
Sciatica Support Group
Sciatica is a term meaning pain that originates from compression of the sciatic nerve, the longest and largest nerve in the body. If the sciatic nerve is pinched or compressed (perhaps by a bulging disc in the low back) a patient may experience leg pain--the classic symptom of sciatica.

deleted_user
So, I have been mis diagnosed & boy, am I confused! I will try and make this as short as possible. Back in the summer of 2008, I began suffering from an extremley tight calf muscle & then it crept it's way up to my thigh. *At this point, there was no burning/tingiling- etc. When I stretched really well before work outs and after, the tightness would not be present anymore. * The tightness would happen when I would excercise or when I was wearing heels. The tightness in my right leg continued on and off until I broke my foot/3rd metetarsal in my Left foot. I was still experiencing some tightness in my right leg- still none of the burning, tingiling- etc. I went to my GP who ordered an MRI without contrast. To my suprise, I had a bulging disk at the L4/L5 (still no pain at the time of diagnosis & my GP said that she saw nothing being compressed). A bulging disk is all I had on the MRI. Nothing in the MRI report or scan showed or said that the Sciatic Nerve was being pinched/pressed-etc.
My GP then reffered me to an Orthopedic Sports Medicine Doctor who inturn did a few tests from his end on my legs, how high I lifted them and took that hammer thing to my knee. He determined I had sciatica. He then wrote out a script for a 3 week script of cortisone/prednisone and a muscle relaxer. Still, no pain & I was rehabbing the broken left foot/metetarsal thing with PT and also working on what we thought was a tight hamstring/thigh/IT Band in PT. Went back to the GP who said that the Ortho doc. was basically off his mark and took the prednisone/cortisone and threw it away. Around October 15th, I was at the Rec. center riding the stationary bike & I felt this tight/eectrical shock go up the back of my right leg. Then, it went away. I got home & the pain came back & then went away. The next A.M., I was in excrusiating pain in both legs- burning, tinigiling- you name it. I had an appt. set up to see the same Sports Med. Doc. & the only reason for going back was to get the ok on taking off my boot & then I told him about the burning. The SMD then took a look at my MRI again and said that this had to be doe to my disk bulging & wrote me a refferal to a Pain Doc. Went to the PMD, he looked at my scan and he said that I would need 3 EPI's/Epidural to bring down Inflimation in the nerve. So, I went & completed the whole series & felt much better. I had some back pain on and off. I had a minor flare up right after the New Year and was perscribed the pak of some sort. I took it and seemed to do fine & have been fine since. Upon my parent's insistance, I went to see a very well known Spine Doctor who took one look at my MRI and said, "I wish my back was as good as yours! Your disk has a very small buldge but it is in no way pressing, entrapping the sciatic nerve." The Spine Doctor said that due to the level of activity that I do exercise wise, he believes that the nerve is irritated due to the level of exercise that I do currently. He also said that it is the sciatic nerve and were it passes thru the pelvis. He said that I would experience some discomfort and reffered me to another PMD and asked me to get a 2nd opinion there too. Went to the 2nd PMD doc. for a 2nd diagnosis pain wise & he took one look at my MRI and said the same thing... The disk is bulging slightly & not pressing/compressing the nerve at all, nor does it state that on the MRI rep. He did give me a shot of cortizone in either hip....ok.
My current & 1st PMD doc. has me on Cymbalta 60 mg a day and Tramadol for any pain/only taking it when I need it. I also had an ENG nerve test done with the needles & that came back negitive for any nerve dammage. Currently, there is no severe, burning pain. I have some little shocks or pain that comes for a moment and then leaves down the outer thigh, stopping above the knee. I only get a slight sensation in both butt cheeks, when I ley down and on my side. I should also mention, I get little shocks in the soles of my feet, then they are gone. I sit at my day job & I do get up when I need to- I stretch 2 times a day while @ work too. I am not sure what to make of this, or what the next step should be? Could these last two doc's be right? I just don't know what to think? Go with what they say or? I am glad to be mostly pain free and be able to excercise, but could the 1st couple of doc's been wrong? Please weigh in on this- HELP!
My GP then reffered me to an Orthopedic Sports Medicine Doctor who inturn did a few tests from his end on my legs, how high I lifted them and took that hammer thing to my knee. He determined I had sciatica. He then wrote out a script for a 3 week script of cortisone/prednisone and a muscle relaxer. Still, no pain & I was rehabbing the broken left foot/metetarsal thing with PT and also working on what we thought was a tight hamstring/thigh/IT Band in PT. Went back to the GP who said that the Ortho doc. was basically off his mark and took the prednisone/cortisone and threw it away. Around October 15th, I was at the Rec. center riding the stationary bike & I felt this tight/eectrical shock go up the back of my right leg. Then, it went away. I got home & the pain came back & then went away. The next A.M., I was in excrusiating pain in both legs- burning, tinigiling- you name it. I had an appt. set up to see the same Sports Med. Doc. & the only reason for going back was to get the ok on taking off my boot & then I told him about the burning. The SMD then took a look at my MRI again and said that this had to be doe to my disk bulging & wrote me a refferal to a Pain Doc. Went to the PMD, he looked at my scan and he said that I would need 3 EPI's/Epidural to bring down Inflimation in the nerve. So, I went & completed the whole series & felt much better. I had some back pain on and off. I had a minor flare up right after the New Year and was perscribed the pak of some sort. I took it and seemed to do fine & have been fine since. Upon my parent's insistance, I went to see a very well known Spine Doctor who took one look at my MRI and said, "I wish my back was as good as yours! Your disk has a very small buldge but it is in no way pressing, entrapping the sciatic nerve." The Spine Doctor said that due to the level of activity that I do exercise wise, he believes that the nerve is irritated due to the level of exercise that I do currently. He also said that it is the sciatic nerve and were it passes thru the pelvis. He said that I would experience some discomfort and reffered me to another PMD and asked me to get a 2nd opinion there too. Went to the 2nd PMD doc. for a 2nd diagnosis pain wise & he took one look at my MRI and said the same thing... The disk is bulging slightly & not pressing/compressing the nerve at all, nor does it state that on the MRI rep. He did give me a shot of cortizone in either hip....ok.
My current & 1st PMD doc. has me on Cymbalta 60 mg a day and Tramadol for any pain/only taking it when I need it. I also had an ENG nerve test done with the needles & that came back negitive for any nerve dammage. Currently, there is no severe, burning pain. I have some little shocks or pain that comes for a moment and then leaves down the outer thigh, stopping above the knee. I only get a slight sensation in both butt cheeks, when I ley down and on my side. I should also mention, I get little shocks in the soles of my feet, then they are gone. I sit at my day job & I do get up when I need to- I stretch 2 times a day while @ work too. I am not sure what to make of this, or what the next step should be? Could these last two doc's be right? I just don't know what to think? Go with what they say or? I am glad to be mostly pain free and be able to excercise, but could the 1st couple of doc's been wrong? Please weigh in on this- HELP!

deleted_user
1st ~ I'm sorry you are experiencing this off & on again pain! To me it sounds like siatica but I am not a Dr and apparently your MRI shows that it is not....It sure sounds like you have been through the ringer going round and round to Dr's. My suggestion is to stick with the Dr you feel most comfortable with and allow them to treat your pain in the best way for you! I can't say who is right and who is wrong but the truth of the matter is - you are experiencing pain for a reason! Please don't ever let them say NOTHING is wrong. Pain is a indicator that something is wrong! One thing I thought is that your bulging disc could be flaring up and resettling on it's own - maybe it was more "settled" when you had the MRI and it's flares up when you have more pain. I hope that makes sense. I wish you the best on your journey for pain free days!
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