Hernitated Disk Sciatica - HELP!!

Hi All,

I have been reading this forum for the last couple of the days, normally in the middle of the night when I am forced to get up because of the pain. Let me give you some background.

February last year I was a normal healthy 34 year old. I was helping my girlfriend move house and during the course of moving many boxes pulled my back, or so I thought. Over the next few days, this deteriorated to the point where I could not walk properly, sleep properly and was in pain for the bulk of the day. I eventually went to see my GP who said it sounds like I have sciatica and was told to take paracetamol and ibuprofen. This certainly didn't kill the pain and over the next few weeks it continued to get worse. At this stage, I was waking at 2AM every day and up for the day as I could not get comfortable enough to fall asleep as the pain was too intense. 

Cue another visit to the GP. Same old story. Pain meds and pain meds and give it a few more weeks blah blah blah. Shortly afterwards, I was driving and the pain was that intense I had to return home as I couldn't drive any further. I called my girlfriend and she drove me to the hospital. It was a community hospital with no A&E so was told after being seen (seeing as I could hardly walk) to go to the Queens Medical Centre A&E. We turned up and booked in and eventually I was seen by a spine doctor who again confirmed Sciatica, prescribed bed rest and tramadol. 

Over the next couple of months it happened over and over again, but gradually I slept more and eventually became pain free-ish. Then I broke my foot in 8 placed in August time. Had an operation and put in a cast. As I couldn't  walk properly, the sciatica came back, with what seemed like a vengeance. Eventually in October following another A&E  visit they finally agreed to give me an MRI scan. This in turn showed a herneated disk which was pushing against my sciatic nerve. ASt my consultation with the results I was given two options.

1. Surgery

2. Spinal cortizone injections.

I opted for the injections. The reasoning was that if they can kill the pain and I can regain my posture, there was a *chance* that it  could repair itself, and no one likes the idea of surgery. Only thing was, they didn't know how long they would last. Everyone is different. Could be a month, could be a year.  Anyways, In December 2016 I had this injection, finding the right nerve was the most painful thing I have ever endured but after a couple of days, I was pain free and life began again.

Cue April 2017! Me and my now fiancee moved house. All went great. While we were waiting for our new bed to be delivered we slept on a mattress on the floor. After night 1, a twinge, after night 2, low pain, after night 3, agony. I went to the doctor last week and they prescribed me tramadol, neproxen and amitryptiline. To be honest, these aren't touching the sides. 

I am waking up any time between 11PM and 2AM and then I am so stiff and in pain I have to get up. After lots of movement I "limber" up a little bit and on occasion I can go to sleep for another hour again. The pain is so depressing, it is affecting me doing anything (i can't work at the moment, cant think straight mentally as well as do things physically). I have a fairly high pain threshold but this is ridiculous with no hope left in sight. In the day time I used to be able to generally move about, albeit slowly, but this time I am  finding it difficult to even move. 

I have read so many peoples experiences on pain relief and such but cannot find a remedy that works, other than a hot bath. No pain in the bath, but when I get out after 10 minutes it's back. People mention bed rest, I am in agony in bed, in every position. I am in agony when I sit down. I have to stand and pace.

Stupid GP hasn't got my notes from last year and even though I told him what the MRI said he keeps banging on about sciatica. 

0 likes, 7 replies