Can anyone share some successful sciatica recovery stories with me?
September 11, 2015 5:27 AM Subscribe
Did you ever have acute sciatica which stopped you from standing, sitting, sleeping, walking, basically, doing anything? Do you not have that anymore? If so, please TELL ME YOUR STORY. Desperate and enquiring minds want to know how to cut through the BS of a million conflicting opinions.
You are not my doctor. I am not a lawyer. This is not my beautiful house. And I never thought I would be the one to write an overly long askme post, but here we are...
I'm in the middle of an agonising bout of sciatica brought about by two herniated discs (L4 to S1) and pretty much stuck in an Eternal Pit of Despair™, waiting days and weeks between specialist appointments who are all giving me conflicting advice.
My usual superhero, the internet, isn't helping much either. All I'm hearing is one horror story after another, and in my darkest hour, I could really use a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel.
(tl;dr)
If you want the long story... (Sorry, I don't know how to make this bit smaller)
I'm a 34 y/o male who up to now has been very healthy and active, if not slightly overweight. I have a pretty sedentary job, but played ice hockey around 3-4 times as week. Since a squatting injury around a decade ago, I've had maybe 1 back spasm every couple of years, until this year, where I got two spasms each worse than the other, requiring around 2-3 days in bed with valium before I could leave the house again.
After this most recent spasm around four weeks ago, I decided to get an Xray and MRI which showed the two bulging discs. I went to my GP, then to an osteopath, then to a physio and a myotherapist, then a specialist spinal physio. Sometime during this attempted rehab process, the sciatica pain started on my left side, almost as soon as the spasm settled. At first I thought it was just a tight muscle from the spasm, but it soon got worse to the point I couldn't stand up for more than a few minutes without having to lean on something and shake out my leg.
Then I started getting some numbness and went back to the GP and demanded an CT Guided Epidural Sterorid Injection (Pro tip - if they use a 22ga needle, it's pretty much painless) Which has pretty much not done anything (this was around ten days ago). If anything, the pain has gotten more intense and moved from its original location to the side of my knee, all down to the side and front of my calf. Not sure if thats good or bad, but it still is pain unlike I have ever had to endure.
At this point I have already missed three weeks of work because I cannot sit in the car let alone drive, and the only positions that are relatively pain-free for me are kneeling over the bed, or laying down with two pillows under my knees. Sleep is hard to come by as every movement to shift position is excruciating, and simple things like walking to the kitchen or trying to sit on the toilet are also quite a challenge.
My GP told me to stay away from Prednisone and Lyrica because of the potential psychiatric side-effects, which to be honest I don't think I could deal with right now. And the more hard-core opiates just knock me out cold, and make me feel really uncomfortable and not 'in control'. Everything else like NSAIDS pretty much just doesn't work, and I simply am in too much pain for any Physios to do anything with.
I finally got to see a highly-regarded neurosurgeon referred to me from my GP this week who spent around 15 minutes with me and then said I needed double spinal fusion which pretty much put me in mild shock, as that's the last thing I want to even be considering right now. I thought maybe a microdiscectomy and laminectomy, but not something that would require taking my windpipe out and being in the hospital for the week.
He then went on to say that I should lay flat on my back for 2-3 weeks and think about it, that it could get better, and that if all Physiotherapists went out of business overnight the world would be a better place for back pain. I should not stand because it will compress the discs further, and I should wait until I get better and then just walk 40 minutes a day, and never have it touched by anyone else.
I sort of thought this was crazy, so I then went back to my specialist spinal physio and asked for another neurosurgeon referral who I am waiting to see for a second opinion next week. I told them about my experience with the neurosurgeon and they told me that I should be moving more and taking Prednisone. The opposite of what my GP and the previous Neuro said.
The normal physio before that said I should do everything I can to avoid surgery because even a microdiscectomy and laminectomy might leave you with more pain or start a cascading series of surgeries down the line, and with the spinal fusions, they are finding that the discs above degenerate after around 10 years.
(/tl;dr)
Basically, each person I see has been telling me something different and I HAVE NO IDEA WHO TO LISTEN TO IT IS DRIVING ME CRAZY. I've already spent thousands of dollars in less than a fortnight and pretty much at my wits end.
The pain at the moment I can live with - I can find positions where it doesn't hurt and use my laptop, but I still have no idea what I'm supposed to do between now and my next appointment(s) as nothing here seems to be clear. I thought medicine was supposed to be straightforward, but this is a whole other level of dysfunction it makes my local council look efficient.
All I want to do is get to a point where I can start some long term rehab. If that means surgery, fine. If I should lay down for the next month, fine. If I should walk every hour for two minutes, fine. If I have to sacrifice my second child to the dark lord, fine. All I want at this moment is to hear from some fellow smart people on the green who might have been through a similar ordeal and come through the other end.
Did you sit or stand? What did you sit or stand on? What advice was good? What was bad? The more detail you can give me, the better! I'm welcoming all comers from one liner to life stories. I just need a few more reference points from normal people so I can try to find my own way.
Thank you for listening.
(I am now going to post a long success story on another medical support forum for another issue that I lurked on for months years ago but never bothered to contribute my story to because I was too lazy. That changes now - there needs to be more success stories out there!)
You are not my doctor. I am not a lawyer. This is not my beautiful house. And I never thought I would be the one to write an overly long askme post, but here we are...
I'm in the middle of an agonising bout of sciatica brought about by two herniated discs (L4 to S1) and pretty much stuck in an Eternal Pit of Despair™, waiting days and weeks between specialist appointments who are all giving me conflicting advice.
My usual superhero, the internet, isn't helping much either. All I'm hearing is one horror story after another, and in my darkest hour, I could really use a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel.
(tl;dr)
If you want the long story... (Sorry, I don't know how to make this bit smaller)
I'm a 34 y/o male who up to now has been very healthy and active, if not slightly overweight. I have a pretty sedentary job, but played ice hockey around 3-4 times as week. Since a squatting injury around a decade ago, I've had maybe 1 back spasm every couple of years, until this year, where I got two spasms each worse than the other, requiring around 2-3 days in bed with valium before I could leave the house again.
After this most recent spasm around four weeks ago, I decided to get an Xray and MRI which showed the two bulging discs. I went to my GP, then to an osteopath, then to a physio and a myotherapist, then a specialist spinal physio. Sometime during this attempted rehab process, the sciatica pain started on my left side, almost as soon as the spasm settled. At first I thought it was just a tight muscle from the spasm, but it soon got worse to the point I couldn't stand up for more than a few minutes without having to lean on something and shake out my leg.
Then I started getting some numbness and went back to the GP and demanded an CT Guided Epidural Sterorid Injection (Pro tip - if they use a 22ga needle, it's pretty much painless) Which has pretty much not done anything (this was around ten days ago). If anything, the pain has gotten more intense and moved from its original location to the side of my knee, all down to the side and front of my calf. Not sure if thats good or bad, but it still is pain unlike I have ever had to endure.
At this point I have already missed three weeks of work because I cannot sit in the car let alone drive, and the only positions that are relatively pain-free for me are kneeling over the bed, or laying down with two pillows under my knees. Sleep is hard to come by as every movement to shift position is excruciating, and simple things like walking to the kitchen or trying to sit on the toilet are also quite a challenge.
My GP told me to stay away from Prednisone and Lyrica because of the potential psychiatric side-effects, which to be honest I don't think I could deal with right now. And the more hard-core opiates just knock me out cold, and make me feel really uncomfortable and not 'in control'. Everything else like NSAIDS pretty much just doesn't work, and I simply am in too much pain for any Physios to do anything with.
I finally got to see a highly-regarded neurosurgeon referred to me from my GP this week who spent around 15 minutes with me and then said I needed double spinal fusion which pretty much put me in mild shock, as that's the last thing I want to even be considering right now. I thought maybe a microdiscectomy and laminectomy, but not something that would require taking my windpipe out and being in the hospital for the week.
He then went on to say that I should lay flat on my back for 2-3 weeks and think about it, that it could get better, and that if all Physiotherapists went out of business overnight the world would be a better place for back pain. I should not stand because it will compress the discs further, and I should wait until I get better and then just walk 40 minutes a day, and never have it touched by anyone else.
I sort of thought this was crazy, so I then went back to my specialist spinal physio and asked for another neurosurgeon referral who I am waiting to see for a second opinion next week. I told them about my experience with the neurosurgeon and they told me that I should be moving more and taking Prednisone. The opposite of what my GP and the previous Neuro said.
The normal physio before that said I should do everything I can to avoid surgery because even a microdiscectomy and laminectomy might leave you with more pain or start a cascading series of surgeries down the line, and with the spinal fusions, they are finding that the discs above degenerate after around 10 years.
(/tl;dr)
Basically, each person I see has been telling me something different and I HAVE NO IDEA WHO TO LISTEN TO IT IS DRIVING ME CRAZY. I've already spent thousands of dollars in less than a fortnight and pretty much at my wits end.
The pain at the moment I can live with - I can find positions where it doesn't hurt and use my laptop, but I still have no idea what I'm supposed to do between now and my next appointment(s) as nothing here seems to be clear. I thought medicine was supposed to be straightforward, but this is a whole other level of dysfunction it makes my local council look efficient.
All I want to do is get to a point where I can start some long term rehab. If that means surgery, fine. If I should lay down for the next month, fine. If I should walk every hour for two minutes, fine. If I have to sacrifice my second child to the dark lord, fine. All I want at this moment is to hear from some fellow smart people on the green who might have been through a similar ordeal and come through the other end.
Did you sit or stand? What did you sit or stand on? What advice was good? What was bad? The more detail you can give me, the better! I'm welcoming all comers from one liner to life stories. I just need a few more reference points from normal people so I can try to find my own way.
Thank you for listening.
(I am now going to post a long success story on another medical support forum for another issue that I lurked on for months years ago but never bothered to contribute my story to because I was too lazy. That changes now - there needs to be more success stories out there!)
First, I think they are both right or both wrong. For some, rest and rehab works fine. For others, heal with steel.
I have spent literally two months in bed with pillows under my knees. I did not get up except to use the bathroom. The pain down my right leg was unbearable. I took the narcotic pain killers. Being loopy in bed was better than just being in bed after a while. Mind you this was long long ago. I was 15. After a year's worth of pain and two straight months of bed rest (lost the summer between 8th and 9th grade) I had a laminectomy. Back then, it was a much more invasive surgery, but I was without pain immediately and up and around (back to school) within a few weeks. That lasted about 20 years. I too played ice hockey, I played softball, basketball, whatever. There really were no limitations.
Fast forward 20 years and the pain returns. I had epidurals, tried rehab and bed rest but to no real or lasting satisfaction. So, I opted for a discectomy. Again, immediate relief.
But, that one only lasted 5 years. After about 25 years and two surgeries, only at that point did I agree to a fusion. (L4-L5 btw). The fusion was about 8 or 9 years ago. I have had no issues whatsoever with my lower back since. To me, it is a miracle. However, withing the last year, the pain returned to my leg but in a different pathway. Turns out that the fusion did put pressure on the space below, L5-S1. So yeah, that risk your consult told you about is real.
Turns out I also have had a fusion in my neck area. That was easy and had immediate results.
I have been you. I have been on my hands and knees next to my bed begging for relief. I have been on my back hoping for relief. (I got a standing fatigue mat for next to my bed so my knees would not hurt when I was on them leaning over the bed.) I have gone from specialist to specialist. Oh, I even tried acupuncture. (That was cool in a I can't believe they are sticking those things in me and it doesn't hurt kind of way. I did not see much if any pain relief with it though.)
Some people believe surgery should be the last option. They do everything they can to avoid including enduring lots of pain. I fall into the category that while it is not the first option, it is not the last either.
Reading your post and having my experience, while I am not a doctor, my concern would be less about the acute pain than with the numbness. Numbness and loss of strength are material problems. If you let that go on long enough, they can be hard to reverse even with surgery. I had my neck done because I was losing a lot of strength in my right and dominant hand. (I did learn to write and throw lefty which is a neat thing, but not being able to even hold a beer in my right hand was not an option)
I am sort of jumping around here, but as is, my right shin lost all feeling for about the last 25 years. I get bumps and bruises and even cuts on it and don't even know it. While that sounds like it could be a positive, it is not.
To me, the first 20 years after the laminectomy and the past 9 years after the fusion are an ad for surgery. I have lived the life 100% of what I want to do. That includes full check hockey, volunteer firefighting and any other physical activity I choose.
If it were me, I would take the narcotic pain killers, would adhere to a strict regimen of bed rest, would then try rehab and building up my core strength, but after a period of time that was less than 6 months, I would have surgery. I am not so sure I would jump right to a double fusion, but I would have a laminectomy for sure.
For some, bed rest and rehab work. For others, surgery is the correct path. The risk of trying the rest/rehab is simply time. Having had my first surgery at a very young age (for back pain) and knowing how long it lasted and again the relief from the fusion, I am not afraid of surgery. These days, with microsurgery techniques, the recovery time is much compressed.
I guess my point is find your own path as you said you would, but fear not surgery as one option.
posted by AugustWest at 6:44 AM on September 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
I have spent literally two months in bed with pillows under my knees. I did not get up except to use the bathroom. The pain down my right leg was unbearable. I took the narcotic pain killers. Being loopy in bed was better than just being in bed after a while. Mind you this was long long ago. I was 15. After a year's worth of pain and two straight months of bed rest (lost the summer between 8th and 9th grade) I had a laminectomy. Back then, it was a much more invasive surgery, but I was without pain immediately and up and around (back to school) within a few weeks. That lasted about 20 years. I too played ice hockey, I played softball, basketball, whatever. There really were no limitations.
Fast forward 20 years and the pain returns. I had epidurals, tried rehab and bed rest but to no real or lasting satisfaction. So, I opted for a discectomy. Again, immediate relief.
But, that one only lasted 5 years. After about 25 years and two surgeries, only at that point did I agree to a fusion. (L4-L5 btw). The fusion was about 8 or 9 years ago. I have had no issues whatsoever with my lower back since. To me, it is a miracle. However, withing the last year, the pain returned to my leg but in a different pathway. Turns out that the fusion did put pressure on the space below, L5-S1. So yeah, that risk your consult told you about is real.
Turns out I also have had a fusion in my neck area. That was easy and had immediate results.
I have been you. I have been on my hands and knees next to my bed begging for relief. I have been on my back hoping for relief. (I got a standing fatigue mat for next to my bed so my knees would not hurt when I was on them leaning over the bed.) I have gone from specialist to specialist. Oh, I even tried acupuncture. (That was cool in a I can't believe they are sticking those things in me and it doesn't hurt kind of way. I did not see much if any pain relief with it though.)
Some people believe surgery should be the last option. They do everything they can to avoid including enduring lots of pain. I fall into the category that while it is not the first option, it is not the last either.
Reading your post and having my experience, while I am not a doctor, my concern would be less about the acute pain than with the numbness. Numbness and loss of strength are material problems. If you let that go on long enough, they can be hard to reverse even with surgery. I had my neck done because I was losing a lot of strength in my right and dominant hand. (I did learn to write and throw lefty which is a neat thing, but not being able to even hold a beer in my right hand was not an option)
I am sort of jumping around here, but as is, my right shin lost all feeling for about the last 25 years. I get bumps and bruises and even cuts on it and don't even know it. While that sounds like it could be a positive, it is not.
To me, the first 20 years after the laminectomy and the past 9 years after the fusion are an ad for surgery. I have lived the life 100% of what I want to do. That includes full check hockey, volunteer firefighting and any other physical activity I choose.
If it were me, I would take the narcotic pain killers, would adhere to a strict regimen of bed rest, would then try rehab and building up my core strength, but after a period of time that was less than 6 months, I would have surgery. I am not so sure I would jump right to a double fusion, but I would have a laminectomy for sure.
For some, bed rest and rehab work. For others, surgery is the correct path. The risk of trying the rest/rehab is simply time. Having had my first surgery at a very young age (for back pain) and knowing how long it lasted and again the relief from the fusion, I am not afraid of surgery. These days, with microsurgery techniques, the recovery time is much compressed.
I guess my point is find your own path as you said you would, but fear not surgery as one option.
posted by AugustWest at 6:44 AM on September 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
I have a similar history of back spasms every couple of years that put me out of commission for a few days each time. And then a few years ago, it started hurting, badly, every day, without relenting. That pain lasted a year. It ran the gamut from stiff and sore to shooting sciatica pains. I had an MRI and my doctor told me "all your discs are thin, really," and that the bottom four were sort of "crumbly" and he couldn't even tell which one was causing the acute problem because they were all in such bad shape. He said there was nothing he could do for me, and that if any physician ever told me he could fix my back, I should get up and walk out of the office. He also told me I probably wouldn't be in pain forever, and that whatever part of whichever disc was causing the immediate issue would probably settle down eventually and give me some relief.
Today I am fine. I have had no pain for almost two years. The things I did were gentle yoga every day - starting very slow, because in the beginning I couldn't even bend at the waist some days - and I got a new very firm tempur-pedic mattress. But I have no idea if these things actually made a difference or if, as my doctor suggested, things just got "worked out" in there.
There is hope, though. You probably won't feel like this forever. In my 15 years of seeing physicians for back issues I've come to believe that surgery really is a nuclear option that helps very few people long-term. Back problems suck and I'm sorry you're going through this right now.
posted by something something at 6:59 AM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Today I am fine. I have had no pain for almost two years. The things I did were gentle yoga every day - starting very slow, because in the beginning I couldn't even bend at the waist some days - and I got a new very firm tempur-pedic mattress. But I have no idea if these things actually made a difference or if, as my doctor suggested, things just got "worked out" in there.
There is hope, though. You probably won't feel like this forever. In my 15 years of seeing physicians for back issues I've come to believe that surgery really is a nuclear option that helps very few people long-term. Back problems suck and I'm sorry you're going through this right now.
posted by something something at 6:59 AM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'd go with the surgeon (sorta), especially if he's as good as his reputation. Good surgeons avoid surgery for as long as possible, and if his first reaction is surgery, then surgery it is. And sometimes laminectomies/diskectomies aren't the right answer. I'm not sure I agree with the rest of his statements, though. If the disks are bulging so badly that the spinal steroid didn't help, it's highly unlikely that laying down for a couple of weeks will solve that problem. Nor will oral steroids (prednisone). Have you had hydro, or tried just "hanging" in the pool? If that helps, then maybe resting supine will, but you can't stay on bedrest forever, and I don't think that herniated discs will heal on their own (although it depends on how badly the shell is compromised). And yeah, it's entirely possible that getting fusion now will result in more surgery later, but it's probably worth it -- if you can't move now..... Bed rest works for some, but if you don't see improvement in a couple of months, then surgery might be the answer.
As AW says, the major complication from rest is time, but there are so many things that can go wrong with surgery that docs try to avoid it. OTOH, sometimes, it's just a relief to open the hood and fix the problem.
I had L4-S1 fusion 10 years ago, and it was wonderful (well, as wonderful as surgery ever is -- hurt like hell for a couple of months, took about a year to stabilise afterwards). The surgeon told me at the time that I might need to have the joints above done eventually, because the fusion would put more stress on them, but it seemed a fair trade -- 10 years down the road, I'm so glad I had it done. I probably should have had it done earlier, but I wasn't in pain -- I lost muscle control and sensation down my right leg, and what took me to the doc was (essentially) fatigue from walking on half a leg.
The thing is that there is far less to be said about a successful surgery than an unsuccessful one.
Also, medicine isn't straightforward because the human body isn't straightforward, and every body reacts differently. There are so many ways for disks to degrade -- if it's just general degradation, then surgery may not help (or only help for a little while), but if it's due to an incident, then surgery may be the answer. My surgeon was very straightforward with me, and we discussed the pros and cons of having surgery extensively.
posted by jlkr at 7:11 AM on September 11, 2015
As AW says, the major complication from rest is time, but there are so many things that can go wrong with surgery that docs try to avoid it. OTOH, sometimes, it's just a relief to open the hood and fix the problem.
I had L4-S1 fusion 10 years ago, and it was wonderful (well, as wonderful as surgery ever is -- hurt like hell for a couple of months, took about a year to stabilise afterwards). The surgeon told me at the time that I might need to have the joints above done eventually, because the fusion would put more stress on them, but it seemed a fair trade -- 10 years down the road, I'm so glad I had it done. I probably should have had it done earlier, but I wasn't in pain -- I lost muscle control and sensation down my right leg, and what took me to the doc was (essentially) fatigue from walking on half a leg.
The thing is that there is far less to be said about a successful surgery than an unsuccessful one.
Also, medicine isn't straightforward because the human body isn't straightforward, and every body reacts differently. There are so many ways for disks to degrade -- if it's just general degradation, then surgery may not help (or only help for a little while), but if it's due to an incident, then surgery may be the answer. My surgeon was very straightforward with me, and we discussed the pros and cons of having surgery extensively.
posted by jlkr at 7:11 AM on September 11, 2015
About two years ago I ruptured a disc in my back--L5-S1. It got progressively worse while I tried PT, massage, chiropractic, prednisone, until I couldn't stand or sit or sleep. I ended up having a laminectomy/discectomy about 6 months later. The improvement was immediate and I haven't had that kind of debilitating pain since. I continue to have some pain and aching in my leg even two years after but it is relatively mild. I find that when I go to the gym to stretch/work out I don't have any pain at all. I jogged a 5k this year but am still hesitant to lift anything more than 40 lbs or so. Good luck!
posted by unreasonable at 7:31 AM on September 11, 2015
posted by unreasonable at 7:31 AM on September 11, 2015
My situation is almost exactly unreasonable's. Discectomy two years ago with immediate improvement. I still have some very minor pain and recently decided that running is probably not something I should keep doing but other than that I have a functional life back.
posted by octothorpe at 7:42 AM on September 11, 2015
posted by octothorpe at 7:42 AM on September 11, 2015
If you can get through a few bad days with opiates you might be better off. On a level dose, the buzz and the nodding and the nausea should go away (for me it took 7-10 days) while you still get the pain relief and the constipation. Opiates allowed me to sleep at night and get back to a more normal range of motion. Time and physical therapy did the rest. I did not need surgery and it's been 10+ years since my two episodes with sciatica. From talking to friends and co-workers about their back surgeries I haven't heard a lot of great outcomes, but the choices you get are the ones you get and sometimes that means surgery. Good luck.
posted by in278s at 8:11 AM on September 11, 2015
posted by in278s at 8:11 AM on September 11, 2015
A family member had awful sciatica, had surgery twenty years ago, and has had no recurrence. (Unfortunately, that's all I know.)
posted by salvia at 9:21 AM on September 11, 2015
posted by salvia at 9:21 AM on September 11, 2015
When I had an L4/L5 situation that, like you, left me unable to sit, stand, sleep, etc the thing that brought it down to a managable level of pain so I could then get help of various sorts (physical therapy and the like) was the prednisone. It is a bit hyper-making, but I just cut out all caffeine for that period. It saved my life. No joke -- at the time I was in so much pain that the way I would urinate (I'm female) would be to take off my clothes and stand in the bathtub and just let the pee run down my legs. That's how much sitting on the toilet hurt. So yeah, I'm a prednisone believer in this sort of situation.
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:28 AM on September 11, 2015
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:28 AM on September 11, 2015
The last time i wrote too much about my back on Askme.
Prednisone fucking sucks but is a miracle drug [I've never gotten it for back pain, though].
I admit to being surprised by all the doctor-given advice to lay in bed. I've always been told that, yeah, it's what you WANT to do, but you have to get up and move around. My memory of the really bad sciatic pain was that the first 1-2 minutes of walking was the WORST thing on earth, but after pushing through that, the pain decreased dramatically.
Success story: Had the diskectomy at 20. Am 34 and run long distances, lift HEAVY and mostly do whatever. [A year or two after the surgery, I'd get new sciatic pain that scared the shit out of me bc I didn't have time for the pain or surgery. Would get pain meds and physical therapy. Even that hasn't happened in 10 years or so.] Ever so slight residual skin numbness on the front, lower part of my leg which I only notice when shaving my legs.
posted by atomicstone at 9:51 AM on September 11, 2015
Prednisone fucking sucks but is a miracle drug [I've never gotten it for back pain, though].
I admit to being surprised by all the doctor-given advice to lay in bed. I've always been told that, yeah, it's what you WANT to do, but you have to get up and move around. My memory of the really bad sciatic pain was that the first 1-2 minutes of walking was the WORST thing on earth, but after pushing through that, the pain decreased dramatically.
Success story: Had the diskectomy at 20. Am 34 and run long distances, lift HEAVY and mostly do whatever. [A year or two after the surgery, I'd get new sciatic pain that scared the shit out of me bc I didn't have time for the pain or surgery. Would get pain meds and physical therapy. Even that hasn't happened in 10 years or so.] Ever so slight residual skin numbness on the front, lower part of my leg which I only notice when shaving my legs.
posted by atomicstone at 9:51 AM on September 11, 2015
Here is my comment from a similar thread. In short, surgery worked for me.
posted by sulaine at 9:52 AM on September 11, 2015
posted by sulaine at 9:52 AM on September 11, 2015
Layman's experience: My sciatica was not as bad as these, but for a while there I limped, and had to hoist myself up steps, couldn't sleep well, etc. I saw an orthopedist, who referred me to his practice's genius of a physical therapist (no kidding; this guy is legendary. They call him "the shoulder whisperer," or for me, the hip whisperer.) Around that same time, I started taking an ordinary antidepressant, which allowed me to start challenging my tolerance for sciatic pain, slowly but steadily. Eventually I started walking to work, and using a standing desk (sitting as rarely as possible, but the thing is to keep it in motion). Also started a beginner's Iyengar yoga class, and watched my weight to stay mid-BMI. All these things together, over time, really added up to where I hardly notice it today, unless I get lazy. Getting a good strong massage periodically on that side's shoulder area (deltoid, trapezius) also helps maintain.
In a New Yorker profile of Spalding Gray, it mentioned that his sciatica became unbearable when, after being bedridden for a long time, his muscles became so soft that the sciatic nerve became embedded. Sounds like agony! From that I took that you have to keep your leg, hip, pelvic muscles strong and supple, free of knots, so that the healed nerve can slide smoothly along its trajectory.
posted by mmiddle at 11:37 AM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
In a New Yorker profile of Spalding Gray, it mentioned that his sciatica became unbearable when, after being bedridden for a long time, his muscles became so soft that the sciatic nerve became embedded. Sounds like agony! From that I took that you have to keep your leg, hip, pelvic muscles strong and supple, free of knots, so that the healed nerve can slide smoothly along its trajectory.
posted by mmiddle at 11:37 AM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
My wife had sciatica from a herniated disc. It was very, very bad, with extreme, unmanageable pain and numbness in her right leg stretching to her toes.
She ended up on the couch for about 3 months until she could walk and do basic tasks. After that there would be relapses. The intensity decreased as the interval between relapses increased.
She has remained largely free from debilitating sciatica since then, although she still has numbness in her toes from time to time.
The herniated disc was caused by lifting our then-infant son, and also by long-haul flights.
Besides recuperating in bed for three months and performing no physical activity, once she did regain her basic mobility she:
- lost weight - about 15 kilograms
- exercised her core, starting out by walking
- did weight training to build up core strength
- took up jogging
She went from someone who was somewhat exercise adverse (it's a cultural thing) to someone who started running 10k's.
Building up core body strength and losing weight were the biggest factors. A total lifestyle change.
So there is this thing going around right now that having a high BMI is no problemo, but for some people it most definitely will trigger serious, life-changing health problems.
posted by Nevin at 12:53 PM on September 11, 2015
She ended up on the couch for about 3 months until she could walk and do basic tasks. After that there would be relapses. The intensity decreased as the interval between relapses increased.
She has remained largely free from debilitating sciatica since then, although she still has numbness in her toes from time to time.
The herniated disc was caused by lifting our then-infant son, and also by long-haul flights.
Besides recuperating in bed for three months and performing no physical activity, once she did regain her basic mobility she:
- lost weight - about 15 kilograms
- exercised her core, starting out by walking
- did weight training to build up core strength
- took up jogging
She went from someone who was somewhat exercise adverse (it's a cultural thing) to someone who started running 10k's.
Building up core body strength and losing weight were the biggest factors. A total lifestyle change.
So there is this thing going around right now that having a high BMI is no problemo, but for some people it most definitely will trigger serious, life-changing health problems.
posted by Nevin at 12:53 PM on September 11, 2015
Core exercise helped me as well when I had a six month bout of sciatica eight years ago. Walking wasn't a problem, but sitting was agony and I switched to a standing desk for the following three years. I credit my eventual recovery to building up my core strength so the muscles could support my lower back more effectively.
I occasionally have flare-ups that remind me to watch my core and back periodically, and I've stayed active especially on a bike ever since.
posted by migurski at 5:17 PM on September 11, 2015
I occasionally have flare-ups that remind me to watch my core and back periodically, and I've stayed active especially on a bike ever since.
posted by migurski at 5:17 PM on September 11, 2015
Please tell me you're using ice.
Disclaimer. I am not a doctor. I'm no longer in the health field. I been involved in over 200+ patient visits a week, for a bunch of years in the late 80s.
Once upon a time, I ran a spinal rehabilitation facility. We had great results because we were doing some very aggressive and smart muscular strengthening. I'd occasionally discuss with neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons exactly what direct exercise can do (along with the snake oil items like strengthening the abs...instead of the back.)
I can tell you the following observations/things I learned.
At 8 weeks, 80% of people have a major reduction of discomfort regardless of treatment type (exercise, bedrest, chiropractics.) No matter what, ice (an anti-inflamatory) is a great choice to
reduce pain. If you're not using it, you want 20 min on/off as often as you like.
A surgeon sees you and is evaluating if cutting you is the solution. They're trained to look at cutting bodies (and dealing with malpractice suits.) A capable one wants to cut you because they think they'll get great results. Most of them get only 3-4 hours of education around exercise.
Surgery isn't undoable. I remember that 5 cm bulges and less, don't get great results in surgery. and that a larger number (8cm?) get significantly better results. Find out your MRI results in detail.
(The tool that we used - 20 years ago, was the MedX Lumbar Extension. A facility finder is found under resources on their webpage.)
Again, just for the pure pain, ice is magical in decreasing inflammation.
posted by filmgeek at 7:59 PM on September 12, 2015
Disclaimer. I am not a doctor. I'm no longer in the health field. I been involved in over 200+ patient visits a week, for a bunch of years in the late 80s.
Once upon a time, I ran a spinal rehabilitation facility. We had great results because we were doing some very aggressive and smart muscular strengthening. I'd occasionally discuss with neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons exactly what direct exercise can do (along with the snake oil items like strengthening the abs...instead of the back.)
I can tell you the following observations/things I learned.
At 8 weeks, 80% of people have a major reduction of discomfort regardless of treatment type (exercise, bedrest, chiropractics.) No matter what, ice (an anti-inflamatory) is a great choice to
reduce pain. If you're not using it, you want 20 min on/off as often as you like.
A surgeon sees you and is evaluating if cutting you is the solution. They're trained to look at cutting bodies (and dealing with malpractice suits.) A capable one wants to cut you because they think they'll get great results. Most of them get only 3-4 hours of education around exercise.
Surgery isn't undoable. I remember that 5 cm bulges and less, don't get great results in surgery. and that a larger number (8cm?) get significantly better results. Find out your MRI results in detail.
(The tool that we used - 20 years ago, was the MedX Lumbar Extension. A facility finder is found under resources on their webpage.)
Again, just for the pure pain, ice is magical in decreasing inflammation.
posted by filmgeek at 7:59 PM on September 12, 2015
Response by poster: I just wanted to thank everyone so much for taking the time to write in with their stories and experience. With this sort of question there's definitely no 'best answer', but It's given me a lot to think about ahead of my appointment with my neurosurgeon for a second opinion tomorrow. It makes me delighted to hear so many people have found relief in their own way though - I honestly wouldn't wish this pain on my worst enemy. Thank you again!
posted by LongDrive at 8:56 PM on September 13, 2015
posted by LongDrive at 8:56 PM on September 13, 2015
I know this is a couple days late but my boyfriend had sciatica and a pill cured it. It was cyclobenzaprine. Also, my dog has degenerative disc disease and her vet prescribed her a drug in that same family. I don't know how it works, but it does. Within a week or less both bf and dog were back to normal after weeks of agony. You may be far past this being able to work for you but it's worth asking your GP about.
posted by irisclara at 9:08 PM on September 13, 2015
posted by irisclara at 9:08 PM on September 13, 2015
Another late answer, but I can tell you, being just 9 days since my second surgery (a laminectomy @ L5-S1), that relief from symptoms is not immediate. I know of and have heard of some people who wake up from surgery and find the leg pain or foot pain or hip pain is gone. I'm not one of those lucky ones.
Two years ago, I had severe and chronic pain and immobility sneak up on me from apparently nowhere. After 5 months of pain pills, steroids, epidurals, chiropractic and acupuncture (none of which worked or worked enough to resolve the issue), I wound up getting fused at L5-S1, with supporting hardware. It took about 4 months for me to feel normal again; and I still had some residual foot pain, though it was at a level I could live with.
Fast forward another year or so, and the pain in my right foot began to increase to the point I could barely wear a shoe. A couple of months of PT did nothing for it, and last week I had the laminectomy to (hopefully) relieve pressure on the nerve root. I still have the foot pain, in addition to the post-surgical pain. So now it's just a waiting game.
But if you go the surgery route, my advice is to get moving as soon as you can. Walk, even if it's just up and down the block a couple of times a day. I'm doing 3 to 4 miles a day now, albeit slowly and gingerly, but it does make a huge difference. Also, don't skimp on the pain pills for the first week after surgery!
Hope all goes well for you!
posted by jrchaplin at 5:20 PM on September 17, 2015
Two years ago, I had severe and chronic pain and immobility sneak up on me from apparently nowhere. After 5 months of pain pills, steroids, epidurals, chiropractic and acupuncture (none of which worked or worked enough to resolve the issue), I wound up getting fused at L5-S1, with supporting hardware. It took about 4 months for me to feel normal again; and I still had some residual foot pain, though it was at a level I could live with.
Fast forward another year or so, and the pain in my right foot began to increase to the point I could barely wear a shoe. A couple of months of PT did nothing for it, and last week I had the laminectomy to (hopefully) relieve pressure on the nerve root. I still have the foot pain, in addition to the post-surgical pain. So now it's just a waiting game.
But if you go the surgery route, my advice is to get moving as soon as you can. Walk, even if it's just up and down the block a couple of times a day. I'm doing 3 to 4 miles a day now, albeit slowly and gingerly, but it does make a huge difference. Also, don't skimp on the pain pills for the first week after surgery!
Hope all goes well for you!
posted by jrchaplin at 5:20 PM on September 17, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
I can't tell you you'll be fine eventually, and it's going to be a slow process if it does happen, but I can say that it does at least sometimes heal up without any major intervention.
posted by edd at 6:42 AM on September 11, 2015