Who's had to deal with a pinched sciatic nerve?

[Hillbilly]

I had severe sciatic pain for years. It got to the point where I could barely walk, couldn’t drive, couldn’t even ride in a car. I had to lay down in the back and be driven around. For months I couldn’t sleep. I would take 10mg of hydrocodone and 800mg of Motrin just to get out of bed, crawl downstairs and collapse in the floor for an hour. Like Printcraft said, it sucks. Big time.
I did chiropractic, acupuncture, PT, meds, spinal injections, and everything else you can imagine. I wound up having surgery to remove a chunk that broke off when the disk ruptured. The piece that broke off was pressing on the sciatic nerve. That’s not something that is going to go away on it’s own.
Three months after the surgery, I ruptured it again. Even worse the second time around. Six months of PT, meds, etc with no improvement so they decided that surgery was the way to go again. Two back surgeries in 9 months.
It seemed to work the second time and it’s been right at a year since the last surgery. I still have a lot of weakness in my back and am very stiff in the mornings. there just isn't much cushion left in that joint.

The best thing to do is rest. I mean really rest. Don’t lift anything. Give it a few days and see if the steroids kick in and help reduce the swelling. Hopefully it will and things will calm down.

Best of luck. It sucks big time.

 

[Rookie]

I will give that a try. What kind of surgery did you have that helped you?

I can't remember the name. The doctor went in with a laser and trimmed where the nerve was being pinched. Instant relief and two weeks of light duty.

Found it.

https://www.healthline.com/health/back-pain/laser-back-surgery#alternative-treatments

 

[Toecutter]

I can't remember the name. The doctor went in with a laser and trimmed where the nerve was being pinched. Instant relief and two weeks of light duty.

Found it.

https://www.healthline.com/health/back-pain/laser-back-surgery#alternative-treatments

Thank you very much!

 

[Toecutter]

I'm not sure sitting on an actual ice pack would be awesome, but the pads I linked are nice. Also keep in mind that is a therapy. You have do it consistently over the course of days for it to work. Ice therapy took me from out of the game for over a week last time to 2 days the next time. The key is to get on it as early as you can. The same is true of the chiro for me. Walked out no better than I walked in each appointment, but recovery time was MUCH faster over all after multiple visits vs. doing nothing at all.



I'll be ordering one of those. The chiro puts an electro shock thing on my back and I've been wondering about a home version. Money well spent if it's even 1/2 as good.

Thank you very much for the info!

 

[Toecutter]

I have had good luck with inversion table. Hanging from your ankles.

I really want to try one of those.

 

[Hookeye]

Buddy just got one said even after a couple short times, his knees don't hurt. Back has not gotten worse, so with longer and maybe steeper angle it may prove quite worthwhile.
I'll proly go over and try it this weekend.

 

[Toecutter]

I had severe sciatic pain for years. It got to the point where I could barely walk, couldn’t drive, couldn’t even ride in a car. I had to lay down in the back and be driven around. For months I couldn’t sleep. I would take 10mg of hydrocodone and 800mg of Motrin just to get out of bed, crawl downstairs and collapse in the floor for an hour. Like Printcraft said, it sucks. Big time.
I did chiropractic, acupuncture, PT, meds, spinal injections, and everything else you can imagine. I wound up having surgery to remove a chunk that broke off when the disk ruptured. The piece that broke off was pressing on the sciatic nerve. That’s not something that is going to go away on it’s own.
Three months after the surgery, I ruptured it again. Even worse the second time around. Six months of PT, meds, etc with no improvement so they decided that surgery was the way to go again. Two back surgeries in 9 months.
It seemed to work the second time and it’s been right at a year since the last surgery. I still have a lot of weakness in my back and am very stiff in the mornings. there just isn't much cushion left in that joint.

The best thing to do is rest. I mean really rest. Don’t lift anything. Give it a few days and see if the steroids kick in and help reduce the swelling. Hopefully it will and things will calm down.

Best of luck. It sucks big time.

Thank you for your response. Sounds like you had an absolute terrible time. I couldn't imagine going through what you had to endure. I have 2 complete days on my meds and not only do I feel no relief, I actually think the pain is getting worse. I can barely walk a few feet without having to stop and sit down or lean on something. Now try standing up straight, that's a No Go! The pain is excruciating most of the time. When I have to go relieve myself I have to put most of my weight on my left leg and stand on my toes on my right. I have worked the same job for 38 years and very rarely if ever, miss a days work. Now I can't go back to work the way I am and it's killing me. I think I am going to call the doctor again tomorrow and tell him I'm not only getting better, I feel like I'm getting worse. I think I need to get an MRI to see exactly what's going on. I could be just wasting time with the meds if I have something like a messed up disc or bone spur. I have to find relief soon.

 

[Toecutter]

Just got home from our Chiro. No it never goes away and you will never be 100% again but as we age and use up what we were born with that's all part of it.

Hard to hear but you are definitely correct!

 

[Toecutter]

Kinda surprised how many have had issue where they couldn't stand up and had to crawl. When my sciatica was at its worst, I turned at the hip while sitting on the side of the bed and it was like a lightning strike when down my leg and all I could do was lay flat on the bed. Stood up 3 times but couldn't put my weight on my right leg. Thankfully I was able to borrow a crutch from my brother to get around the house and back to the Dr the next day. Never had to crawl but thought I might a few times

I can barely limp a few feet before I have to sit down or lean on the closest thing I can find.

 

[Toecutter]

I have had good luck with inversion table. Hanging from your ankles.

I need to try one.

 

[Toecutter]

Seriously talk to your doc about gabapentin my understanding is that it is more of a nerve blocker than a pain med. And my foc and the brain & spine doc assured me it was non habit forming and no risk of addiction. Made a big difference for me and haven't taken any since the end of March last year

I definitely will ask him if I can give it a shot.

 

[Toecutter]

I have also had good luck with Goodman Campbell brain and spine. I had Dr. Khairi fix my neck. Good stuff in that man.

Thank you for the info.

 

[Hookeye]

I get tension headaches a lot (hey no migraines since 2007).
My neck forever was like gravel.
Shot a lot of archery.

Felt bad stuff coming on saturday in the Jeep. Went to pop my neck.
No pop.
No gravel either.

Come to think of it, my neck hasn't been crunchy for a long while.
Strain and sore, but not the gravel or able to pop.

yay.

My lower back is crap though LOL.
Have done the pigeon stretches, seated in chair.
Felt the nerve roll and stomach did a flip.
Those hurt me BAD.
Not sure if the increase in pain elsewhere masks the pinched nerve or it actually helps.
Seems to, like 15 minutes later.

But that rolling twang thing deep down...........urp!

 

[Toecutter]

Seems we are a bunch of beat up near cripples.....

You got that right! Lol..

 

[Toecutter]

Not sure I saw the same Doc but Goodman Campbell brain & spine is who took care of me. I'd recommend them for sure

Thank you!

 

[Toecutter]

I get tension headaches a lot (hey no migraines since 2007).
My neck forever was like gravel.
Shot a lot of archery.

Felt bad stuff coming on saturday in the Jeep. Went to pop my neck.
No pop.
No gravel either.

Come to think of it, my neck hasn't been crunchy for a long while.
Strain and sore, but not the gravel or able to pop.

yay.

My lower back is crap though LOL.
Have done the pigeon stretches, seated in chair.
Felt the nerve roll and stomach did a flip.
Those hurt me BAD.
Not sure if the increase in pain elsewhere masks the pinched nerve or it actually helps.
Seems to, like 15 minutes later.

But that rolling twang thing deep down...........urp!

That does sound nasty!

 

[Hookeye]

Wait til your back hurts so bad you have to pee by looking at a clock.
Today at work I had to move around and it felt like a small diameter arrow hit me below my belt buckle, in from the front and out the back.
Field point, not broadheads LOL.
Just a zap, a few times.
Eventually it quit.

Am home, rigor mortis setting in.
Pelvis just burns.
Does all the time, but burner is almost to medium now.

So if I lay down the right way, and it ebbs, should fall asleep.
Be up in two hrs or less, move........do again.
Avg 3-4 hrs sleep a night, never in one chunk.
Sometimes two, sometimes five. Just never know.
Think record this yr is 3 hrs straight.

 

[Hookeye]

That does sound nasty!

Hell yeah it was. Read up, said do this exrcise.
Yowza!

Doesn't do it all the time, but now and then. Best attempt on empty stomach.
It was a VERY weird sensation.
Not cool.

 

[Toecutter]

Wait til your back hurts so bad you have to pee by looking at a clock.
Today at work I had to move around and it felt like a small diameter arrow hit me below my belt buckle, in from the front and out the back.
Field point, not broadheads LOL.
Just a zap, a few times.
Eventually it quit.

Am home, rigor mortis setting in.
Pelvis just burns.
Does all the time, but burner is almost to medium now.

So if I lay down the right way, and it ebbs, should fall asleep.
Be up in two hrs or less, move........do again.
Avg 3-4 hrs sleep a night, never in one chunk.
Sometimes two, sometimes five. Just never know.
Think record this yr is 3 hrs straight.

I feel for you my friend. My last 4 nights have been pretty much sleepless. I was supposed to go back to work tomorrow but there's no way I can. I can limp a few feet and that's about it. I'm kinda worried about what my work is going to say, since I have missed a few days and I am sure it's going to be a few more before I go back. 38 years and counting but you know how some places are. They think you have been there too long anyway. Regardless I can't go in so there's nothing I can do about that. Just hoping to see at least a little bit of relief soon. It's driving me crazy just sitting around the house. Definitely depressing to say the least.

 

[Hookeye]

I feel for you my friend. My last 4 nights have been pretty much sleepless. I was supposed to go back to work tomorrow but there's no way I can. I can limp a few feet and that's about it. I'm kinda worried about what my work is going to say, since I have missed a few days and I am sure it's going to be a few more before I go back. 38 years and counting but you know how some places are. They think you have been there too long anyway. Regardless I can't go in so there's nothing I can do about that. Just hoping to see at least a little bit of relief soon. It's driving me crazy just sitting around the house. Definitely depressing to say the least.

Daytime television.
Watch it and you'll crawl to work, over broken glass, uphill.