Newly diagnosed sciatica ... what to expect ?

shelovestobuystuff

Theres just too much info online,dont know ifs a good thing or a bad thing sometimes.I just had a browse for scoliosis and apparantly it can alter lung capacity,affecting breathing.Maybe my twisted back is the reason my asthma is getting so bad.Another trip to the doctor I think to see why the two have not been put together before and if theres anything I can do to help my breathing.I am just falling apart:rolleyes: .

zappster1966

Thanks ever so much for your replies. I'm inspired by some of your accounts, have been helped by your practical suggestions and am more than a little shocked at the number of people in exactly the same boat.

So just a little update. My back's still killing me ! Even the simplest thing such as loading the washing machine, changing the cat litter or even a little weeding in the garden has become a major event which requires considerable planning !

You've no idea how helpful people have been. Even complete strangers in the street holding a door open for me, or picking something off the bottom shelf for me in the supermarket. Absolute stars.

Have had two bad falls though in the last week, due to my shuffling gait. One was truly spectacular & left me black and blue ... tripped getting out of the bath, fell onto the lavatory then fell off that. Excellent ! Am still sore. The other was nothing short of youtube material ... tripped over a non existent hair on the living room carpet and went headfirst into the bookcase. Felt such a fool.

My work has been nothing short of useless. I've repeatedly asked for "reasonable adjustments", a move to an office closer to home, part time hours, an assessment of my work station etc etc. Nothing's been done. Now my wages are suspended, they've lost my medical certificate despite my boss advising it had been received.

I get the impression they think I'm swinging the lead, they want rid and I'm now so close to calling it a day with them. I'm only holding on now so that if they do dismiss me I've got tons on ammunition now for a tribunal, I've copied every letter I've sent them asking for adjustments to be considered and they haven't done anything about it.

The meds are going OK. I'm kinda resigned now to taking Ibuprufen & Co-codamol. I am getting a bit nauseous with them & the constipation, well, I won't go into that. But at least the pain at rest has diminished even if I'm a bit spaced out.

Bit depressed really I suppose, although I'd never admit to it. It's weird seeing your career in ruins & all your hopes for the future dashed. Should hopefully cheer up a bit once I'm through this little bad spot.

So. That's where I'm at. It's kinda therapeutic writing this, so cheers for reading. I hope you're all getting on OK, taking your meds & doing as well as you can !!

James.
xx

pipkin71

zappster1966 wrote: »

Have had two bad falls though in the last week, due to my shuffling gait. One was truly spectacular & left me black and blue ... tripped getting out of the bath, fell onto the lavatory then fell off that. Excellent ! Am still sore. The other was nothing short of youtube material ... tripped over a non existent hair on the living room carpet and went headfirst into the bookcase. Felt such a fool.

I hope you're ok now zappster.

Actually falling is quite common with some spinal problems.

I now have what's called a 'drop-foot' due to the nerve damage and my left foot is turning inwards. This leads to falling over nothing, a loss of balance ect. I have a foot brace and recently had to wear an ortho-boot to try to turn it back but without success.

This is what a drop-foot can look like:


http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://foot-solutions.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/foot_drop.jpg&imgrefurl=http://foot-solutions.org/afo-drop-foot-braces/&usg=__LOV6HrJQW38KDAZntYR_YLcpqts=&h=312&w=432&sz=28&hl=en&start=30&sig2=dEp53N54uOP8ILVM3t3gAQ&um=1&tbnid=O_9ru72QpQFJ1M:&tbnh=91&tbnw=126&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddrop%2Bfoot%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GGIH_en-GBGB283%26sa%3DN%26start%3D20%26um%3D1&ei=PxDVSeyOBISNjAeV3eHTBw

Even without the drop-foot, falling is common. My DDs are quite used to it although the elbow crutches do help me keep my balance. Going upstairs can be a problem because my foot doesn't lift high enough to avoid catching so there are regular trips on the stairs

If you do find you're tripping over nothing, perhaps ask for a foot brace. I think you can also buy them if your GP couldn't order one. [Mine came through physiotherapy]. You could also get in touch with your local occupational health service who may be able to fit grab rails ect by your bath so you can get out safer and hopefully avoid falling again.

pipkin71

zappster1966 wrote: »

Bit depressed really I suppose, although I'd never admit to it. It's weird seeing your career in ruins & all your hopes for the future dashed. Should hopefully cheer up a bit once I'm through this little bad spot.

That is totally understandable.

There is often a link between chronic pain and depression and the fact you have to radically rethink your future would naturally lead to negative feelings. It's also difficult to think positively when the pain overrides everything anyway.

I'm glad you are getting support from this thread. Sometimes just talking about things can help. I enjoy focusing on the positives in my life - my girls They make everything worth carrying on because it would be very easy to retreat under my duvet and stay there

You've said work aren't being understanding, but are you getting support from family / friends? If you're like me, it's easy not to share how you feel when the pain is really bad [I worry that I will end up borin people with my 'problems ] but having someone to lean on can also help.

Do consider getting in touch with Occupational Therapy. Have a look online to see what aids you can buy to help make things easier. One of the most useful things I had off the OT unit was a soxon:

http://www.medisave.co.uk/soxon-sock-and-stocking-aid-p-425.html

It meant I could finally put my own socks on after an age struggling A helping hand means I don't have to pick things up off the floor by bending:

http://www.medisave.co.uk/32-inch-helping-hand-classic-reacher-p-411.html

It also helps with getting the clothes in the machine - a job I used to have to rely on my DDs to do, and although it's still their 'job', I can also load the machine.

A slow cooker can save you bending to put stuff in the oven too. Have a think about what tasks are more difficult because of your pain, then have a look around to see what is available to make things easier.

nesssie1702

Hi folks - all those suffering with back pain have my sympathy. I suffered a prolapsed disc in the lumbar region nearly 9 years ago now. I was off work for nearly 4 months, but they were good to me when I was off, thankfully.

My back problem wasn't helped by the amount of driving I did then - over 25 000 miles a year and sometimes I could be in the car for a stretch of 5 or 6 hours..... Not good for the old back and a car seat can make a difference - as your hips should not be lower than your knees when you drive!

The lack of sleep used to drive me demented and I spent the winter months when it happened feeling quite depressed.

Physio, a tens machine, accupunture and lots of painkillers helped me in the end, but it was the physio that did the trick as I kept to the exercises and have stuck to them. I occasionally get twinges now and then and treat them as a warning to my back. Nowadays, I try and swim regularly and have been doing Pilates as well to strengthen my core muscles.

Things can and will get better, but that's no consolation when your back is sore and you've never known pain like it.

Thinking of you, if you're suffering just now - take care.....

Merry_Gentry

Bizarre though it may sound, it's nice to know I'm not alone. It's been three years for me of back pain. I initially thought it was a bladder infection as there was a burning feeling in my lower back and constant pain. I went to the Dr who said it was my back, and signed me off for a few days. The pain continued, intensified until one evening I tried to get off the sofa and collapsed. I couldn't get back up - the pain was so bad I couldn't even bear to be touched.

I was sent for physio but after several months of that I started to lose sensation in my right leg - I could feel my foot and my hip but nothing in between. I was finally sent for an MRI and they said I had two herniated discs. It took around 18 months before I saw a Consultant who recommended spinal injections. I had those in November 2008 - I was laid out for three weeks, barely able to get out of bed to the bathroom, and the pain spread to my left side as well.

I've tried contacting my surgeon again - they said they would be in touch in 8 weeks to see how things had gone but nothing. My Dr simply signs my prescriptions - I have been on tramadol, diclofenac, diazepam and just added gabapentin to the mix. I applied for a blue badge as I was having problems getting to work with parking difficulties, and my Dr said the disability wasn't permanent so they turned me down.

I have applied for DLA and been turned down. I filled in the form completely wrong - I met a fantastic woman at DIAL who explained that my form was full of how I coped, rather than how it affected me and what help i needed. I am currently waiting for my tribunal hearing.

I get down sometimes - constant pain of varying levels, day in and day out; feeling like a fraud because people can't see the disability so wonder why I am so lazy as to take the lift at work instead of the stairs; plan any outing with military precision and often avoid going out completely in case my back becomes really bad. My kids are amazing - three girls who are always there for me - but then I feel bad because I should be looking after them, not the other way round. Some days all I do is work, pick the kids up from school, then take the painkillers and exist until bedtime. Other days are worse.

It was really lovely to find this thread, so full of support and understanding, and just realise that it's not just me, that I'm not on my own. So thanks to people for sharing how they are doing and feeling, advice on what can help, and just for somewhere to share. Thanks.

pipkin71

Hi Merry_Gentry

Some good comments in your post - and some I can easily identify with.

You're definitely not on your own

MOWBLY67

I suffered back pain for 20 years .. And eventually sat in the gps with scaitic pain and demanded something to be done .. I had this pain for 18 months and lived on pain relief.
So got x ray .. A lump in the lower back .. Then got appointment for the back surgeon and mri scan .. I had 2 shattered discs and the broken discs where causin the pain ..
I also had a curve in the lower spine which meant surgery was my only option .. So 5 years later i got the surgery .. It was a total sucess.. Down side is ill never work again .. But if i had of left it , i would be in a wheelchair...
So the long and short of it is nag the doc ... Back pain is terrible .. But it can be helped .. Physio is another option which is quite good ...all the best dee

MOWBLY67

Keep tryin for dla it took me 4 years .. And when you get higher rate mobility .. Blue badge can then be applied for with out the doctor thr forms are available on line under blue badge scheme ... Im on the similiar mix of drugs.. Not nice or easy ... All the best dee

Hollyberry

This thread has made me sad, because there are so many of us with back problems and sciatica out there, and relief to see that we are using similar techniques and pain relief to help ourselves.

My back problems started with lifting a big pile of computer printouts at work, and then jumping due to a loud noise behind me, at which point a disc went kerching. This was about 20 years ago, and I've since had a couple of really bad recurrences and regular but moderate pain in between. I was lucky insofar as I worked for the NHS at the time of the first accident and was sent for regular rhythmic traction sessions (which was apparently state of the art at the time).

At the time of the second recurrence, I was referred to physio, and had a series of infrared treatments. Perhaps more importantly, the physio gave me some really good advice about movement, including a technique to get out of bed when things are really bad. Like many of the posters on this thread, I use a mixture of ibuprofen and paracetamol/codeine. Heat is also really good; I have a fine elephant hot water bottle which I can wedge down my back, with the trunk over my trousers holding it in exactly the right place.

The one thing that I haven't seen mentioned here is taking care of the numb bits caused by sciatica. I am numb down the outside of my left leg and along my foot from my left heel along the outside of my foot to my little toe. One day on the escalators in M&S a woman behind me started commiserating with me about how sore my foot must be; new shoes had rubbed me raw and bleeding, and I never felt a thing. I am now better at checking the bits I can't feel, to make sure I am not unwittingly doing more damage.

Take care of yourselves.