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has anyone been prescribed Amitriptyline for Sciatica

Posted , 3 users are following.

jacqueline01135
jacqueline01135

hospital diagnosed Sciatica, how do they do that without an x-ray or a scan ??

Sent home with Netopam, side effects were not to be tolerated  (I'm an old Lady )G P prescribed Amytriptyline 10 mg.. and..Butec patches. quite frankly .I am afraid to start these meds ,as I live alone ,and concerned if bad side effects occur. has anyone been given this combination, and been O.K ???

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  • dawn57104
    dawn57104 jacqueline01135

    Posted

    hi, yes I take 35mg for this, they diagnose sciatic from your description of the pain. as I understand it they cant tell from x-rays.

    I am waiting for a msk referral to see a specialist as I have it going down my left leg.

    You could try an osteopath on a private basis, I also see mine for this and do get some relief from it being freed off.

     

    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 dawn57104

      Posted

      I did ask if there was a sciatica clinic, and was told NO. My G.P has not followed the physio offer, which can only be accessed, by a referral ,have NO idea why not.. .I have now contacted a "Pay for " Physio, who is not cheap.. but hey,, what else can I do with my pension, except pay for treatment that I should be given, after all ,I have paid for it.. I also had to wait 12 hours for an ambulance  ,with a possible D.V. T    

    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 dawn57104

      Posted

      forgot to ask .how long have you had it, and is the pain constant ??I really don't want to be popping pills for the rest of my natural, as most of them give me awful side effects, makes life not worth living 

    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 dawn57104

      Posted

      I am  lying in bed suffering from the usual pain, there is an unopened packet of Amitriptyline, but my sense of caution will not let me open it. Need to know Dawn,,, if it does take the pain away,,, and what is the worst side effect. I have just had my morning coffee with vitamins, and I know that within an hour I will be able to move O.K It's just the initial getting out of bed (Essential) that causes most pain. and, If possible. I would like to not have it.  

  • dawn57104
    dawn57104 jacqueline01135

    Posted

    That is shocking. The should refer u to the msk physio for that. Poss try another gp it too me 3 attempts to find one who listened.
    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 dawn57104

      Posted

      Phoned the physio dept,today, just to see if i had been referred by G.P No was the answer ,and I had been removed from the list because I hadn't been for a check up .NOT my fault, explained it all to the nurse ,who said she would see if i could go back on the list, and she would ring me back, That was 10 am this morning.

      Nothing as yet ,so I assume it's a no no . As they say Dawn ,,you can't fight city Hall. 

    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 dawn57104

      Posted

      I have just replied to you and sent it. it showed sent, but obviously has been removed ,
    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 dawn57104

      Posted

      just read a really interesting BIG article about Sciatica, I will see if I can send it on to you, won't be long 

  • FA54321
    FA54321 jacqueline01135

    Posted

    I’ve been taking amitriptyline for about 12 years for sciatica Jacqueline. It helps a fair bit, but I’m concerned about all the withdrawal effects I’ve read about on line. Plus I was scared to go on it to begin with, and wish I hadn’t bothered. A friend of mine was taking it and persuaded me to give it a go - it had already been prescribed, but there were so many side effects on the literature it put me off. If you can find an alternative to this medication - like physio, yoga or walking regularly I would try that first - in my honest opinion.
    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 FA54321

      Posted

      morning fiona, you sound like a person after my own heart. I have not taken prescription drugs for two years

      due to the horrendous side effects, I take herbal and vitamins that take care of my aches and pains, without any side effects .G. P has given me different painkillers for this Awful Sciatica but after taking a couple of them which caused more problems, then given Amatr------ and Butec patches  read the side effects of both,,, really frightening.. so .read up on herbal help. and added Tumeric which everyone seems to be taking for bodily malfunctions .Going to a private physio ,as I apparently have missed my two week window to go to the hospital physio . ,the window was closed seven days after the deadline ,so their calendar is 

      different to mine. I was a tad concerned about my big toe going numb ,and tried ti revive it with a lot of rubbing ,,got to just the end being numb , using the creams for pain on my lower leg ,calf area in particular .do that three times a day, and surprisingly , it does help. Mornings are ouch time, going downstairs was a painful experience, have to go down for morning coffee,, however got round that by taking a flask of hot water up,and a coffee cup , take the herbals, use the cream, and am mobile after about an hour, then good to go, At least I know if I am getting better, taking pain killers just masks the problem ,so you don't know if you are getting better,  So ,I'm with you ....Alternatives for me every Time,

  • FA54321
    FA54321 jacqueline01135

    Posted

    Yes, I just wish I hadn’t been persuaded by my friend to take it. I feel I’m now stuck on the wretched thing now - every time I try and reduce the medication I have horrible withdrawal and the pain is also very bad. I feel like I’m In a Catch 22 situation. Doctors seem to prescribe it without realising what it’s really like. I wish I’d never heard of the flipping stuff. If I ever get off it, I will only try herbal remedies and osteopathy etc. It’s like you say, the drugs only mask the symptoms, not make you well. My daughter says they are not side effects, they are “effects” of the drugs, and it’s absolutely right! 
    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 FA54321

      Posted

      I did ,pre  herbal days ,have  no problems taking myself off prescription drugs, I just stopped taking them.

      Is it just the Amatry----- you are taking, . sorry can't b asked to spell the damned thing.  and is it the Sciatica 

      pain that is causing your pain ?? I know that it always says on the leaflets, Don't stop taking without permission,, but why,  it never gives a reason. Hospital doctors show the least concern when prescribing drugs that you have never taken before, they never check up to see if you are reacting good or badly to them, so the only alternative, to me ,at least, is to NOT take the damned things. I do not want my life to be 

      controlled by tablets that make me wish I was dead.  if you want suggestions with the herbals that do me good, and probably do you good,, I will  help. it took me a lot of reading to find the herbals that I needed ,but it has been all worth while NO side effects. I think fear has a lot to do with coming off prescription drugs    

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