Advice please. I can't stand this anymore!
Posted , 18 users are following.
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
tim11589 JuiceBox
Posted
JuiceBox,
I can't imagine going through this pain for as long as you have.
I'm entering my second week of this hell.
I so don't know what I'm going to do, I do know that I absolutely cannot go much longer in this extreme pain.
Thanks for sharing
andrew64372 JuiceBox
Edited
I am in a similar situation. x-ray revealed one L3-L4 disc herniation rupture and high grade stenosis. 4 Months later, MRI results revealed L4-L5 and L5-S1 herniations bulging discs. I now have bilateral multilevel facet arthropathy, foraminel stenosis and central stenosis. Each level is affecting the associated nerve roots. I have constant electrical shocks, cramping, numbness, weakness and spasms in mostly the left leg and beginning in the left. I'm doing gabapentin 300mgx3 daily and flexeril 10mgx3 daily. Orthopedic surgeon offered a discectomy for the L3-L4 disc with skepticism about having any benefit to my legs. Neurosurgeon offered a foraminectomy to relieve the pain with optimism. It is different for me every day. the constant sciatica in my legs varies with intensity as well as my back. I'll feel fine one or two days and then can not get sleep at night and is difficult to get up in the morning. I have a vein in my legs that bulges periodically with pain. The bulging vein runs from my groin area to my ankles. I'm seeking out a vein specialist due to everyone i've seen already ask me if I have seen a vein specialist for the problem without making a referral. My blood pressure changes with the associated pain being borderline hypertensive.
All this and not to mention the mental affects of anxiety and depression from not being able to properly function in life daily. I bought a cane and feel embarrassed to leave the house with it.
I hope you find someone to ease your pain.
Xgunner JuiceBox
Posted
I have a lot of the same symptoms that you're experiencing. the difference is that I have been dealing with this for 8-9 months now. worst pain ever. Im normally awake for 20-22 hours a day. I am also on gabapentin 300mg 3x a day, however the pharmacy said that this is a fairly low dose for the pain I'm experiencing.
I have been to the emergency room multiple times due to this, once by ambulance, because the pain is unbearable. The doctors all treat me like a drug addict, just there to try to score some meds. The truth is that I have some kind of thing where meds don't affect me the way it's supposed to, so it is obvious to them that I am, or was an IV drug user, which couldn't be further from the truth. I happen to be an Army veteran of the combat arms, and feel that I'm just as tough as anybody else in regards to dealing with pain....but this is something else! I had to fight with my doctor for a simple x-ray, and received it after 4 months of of 24-7 pain. In plain English, the x-ray stated scoliosis and facet arthropathy, however my doctor told me that my spine "looks good" and "nothing wrong". my physical therapist asked when I was going to get an mri, so I asked my doctor, she asked me why I need an mri....
anyway , after my 5th trip to the ER, I finally was given a CT scan. I was told that I have a bulged disc , and was told "90% of people your age have the same condition , I don't know why you're in so much pain". I was given a copy of the CT for disability reasons just to read and find Scoliosis, 4mm retrolisthesis of L5, degenerative disc disease, L1 disc narrowing and ddd, L2 ,L3,L4,L5 circumferential disc bulge... and much more. The CT results filled 2 pages, 2 pages of "nothing wrong with your spine".
perhaps if I shaved my beard, grew my hair back, and covered my tattoos I might be treated like a patient who's there for care and not for drugs???
andrew64372 Xgunner
Posted
In recent events I've been seeking 2nd opinions due to my Orthosurgeon couldnt treat me further that the disc herniations. I've been referred to Neurology and they all have different opinions on the matter and their PA's are very dismissive on my concerns and symptoms accusing me of drug seeking when asking for renewal of something already prescribed and that is not a controlled substance. SO, the Neurologist I felt comfortable with is not in my network. It appears I need a L3-L4 Discectomy, laminectomy and foraminotomy. Every day is different with different symptoms. On good days I over do it and end up down again. It is hard to locate those few good experienced neurologist that you can feel comfortable with. The right doctor is the difference between one surgery or multiple surgeries for inexperience.
dadak90963 JuiceBox
Posted
i know how you feel. i have cervical retrolisthesis constant numbness and electric shock in my arms and legs. btw how are you now?
MyMSK JuiceBox
Posted
what did the MRI find? It does sound like sciatica
K3V JuiceBox
Posted
im in exactly the same boat as you 36 and i'm sick of my life i have a compound fracture to my L5 vertebrae and that is causing ridiculous pain moving around and daily activities i have sciatica as well i cant walk or stand for very long it feels like my lower back cant hold my torso weight constant shocks and pains in my leg and lower back ive had two steroid injections which helped for a little while but the pain returns after a few months and seems to get worse each time no one will listen to me thats why im here i dont feel so lonely in this now i know its not just me i thought i was loosing my mind keep your chin up we are stuck in a corner but not beaten