Were you hospitalised with Sciatica ???

Seems I live in the wrong place. I was taken to hospital, three times, as my ability to walk totally left me. and the pain was.literally to "die for."  diagnosis started with a D.V.T ,,then to a varicose vein, that was in no way visible. The last guess was Sciatica, and I was given a leg scan to see if there were any clots. None found, but the machine was not good enough to see smaller veins.Sent home with painkillers, Bye Bye, off you go !!!!

Forgot to ask you if drive, and is it O.K. ?? Dying to get into my car ,if I could just manage to walk to it.  My pain is right sided, and the car is automatic, don't know if the exercise would  help the painful bits more moveable.

I do drive I'm lucky cos mine is my left side. I would try and only go as far as u want. My osteopath is good might be worth a try ???

I am wondering if I do get into the car, would I be able to get out of it again ?? Do you have to go to

see your physio, ? I have been given a two week window to go to see the hospital physio, but getting there is, as of now ,a total no-no. How long have you been having treatment ,and does it help ? Is there any treatment to put the Sciatic nerve back into happy mode. If it is the swelling of this nerve as it scrapes through holes ,surely in time, it will rupture,    Loads more questions to ask, if you don't mind

Hello, I have not had the in depth care that you have had, just one leg scan,to look for clots, then another scan one week later to make sure .No suggestions of an x ray  to check my bones. I have the same problem with strong pain killers ,so I have been given analgesics. and As a user of herbs and vitamins I am taking Bromelain .and Magnesium. Getting out of bed is extremely painful, as the pain relief has obviously worn off, everything is on hold at the moment, until I can see if I can drive,, it will be a bonus if I can get into it first, as it is a low slung sport. I have only had this problem since Xmas eve and it was the worst xmas present I have ever had. do you ever have any pain free days ???Can you doctor give you any hope of getting better ? As it does not qualify as  a disease ,there are no clinics ,for it. I Assume  the MA. means that you live in the States, which is a considerable distance from Yorkshire U.K 

Do you manage to drive, ? If i can't get back in the car, that will be the end of my life,  

Do you wear the heat pads during the day ? I am using my electric blanket ,not quite sure if that helps.. or it's just the fact that i have taken the weight off it. Any helpful tips  how to cope with this THING would be good, as it looks as though it will be with me for life. Did try walking on my toes, which did not help, this morning ,i walked on the heel ,which did help , going up and down stairs takes for ever . Learning how to grunt and groan now, Please keep in touch ,,so I can "pick your brains " 

I am 60 years old and have had labor/physical type work most of that time. Thus the reason for a slightly crooked spine (normal for my age and work history, photo attached). My sciatica came from trying to leg press 350lbs. which strained some stuff in my back, butt, and left leg. I experienced some pain at that time. The next two days I tried to run it off, THAT really did the damage. The pain gradually increased over the next couple days until I couldn't walk 20 ft. Started going to doctors and was told if I could avoid surgery, avoid it. They started me on physical therapy, stretching, minor floor exercises, traction where a machine pulls on my hips as I hold my upper body stable. The physical therapist told me it would be "a long" healing process. He didn't give me a time frame. I think he was afraid to tell me it could be years. He also suggested I take the supplement Turmeric Curcumin (since I could not stomach the Rx pain meds). Turmeric is supposed to lubricate the joints and soft tissues around the spine. I started that, it's not a pain killer but if it helps the healing process, why not.

It took 6 weeks of almost complete bed rest until I could drive again. During that time my wife had to drive me to appointments, I couldn't sit upright. I'd lay down in the back seat.

    I use a heat pad now, only at night. It automatically turns off after 10 mins. on high. So I have been healing for a year and a half. There are days when I barely notice the ... discomfort (I can't say it really pain at this stage). It's more like a muscle ache now. Deep massage seems to make the aching part feel better.

   One strange thing that happened during the first year was I would compensate for my bad left side (leg, butt, foot, ankle, back of the thigh, hip)  with using my good right side, differently. My right foot and calf would get sore. I started to wear shoe inserts to cushion the foot. This helped but only in certain shoes. Soft sole vs. hard sole.

   I still have some numbness and tingling in my left leg and foot, it seems to come more at night before bed or when I'm at rest. Movement during the day while at work, I barely notice it.

Do not be afraid to us assistance devices. I had used a cane and walker for a few months trying to take the weight off the back leg. It really helped.  

    You mentioned rupturing of the nerve from rubbing against the spinal bones. Here is something curious. I would get an intermittent painful ache usually on my foot or calf every once in awhile. The pain area was very distinct and is a relatively small area. It felt like a bad Charlie Horse. I'd have that pain for a couple days, then the pain would subside and a black and blue bruise would be there. I showed this to my doctors and they have never heard of such a thing. They asked me if I hit that area. I did not. They concluded that maybe a blood vessel did rupture from being pressed upon or moved by the healing process. The black and blue bruise was a release of pressure under the skin. (photo attached).

     I hope you are feeling some relief soon. In my case it was many months of slow healing. After 16 months with this sciatica, I'm about 85% normal. I can jog for short distances and I'm very careful when I lift.

Hello,, at last,, seemingly  your mail has been twice around the moon. i have just received it 14 hours

after you sent it.. bit of a downer reading how long you have been in the pain zone. Mornings are worst for me, I 'm in such pain as soon as my feet hit the floor, and standing up ,starts everything off big time. 

As I only started with this on Xmas eve, I really am not up for a long period of non movement ,,and house bound as well .I live alone, so I will probably starve to death when the food runs out. 

Was given the opportunity to go to physio sessions  at the hospital , . showing no concern as to how I was to get there, I was out of their hands and that was that, I have painkillers with extreme side effects, the list is long ,so I won't bore you, I do not normally take prescription drugs for that reason, and have used Herbal and Vitamins for almost two years, health has been good  .but gone downhill during past six weeks , Sleeping is good, but I do have a sleeping pill to send me off, as I have Tinnitus ,24/7  and constant.  and sleep deprivation is not to be tolerated ,as it will cause more body disorders. I am doing reflexology on myself,, no choice !!!!! just happen to have bought a book on it a few years ago, so i am finding the trigger points .which do actually hurt when I find the right spot. So many aches and pains have been thrown at me this last year, I think I must have run over a fairy, 

Got to the stage where I was waiting to see what would hurt today.  I also use Tiger Balm ..old Chinese cure ,and ,that does work .  Do you think ,or know ,that you made your Sciatica would not have lasted so long, if you had not pushed the nerve into a worse state by your continued exercising  

Just trying to sum up the courage to get out of bed ,go downstairs,,,,, that is a real bummer,,,, and get some  breakfast. Did your appetite  disappear when the pain came ????

I gather you are a whale hunter !!!!

First  laugh of the day,,,, I have just rolled up. the posts, found my last one to you and see that I have already given you a lot of the info ,,,,,so,, now you have it  twice.  You didn't say that it affected the 

brain as well !!!!!

how did you manage to take the "Selfie " of your skeleton ???? Is your left foot longer  ,or your right one fatter ???

Aloha Jacqueline,

   Actually I am an high school educator in Hawaii. That Jack Sparrow avatar is me (character impersonations is my only vice, lol)

     I was in denial when hearing my PT tell me it would be a long long time recovering. I figured a few weeks at most. After a few months of not miraculously healing, I decided to be more pro-active with the exercises that were prescribed. My appetite was not affected much. I did not snack normally because I didn't want to crawl back and forth to the kitchen.  

   In bed during my waking hours I would use a tennis ball to keep pressure on the problem nerve area. I'd sleep with a pillow under my lower thighs, it seemed to take strain off my lower back.

   The first 6 weeks of my sciatica I could barely get out of bed to use the bathroom. When the pain dissipated enough that I could walk short distances with a cane, I went back to work. I was encouraged by doctors and a person who suffered from sciatica to keep moving, try and regain my full range of motion or I'd heal in a stiffened state. Stretching but no lifting, no bending at the waist if at all possible. .

      My heart goes out to you that you are suffering through this without assistance. With the pain and lack of mobility.... you may have to fight off depression. On the other hand, your messaging here, shows you have a good sense of humor.

   Were you able to get breakfast this morning?

Oh THANK YOU for sending sunshine and stuff """" Got downstairs, one at a time. Had a Hoppy omelette with Parmesan , Thank god My sense of humour has not been damaged !!! that really would be the end. I think it gives  out the wrong impression ,and that there can't be much wrong with me if I spit out One Liners to one and all. Except the ones who have had their sense of humour surgically removed.Not too many of them.thank goodness.  consultants  seem to head that list. 

If you are "Out There ," you never mentioned swimming, allegedly ,or so I read, it's good for us .All that sunshine, if you lay on your back, let the heat do you.cheaper than a heat pad. Did you take the pain with you ??  If you did,, how did you manage on the plane??? if you didn't don't answer.

Hoppy omelette has been so named ,'cos I hopped from the fridge to the cooker  found it was faster ,and no grunts were given  All I can visualise now is blue sea,hot sand, and 

Having a shower is a bit on the ouch list especially if I drop the soap ... Of course I do ,,Sods Law.. 

Hi. Iv'e done it again !!!!!!   You ARE in Hawaii ,,educating High Schools !!!! You must aggravate your condition if you are standing all day.. I appear to be a lazy reader, ,not really, but you did throw me a bit with your message, so you are partially to blame What is the weather like .??? Just put the central heating, need I say more .. 

By the way,,just for the record,, the upside down female (picture) is not me. might have been .a few years ago, AHH .what's that song   MEMORIES  Right ,,going to do the shower bit now ...

Thank you for whatever it is that you want me to read, but I prefer conversations, all be it they are written ones,so if it's all right with you ,I will pass on it