In need of help with pain

[uncle eddy]

Hi all

 

Four weeks ago i went along to a childrens party, sat chatting in a garden chair i became aware that i was uncomfortable, standing up i felt a little bit of an ache, within 5 mins i was in excruciating pain, i managed to get home and into bed but not without screaming several dozen times, i was in a very bad place, i couldnt move without getting sharp stabbing pains throughout my body, the pain spasms were every few mins and were enough to make me yell and bring tears to my eyes.

We called a GP who said that he could only class it as sciatic pain, he gave me diazepam, anti inflammatory and co-codamols needless to say they didnt have any effect, four days later we called again and i was given a bigger dose of the same meds.

 

Now i am at four weeks, i can just about get around my home but with difficulty, the pain has become more localised, i believe now that its the sciatic nerve, the problem i am having is that the pain meds are having no effect, i cant remember the last time i slept for more than about an hour, i am so tired, self employed and cant work...depression is setting up a home in my head, i am emotional and dont have any faith in my GP whatsoever, any ideas or tips from those who have or are having similar problems would be very welcome.

[medusa]

I''m sorry to hear that you're having such problems uncle eddy. Has your GP not referred you for further investigation to look at what is suddenly causing sciatica when you didn't have it before? Or maybe some physiotherapy to teach you the exercises which can possibly reduce the pain naturally?

 

I think I'd go and ask for a referral for investigation and physio for a start, and if they decline ask for the reasons in writing. Everybody has the right for a second opinion, and the cause of sudden onset back pain with no prior history of it can affect how you recover from it, so I'd really want to know why that wasn't happening.

 

As for the pain, can I recommend that you investigate using a TENS machine? Mine really helps me when I'm having a flare up. For a back issue I'd get one of the ones that has separate pads on wires, rather than the tiny ones that just sit the machine on top of the pad. They cost £30 or £40 but it's well worth it when you get good relief from it, and machines last for years so it costs pennies per day.

 

If you're not using hot and cold packs can I also recommend that you try? You will need a hot water bottle, well wrapped, and a freezer pack or sacrificial bag of frozen peas, again well wrapped. The aim is to keep the cold pack in contact with your lower back for long enough that it helps to reduce the swelling around the vertebrae that are compressing the sciatic nerve, but if you just use a cold pack then that is likely to cause muscle stiffness, so you start and end on cold and do 5 minutes on cold, then 5 on hot (which reduces the muscle stiffness but can cause inflammation if used by itself) for as long as you can. You may not see immediate improvement, but it should help gradually.

 

The exercises which free up the area around the sciatic nerve are best taught by a physiotherapist or osteopath and if your GP either won't refer you or there's a long wait to see a physio on the NHS you can book in to go and see either physio or osteopath privately. I see an osteopath regularly and can happily recommend Lisa Halse who works out of the Lodge House in Walkley, but I'm sure that lots of others will have recommendations too.

 

I hope that your pain is becoming a lot more manageable soon

[uncle eddy]

hey Medusa

got myself a tens machine, the one with four pads on seperate leads and whilst its not fantastic, its a massive help not so much when you first play with it lol, jolted myself a couple of times lol . It has helped though thankyou

[markyspark]

I would ask you GP to refer you to the pain clinic, they are very helpful. I've been with them for some time now and I rate them highly

[*Peaches*]

I agree with the pain clinic, I wasn't convinced they helped much initially but looking back they have helped me in a way to understand more about the type of pain and how to manage my "spoons" more.

 

Tens machines are good but don't use them for too long in one stint, it can make the muscles around the area hurt more.

 

Have a chat with your gp about slow release pain relief instead of highs and dips, it's worked very well for me.

 

Hope that helped x

[Bethsmummy]

About a year ago my dad was suddenly struck with this. He's 63 year old and never had more than the odd day off in all his career. However this literally paralysed him for around 3 weeks. He wasn't able to attend any meetings or work schedules. I've never seen him so debilitated. He's a very big bloke and it took him a half hour crawling up the stairs on his hands and knees.

 

Eventually my brother forced him to hobble into A&E and they gave him a painkilling suppository (This is a man who never ever takes any sort of medication) However he begged on this occasion. I think it may have been diclofenac in the suppository but they allowed him to walk comfortably for a few hours.

 

The only other support I can provide is that it went away almost as silently as it came, it did take around 3 weeks though. And on another positive (upto now) It's never returned. Keep your chin up and hope your feeling much better soon xx

[denlin]

I'd agree with others go to walk in clinic at NGH

[Chez2]

I had a problem pain down my leg, thought it was my knee. The pain was so bad I could hardly walk and couldn't drive. I phoned up a private osteopath who released the trapped nerve from my spine. It cost me but I went straight away.

 

I have since had physio on the NHS and manipulation to realign and release the nerve again. I couldn't exercise 'properly' during this trouble, just the exercises the physio gave me. Poor posture and lack of strength in your core body muscles can make this happen again, this is where I was for a couple of years. Many hours driving in a car seat that was to big for me casued my problem.

 

I didn't take pain killers very often as I wanted to sort it out rather than live with it. Some of the manipulation hurt but it worked so quickly it felt like a miracle.

 

Has your GP confirmed your problem? Hope you get sorted soon.

[dancingnymph]

Another option would be to see a different GP at your practice. With my mental health I have to do a lot of GP hopping before I find one who tells me more than to look on the bright side.