Sciatica nightmare

@joy75 I can't imagine why ANYONE would not be welcome on this website. I am angered, frustrated, and just generally perplexed by all these stories of people being in severe, chronic pain not being able to get appropriate scripts for their pain. The story of the 96.5 year old gentleman who could not get any narcotic pain pils so he could live out his few remaining days in somewhat of a comfortable state really sent me over the edge.
It's a shame that the ER doc could not give you larger, refillable scripts for oxycodone. I know that everyone so scared these days of narcotic pain pills. Stories of people turning into addicts from overuse filled the airways a few years ago. These people were the exception, not the rule. I took oxycodone for a month or so after my back surgery back in 2017. It was very effective at limiting my pain. But, gee, golly whiz! I didn't become an addict. I am now also experiencing severe chronic pain and cannot convince my pain management doc to put me back on it. I truly hope you can find an empatheic doc who can help you find an answer to your pain.

I am so sorry you are dealing with this. You are so young. Is there a chance of surgery. I had L4/5 decompression age 65 and had several years pain free.

@joy75 , I'm so sorry for all you're going through. I hope you will get on that long waiting list to see the pain management doctor. As quickly as time passes it will be your turn before you know it.

joy75, I am so sorry. I have had 'bouts of sciatica in my life and it is so painful. I can't imagine how much
pain you have been in.

Years ago when I worked in the medical field, Flexeril (prescription muscle relaxant) & Tylenol were given and moist heat was put on the backside and rest. I still do this if I get a flare up and it has worked for me every time.

Praying for you and I am so sorry you have battled this for so long. Blessings & Prayers...

I also have sciatica. I also have severe lower back pain. I have to be very careful how I bend or twist or the sciatica will flair up. Have you tried a back brace? You have a pinched nerve there and you gotta do something to get it released. Maybe doing the yoga pose where you get on knees and elbows and stretch as far forward as you can with arms on the floor. I also use a heating pad when it's very bad. It may sound crazy but I've also stood and slightly did the twist. There's a nerve that runs through the groin area called the piriformis muscle. It can get caught there too. I've folded many a heating pad and jammed it in that area and believe it or not it helps some. I've also laid on sofa with something under my knees to separate and take pressure off lower back. I also kept a little booklet and wrote down every day my pain level, what I did to relieve pain, if possible like soaking in tub of hot water, what I was able to physically do, how it hurt when I went to the bathroom etc. I took it with me to doctor and asked them to scan that in my chart. I know it hurts to move but that's all you can do but do it very gently and slowly and the nerve will slowly release. It put me in the bed for a week once and my boyfriend called a non emergency service to take me to orthopedic office and gave me a shot. I had not been able to sit or stand for 7 days but after that shot I sat up on that stretcher and the nurse said "don't you get down from there" I said "I'm not, I haven't been in a vertical position for 7 days and I just want to sit upright". I walked out of that doctors office. Got another shot in 30 days and he prescribed some potent muscle relaxers and hydrocodone. If you have the MRI's and scans that prove you're in that much pain it's crazy to have to wait that long. I'd be calling EMS once a week until I finally got some relief. I saw a chiropractor right when I started having issues, mine was from sitting on 5 gallon bucket bending over pulling weeds from a garden we were making and all the repetitive bending separated the lumbar spine enough and wore the disc's enough that it got ahold of the nerve, and my back felt really good for about 3 days then the pain came back. I wish I had better answers for you. I have to wear a back brace still because when I stand in one place too long my thighs get so numb I couldn't feel a hot poker touch them. I can't stand and cook like I used to. I cook a little at the time. The back brace presses in on my lower abdomen and changes things there. I've asked my pain management doctor at what point do we do something? I don't want to wake up one morning and not be able to get out of bed because I can't feel my legs. I'm 67, not active either. I have a treadmill I got years ago and use it sometimes. I have neuropathy in feet and hands but it's really hard to know if it's from my back and pinched nerve in neck from doing hair for over 20 years or a result of chemotherapy after 12 treatments for cancer. Had my last one yesterday and I'm gonna need more. Got morphine for bone pain that's going to last about a week after this Udenyca shot goes off this afternoon. I could also stand to lose about 30 pounds too which may help a lot but my oncologist has advised me this is not the time for a diet change. Can you make some calls or go to primary care doctor to maybe see someone to get a shot in your back? Seems like they might would do that at the hospital. I really hope you get some relief of some kind soon. I know exactly how you feel. 🙏🏻🙏🏻❤️

Good morning (I hope). I really feel for you as I have also suffered with sciatica for quite a while. Like you, at times, it was on both sides at the same time. Just diabolical! I was so much at my wits’ end that I stupidly spent thousands of dollars at this scammy clinic that had just opened ) and since closed!) that said it could help me. It was quite true when I was on their stretching table, but THE EFFECT DID NOT LAST. I then saw this advertisement for a decompression belt to relieve sciatica. I did not know if this was a scam or not, but I needed relief! All I had to lose was the cost of the belt. Turns out it was one of the BEST purchases I have EVER made. It is even useful if you have lower back pain, and not always sciatica. If I remember right at first I wore it pretty constantly during the day for about two weeks and that got things under control. The belt comes with a pump that allows you to expand the width. After that, I started putting it on (without the pump) first thing in the morning for an hour or two. It just FEELS SO GOOD! I still have the very occasional mild flare-up that disappears nearly immediately.
I don’t know if there are other brands on the market, but I purchased Dr Ho’s decompression belt, the one with the red round sticker on it ( the one with the blue sticker is more expensive and is for upper back pain also). It costs $104. at Walmart’s here in Canada. I really hope you try this belt as IT WORKS!
Good luck to you!

Francine

@twistedwillow H, what is L?45 decompression?

@twistedwillow
I’m probably looking at decompression once the epidurals stop working. What was recovery like for the decompression? I as told i’d have to take quite of bit of time off from my workout routine - but guess lots of walking is encouraged after the decompression.

@charliesophiedaisyro
It’s surgery on lumbar vertebrae 4 and 5. To relive compressed nerves. Mine was for degenerative disc problems.
Surgical Decompression (Laminectomy/Discectomy)
Procedure: An incision is made in the lower back, muscles are moved, and parts of the bone (lamina) or disc material are removed to free the trapped nerves.
Goal: Increase space around the nerves, improving function and reducing symptoms.

@willow5
My recovery was good. The pain had gone the next day and I was able walk and climb stairs. I did the recommended physio and lots of walking but I don’t do gym so I can’t answer that. I was retired but I think I would have been able work as a teacher.