Pins and needles

DID MY BACK IN 10 YEARS AGO AT THE TENDER AGE OF 22,WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A PROLAPSED DISC. SUFFERED VERY BADLY WITH SCIATICA DOWN MY LEFT LEG AT THE TIME BUT STILL SOMETIMES THE SCIATICA FLARES UP IS THIS NORMAL??

MY LEFT CALF IS STILL NOT RITE TO THIS DAY IT SORT OF CREEPS AND MOVES ALL THE TIME NEVER STOPS. DONT NO IF I SHOULD GO BACK 2 THE DOCS AND SEE ABOUT THIS LOOKIN SOME INFO IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS THESE ??

MUCH APPRECIATED IF ANYBODY COULD THANKS

Hi there

I think I would definitely get back to your GPs and ask to be referred for an MRI scan to see what's happening with your back. You've suffered a long time with this. I suffer from a prolapsed disc which results in numbness/cramp/pain down my left leg to my foot. I'm one of the lucky ones in that my treatment has been speedy (I first did it in Nov 07). I've had 3 months of physio for the inflammation to go down but unfortunately, and this isn't true in all cases, I now have to go for an operation to remove the part of the disc pressing on my nerve (in April).

This hopefully won't be the case for you, you may just need the MRI scan, some antiflammatories and some physio and you'll be right as rain.

I would definitely get it seen to though. These things seems to have a habit of getting worse not better without some treatment.

Best of luck.

Cheers

Jude x

hi i also started with problems at about the same age and suffered on and off as a result for the last x amount of years kept seeing the dr when it did flare up, it was down to a+e for an injection of voltarol was on the tabs for a while but upset my stomach then april 07 thing got bad finally was referred to hosp for mri to find L5,S1 out got very little feeling in left foot and leg but when i do get anything it is severe pain, now on morphine diazapam celecoxib been to see specialist in nov he reccommended surgery , have to go back today to see if anything has improved (no such luck) only worse if anything. I would highly advise you push for mri to see whats going on i do know how you feel suffering over a long period of time with this problem its not good but if the mri shows what is going on at least you will have options to go from when you know what you're dealing with. Good luck and don't give up.

Hi again

Just to add that the medication I'm on is Gabapentin specifically for nerve pain (during my hospital stay I was on volterol, morphine, anti-inflammatories and an anti-depressant for muscles spasms). Came out of hospital having been weaned onto Gabapentin, also on cocodamol and anti-inflammatories still.

Now I'm just on Gabapentin (weaned myself off cocodamol and ran out of anti-inflammatories at Xmas), to me it's a wonder drug and I would recommend it to anyone (epileptics take it everyday so I feel comfortable that it's safe).

Maybe worth suggesting this if your pain is really really bad?

There are always options, it's just unfortunate that sometimes we have to INSIST on treatment to help us. Like I said, I'm one of the lucky ones but I know not everyone has had such good treatment and support.

Cheers and best of luck with everything :D

Jude x

hi russ

well glad to see the hospital are taking your \"aches and pains\" seriously, at least it will put your mind at rest, any idea how long you have to wait for the appointment? hows the driving going? i still have the aches in my legs but have to admit they are getting better. i really hope things will be ok for you and its just normal recovery, wanted to ask you if it was you that mentioned some time ago about the need to stretch ? im at that stage weird isnt the word for it, but of course mine is in my neck so i look a little strange when i have to move my neck to ease the sensation lol. anyway let us know how things progress. gail

hi jonesy

well it seems your prolapse hasnt shrunk back as some do in time, i like the other posters would say ask your gp to refer you for an mri to see whats happening there, maybe the consultant you see wont do surgery and advise conservative treatment at this stage as your having intermittent pain, but at least whatevers happening you,ll know and then get the right treatment, i know if i started to get the pain again i would be devestated it must be one of the worst things to live with, and treatment for it takes so long, i hope you get things sorted soon and wish you well. gail

Hi Jonesy,

It does sound very much like a Prolapsed Disc to me, I feel for you the pains agony and you don't seem to have a break from it. I would go back to your Doctor and ask them to send you to Hospital for a MRI Scan to confirm you do have a Prolapsed Disc. They can then do something about your pain, they should give you painkillers if nothing else. I was taking Tramadol, Indometacin, Fluoxetine, Amytriptlyn, Diclofenac, Paracetamol, Oramorph and Morphine Patches (10mg). I was like a zombie but it did take most of the pain away.

I've suffered with a bad back since I was 18, I'm 40 now, so I know how your feeling. I had a Discectomy Op last Jan L5/S1. The Sciatica and numbness in my left leg and foot were unreal, I have never felt pain like it before. I had another operation a Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF) on 2nd Jan this year. I still have Sciatica and numbness but it's nowhere near as painful as it was before my op in 2007. I also get a burning feeling in my calf and my foot like hot pins have been pushed into them, and my calf feels like it's in cramp sometimes as well. I was told it would take a few weeks if not months for the Nerve to go back to normal.

Let us know how you get on and don't be fobbed off by the NHS. Keep your chin up.

Angela

well been back , seen different consultant, he wants to do different op, he wants to remove disc and see what happens, how can two consultants feel so different about an operation, one want to do a plif the other want to do a (simpler) op which is to remove the disc, which one is best who can tell me the second option is to be done in manchester don't relish that but its only 3/4 stay days the other is nearer home but will be in for 7/10 days, the number of days doesn't really matter ,what matters is which is going to give ME the best results, you don't get a straight answer from the cons soooo confused right now if i go for the simpler option will it last he couldn't tell me ,ijust got( everyone around the 45 years of age mark has some damage to the discs) , that was helpful,tried all angles of fire with the questions but he just skirted around saying the simpler the op the better for me xx

Hi Gail

MRI is next Tuesday then back to the consultant for results on Thursday ( yep I had to go private as NHS told me to take vodka to ease pains way back over two years ago ) and then told me there was nothing wrong :-(

and yep, the stretchy thing, seems a few people have it, I still have it but its the nicest feeling when u get the right stretch, so satisftying :-)

Made it into work once this week but have strange pain in calf andit is a pain not an ache.

Anyway, will let u know how it all goes.

Catch up soon

Russ x

Hi

Just wanted to say that I have suffered a prolapsed disc about nine years ago which eventually resulted in surgery ..... back was still weak after surgery & was still getting sciatica then I got pregnant...... all my muscles relaxed (apparently pregnancy hormones).... my back was the best it has ever been! I was very careful but I think the hormones produced combined with time off work (teacher of four year olds) did me the world of good! Just have to be very careful when baby is born as the carrying is a nightmare with a weak back!! My baby who is now three flung herself back on me four weeks ago and I now have another prolapsed & torn disc!!!!!!! had a spinal block yesterday and have every finger crossed as I am getting married next Thursday....... may have to face surgery again or pregnancy !!!!

Would love to hear how quick a spinal block should work as really want to walk up the aisle in heels not limp up in slippers!!!!

Hi Holly,

I sympathise with you I have suffered for 22 years with a bad back, I had a (Discectomy) Jan 07, I had 2 Sacral Epidural Injections (Spinal Blocks), and a Nerve Root Block I was told that they should start working more or less straight after the numbness of the Injection wares off. Unfortunately all the above didn't work for me so after another 12 months of being off work and being in complete agony I had another Op (PLIF) Jan 08.

Congratulations :bubbly: and I hope you do make it up the aisle next week. Ask your Doctor for some strong painkillers to help with your pain, I took Tramadol, Fluoxetine, Indometacin, Amytriptlyn, Oramorph, and Morphine Patches (10mg), yes I was like a Zombie 8) but they did help to relieve the pain a little.

Good Luck for next week, keep us informed of your progress.

Angela

Hi Darren,

You haven't posted on here for a while I was just checking that you're ok. How are things with you?

Bye for now

Angela

Has anyone had the MRI with the injection thingy... just trying to find out wot to expect really, have one tomorrow morning, not thinking about is it painful or not, but more, as I say, just what to expect.... anybody ? ? ?

Tell it like it is :-)

Russ

Hi 'No Regrets' Russ :D

Sorry but I haven't had the MRI with an injection. Just wanted to wish you luck, try not to worry, I'm sure it'll be over before you know it and I hope the results are positive for you.

Cheers for now

Jude x

Hey Jude :-)

No worries and Im seriously not worried about it tomorrow, after what I have had done so far, this is just gonna be like five minutes out of my life ( well, half hour ), wouldnt even help if I was worried.

Have just read stuff about if u r allergic to shellfish u cant have it and stuff like that, well, I dont actually know if I am allergic or not but need to have the injection in case I have scar tissue.

Also says about metalic taste u get, just wanted to know what that was all about, mmmmmmmmmmmm cantwait :-)

Will tell u all about it tomorrow though no doubt

No regrets Russ x :lol: