ADVICE NEEDED! Anybody suffer from sciatica?

[taraann81]

I have had three children...all natural..no meds. This pain is comnparable if not worse to labor!

It started 6 weeks ago, occasional pain in my right glut, radiating down my leg all the way to the foot.

Since sunday night it has gotten so severe that I can barely walk. I have been visiting the chirpractor daily, I am now off of work. When I stand, sit, move it almost drops me to my knees and makes me nauseous.

I am a nurse but still am at a loss as of how to make this pain bareable!

I am icing it constantly, 20mins on, 20 off. I am no longer taking any pain medication as it doesn'r even dull the pain so there is no point!

I'm desperate.

 

[EweSheep]

I have this pain ever since my C section with my dd six years ago....it comes and goes. No cure for me! Will not be on pain meds.

I've been checked out by two back doctors, my own family doctor, xrayed to death, MRI, CAT and they could not find anything wrong with my spine except it could have some nerve damage from trying to deliver my dd.

Been to PT for a year, helps some but pain still comes back. Even had a TENS unit, improved but I'm hooked on it.

Now I got fibromyglia that my family doctor said there is no such thing!

I know I am not much help but no doctor will cure this...its permanent I believe.

 

[my3chickens]

I had sciatica as a result of a herniated disc. I was in constant pain for about 4 months, couldn't get any relief unless I took pain killers which pretty much knocked me out to the point that I couldn't function.

I had surgery in February, microdiscectomy-minimally invasive, about a 2 inch incision, only in the hospital for 24 hours. The relief I felt was immediate. I'm single and had my mom stay with me the first night home, after that I was on my own taking care of a household full of animals!! Back to work at my desk job within 2 weeks. I felt some tenderness for about a month after the surgery but since then have felt amazing.

I know the pain you are going through and wish you the best of luck...

 

[taraann81]

I think mine is related to a collision I had in baseball almost 2 months ago.

I just need someone to tell me how to stop the spasm in my butt when I first stand, or move the wrong way... it feels like a charlie horse in my butt and all the way down my leg,

When I get a charlie horse in my calf I know to dorsal flex my foot and it gradually recedes I have yet to find a way to quickly stop the spasm. Its excruiating.

 

[Camelot Farms]

Mine occured after a back injury in the mid 90's. Comes and goes. Icing on and off is the only thing that helps mine when it acts up.
I find going up and down stairs after not having used stairs in a while or climbing up and down a ladder will aggravate mine terribly. I also try not to switch shoes. If I wear flats for a couple of days and then go to a wedge or a sneaker, I can be guaranteed a flare up. I've just learned to live with it and thankfully now that the kids are older it isnt such a big deal to be down for a day or two.

((hugs)) Hope yours gets better!

 

[PineappleMama]

Only time I had to deal with this was when preggers with DD... the little *grits teeth* sweetie decided to plant her head on my sciatic nerve. Nothing to do since pain meds/muscle stuff doesn't have that much an effect on nerves and besides I was preggers so drugs are out anyways. I tried soaking/icing... nada mainly I think because it was so far 'in' that the heat/cold couldn't really reach the problem.

Some days elevating helped a bit... gravity wasn't helping matters... but some days not. Unless you want to just drug yourself into oblivion that's about the only thing I could suggest.

I totally feel your pain... even 8 years later I still shudder remembering it... the pain of C-section (even when pain meds wore off) was a looked forward to experience after even one day, n'mind weeks, of that.

 

[Bunnylady]

I developed sciatica late in my first pregnancy, and had flare-ups for years afterward. Heat did help some, as did elevation. Early in my second pregnancy, when I felt the familiar twinge, I thought, "noooo! Not seven months of this!" Mercifully, it only lasted a week or two, and then was gone for good! That child has been such a blessing!

I particularly remember an attack that occured when my son was quite small. I had gone to the Walmart, and was carrying him in a baby sling. I was just walking through the store, pushing a cart, when suddenly, Wham! I couldn't move. Standing still was tolerable (barely) but any attempt to move either leg felt like something kicking me in the butt. It was a slow time of day, and there wasn't anyone near me. What could I do? I was wondering how long I'd have to stand there before security noticed that there seemed to be a statue of a mother and child standing in the middle of the store and sent someone to investigate. After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably more like 5 minutes, the spasm eased a bit and I was able to take small, gingerly steps without grunting with pain. I have a pretty high tolerence for pain, but sciatica is a brute. You have my sympathy!

 

[FarmerJamie]

for me, same as my3chickens - bulging disk L4/L5. Physical therapy and accupuncture made it very tolerable. Then I slipped and fell and ended up needing surgery, but all better now.

Until my fall, the accupuncture really, really helped. I had treatments every two weeks and oh I looked forward to them! For the first day or two the pain was minimal. I was doing so well, the hospital was going to use my story in an interview in a national publication for non-surgical options for back problems, but since I ended up needed surgery, the cancelled the gig. I could'a been a star!

Wishing you all the best.

 

[Godsgrl]

When I was pregnant, and the pain started, the only cure I found was to make a fist, and push it hard into my butt where the pain originated. I know, not something you can go around in public doing, but at home you can. Try also a warm bath, that might help relax what is hurting. So sorry you are suffering with this.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

after 3 c-sections, my sciatic pain is SO bad. my youngest is almost 4, and the pain goes from tolerable, to SO bad that my foot goes numb. some days it hurts so bad that I can barely breathe without screaming. the only thing I've found that helps is to kneel on the bed, and curl into a ball, with my head on my knees. that makes it not hurt for a little bit, until i uncurl.... i don't want to go to the doctor for it, i just want it to go away.