jax39 Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 Had this now for about 3 or 4 weeks, Im over the excruciating bit, the pain is now bearable, while Im still taking painkillers, my dilemma is, when can I start getting back to normal? Should I wait for the pain to subside completely, or can I start to ease myself back into things slowly? I walk dogs for an hour or two a day, and desperately want to get back to "work", but at the same time I dont want to make things worse, I also need to drive, and havent done so for the few weeks Ive been laid up. Any advise from fellow sufferers would be great, as I really dont know what to do for the best. Should I wait a while longer until everything feels healed, or start easing back into driving and walking? Thankyou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazydiamond Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 Do all the things you can bear to do. I have suffered with sciatica and other nerve pains on and off for over 16 years now due to a crumbling vertebrae. So I get back pain as well as the nerve pains. Sometimes it is all contained in my back but mostly I also get the nerve pains in my buttock/s and thigh/s at times it also travels to in my lower leg/s too and in extreme bad times I have shooting pain in all those areas and out the end of my toes with every step. I find the most comfy thing is to keep moving. When it is bad I cannot stand still. Suitable exercises can help with the pain and strengthen your tummy muscles up to help support the back but check withthe GP before you take any on if you dont have some already. Also I find using an ice pack several times a day offers relief too. Accupuncture is really good for this. Hope you mend soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estweyn Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 OMG tell me about it. Had problems for years but since Oct last year its gone out of control. Finally had to more of less force my gp to let me have an mri, the results show L4 L5 and S1 herneated discs, pressing on two roots(nerves) and compressing the thoric sac - think thats the right word aint got my report in front of me. So now after nearly eight months we are at the stage of awaiting surgery. So my advise is this - your doc will want to wait approx 3 months to see if the problem resolves itself. If after this time he wont refer you (mine was a pain- no pun intended) then you can ask for a referal. Or if you are in Westfield you can start the ball rolling earlier by seeing a consultant privately, you can get the consultation fee back. This jumps you up the q a bit. If you get problems with waterworks or bowel function go to a + e , not kidding here, it can be very serious. Also if problems where the ankle becomes floppy then go to a+e. Daily, I can walk for about half an hour max, sometimes it kicks in severely before that. So its a case of arranging your day around your pain... sorry but thats all you can do really. I try to keep off the drugs as much as possible because I felt like a zombie but take them when its a bugger. Unfortunatly its a case of waiting it out to see if it sorts itself out, heat or ice packs my help but didnt do me an aipeth of good, you could try the tens machines, they are only about a tenner from Lloyds pharmacy, but again they didnt help me. I went to chiropractor because I could claim back 75% of cost on my Westfield, but he gave up on me and said I needed surgery (that was January) but did the doctor listen -no! My doc insisted I go back to work in Feb this year to see if I could manage it, I told him there was no way I could be active for eight hours a day, he thought I was kidding, I just despaired at times and it got me very down that people and docs sometimes prefer to believe that people are pulling the wool over their eyes. Fortunately for me I have a good boss who took one look at me and sent me home. Good luck and let us know your progress, but I would say push it all the way, the pain is terrible and affects your daily living. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax39 Posted May 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 (edited) Thankyou so much for all your good advice, and so sorry to hear you're still suffering. I have been warned this could go on and on, and by the sounds of your posts, that seem highly likely. Im now off for a very short drive to see if I can manage that, so I guess its just a case of seeing what I can do. My biggest worry is driving to the dogs Im walking, and not being able to drive back!! Or that an hours walk straight off may be too much, guess I wont know til I try! Thanks again! Forgot to add, Ive got an appointment at hospital for next month, so I might know more then, at least I will then be in the system, so I suppose thats a good thing. Edited May 31, 2008 by jax39 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estweyn Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 I vary my doggy walks according the the leg- if its not too bad then we go further but if its a bad day we go to a field where I can throw the ball for him. It is important to keep moving though or you sieze up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K9Fran Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 I suffered with this about 15 years ago - it was caused by my 6 month old Sprollie pup pulling on lead! Added to that lots of ironing and the repetative twisting movements are what set it all off. I was on painkillers, anti inflamatories and all sorts - even in hospital for a week as I couldn't get to the loo without having to lie face down on the bed to recover. What I learnt was a few days rest, and then pottering. Never do one thing for too long (so no more ironing for me, and teaching my dogs not to pull on lead ;)) I also never have a handbag - I only use a backpack as the lopsidedness of carrying a handbag was triggering it off again - touch wood, I've been back pain free for about 11 years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndwoman Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 I am a sufferer too so you have my sympathy I have suffered with frequent bouts for decades and when I was 28 I had 2 discs removed and my spine fused. This helped for a while but it still came back after a couple of years. Mine comes and goes in a matter of days-I just had an attack that lasted for 6 days and it can go just a mysteriously as it comes, I don't need to do anything to bring an attack on. I don't 'do' drugs however bad it gets as the side effects can be with you for a lifetime and then you have another condition to live with! I do take New Era Tissue Salts which sometimes help and at least you wont get side effects with them. Another thing I find helpful is a 'Pain Gone' Pen but it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact area of pain with sciatica. If you can find it the Pen can work well. The hardest thing I find is the lack of sleep as it always seems worse when lying down and also in the sitting position so I cannot drive at all when I have it. I have heard that acupuncture can help but not tried it for sciatica though I did try it for my knee pain but didn't seem very receptive to it. Unless someone has suffered with it they cannot comprehend the pain, it is so debilitating and affects your whole life. I hope you are over it soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 Be aware, when you are driving, as I found I could not brake properly. My leg had less strength and I couldn't push the pedal as strongly as I usually did. Hence my stopping distance was a lot longer. I also found the PainGone pen very good. It took a couple of weeks to be really effective but now I still use it at the least twinge or stiffness and it prevents it developing. It does still work if it not used over the exact spot - I used it on my hip for the sciatica and it cleared my frozen shoulder , which I had had for about fifteen years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 One of the very best things you can do to combat sciatica, especially when you are having the acute attacks, is stretch your hamstring. Sounds silly but it is fantastic. I used to do hamstring stretches at my desk when I worked in teh office every few minutes, just to control the pain and it really did work. A quick search on google of 'sciatica hamstring stretch' will bring up some sites that illustrate. Either lie on the floor (best kind) or if you need to be a bit more discrete, sit on the edge of your chair, stretch out a leg and bring your toes up towards you to stretch the hamstring. Hold it for around 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side. I also used to hold really low squats, powerful so be careful but as the muscles stretch you can feel the pain ebbing away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estweyn Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Picked up some good tips for myself here Really agree with the resting and then pottering bit,not overdoing one activity, my house is now cleaned in bits and pieces rather than right through like it used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greys mum Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hope that you are feeling better soon. If you need anything, you have got my number, give me a call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndwoman Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 I agree blackmagic, you can get great relief with the PainGone pen even if you can't get the precise spot. I find that if I can decide on the most painful area I use it on that spot and it will still help a lot. Abby, I have never heard about the hamstring excercise but found it quite by accident I noticed one day that if I could draw my toes right back as far as possible so as to really tense my leg muscles I got relief from that so that does make sense to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax39 Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 A huge thanks for all the wonderful advice here! Im definately going to try the New Era salts, are they from a health shop? Also the pain gone pen, something Ive never heard of, is it bought in a chemists? You've all helped me tremendously, as I really had no idea what I could and couldn't do, whether I could push myself, or not. Anyway back to work this week, though on very "light" duties, with a view to being back to normal next week, not sure I would have had the courage if it wasnt for you wonderful people!! Thanks for the offer of help Sue , but Im now almost back to normal, and the relief at being able to get out again is fantastic! Lots of good thoughts to all you fellow sufferers, if i hadnt had it myself, dont think I could have believed the pain it can cause! Fingers crossed we all feel well for a very long time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndwoman Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 A huge thanks for all the wonderful advice here! Im definately going to try the New Era salts, are they from a health shop? Also the pain gone pen, something Ive never heard of, is it bought in a chemists? You've all helped me tremendously, as I really had no idea what I could and couldn't do, whether I could push myself, or not. Anyway back to work this week, though on very "light" duties, with a view to being back to normal next week, not sure I would have had the courage if it wasnt for you wonderful people!! Thanks for the offer of help Sue , but Im now almost back to normal, and the relief at being able to get out again is fantastic! Lots of good thoughts to all you fellow sufferers, if i hadnt had it myself, dont think I could have believed the pain it can cause! Fingers crossed we all feel well for a very long time! I got my PainGone Pen from here PainGone The New Era Tissue salts you can get from any good health food store ie Holland and Barrett but I have seen them in some larger chemists. They are perfectly safe to take and better to take them half an hour at least before or after food. Very much like homeopathic dosing. Hope they do you some good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BilRed Posted June 18, 2008 Report Share Posted June 18, 2008 I've also been suffering with chronic nerve pain for months and months and months. I got a TENS machine from Boots today and used it for half an hour and no pain! I don't think this has cured the problem but just knowing I can get some relief from the pain is fantastic! I thought I'd add it to this thread incase someone does a search one day, it might help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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