No treatment for herniated disc!
Posted , 5 users are following.
I have had sciatica, including numbness in my feet, leg and pain for 7 months. I finally saw a registrar yesterday, presumably the consultant was busy! after explaining my MRI scan and why I am in pain, I was then told there was nothing that could be done. Nothing! Not putting too fine a point on it, I broke down! I had already told the doctor I wasn't coping and that I couldn't live like this anymore. So was a little bit shocked at her attitude. I am ready to pack it in altogether, how are people supposed to live in this much pain without any kind of relief. She didn't offer me any treatment, any pain relief, just physio, which I already had been too and told there was nothing more they could do! Has anyone any idea's or recommendations as to where I go now?Before I go totally mad!
Any help will be very much appreciated.
0 likes, 9 replies
Laura3333 lynne1808
Posted
Hi Lynne, go to your gp and ask to be referred to the hospital pain clinic. Theres a lot they can do, including injections and different drugs. Also things like spinal stimulators. Don't believe you're at the end of the road either for treatments, you're nowhere near. Join a facebook group and get some support and knowledge there. It's out there, you just need to look.
"back pain & sciatica sufferer support " is a good group. Good luck.
lynne1808 Laura3333
Posted
Thank you so much for your reply! I'll do that.
rommon lynne1808
Posted
This is non-sense, I just spoke with a spine surgeon about two weeks ago before an Epidural Cortisone Shot (steroids in the spine), it initially helped until a small slip of feet on ice set me fully back into cannot walk mode.
The spine doctor told me that White Blood cells are working to recede the discs herniation, however the nerve must be not inflamed for this to happen, I personally use a combination of the steroid (kind of helping) and percocet to manage the very acute pain from it (like just getting out of bed or working the bad muscle to keep up leg strength).
Though the disc should be healing itself if that nerves irritation goes down, have you tried an Epidural Steroid? Mine worked like a miracle, then wore off after that jolt of pain on the ice, and is now kind of working again as it should 10-15 days after injection.
I wish you the best of luck, this pain is crazy to deal with constantly, I am just now able to sleep in my bed without insane pain for the first time in 2-3 months :\
Pam2169 lynne1808
Posted
Hi,
I know how painful and depressing can be. I got a steroid shot twice. Two different doctors, the doctor didn't really take the time to know my areas of pain. My second doctor was a Angel, really kind. I pretty much been painful besides minor pain for a year. Good luck with everything.
CHICO_MARX lynne1808
Posted
Nothing can be done??? BULLPUCKY!!!!!
Sciatica
Gotta see a neurosurgeon. As in the last case of the above link, I had a bone spur crushing the nerve root. A herniated or bulging disk can do the same. A simple, same-day decompressive laminectomy does the job. Get it fixed and you will be out of pain.
Laura3333 CHICO_MARX
Posted
This isn't the US, you don't tell them what to do. You ask, if you're lucky you might, I stress might be lucky.
CHICO_MARX Laura3333
Posted
Damn... That's a real problem when you are caught in a bureaucratic middle and you're also in pain. Maybe it's not so good here either. Wrenched my back last January causing severe pain in my lower back, left hip and lower abs. Took five months of ortho visits, shots and scans to find out that it was all L1/L2 related and NOT my hip. Then 2 months of PT, a few pain shots and a CT/Myelogram with contrast to confirm that it was all L1/L2. After a visit to the general surgeon and neurosurgeon a few weeks ago, my fusion date is set for January 22, 2020...a whole YEAR after the original incident. Plus no doc will prescribe pain killers for fear of prosecution so I've been on my own and will continue to be until the surgery.
In our case, the progression of GP to ortho to neuro to PT to pain shot and then back to the neuro is all dictated by the insurance companies who will order that EVERYTHING be done to avoid the surgery even when you know long ago what the fix would be. We too have to jump through our own hoops and it gets more painful every day.
I hope you can resolve your situation as fast as possible. No one should live in pain when there is a non-RX solution available. Good luck...
rommon CHICO_MARX
Posted
This is what shocks me in getting into the community on this, is doctors will not prescribe pain killers to help manage pain, because some junkies can't take responsibility for their addictions. I've gotten on and off months of Vicodin, Oxy, and Tramadol many times without issues.
I fortunately have access to pharmacy pain killers (not cheap) to manage pain, but leaving people to either suffer or but who knows what pain pills from shady sources.
Complete betrayal of the legal and medical communities to millions of patients in pain, make it illegal to treat their pain? My god!
CHICO_MARX rommon
Posted
Completely agree. It's nutz in the US. I feel especially bad for people on my knee replacement group who say that their docs cut them off from the meds after 30 days. I was very lucky in March of 2016 to have the op and then get the meds I needed for as long as I needed them...which wasn't too long.
I actually HATE the way the opioids make me feel but there are times you have no other choice. I titrate down off of them as fast as I can but that is all very individual since people all have different pain tolerances. Six months on opioids? NEVER gonna happen in the US. Patients need to find alternate pain management modalities after any 30-60 day max titrating opioid regimen. Longer than that is just not healthy medically or physically. (I was married to a pharmacist for 25 years...we've discussed topics like this for decades...)
Got my 3rd spine fusion (5th spine op) due on January 22. I'm looking at a week max on the painkillers if I even need them at all. This is a double XLIF plus extra rail extensions; my last XLIF was so great, I needed nothing as all the intense pain was magically gone in one day. Looking for a repeat without the meds.