Journal

Well, it's been a year since my laminectomy and I'd love to say everything is great. My right leg sciatica is still much improved but the left leg pain is back with a vengence.  So, I'm off to get another MRI (how many does that make??) and I'm thinking that the pain is due to permanent nerve damage.  The pain is so limiting - My brain tells me I can do anything but my leg and hip pain say something very different.  I decide to run up 4 flights of stairs at work but the sciatica is in charge. I end up pulling myself up by the railing for the last flight.  So, I'll work with my dr to figure out what's next but if anyhone has had success in treating sciatica, I'd love to hear from you!  God bless you all!

  Well, here we go again. The sciatica in both legs had calmed down for a while after last May's surgery, but now that I'm back to exercising, it's back with a vengence.  So, I have to dig up my records from my old pain dr and start with the new one.  Haven't I been down this road before?  Several time? Looks really familiar.  But worse, my daughter just had a house fire and they all have to move out for a few months. Thank you Lord that no one was hurt - I am so grateful for that. But they're had a rough spell and now this.  But God is faithful and always provides - so I will trust.  It will help enormously to cope with other things if this sciatica ever really goes away. I may try a spinal stimulator - Hope this new dr can pull something new from his bag of tricks!

I'm so frustrated I could scream!  One of our company nurses sent me an article on how Cymbalta is helping with nerve pain and is being prescribed for that purpose. She suggested I try it. I researched it and talked to my dr who did prescribe it. After several weeks of taking it, I did notice an improvement in my severe sciatica. So I've been taking it for several months.  I wasn't really happy about taking an antidepressant so I cut back with the intention of stopping but the pain came roaring back.  When I tried to have it refilled, his nurse left me a message saying the dr doesn't think I should still be needing this to help me sleep.  Help me sleep????  That is NOT why I take it. I would think as a spine specialist, that he would know that this med is used to treat nerve pain.  And you can't just abruptly stop taking it - you need to wean off slowly  or you have side effects.  So I will have to call the office on Monday and educate them - Like I said - so frustrating!