Sciatica!!!! Please go away!!

[XUfan]

I've had bouts of Sciatica before, but this one is the worst!! It's been going on for a little over a week. The pain is on my right side. I can feel perfectly fine, then all I have to do is move a little bit...and the pain shoots down my leg, all the way to the bottom of my foot!! And I can't even tell you what movements will make it hurt!! I can be sitting on the couch, and it will start without me doing a thing!! I can be sound asleep, and just roll over, and suddenly, I'm wanting to jump off the bed!! Some days, it hurts when I raise my arm to blow dry my hair!

I'm taking Ibuprofen, and I'm using a heating pad several times a day. But it's not getting better. I've tried ice...but it makes it hurt so bad that I cry! I do not have insurance, and there's NO money for a doctor. Besides, the only thing they ever suggest is a steriod injection in the joint. I've had them before. They don't work for more than 6 weeks, and I still have a lump on my butt at the injection site from the last series of them, 10 years ago! The Ibuprofen is messing up my belly! I have to follow every meal with Tums. I'm sick of this!!

I'm not looking for an answer. I just wanted to whine a little bit. I know my husband is tired of hearing about it. So...thanks for reading. Please go back to your normal routine!

[melodyjg]

Hugs....I hope it goes away soon!

[eosias35]

Awww, I know exactly how you feel! I have had sciatica in my left side for almost 2 years consistently! I have had back surgery which only made it worse. So i know how you are feeling right now. All you can really do is try and find a comfortable position and take it from there. Sometimes a hot bath works for me if you can stand the pain to get in and out. My Fiancee is the same way, he's getting tired of hearing it from me as well...lol. Hope you get over this soon.

[434Teresa]

I really really feel for you! I have the same thing in the same leg. Your right there is nothing they can do. No pain meds they ever gave me helped any at all,unless they knocked me out cold so I no longer knew I was hurtting LOL..

Just stay off it as much as you can and rub something on it like bengay ect. I have had times where mine was this bad for 2 oe 3 weeks at a time. It truly hurts and I have cried and cried form it before.

When it gets better dont pick up heavy items anymore than you have to or reach to high over your head for items. I found those two things will set it off easy for me. If you drive a car that is LOW to the ground you may want to also look into gettting one that dont for that also would set mine off(the getting in and out that is)

[lovemygirls]

Do you have a family physician you can call and maybe they can just call something in for you. Let them know you cannot afford a office visit. I work in a family practice office and we do it for those that have been seen within a years time if they cannot afford to come in. We typically will call in a pain med, muscle relaxer and anti inflammatory in. If it is a patien with a real bad case we will call in a oral steroid to help calm it down a bit. Just some thoughts for you. Hope you feel better soon

[XUfan]

Thanks everyone!! I'm sorry that some of you are going through this too. It's so hard to explain to anyone who hasn't experienced it. My sweet husband thinks it's like joint pain, and thinks that all I need to do is stretch it out, and it will feel better. He has no idea how bad stretching hurts!! And when I say, it's a nerve thing, not a joint thing, he's clueless. He's never had a nerve problem, so he has no idea what I'm feeling. He tries, though! And I love him for it.

As for calling the doctor...it won't work. I've actually known our doctor, since he was a resident in 1983. That's when I started working at a local hospital. But, not only do I no longer work there...I haven't been to see him (or any other doctor) since 2007, which is when we lost our health insurance. I doubt they could even find my file!!

[434Teresa]

If you have a health dept check there. Mine now has dr there and it cost very little to see the dr. They also have some meds on hand that they can give you for free or little charge. Its a NP but maybe they could give you something to knock you for a few hours so you dont know you are hurting for a little while at least.

I have a sore touchy spot in that hip all the time even when it s not acting up,like yours is now. You are right unless some has t his problem they dont understand how much pain you are in when you try to move or walk.

[Kulis]

I feel your pain. Really. I injured my back in January. I have never in my life felt such pain, yet my doctor had the nerve to tell me it was only a mild herniation. Mild! Ha! Fortunately he ordered physical therapy for me. I started to feel better after the first session. I know I went twice a week for about a month. Now -- good as new.
Ice helped me more than heat did.
About two months ago dh hurt his back, too. He went through worker's compensation and was diagnosed with sciatica. No physical therapy, just pain meds. Lots of pain meds. It's been almost two months, and he's just starting to be "normal" again.

I've heard that back pain is similar to toothache pain or earache pain but worse. I don't remember ever having either of those, but maybe your dh can relate.

[shelleyf]

I am so sorry to hear all of you are having trouble. I will pray for all of you to get better very fast and no more pain.

[CW&M Mom]

This link shows some video's on exercises to help relieve siatica pain Sciatica Exercises for Sciatica Pain Relief

Since you don't have insurance...I HATE sciatica pain!! Mostly had it when I was pregnant..but every once in a while..it can flare up.

I'm getting icky upper back crap now. I say crap..cause it's mostly not actually horribly painful...but it burns and numb and tingly..which isn't good either. They are going to start doing lidocaine shots for mine and they gave me lidocaine pads to put on my back when they flare up too. nerve stuff is just icky. Hard to describe LOL...but I have to say...the stuff our nerves do when they are not working right or are miss firing is just not good!!!! I had to have a picc line placed and they hit a nerve..oh my flipping heck..it could make you jump through a window it hurts so bad!!!!!