to surgery.
For me surgery was the best thing I had done.
I lived with it (diagnosed) from 14 years old til I was 36 years old. In that time I had various things done and told what to do that helped not one bit. I did meet an honest osteopath once who said he couldn’t help me after looking at me, I had an NHS physio tell me the reason I wasn’t getting better was because I need to “let Jesus into my heart” during a session in my doctors surgery!
At my worst (around 9-7 years ago) I was still trying to get by but had no real muscle left in my left bum cheek, no real leg power in left side, no motor action to make the tip toe movement or ability to push off the foot (as well as the actual nerve pain and back pain). I was still working and at the time mobile mechanic. I was bent over all the time, in pretty decent pain I’d say. Got to the point I couldn’t lift my trolley Jack (which I used to do through the pain) as it was like my brain actually wouldn’t let me do certain movements almost. I was at the point of sitting on my knees at the back of my van, dragging a heavy trolley Jack onto my lap and somehow lifting it from my lap into the van...I had to stop work for a while and managed to get surgery. I was on silly amounts of drugs that my prev doc just kept throwing me (liquid morphine, morphine capsules, tramadol, codine, all at the same time! Two of each 3 times a day and liquid morphine “as & when”)
For me it all changed when I had a new doctor who pushed for surgery rather than the wait 6 weeks reply every time I’d go.
What I think happened to me was my disc ruptured when I was kicked in the back by a horse as a kid. I can always remember having the leg pain but I first went to doc at 14 and he diagnosed it with rather puzzled “but you shouldn’t have it at your age”. Oddly enough I only put the horse kick as to blame in recent years (I’m 43 now) as it would have been years before I went to docs anyway.
My surgeon told me it was a bit of a mess and pretty sure he said it’d calcified (guess the jelly that came out?) all round my nerve root area and they got away as much as poss. He told me I’d probably never get my foot action back (it was actually bizarre like I was brain dead to that action and it didn’t exist to me) and I may still have the pain anyway as it’s been so long.
After the op it was like a switch for me, zero sciatic pain (very odd for me as it’s all Id known) and I even managed to get my foot action back. I used to purposely try and exaggerate doing it walking the dog, it didn’t work at first but after few months it came back. Worst issues I got was lots of cramp in my calf muscle and it has a mind of it’s own, if I sit here even now and look at it the muscle is in constant mad mode just twitching and moving on it’s own.
Sadly a few months ago it came back! But annoyingly I’ve now got sciatica in both legs now (which I never had in my life). I can feel my legs getting weak, almost fatigued when they really shouldn’t be. The first time I felt that sciatic pain again my heart sank.
I had 7 years of peace and gutted its appeared again.
I think the funniest thing for me was a few weeks after my surgery I was in my local co-op and the woman went “oh, what’s happened to you? You’re stood up straight!” Struck me as funny as I’d never spoken to her but I guess she’d just seen me for years and was taken back. You expect it the other way round but kind of funny to be told by a stranger you look normal.
I have the wretched Sciatic pain back. I'd been free of it for two months. When will this pain disappear. It really is debilitating.
I can sympathise with many in this thread having suffered for a number of years (some months more than others). I had a steroid injection into the nerve root at L4/L5 vertebrae last week to reduce the inflammation and pain. It seems to have worked somewhat but it's expected to provide only temporary relief and I'm currently on some pretty decent painkillers so not sure how effective it's been. Have a follow up next week but will likely decide to go under the knife having exhausted all other options...
UPDATE
I had the injection and it basically lasted me the Xmas holiday period.
Since then I've had the return of the pain so the Dr organised a stand up xray then an appointment.
He showed me the massive degeneration of the rest of my discs either side if L4/5 which have probably over compensated for the original discs being worn
With this in mind he has given me the options that I'm doing in stages.
1. An RF type epidural that stuns the nerve. May work or may only last 3-6 months
2. Compression operation to trim the bone-disc to see if that sorts it.
70% success rate so if it doesn't.
3. Fusion to remove the disc and bolt together the bones.
I asked about the disc replacement and he said they don't work as too much pressure and they explode. They work in the neck where there's less pressure.
So apart from shoving Pregabalin down my gullet which I'm on 300mg morning and night which makes me drowsy and not much else its a waiting game.
Never thought taking a shit would want me to saw my leg off.
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Mine started a few weeks ago, I thought is was a thigh strain from cycling. It’s been agony in the last week or so, can’t get in to a comfortable position, can’t sleep. Prescribed Naproxen and Diazepam yesterday, video physio assessment today. On top of everything else, bloody miserable.
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I had a L4/5 discectomy around 12 years ago after 9 months of pain. To give you an idea of where I was it was I was arched over to the right, could not straighten up or walk for more than 300m or so before having to sit and rest plus sciatica. I can tell from my shoe wear pattern than I now bear my weight slightly differently. At 2-3 months I had a CT scan (sciatic pain off the charts for 20 mins in it!!!) then an injection which flushes more than anything and it was better for maybe 2 months. I was told I had up to around 9 months before the sciatic nerve would struggle to recover from the compression. So I had the surgery. Complete success. First thing I did after coming around was may sure my foot worked properly :-) Touch wood had no issues since bar the very occasional soreness which I know how to sort. The relief being "fixed" was off the charts so I wish you luck with it all having been there done that.
Jesus mate that’s not good. Good luck which ever way you jump.
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Even walking isn't curing it now. The injection has fully worn off and the fire in the leg is in full flow
Been told to have full Pregabalin 300mg twice a day and 2x tramadol & 2x high strength paracodene 4 times a day
I hope the constant swallowing of pills isn't creating more issues
I'm a very strong minded and don't usually let anything bother me but this is playing with my mental health mainly due to lack of sleep and it affecting work and play.
Not in a good place at the mo.
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Blackie, not sure if this will help you? My girlfriend practices EFT (Emotional Freedom Therapy) Tapping. I've been doing guided tapping each day for Sciatica for four days. It does take the edge off the pain for me. https://www.emofree.com/pain/pain-ma...-articles.html
Maybe worth a try?
Stay strong
Cheers mate ill have a look. I've sort of blanked quite a bit of the pain out. Sort of like blocking out my tinnitus. It's just the boost of pain that appears when you move the wrong way or it decides to twinge which now is quite regular and I haven't a position I can get in where I don't get pain of some varying description.Blackie, not sure if this will help you? My girlfriend practices EFT (Emotional Freedom Therapy) Tapping. I've been doing guided tapping each day for Sciatica for four days. It does take the edge off the pain for me. https://www.emofree.com/pain/pain-ma...-articles.html
Maybe worth a try?
Stay strong
Let's see how I get on. If not I'll have a big glug of night nurse at bedtime. That proper knocks me out
Can see me looking like George Best at this rate with all the fxcking tablets.
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Pregabalin and gabapentin are both effective for controlling pain from nerves eg sciatica
There is no evidence that they cause dementia or are linked to causing death
They have been reclassified as controlled drugs in the UK, but remain a good choice for pain control
Opiates and NSAIDs ( naproxen / ibuprofen) are not great for the sciatica but ok for back pain, all these drugs have side effects but overall pregabalin or gabapentin an effective choice for severe pain
I'm now 62 and the pain is like toothache in my left leg I have been told that I have bulging discs in my lower back when at work if I sit down at break times when I get up the pain I now take CBD oil and CBD l tablets and he has put my tablets up from 75 mg to 150 pregabalin I also take 4 ibuprofen 2 panadol extra and tramadol still nowt really works and I don't want an opp on my back
Maybe a kneeling chair would help...
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I used Pregabalin for a couple of months and it really did help my Phantom Limb pain and Sciatica which has come back. How addictive is this drug? I'm not sure I want to get stuck using it daily?
What I thought was Sciatica turns out to be Femoral, further investigation in a couple of weeks. I have been prescribed Naproxen with Omaprazole and Diazepam for the bad thigh muscle spasms. Ache or pain from back hip through thigh to knee, then tingling and numbness through calf to foot.
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If its probably the same I have then get an op done. I'll give anything to rid my leg of this f**ker
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Even standing at regular intervals and a short walk even around the car park.
At the moment when standing I'm jiggling around trying to deal with the nerve pain
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Reading this thread with interest as a two time sufferer of this horrible condition. In layman's terms there two types of sciatica i) Nerve and ii) Muscular. I've had both and they are, to say the least, physically/mentally and emotionally debilitating.......don't mind admitting that in the last 1-2 months it's pushed me towards somewhat suicidal moments but think/hope I have made a breakthrough in recent weeks.
Will post my own journey later/tomorrow but will say that at the moment if you try to get any real help for an issue like sciatica/back injury or pain via the NHS you have pretty much no chance thanks to Covid - not a pop at the NHS but just a statement of fact/my experiences. That is certainly the case in my area so I am having to self fund for all my treatment.
So far being free of pain 24/7 is dream for me but hoping it will come soon.
Hi there, what is femoral. Sounds a bit like what I’ve got?
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I have used Naproxen and Omaprazole for late 2019 into last year which was then changed by my GP to Pregabalin/Omaprazole.
I am learning to live with the pain and slowing coming away from the meds, the biggest single thing for improvement has been stretching techniques for a consistent 20mins a day.
Question..
Does anyone else find if they are stressed it seems to make the pain worse?
No expert, but I think femoral is the nerve at the front of the leg that controls the thigh, the sciatic runs down the back of the leg to the lower part of the limb. My discomfort is mainly back of the hip, then down the front of the thigh to the knee.
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I struggled with this for 6 months in 2007. Unable to stand or sit. Tried everything but in the end the disc bulge against the nerve would not alleviate, trapping the nerve so numbness and neural tension. Eventually had micro discscectomy in mid 2007 and it has never bothered me since. Got a bit over confident and took up squash again in 2011 but after one painful twist decided I didn’t love squash enough to risk going through all that again. McKenzie stretches worthwhile as is core muscle strength. But in my instance the surgery was a life changer. Think I was 41 then and it was the first problem I had ever had with my back at all.
Good luck to the OP in getting this fixed as I do remember how miserable my life was when suffering this. The painkillers made me feel really odd too when consistently taking them for months.
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Back with the physio last Monday, god it was painful and very sore afterwards. Can't walk far and can only stand for at most twenty minutes. Physio agreed if no improvement in a fortnight, I'll need a scan to find out whats really going on. Back on Pregablin 75mm twice a day, it at least helps you cope mentally. I do stretches every half an hour, hopefully it will improve soon?
Having had experience of this as well, I would say that your GP should refer you for a MRI to really see what it going on.
I was seeing a physio earlier this year and on the 4th session he said “this isn’t making any difference, get dressed and I’ll refer you”. Sent me off for a MRI and the specialist diagnosed spinal stenosis.
Some of the exercises the physio had given me were not good for that condition so he did the right thing by referring me.
Had the epidural injection a couple of weeks ago and things are better but not great. Working on improving core strength.
Made a real difference knowing what the issue actually is. Now I know why the acupuncture I had last year made such a difference, but it was only alleviating the symptoms, not the cause.
If you can, I would get a scan done.
I have not suffered Sciatica but I have had some luck with pain relief through exercise.
Yoga has literally changed my life, and improved all sorts of chronic pain from sports injuries.
I have also recently added Indian Clubs (Club Bells) which has done wonders for my battered shoulders (I used to play ice hockey).
Good Luck!
Thanks Bambam, I think your right, being an leg amputee I put far more weight down my residual side, so my skeletal frame is all over the place. Over 20 years my muscles on my residual side have had to work really hard. I've climbed mountains, played a lot of sport, tons of golf. So I think this is pay back time. At 62 I'm reflecting maybe I need to manage my life better certainly the long walks and three/four day golf tournaments. I've a session booked with the physio next Monday, he has agreed to refer me if we can't make a break through. Though he insists my spin is not too bad? He has worked with professional Rugby players so I trust his judgement. I've heard epidurals are a waste of time and just a plaster over the cracks? What is the next course of action for yourself?
I think when I can get back to the gym I can do some strengthening exercises, I usually go at least twice a week. I want to start swimming again also.
Yea I used to go to Palates every Monday I'm sure it helped me. Covid had messed with so much.
Hi
You’re right in that the injections are not a panacea and in many cases are plastering over the cracks. But this is why a scan is important - it can check and show things alignment, disc bulging, degeneration, canal narrowing etc. That then helps work out what the right treatment is - including what exercises are best for you.
Like I said, some of the exercises the physio had given me initially were actually bad for the condition I actually have. But we only knew that once the scan was done in reality.
I now have a different set of exercises to do and I can see and feel the difference.
When I woke from the injection, the feeling of no pain was absolute bliss! It’s only then you realise how much pain you put up with on an ongoing basis.
Acupuncture worked for me and I think I understand why as it probably reduced some of the stress on the nerves. But again, a temporary solution.
Next step for me is to have back surgery and to be honest I’m still getting my head around that!
But I know that long term I may cause irreparable damage to the nerves and therefore recovery won’t be as good.
I have some very good friends who are in the medical field so I get a second unbiased opinion from them.
Had my epidural injection 2 weeks ago and it feels like a black veil over my life has been lifted. The hospital staff (private) were amazing and cannot fault the whole process.
Now just a waiting game on how the procedure takes hold but it can take up to 6 weeks to really know how effective it’s been. Also a delight to not rely on painkillers to function day in, day out.
So far so good and any further surgery is avoided. I hope.
That is really good.
I’ve already got the aches back - not as bad as before but definitely there.
Still waiting for my MRI scan to come through, every time I ring the Dr's I'm told its eminent. Went to a Chiropractor I have used in the past yesterday, today I'm very sore. Pain has been hell since this cold weather returned. I would have gone private for the MRI if I'd known it would be this long. Hopefully I;ll hear something soon?
Gyms open next week, I'll try to gently exercise my back there as well. How are fellow sufferers getting on?
I've been laid up in bed for the past 6 weeks with a herniated disc which was just too painful to put any weight on. It is now starting to ease so I can start exercising it more. I believe a lot of the damage was done by a chiropracter obsessed with trying to straighten my spine when that was not the problem.
The best thing I did was arrange my own MRI scan to put my mind at rest about the root cause of the pain. In the end this cost me £299 (because it was more than 5 days from the date I booked it), I got a CD with the scans to show physio / consultant. The letter from the radiologist is sent to your GP but I also received a copy. The prices for scans seemed to vary between ~£300 and £800 depending on type and location. Ater this episode, if something happens again I wont hesitate to get my own MRI scan done to ensure that the correct problem is being treated.
I rang the referral radiologist this morning, I got the number off the GP. My MRI is next Thursday, so at last we can find out what we are up against. I'll wait for the diagnoses before I have any more treatment.
I’m booked in for surgery at the end of the month. Currently lots of pain in bending and getting into sitting position. Once seated it’s not too bad (for a while) but getting into that seat can be challenging.
Recently have found standing to be beneficial, but just different pains.
I'm 5 weeks post L4/L5 discectomy. I still have sensations down the nerve and overall tightness from the back down the leg but this seems to be improving, particularly in the last week. Some days are better than others but other than the wound STILL not healed (dressing remains on) things seem to be moving in the right direction...
Good to hear that things are moving in the right direction. Is this what you expected after 5 weeks?
Also, do you have physio/exercises to do as well?
Good luck in your continued recovery.
Thanks, I probably underestimated the recovery to be honest. I'd read about people having immediate relief post op and I definitely didn't experience that, up until a week or so ago it was getting me quite down. I'm also relatively young and fit (32) and perhaps assumed I'd bounce straight back (excuse the pun). Though as I say I'm definitely noticing signs of improvement now, I can walk more freely and lie flat in bed with it barely bothering me at all (previously it was hugely disturbing my sleep).
I'm still early in the recovery really so following the guidance as far as possible, I have a follow up next week (6 weeks) and imagine I'll be referred for physio if I'm considered up to it. At the moment just walking as much as possible (as the back allows) and a bit of careful nerve flossing just to keep things moving freely.
Good luck with yours, feel free to PM me if you have any concerns or some tips on recovery.
Good to hear that you’re heading the right way. I thought recovery would have been quicker too - but everyone is different I suppose.
I’ve been informed that I should be prepared for around 12 weeks in all - so check ups at 2,6 and 12 weeks post-surgery.
So maybe the first few weeks are not to great and then it gets progressively better.
Any tips you want to share re recovery would be great.
I have a few weeks left before going in and at the moment the pain is quite intense and very limiting.
Are you taking any painkillers as well or is mostly mobility exercises?
Good luck with your recovery! Not sure what my MRI will show, but I bet its not good. Back on the pain killers today, went for a walk without a stick, what a mistake that was. Just need to know whats going on, I'm not having anymore treatment until I know.
I had it done 12 years or more ago in my 40s. Iirc my recovery was around a month off work. Legs raise exercises whilst lying flat were the order of the day. It seemed to heal pretty quickly. Had it done in the February and I was going down water shoots at Atlantis in the August. I had pretty much, and blessed, relief from the pain. Touch wood all good since apart from the odd twinge and ache now and then. I do think my posture has been altered slightly though as I was bent over to the right with the pain when my back went and like that for 9 months. My shoe wear pattern is different and I am more likely to get muscle aches on the right.
Last edited by reecie; 9th April 2021 at 18:12.
How are things for you? I’ve been referred to a Orthopaedic consultant, looks like surgery for me also?
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Saw a surgeon last Friday, I have a narrowing of L4/L5 disc protrusion. Apparently 65% of males between 55 and 70 are likely to have this condition. Key hole surgery where they file out the narrowing to allow the nerves to be unaffected by the prolapse. To be honest I can't wait to get it over with, having lived with it for nine months. Paying for my past now, but at 63 I don't want to live with this amount of pain!
Mines slowly coming back again but down the right side. I've not upped my medication as I'm sick of having a wobbly head.
Got another meeting with the surgeon on the 13th to see if I can have another volt zapping epidural in the back.
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