[darkpurplesecrets]

For weeks now I have been getting this pain radiating down my left side of my leg and I think it is my sciatic nerve but not sure. I go to bed and every night I wake up in so much pain and a burning sensation all the way down my leg. Sometimes I cannot stand up or sit down. If I try to walk I feel as though I am going to go down from the pain and burning.

Sometimes it will start to burn right before the pain hits and I am in tears. It takes at least an hour many times more to get it to stop. I try stretching the leg and sitting on heat or using ice. But so often I am not able to hardly move. Once I do it just burns like it is on fire. And it is scaring me. Many tmies I try to pull my leg up to my chest to stretch it but it does not seem to work.

I called my doctor that I see for my back and he wants to see me on the 7th of June, but until then I am unsure how to help myself through this pain. Sometimes it feels like knife through my calve and the middle of my upper thigh in the back. I want to scream sometimes as the tears fill my eyes. I try to hide this because I don't know what it is.

I have spinal stenosis and it is hitting me on my lower back right now. They tell me there is no cure for this and it will close up my spine. I am unsure if this is what is going on that the spine column has closed around my spinal cord pinching off the nerves that go to my leg.

All I know is it hurts and I cannot find any relief from the pain. I feel at times like I am on fire and I cannot help but cry. I have been taking flexeril and my pain meds but they do not always stop it for a while. I feel afraid and do not want to complain so I try to hold it in and if I know someone is coming over I try to get up and get it under control so no one knows.

Has anyone ever had this happen or know anything about it? Just wondered. It has happened before but never a constant thing like now and it happens every night and morning and sometimes lately it has been happening in the day too. Thank you for listening.

dps

[jen29]

((((DPS)))))

so sorry you are in so much pain. I wish i had an answer for you or could give you some advise, the only thing i can say is that when i was feeling that sort of pain it was a disc problem but am sure you have been through all that, so am sorry am no help.

Just offering hugs if you will take it.

Jen

[sabby]

((((((((((((((((((( dps ))))))))))))))))))))))

I'm so sorry you are going through. I do hope the back doc can figure out what's happening here. I wish I had the answers to help make it feel better even if only until you see the doc.


sabby

[notz]

((((dps))))))))

So sorry you're having this pain. I wish I had the right answer but I don't exactly know what that is.

Sometimes my sciatic nerve bothers me too. I check my posture first. It's very easy for me to sit in weird ways at the computer. Correcting my posture often seems to help although not immediately. I believe it takes a little time for the inflammation to go away.

In the meantime, I take aspirin with the thought that the blood thinning properties will help "flush" the inflammation. Searching for relief, I can look like a contortionist searching for comfort by s-l-o-w-l-y stretching various muscles but never ever to the point of pain.

Constant pain like that can beat me down and I bet you too. Try to hang in there. Much love and thoughts for you.

[darkpurplesecrets]

((((jen. sabby, notz))))

thank you for your thoughts and caring. I am still not getting much relief. Sometimes it is better than others but it is worse in the morning. I find that I cannot even stand or sit and the pain radiates and burns like fire. I have an appointment and I am trying to not go to the ER but I am not sure how much longer I can take this. It is happening everyday now. It takes almost two hours to get it to let up enough to lay or stand or sit. I am a little scared right now as I am unsure what is going on.

Thank you all for caring and I will keep you updated on wht happens. Hugs.

dps

[susan888]

(((DPS)))

I understand that pain (sciatica, foot drag, etc.) but mine was able to be corrected with back surgery years ago. Stenosis is a very different problem. It's been about 15 years since I had my surgery, but I remember that Neurontin helped a bit. Is that still at treatment option?

Wishing I had a magic wand to take your pain away. Please let us know how your doctor appt goes. I will pray that they can relieve or at least ease your pain.

Much love,
Susan

[darkpurplesecrets]

((((Susan))))

Thank you my friend for posting here. I called my doctors this morning and am waiting for a call back. Today has been really bad and I was in tears this morning trying to even move. I finally took a flexeril and after about an hour it let up enough to sit down.

I called the office and they are trying to get ahold of him to see what he wants me to do. I am not sure what is going on. I have had this happen before but it usually goes away and it has never been where it happens everyday. I could not sit or stand this morning for a long while. I tried to massage my leg but it did not help.

I have pain pills from knee surgery to take but I am trying really hard not to take them until I just cannot go any longer. I am afraid as I am unsure of what is going on and I am usually one who tolerates pain pretty well. But this is really different.

Thank you for caring. I will let you know something when I hear. For now I am trying to just lay low and keep the pain under control. Sending gentle hugs and loving thoughts. Always.

dps

[(JD)]

Hi ! I have this problem less often than I used to, but still...

It sure does sound like the sciatic nerve!
You need to lie on your back, pelvic tilt (small of back against flat bed or floor) and use a rope or belt and try stretching your legs (one at a time) up towards your head as far as you can without damaging. It might hurt, like down your leg, but if nothing much more, keep stretching. Do both and often hold for up to 3 minutes a leg (or work up to it) and do this several times a day.

Next, while on your back, draw your knees (again, one at a time) up to your chest and hold it with your arms for as long as you can.

Both the low back muscles and the ham strings need to be stretched to help alleviate this issue.

If you can tolerate ice .. or heat .. now's the time to ice the low back while you're lying down.

What is happening is your muscles are pulling your sacrum out ever so slightly, but it's impinging upon your sciatic nerve. If you can get those muscles to release, allow the sacrum (or ilia ... you've heard of the sacroiliac?) to go back into place. The ice is a good choice for me because with the above, the area swells as a reaction, and causes worse pain. So after stretching (and plenty of times as I can) I numb it with ice.

I've also done "ice massages" ... use a paper or styrofoam cup and freeze it full of water (did I say that right? I 'm really fatigued) Sit on the toilet if you wish and peal the paper back from the ice (never let it drag on your skin!!!!) and move it around the low LOW back.. helping to numb the area. This will also reduce any swelling. You can do this anywhere, but I find allowing the melting ice to drip into the john is easiest. (Plus my toilets are handicap heighth and allows for the sacrum/ilia to go back easier.)

[darkpurplesecrets]

Thank you for your help. I once again awoke with the pain and burning down my leg. I tried the stretch and the ice. The burning did not let up. I finally took a flexeril and within an hour I found some relief. Sitting carefully not trying to move so that hopefully the pain stays at bay at least for awhile.

I go tomorrow to see my doctor to see what he thinks. I only hope something can be done as I am finding myself in tears every morning for hours until I finally get it under control. I am getting scared as I am unsure what it is all about.

Thank you for caring and for the encouraging words. Always.

dps

[darkpurplesecrets]

I went to the doctors today and he has ordered an MRI. I will keep you updated on what I find out and I thank you for your concern and encouraging words. Hugs.

dps

[(JD)]

Yeah, an MRI is what finally convinced the doctors I had the problem (and they, of course, gave it the official names ... which mean I have a lesion from the vertebrae chewing into the spinal cord.)

I would talk with the Physical therapist after the results... the stretching is ongoing to help prevent the pain flares. If the muscles --especially the hamstrings- are not stretched regularly, and the back muscles strengthened (pelvic tilts and all that) that's a bit part of what causes the sacroiliac to infringe upon the sciatic nerve.

It's horrible pain. A vicious cycle.

Hope your MRI is soon, and the follow up quick. I wouldn't go for surgery without a few opinions (OF NON surgical doctors. You go to a surgeon for an opinion, he's going to think surgery!) Hopefully you really won't need surgery.

[BrokenNBeautiful]

Sending you support.

so sorry about what you are going thru.

Billi

[darkpurplesecrets]

((((JD))))

thank you for answering and for your support. I appreciate what you said. This is so painful and it is so hard to stay positive at times. This morning I awoke with a burning shooting down the back side of my left leg. Tears were streaming down my face and I almost fell as my leg just gave out. I am really scared as it has never been this bad. I have not heard from my doctors office but she said she would let me know as they have to wait for insurance to okay it before they schedule it. Hopefully I will here something before the end of the week.

Thank you for caring and for your encouragement and advice. It means so much. Sending you gentle hugs and loving thoughts. Always.

dps

[darkpurplesecrets]

((((Billi))))

thank you for the support and for posting. I really appreciate it and it really touched my heart. I am doing the best I can and I will keep you all updated. Thank you again. Sending you gentle hugs and loving thoughts. Always.

dps

[(JD)]

(((DPS))) The sciatic pain I suffer is excruciating as well. I can't begin to note the number of desperate calls in the middle of the night to my pain/stress psychologist! We now know that part of the problem for me is the swelling that occurs when the bone goes out that far, and I have a anti-inflammatory medication to take, along with the icing and stretching. I also learned I cannot push, pull, nor lift anything hardly at all, or the muscles pull the bones out of place (not just the back too!)

Such horrible pain! Please don't be surprised if the MRI doesn't show anything serious. Please realize the doctors might not understand at all, at that point, and refer you to your therapist. I hope it shows something fixable, if it shows anything, but nothing serious that requires surgery.

I learned not to push, pull nor lift...yet just this past Sunday I leaned against my desk, tush against the lip of it, and pushed it backwards from me on the tile. It slid fairly easily and I only moved it less than 6"...yet it put my sacrum out. I iced and stretched and used hot baths to try to keep pain at bay ... thinking I had PT on Monday. Low and behold, they "forgot" to tell me the PT was out on Monday!! But yesterday he saw me as usual and got everything close to back in place. I'm still cautious about moving around, but not in pain still. (Thank God for small mercies!) It's disheartening to realize I just can't do anything like that, even though I'm feeling pretty okay. It's tougher to "make excuses" to others and say, sorry I can't help, when they see someone who looks perfectly healthy.

You will get through this. Hopefully, you won't return to this kind of pain.

[darkpurplesecrets]

I went to the doctors yesterday to get the results of the MRI. I have a herniated disk (left--L5-S1---Laminotomy discectomy). I will be having surgery to remove the herniated disk that is causing the pain on the left side which is right on the sciatic nerve.

I am in a lot of pain again today and taking flexeril and pain meds eases the pain for awhile but I hate being on the pain pills so much. Surgery is scheduled right now for July 20th but he is trying to move it up to July 13th if he has a cancellation. I have the visit with my PCP for the physical this next Wednesday, July 7th, and the pre-op Friday, July 9th.

My doctor said that once he removes the herniated disk that the pain will stop. I am all for the pain to stop as it has been non-stop now for weeks. I think really it is worse than the labor pain I had with having my children.

I am scared and I am very worn down and exhausted. I just had total knee replacement surgery 6 months ago, so I am just now really starting to recover from that. But I am looking forward to getting the pain under control so I can just live again.

I am so glad that something was really wrong as I was so afraid maybe it was nothing or in my head. But at the same time I knew my body was trying to tell me something was not right. I do not like to complain and I felt I was doing so much of it. I do trust my doctor as he is good and he is not one to do surgery if there is anything else that possibly be done first.

Usually I can tolerate pain better but this was getting the best of me and still is as I could not sleep lastnight for the pain would not let up. I cried so many times and yesterday when the doctor told me as it was just a relief to know that something was found and it was not just in my head.

Thank you all for your support as I have been walking this road for awhile. I appreciate all that you have said and the encouraging words you have given. I would ask that you would keep me in your thoughts and prayers for the next few weeks if you would.

Sending gentle hugs and loving thoughts to you all. Thank you again. Always.

dps

[(JD)]

DPS... please talk to the doctor about them putting IN one of those new replacement disks. I don't want to throw a wet towel on the surgery, but I have yet to meet anyone who was not in pain after a disk was removed (if it wasn't replaced.)

They have a nifty spongey disk they can insert, so you have proper support etc. Please talk to them about it!

In any case, good wishes on a good outcome.