Sciatica for 4 years and still no diagnosis!!

Hello jimkim002, Many thanks for your message,appreciated very much.

Hi Phil

I do feel for you ,as for suffering with this my self for last few years , now I can't walk ,can't sit or sleep for long ,I also had a steroid injection 2 weeks ago second week started to feel slight relief then 2 days it was back to how severely it is , nobody seems to help the Dr who gave me injection said he is sending me back to surgeon ..

It's hell ,

Everything you wrote I felt for you as unless you are going through it or experienced it noone under stands ,

Mimm xx

Hi Karen, Firstly prescribed Amitryptiline 4 years ago, no help whatsoever, then put on Pregabalin,same, then now on Gabapentin 1500mg a day(possible to go up to twice that i think) GP increasing it gradually as it does give some relief with the leg etc except the Foot for some reason!.I had a follow up apptointment with my "Neurologist" 15/08/18 where i thought he was just going to discharge me,which he tried to,so i queried with him that in all the research i have done with this condition/treatments it,s a common belief not only with the unfortunate people that have to suffer with this and just told to "keep taking the tablets and go away", but the Medical Profession also! so i told him that the only MRI to find these Nerve issues is the one that's done with contrast,which my 3rd Neurologist suggested i have and when i got to the MRI place they said i,m down just to have the basic one so what chance have you got?,anyway, she left the Hospital and i was taken on by my latest one,so,had another basic MRI done of lower part of the Spine and that's the one that showed all the problems listed in my initial story, but because the problems seem to be on the right side of the Spine and my affected side being the left he just gave up basically and sent me away saying he would review my condition again, which turned out to be last month, i hinted that i would be getting in touch with PALS because i,m not happy to just be fobbed off,so the Neurologist gave in and said as a last try he would refer me to have 1 more MRI and with contrast,hooray,at last,after about 18 months!,anyway, the appointment came through and guess what? booked in for the basic MRI again! if i had Hair i,d be pulling it out, and to try to get in touch with the Neurologists Secretary,well virtually impossible, i despair,and absolutely dread getting older and having to deal with our so-called N.H.S. Sorry to have gone on a rant but it annoys me so much when you consider what the Medical Profession is able to do in the way of really complex and expensive treatments but they're unable to locate and treat a trapped Nerve.

                         Thanks for taking the time to read,i wish you luck in your quest for a pain free life.

Agree completely regarding your experiences, it sounds very familiar. I got to see the surgeon but, after explaining a decompression procedure in detail to me, he decided success could not be guaranteed so was sent away with no real alternative. The appointment was rushed and he barely looked at MRI, got the impression he just wanted me out of the office, by far the worst experience I’ve had. Been waiting all year for a pain clinic appointment, finally have it in 2 weeks. 

Its frustrating and I do understand, wishing the same for you too, let me know how you get on and if I find anything new that helps I’ll do the same. Trying an acupressure mat at the moment, it’s a weird sensation but helps with back a bit, maybe more over time with leg too, worth trying maybe.

Take care.

I’m on 2800-3600 gabapentin if that helps, varied by day.

oh, and 3 MRIs but they won’t do a contrast on me either! It makes zero sense...

Hi Karen

Are you able to sit and walk ? With the pain , I was on gabapentin but it didn't help ,are you on anything else ?,so glad u have your appointment soon , I feel they just don't take sciatica seriously ..

Mimm xx

Hi there, physically speaking I can but the pain prevents more than a few minutes of walking, using a stick, or standing. I can sit for around 10-15 mins before the severe pain kicks in with back and feet (and one ankle). I had back issues for 10 years affecting sitting but walked a lot as a hobby, this more recent occurrence 2.5 years ago put an end to that. The mad thing is, I thought I’d managed to get rid of the pain, in a great place (with daily walks over years), in a few seconds it all went, plus a lot worse on top. This pain is 10/10, my old leg sciatica 6-7/10 x

... yes, sofadol, amytriptiline and Naproxen as well. Together, I can get up, do basic things in house, that’s all x

As it stands i,m booked in for this last MRI for 20/09/18, hopefully i,ll eventually get in touch with the Secretary to make sure it,s going to be with contrast!, if it,s not then i,ll cancel that one until he refers me for an MRI with contrast as i,ve got a bit of time until i find out the result, and that is 01/05/2019, so from MRI to finding out result will be over 8 months!!! and on past experience it,ll get to a couple of months before the scheduled appointment and i,ll get a letter cancelling that appointment and getting another one for 2 or 3 months further down the line,so could end up being about a year.

I,ve not heard of an acupressure mat,i had accupuncture which was of no help,although it did discount my thinking that my problem was my Piriformis Muscle as the Accupuncturist said that he could penetrate the muscle with a needle,if it had been a Piriformis problem he wouldn't have been able to as the muscle contracts so tight that it would be impossible to get a needle into it.

I really do hope your Pain Clinic helps with your situation,it,s just a case of trying everything you can,i went to an Osteopath who recommended an Inversion table,which the principle makes sense to hang upside down to open up the joints(Vertibrae) but i don't have the space as they're quite big.

Anyway Karen,appreciate your input,sometimes it helps to interact with people that are suffering the same as yourself, but also getting suggestions from people of how to deal with their situation,i know (and appreciate) that my situation isn't as bad as yours and lots of others on this Forum and so am so grateful that it,s not.

Take care Phil

Thanks Karen

I'm going to try get some amitriptyline of Dr Monday ,

My pain is horrendous ,

You sound like you been to hell and back ,I hope your sorted very soon ,

This awful thing makes life lonely you can't go out ,do anything , relationship gone , i no longer work, my car sits on drive as I can't sit long enough to drive it , everything home delivered, I'm just going to wait now see wat surgeon suggests after , a disappointing result from steroid injection ..

Thanks for your reply may a cure be found for all very quickly

Mimm xxx

You’re welcome Phil, thanks and am sending good wishes to you.

It really does affect everything, yes, just know that you’re not alone. Make sure you give Amytrip 4 full weeks to work, it takes that long sometimes (the sedation works immediately though, good for sleeping). Thanks and you take care too, sending my best wishes to you x