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Advice please. I can't stand this anymore!

Posted , 18 users are following.

JuiceBox
JuiceBox

I am now in week 9 of this condition. It started out as a sore right butt pain that crept into my right thigh (just the back). I had had this feeling back when I was 25, but it only lasted a week. So...being a google dr. I researched my pain and guessed Sciatica. It seemed like most people that suffer Sciatica just sucked it up for 5-6 weeks and it resolved itself. Mine is just getting worse! It now goes from my lower right back all the way to my ankle. The pain is so intense that my brain has shut off my leg twice now, and caused me to fall. I then lay on the floor, and not unlike the old commercial, I've fallen and I can't get up. There is no way to roll over, bend my back, rotate my hip, that isn't excruciating. The pain is so bad when I first wake up that I can't walk. I stand beside my bed (after the 10 minute struggle to get out of bed) almost in tears, unable to put weight on my right leg. Looking in a mirror when my pain is at its worse, my hips look displaced. Right hip looking about 4-5 inches higher than my left. My upper body looks shifted to the left...as if I've been broken in the middle and put back together wrong. I have seen my dr. Had an X-ray that showed nothing, and am now waiting for the results of my MRI. Dr. has me on Gabapentin. 300mg twice daily, but it's not helping (or if it is, I can't imagine how bad this pain would be). Once I'm up and walking for 1/2 hour, things settle down. The pain is still there but becomes a 3/10. The act of standing up is intense pain. The act of sitting down is intense pain. Pain is bad after about 7pm. No comfortable position to sleep in. My wife tells me I pain moan durning the night when I change positions while sleeping. Coughing and sneezing is like getting stabbed in butt...it even hurts to pass gas! Stretching and walking for excessive and relieve...not working. Stretching makes it worse. Everyone keeps telling me to do core strengthening, and stretch...but I get no relief from the pain, I can't get into the stretch positions, and if I do...it just hurts more afterwards. I am at my limit! I can't stand this! I'm a 36 year old male that has been darn near reduced to tears by the pain and frustration of this! I walk like I'm 80! I can't drive, because I can't get in my vehicle, or am afraid that I won't be able to brake due to pain! Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? Thank you in advance for reading!

1 like, 63 replies

63 Replies

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  • melissa91009
    melissa91009 JuiceBox

    Posted

    Hi, I had a tethered sciatic nerve to muscle whe I was 32 and was in out of hospital for a two weeks before they finally operated as I was on every pain killer they could think of. While waiting for your MRI, as it could be anything at this point, have you tired heat packs, muscle relaxers etc? I would advise to rest until you know what's wrong and gently walk so you don't get too stuff but wait until you get MRI results and go from there. 

  • melissa91009
    melissa91009 JuiceBox

    Posted

    *too stiff. Don't see a physio until you obtain a diagnosis as they need to know what they are treating, 

    • JuiceBox
      JuiceBox melissa91009

      Posted

      Thank you for replying. Aside from the Gabapentin (which I self increased, and yes I have read the dangers, but have told my dr and he seemed ok with it), I also take xs Advil or tylenol a few times a day. After first dr appt I saw a chiro...but I'm not sure that didn't make it worse. That was around 4 weeks ago. I am still working (8 hr days in retail. On feet most of the day). Usually not too bad from about 8 am to about 7pm. I have tried a heating pad and hot baths...honestly I'm not sure where to apply. Do I apply to my back which feels ok? On the butt where it hurts most often? Heat only seems to help for a short while. I feel like a pansy that this pain is so crippling. I keep mentally telling myself to stop being a baby and suck it up. Worried about my MRI. Worried that this could last years. When at its worst...worries that I'm actually permanently damaging myself.

      I guess I only posted this all for support. I know that the only solution is to wait and see. It's just getting to the point where I can't get up in the morning, or sleep more than 4 hours. It's ridiculous that I feel like a senior in my mid 30's.

    • melissa91009
      melissa91009 JuiceBox

      Posted

      Hi again. Don't worry, I know exactly how you feel and you're not a pansy! When I had mine, I was unable to move at all... Was on ibuprofen suppositories, Gabapentin, Valium, dihydrocodeine, and gel. Plus morphine and IV Valium three times in A&E before I got an MRI. Mine was tethered to muscle though on my hip and my entire leg was in constant spasm. I was by myself in London and was nearly demented!

      I would suggest applying HEAT and ICE to your back as nerve inflammation then radiates down the leg if that's the cause which is probably why your pain is in your buttock. Doesn't matter if you want to put it in your buttock as well if it helps. Alternating ICE and HEAT is good, not directly to the skin though. Voltaren gel or nurofen gel can help with local inflammation inbetween heat and ice. Yes an EMG that someone else suggested is a good diagnostic tool as to the extent of the problem. To be honest, depending on what is wrong, it can take time. It will get better but it can take some time. Yes Advil etc are fine. Just don't use oral anti-inflammatories and nurofen gel cause you'll double dose. Yes increasing Gabapentin is fine if dr thinks it's ok. Just be aware of jerks etc. I eventually got up too 1200mgs a day and ended up having myclonic jerks. I'm only little though (4okgs). It's terrible I know. When will you get results of MRI?

    • melissa91009
      melissa91009

      Posted

      Valium is highly addictive but if it's very severe, it will relax the muscles when it's at it worse. Yes, heat and ice are very short term solutions unfortunately. I would suggest not seeing anyone else expect dr or surgeon until you know what's wrong. At work it must really suck. I know it sounds really simple but try not to bend forward or twist if you can. Sorry I can't be of more help. 😳

    • melissa91009
      melissa91009

      Posted

      Oh I suggested nurofen gel because oral Advil can play havoc on your stomach. It's just a little gentler.

    • melissa91009
      melissa91009

      Posted

      Sorry, one more thing. Have you tried sleeping with a pillow between your legs and one supporting your back? It's puts spine into alinement and helps take the pressure off the bit that's got the issue. Hope it helps 😄

    • JuiceBox
      JuiceBox melissa91009

      Posted

      Wow. Thank you again for the reply, and taking the time to be as thurough as you were. My MRI results just came in today. After speaking with my dr, I now know that my L4 & L5 a slowly degenerating and I have herniated my S1. That said, I am now on a mandatory 6 week leave from work, with a stretching regimen, and a quit smoking demand. I have been increased to 1200 mg of Gabapentin daily, and to be taken with Apo-Cyclobenzaprine (10mg - 3 x daily). I am told the smoking is causing the degeneration, and the main pain is the decent sized herniation of the S1. So...Yay for results...Boo for the news they give!

    • Kookywit
      Kookywit JuiceBox

      Posted

      Glad you got your diagnosis. It's easier to bear with it when you know what it is exactly. Hope you manage to overcome it all and good luck with your efforts to stop smoking! I did that a few years ago. It's great to have fellow suffereres to share our gripes with. 

       

    • melissa91009
      melissa91009 JuiceBox

      Posted

      Ah ouch! Take it easy with the stretching program etc and good luck with quitting smoking! Glad they found out what's wrong!

    • pabbs13040
      pabbs13040 JuiceBox

      Posted

      i have severe sciatica and back pain.. Had a fusion done lower disc.  I have been using a Heat lamp- Infared heat lamp kind they unse in suana.  Look up benefits to an Infared Heat lamp.  You can just buy the bulb.. it looks like a flood light (size) and can screw in to a utility light with a clamp on it.  I had pain in back with sciatica went dwn my leg to knew, aknkles and bck up to groin area and it stop most of it.  But still using light 
    • JuiceBox
      JuiceBox pabbs13040

      Posted

      Interesting. I have 2 snakes, 3 lizards, and a turtle that all use those bulbs. Sure I have a few extra around. Worth a try anyways. Thanks!
  • Kookywit
    Kookywit JuiceBox

    Posted

    Yes, I've read the other replies and the only thing you can do at the moment, before you get a diagnosis is to use either heat or ice. Bag of frozen peas on lower back or a hot water bottle. There is another exam which shows nerve damage which I've just done (I'm in Brazil) which is called an Electroneuromigiograph, first they give your lower limbs electric shocks to measure the nerve response and after they stick a long needle in the muscles an put electric through it to measure if you've got nerve damage. It sounds like you've got the Classic pinched Sciatic nerve soemwhere. You should probably see a Specialist,  an Orthopedist. Physiotherapy , exercise does solve the problem sometimes. It's VERY important to keep moving as it gets worse the less you move. You're right about strengthening the core too. The pain is unbearable , I've been given therapeutic doses of a type of Vit. B it's called Etna. Gabapentin and Arcoxia.The drugs don't help much. Ginger & Turmeric with Piperine . The drugs ruin your stomach. Can't take them for long. Chiropractor  may be able to help. 

  • debbie26682
    debbie26682 JuiceBox

    Posted

    Hi, can i just suggest 2 exercises/stretches which was all i could do, the standing lumbar extension which is basically just gently leaning back while standing and stop if its painful but try this a few times throughout the day and there is another one which i done which i found on youtube, where it shows a darker skinned man who is holding a model of a spine if you want to check it out and it shows you exactly what happens with a disc bulge, basically if your pain is down your right side then just gently lean over to your left side and vice versa if the pain is on the left, lean to your right. This apparently opens up you spine and takes the pressure off the bulge which then stops pushing on the nerves, this has stopped my pain within 1 week of doing these after suffering for 18 months with what you have. I was diagnosed in July with L5/S1 disc herniation with canal stenosis and right s1 root compression, my life was hell about a month ago and now im basically pain free apart from when i sneeze or cough grrr, please let me know if you try these as am curious to know if this was just luck or if it really was these exercises which have helped me, seems a bit strange as i suffered for so long with it. Also couldnt have coped without Codydramol tablets which i havent needed for weeks now, hope this helps someone
    • Kookywit
      Kookywit debbie26682

      Posted

      I've got exactly what you have, L5 and S1 with Arthritis so they're compressing the Sciatic nerve and I've been doing Conventional Physiotherapy here in brazil. I started off with Traction and Osteopathy, 24 sessions, then 15 sessions of Chiropractor and Muscular Liberation (THAT was wonderful!) then several months of Laser with heat, NOW I've been diagnosed by the best Orthopedist in the country, I know exactly what I've got and he said he can operate but only in the last instsnce. So he's told me to do RPG. Which is something about Global Postural Repositioning. 20 sessions. After that have to consult again, costs a fortune. I'm still doing planks and some exercises from Youtube that I found. Taking an anti-inflammatory at the moment , he also given me the name of an expert on PAIN. (Nerve) At the moment I can only hobble, hurting badly . Seems to happen in waves. Codeine doesn't help, I wonder if I can get your medicine here in Brazil.

    • debbie26682
      debbie26682 Kookywit

      Posted

      Hi, i also tried codeine tablets (Co-Codamol) and they worked pretty much the same as the Co-dydramol tablets i was taking which have (10mg of dihydrocodeine tartrate and 500mg of paracetamol) for me except the Co-Codamol made me feel woozy. Co-dydramol can also cause constipation, but helped me alot with the pain. Also I have read that people who have had an operation are no better off months later than people who have not had an operation so please leave this as a very last option. I had my sciatica constant for over a year and didnt think it was ever going to go, but finally it has after just doing them 2 simple stretches, and hopefully it stays that way. Anyway i wish you luck with your Global Postural Repositioning sessions, please also try the stretches i mentioned as i would love to know it has helped someone else, and let us know how your doing please
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