hey hun
Ive got it really bad in my left leg
but its also starting too spread into the right
i dont know what i can tel you i too get scared that i wont be able to walk xxx

Yes, it's what prompted my dr to finally give me an MRI
... I got to where I had to use a walker for a couple of weeks.
If you haven't had an MRI and can GET an MRI get one. Do whatever it takes to get one.... I found out a disc had ruptured.... I've been battling sciatia off and on for 5 years, only to find out I needed surgery! There's a possibility I will never regain all of the feeling in my left foot because of the amount of time it has been damaged...
PLEASE I urge you try to get more extensive testing. I wish I had pushed sooner, cause since my back surgery, I've regained the ability to walk on my own, and all the feeling has come back in my right leg, and most of it in my left.

Yes, I have it in both legs now as of this summer. I've had sciatica for 25 years, but just this summer it spread to the other leg. From what the doctor says, my central nervous system is irritated due to all the years I've had this, so it's hard to treat.

In a way it's funny the way I walk ~ I used to limp, but it's hard to limp with BOTH legs. LOL So I kind of waddle. LOL It's comical. I use a cane because sometimes I'm off balance due to one leg being weaker than the other. Yes, I have to laugh because I DO look funny, but it's really not funny ~ no one should have to go thru this, as this pain is really unbearable at times and my doc hasn't found a combination of meds that work well for me yet.

I have to keep the faith ~ keep hoping that soon this pain will be relieved. It doesn't matter to me if it's "cured" or not ~ I just want RELIEF from the pain! And I'm confident that it will be in time. Yours will be too Lisa. I'm sure of it. Hang in there with me, ok? God bless, sweetie, and I'll say prayers for you. Hugs, Lee

Hi Lisa
Hi everyone else

I am sorry you are having a difficult time.

Dealing with a regular doctor is not a good idea. They are not equiped to help you properly.

You need to be working with an orthopedic surgeon (Never get surgery) . They can help you get the MRI's and shots you need. You can also get epidural injections which can be helpful - by a referral from the orthopedic to a pain management doctor/group.

PT can be very helpful for these conditions and actually can roll the cause back quite a bit. It really is necessary for sciatica.

I had to wait nearly 3-1/2 years before I could ge tthe PT - and it is helping me a lot. I strongly recommend it. ((I was to sick with other problems to even consider the sciatica before that.))

There are also a lot of small things that you can do to help your condition .

------

Here are a few of the things you can do to reduce the pain on a daily basis. And these are simple and effective. They are critical because they will determine how you will feel in the morning and how your entire day will proceed.

1. BED - you need a firm mattress. You need to get a good quality memory foam topper for placement on the top of the mattress. The memory foam should be at least 4 inches thick , but preferably 6 inches thick. That will be your base for reducing stress on your back and spine during sleeping. It will be a little difficult to turn and get into bed. Develop methods of putting your legs up in the air to help you to turn on the bed. Do not strain muscles moving around in the bed.

2. BED - you need to get a rubbery pillow to place under your knees for when you sleep. That will reduce stress on your lower back. If you sleep on your side - place the pillow between your knees to reduce stress. NEVER sleep on your stomach - according to the chiropractic association, it is a disaster - and I agree. Actually - if you sleep on your side you will need another rubber pillow to support your arm that is up i the air. otherwise you will strain your shoulder's rotator joint - and believe me - you do not want to do that.

3. You will need a feather pillow for your head. You should sleep with your head and shoulders on the pillow to reduce stress on the upper back. The upper back is attached to the lower back and if irritated will also cause the lower back to get annoyed with you and give you pain. I know that is silly - but it is true.

4. Activity during the day is very important - never reduce your activity or actions because of your sciatica. Work with it. For example - you will find that when you get up from sitting for a while that your walking is very painful. That will only last for about the first 20 steps. And the pain can be bad at times. But , after the first 20 steps or so - it will reduce almost to zero pain. That is because sciatica does that. No way to figure it out - it just does.

5. car trips - total disaster. Your sciatica will get much worse because slow frequency vibrations form a car or some other means of transportation irritate sciatica - a LOT. So keep car trips short and if you must travel more than a half hour - stop and get out for 10 minutes to walk around. This will help a lot.

A long car trip can leave you with total inability to stand for a month - it is not a minor issue. That is called a sciatica attack.

6. If you ever have a bad attack of sciatica - go to an orthopedic surgery doctor. and get a shot of cortisone in the butt - NOT an epidural. Also get physical therapy to help you with it. DO not allow yourself to become inactive. Maintain activity level.

7. ice the lower back - not the knees or hips. Most of your pain is being caused by the reflected pain from the lumbar. ice 15 minutes on and 2 hours off and not more than 2 or 3 times a day. Inflammation is the enemy and that is why ice helps. heating the area will increase blood circulation, but will increase inflammation. heat is only good when you have a fresh injury that needs to heal. do not put cold or hot source directly in contact with the skin.

8. you need to stretch. yes - stretch. I know it hurts. actually stretching can actually make the problem better in some cases. It will definitely help you. The stretches are the lower back stretches and the IT band stretches, and the piraforma stretches and the iliopsoas stretches. DO THEM. much as it hurts me to even say it - you must. you actually need to do more stretches that those, but that can wait for now. stretching is so important to help you.

9. adding one more - I use a cane to help me to walk. I use it to prevent falls and to increase my range for walking. I find it helps me a lot. You might want to discuss it with your family doctor or orthopedic doctor.

----

I sure hope some of thiese help you all.

Big gentle hugs, Raoul

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Raoul I will definitely try to incorporate at least some of your suggestions. The only thing that doesn't work for me is the walking thing, my pain actually gets worse the longer I'm on my feet. I went to the store last night to pick up my meds and just 5 minutes walking around the store I could hardly bare to stand at the checkout. I was supposed to go to the grocery store but didn't cause I was in too much pain, though pushing a cart helps since I have something for support. Maybe today :)

I'm beginning to wonder if there is more to this than sciatica though. I have the nerve pain that I'm quite familiar with and it is now down both legs. But the last couple of days I am getting the same type of pain down my right arm, not sure how or why this is happening but it feels like the same kind of pain and has me worried.

Unfortunately around here the only way to see a specialist is to go through your family physician for a referral and even then it takes months to get in. My referral to the orthopedic surgeon has been sent but I'm hoping with the way my symptoms are changing and getting worse that it will speed things up a bit. That's what my Dr. told me anyway. I had a CT scan that showed I have a herniated disc that is compressing my sciatic nerve but they said there is no damage to the nerve so there is no rush. Dr. still thinks it will go away in time.

I'm tired of dealing with pain and the sad part is I've found that alcohol is a better pain reliever than anything they give me - I don't want to drink away the pain but some days thats all that works. Hopefully between the medication and a few suggestions here I can get some relief and not feel the need.

They said there's NO WAY to damage that nerve????? I beg to differ!!! My doc waited to long to do surgery on me, and now I've had sciatica for 25 YEARS. The central nervous system is all out of whack because of this!!! And they say you can't damage that nerve??? They ARE WRONG!!!

Mine is permanently damaged now because of too long a wait. So don't listen to everything they tell you. Be your own advocate and try to get things rolling or you'll end up like me. God bless. Hugs, Lee

Lisa

I am going to post - two McKenzie stretches to help you and others with the pain from stress - such as walking.

These are really amazing.

Gonna put them in a "How to - Thread" to kame them more accessible..

Hugs, Raoul