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.

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Brain & Nervous System
/ Sciatica Support Group

pain down the leg, so bad a night

sohurt62
sohurt62
My leg pain is so bad at night that I can't sleep. It has kept me up all night. I rotate heat/ice, use pillows under my legs, between my legs. I was taking Ibuprofen which helped, but caused my blood pressure to rise. I am taking 40 mg. of Lisinopril for blood pressure. I am now taking Extra strength tylenol which is not doing much good. I took an Anacin at 3 a.m. this morning and that helped some, along with a tylenol at 4:30 p.m. I have some hydrocodone 5/500 mg. but that causes constipation so bad. Can anyone please tell me how to sleep with this and what combination of meds may work for them.? I do have to be careful because of some meds causing my heart to beat fast and also blood pressure to rise. I am just so miserable. Thanks
revi
revi
I take trazodone and xanax to sleep. I guess it knocks me out b/c the pain doesn't keep me awake too much. For the first two years I took mass quantities of ibuprofen. Now it doesn't do a thing. I take extra strength tylenol, but it only takes a tiny edge off.

I hope you get some relief. Pain sucks.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I know just how you feel. It was terrible and the only relief I could get was to get up and walk. I would go outside and walk up and down the driveway at night. The doctor gave me hydrocodone and told me to take it 3 times a day. I didn't want to be addicted so I only took it a couple of hours before bedtime. It worked well after the first night.

I was on it for 3 weeks and then after some therapy and being careful what shoes I wore and what surfaces I sat on, I stopped taking it. Was very depressed for about a week. It is very addictive.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have been there. An ice pack, heating pack or back pack usually works for me. Soak in the tubs for a while to relax your nerves and use any one of those packs on your back, this will help with the leg pain. You can purchase the back packs from Walmart or ask your doctor to prescribe them. Personally, I use heat and the back packs more than the ice. However, the ice does freeze up the area quicker. If you are having intense back pain then lay on your side to take some of the pressure off your back, while using any of the above suggestions.