[Mouse_]

I've endured pain from scietica for 13yrs. I've been to my Gp and his basically thinks I'm just attention seeking. Those dam Mental Health labels sure mess up any future understanding Gps care to give. Well I went to a pysiotherapists yesterday and he told me my condition is chronic and surgery is the best option. I have no nerve reflex in my left leg and the pain is 24/7 which I have learnt to live with. When the pysio told me this yesterday I wanted to cry because I knew I wasn't "making it up". Surgery won't be for a while but at last someone has listened to me!!!

[mick07]

Congratulations on following this through. Sometimes it is so hard to get doctors to listen-- But you did it. Hope everything goes well.

[ECHOES]

((( Mouse_)))

I don't have it all the time, but I get it sometimes and it's so hard to put up with. The last episode I had was the worst and really concerned me.

I hope you can find a way to be comfortable.

[bebop]

I hate that you are having to face surgery for this. I know how you feel though when a dr just does not believe you. I have one like that myself. good luck with the surgery.

[(JD)]

My sciatica creates unbearable pain. My sacrum (sacro-iliac) goes out so easily, I have to not push, pull, lift anything above 5 lbs (3lbs is safer for me.) I can't do stairs as that can also pop it out; if I must then I have to do bad side (leg) down then the other then the bad then the other leg...at an angle. It helps greatly. My physical therapist taught me many ways to prevent the sacrum from going out. (The sacrum goes out and presses on the sciatic nerve...either side and sometimes both!)

I also found that when the sacrum goes out, the surrounding tissues swell up in reaction. If I ice up and also do some stretches, it might prevent the sciatic nerve from being involved. Otherwise, I take an anti-inflamatory. I've lived with this chronic pain since my injury. I say all this because my pain can often be off the charts (above level 10) yet I refuse surgery until they figure out what works for me, forever...etc hehehe
Do see if you can work with your physio for relief. I'm very glad you found someone who validated you...that means so much! Maybe your physio will help educate your MD.

[Mouse_]

Originally Posted by _Sky

My sciatica creates unbearable pain. My sacrum (sacro-iliac) goes out so easily, I have to not push, pull, lift anything above 5 lbs (3lbs is safer for me.) I can't do stairs as that can also pop it out; if I must then I have to do bad side (leg) down then the other then the bad then the other leg...at an angle. It helps greatly. My physical therapist taught me many ways to prevent the sacrum from going out. (The sacrum goes out and presses on the sciatic nerve...either side and sometimes both!)

I also found that when the sacrum goes out, the surrounding tissues swell up in reaction. If I ice up and also do some stretches, it might prevent the sciatic nerve from being involved. Otherwise, I take an anti-inflamatory. I've lived with this chronic pain since my injury. I say all this because my pain can often be off the charts (above level 10) yet I refuse surgery until they figure out what works for me, forever...etc hehehe
Do see if you can work with your physio for relief. I'm very glad you found someone who validated you...that means so much! Maybe your physio will help educate your MD.

Well I have to be able to lift weight as thats part of my job and I need to work and I need to be able to walk up and down stairs as I live in a house with stairs so it seems sugery is the best option for me to be able to continue to live a normal life...I really do not want to go down the sick benefits route as I enjoy working even if it is part time...I'm sure my physio has taken that into account on accessing the situation...I'm pleased you have found a way that works for you!

[jacqueline1110]

When I saw this board had a chronic pain section I had to see if anyone had sciatica so I could share my story. I'm pain free now, after 15 yrs of chronic back pain from bulging discs, and 4 years of sciatica pain so bad I could not sit or stand or touch my toes. My dance career was over. The answers were easy it was just finding the solutions that were a journey. I learned so much about the body along the way.

I don't claim to know your situation, but I really hope I can help someone because I have avoided surgery and now do jiu jitsu, capoiera and pilates at least 5x's a week. I was a professional dancer for many years. I'm 42. I'm better now than I was in my 20's and 30's.

Doctors were giving me shock therapy, adjustments, pills, exercises, nothing worked. No one had any answers for me, one sort of mentioned scar tissue, and worked on trying to break it up along my outer thigh. I needed much more. When I started going to the gym, I found out a lot of athletes have sciatica & use a foam roller. ($2.99 online) I chose to use a extra large dog toy tennis ball ($4), and spent the next year rolling my outer thigh using my body weight to break it up. I'm sooooo happy now!!! I still have to go back to the massage therapist in my doctors office to get the scar tissue across my lower back, but I have no pain, only stiffness, it affects my kicks on my left side.

The other thing that I highly recommend is a video No More Back Pain from Gaiam.com that was amazingly helpful. I still do go to a chiropractor, so my training doesn't cause me to create negative holding patterns in my spine.

Another thing I have learned if you are interested in the mind body connection: Louise Hay says the probable cause for sciatica is Being hypocritical, fear of money and of the future. Lower back represents Fear of money and lack of financial support. Working through these issues, has really made a difference for me.

I hope this helps and if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

[joycet]

Originally Posted by Mouse_

I've endured pain from scietica for 13yrs. I've been to my Gp and his basically thinks I'm just attention seeking. Those dam Mental Health labels sure mess up any future understanding Gps care to give. Well I went to a pysiotherapists yesterday and he told me my condition is chronic and surgery is the best option. I have no nerve reflex in my left leg and the pain is 24/7 which I have learnt to live with. When the pysio told me this yesterday I wanted to cry because I knew I wasn't "making it up". Surgery won't be for a while but at last someone has listened to me!!!

I know what your going through. I have been through 5 back surgeries in the past 8 years, and have had lingering sciatica. I was on many medications which made me fuzzy and high, and still in pain. I went to pain management doctor and he put me on lyrica. Oh my gosh, what a difference this medication did for me. My sciatica is under control and I quit using my cane. I still have back pain, but less. I am also on ultram for the pain. Maybe discuss these meds with your doctor. Hope this helps! I am new to these boards.
Joyce

[ECHOES]

Mine is killing me again lately. I also fell, my bum hitting the edge of a concrete step and a heavy upholstered chair fallilng on my leg. I think that injured another area of my back, low sacral area, and overextended my knee. I hurt and feel like one exposed nerve from hip and bum to thigh and calf and to ankle and toes and my knee is a mess. I guess at least it's all the same leg. lol

[MINIME]

Im sorry your dr is crappy. I know how you feel. Crappy dr make for crappy unnecessary suffering.

[OldGeezer]

Aloha Mouse!

Wow! You and I are alot alike with the exception that I had all my surgeries (three of them!) within the first 4 years of dealing with my herniated discs and sciatica. All of them failed and I am now entering my 12TH year of living with sciatica and severe back pain.

From what little I can gather from your short post, you have somehow managed to "live with the pain" for the past 13 years. I know what that is like to be FORCED to "live with it" due to my first doctor not being very good with chronic pain patients. Luckily, I only had to deal with her for the first 18 months of my now dozen years of living in CP.

If you've managed to 'live with the pain', yet be very miserable and all that goes with it...I KNOW what it's like, remember?...maybe instead of going into a surgery without talking to others that have had similar surgery to find out what the "odds" are of coming out of it "better off"...May I suggest that you build up a trusting relationship with your doctor who you have finally found to be a compasionate soul and perhaps all you really need is a mild to medium pain medication.
It isn't unheard of for CP patients to take a pain medication every day. Since all of my spine surgeries failed and there was nothing more the surgeons could do (or so they said), I've been taking pain medication for the past 8+ years and probably will for the rest of my life.
My quality of life without the pain medication is almost non-existent and I fall into such deep depressions that I have actually scared myself in the past. However, WITH pain meds, (yes, mine are a narcotic), I at least can feel like I should be alive and try to enjoy my marriage of 30 years and 3 (now adults) children that came with it. Even though I'm on SS disability after struggling with the pain for 8 years, my wife has decided to stay with me and I will be forever grateful for that. That, along with the reduction in pain from the medications, makes my life at least feel worthwhile to live now.
In hindsight, I am actually in MORE pain after the 3 surgeries and wish I'd never had any of them at all!
Ahhhh, if only all of us had a TIME MACHINE. Wouldn't that be nice?

Just my opinion to you. You seem to be an individual of strong character and if you can avoid surgeries at any cost, I'd suggest that. Sometimes, like me, we end up with surgeons who are only chasing the dollar bill and really don't have our best interests in mind. I didn't have much to choose from here in Hawaii and back in 1997 - 2000 the medical care here was practically that of a "developing country". It has come a long way since then, fortunately.

Let us know how things work out for you, OK? I am a very concerned and hopeful fellow member. Good luck!