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[countrybumpkin]

Just me having a whinge again .  I spent 4 months earlier this year having to use a wheelchair if I wanted to leave the house due to my L5/S1 disc prolapsing.  Saw neurosurgeon who said to wait at least 4 months to see if leg pain improved.  Leg pain went away although back was still very dodgy and could only stand/walk for 15 mins at a time but that was great!
I posted before xmas that I had bent over to help my husband put on his socks ( he had crushed and broken his thumb) when I got agonising pain in lower back like being knifed and down both legs and fell down. Thankfully my back did not lock up and I could move and walk but within 24 hrs had severe stabbing pain in back of left thigh and heel of left foot, much worse if I stand or walk.  I have tried loads of painkillers last time with no effect and still waiting for pain clinic appt after 4 months.
I know no one can help me as such, I just have to cope with the constant nerve pain until either it improves on its own or I get drug or treatment that can help but am finding it mentally harder this time as its winter and miserable weather and for a couple of months before this happened I had a social life again and was out and about and now its gone again. 
Whinge over

[babyjane]

You are entitled to whinge countrybumpkin.  I had a touch of sciatica before Christmas due to pulling my hip flexor muscle which inflamed my sciatic nerve.  It is better now but was not nice for a couple of weeks and I whinged a lot.

Yours sounds a lot worse and more chronic so you whinge away and I send you a gentle cyber hug and sympathy ((hug))

[marras]

Can't offer any advice but just wanted to send you sympathy and a hug.  :foryou:Not as bad as you but have had back problems in the past with bulging discs and arthritis. Have managed to keep it at bay with an exercise regime and swimming. I do hope you get some relief soon and that things improve for you in the New Year.x

[CLKD]

Mine starts when I forget to bend correctly!  I take 2/3 Nurofen and go for a brisk walk as far as I can manage, seems to work the nerve loose and the pain goes.

[Tinkerbell]

Sorry you are suffering Countrybumpkin....we can winge together, I have had Sciatica since the beginning of November and no improvement...it is driving me nuts!!
On the plus side I have lost some weight as I can't sit down for long and keep walking around!

[CLKD]

At it's worst I find it difficult to sit on the toilet 

[Annie0710]

Aw bless you , I think I commented on a past post about your back, as I have history of prolapsed discs and almost every day I get back pain where I can hardly move, I really sympathise xxx

[Kathleen]

Hello countrybumpkin.

I also want to send my sympathy and gentle hugs. I assume you've tried Gabapentin or similar drugs for the pain? My friend's husband takes this to treat nerve pain after getting Shingles. It works well for him and I thought it worth a mention.

Take care and I hope you feel better soon.

K.

[ellie]

Exactly what I was going to write Kathleen, regarding the gabapentin....I have recently tried Pregabalin a similar drug. Without going into detail , my back problems are in the same area L4  L5 S1 .  Last Friday I had a nerve root block injection.
   Countrybumkin, have you any idea what the pain clinic are going to offer you?.......

[Evelyn63]

Another back pain sufferer, but not as bad as yours County bumpkin.  So sorry you are in such pain.  I too was going to suggest the Gabapentin.  I was on strong painkillers, a muscle relaxant and Naproxen.  They did work, and thankfully Im feeling ok now but it was a difficult few weeks and believe me I moaned !!  I know exercise is the last thing you could probably contemplate but just wondering if stretching out in the swimming pool would help.

[Annie0710]

Is gabapentin stronger than naproxen ?

I have tried codeine (sends me lightheaded and spaced out) and naproxen and neither lessen the pain

X

[countrybumpkin]

Thanks everyone for the messages of sympathy and cyber hugs.

So far I have tried  codeine, dihydrocodeine, gabapentin, tramadol, oral morphine. I suffered bad reaction to the oral morphine and the codeine/dihydro lesser reaction but no pain relief either. Tramadol does nothing at all.  Gabapentin  I could not get above 300mg a day because of side effects and at this dose they don't work!  I also tried another one forget its name but works totally differently and again no pain killing effect.
Dr said I could be lacking a liver enzyme that metabolises pain killing drugs.  Just what I wanted to hear!
Pain clinic referral was to discuss this problem and also to see about spinal injections etc.
I am going to chase up the pain clinic referral in the new year.

Totally agree about the movement being the thing as its when I forget to move properly or what my spine can take that this happens.  The most dangerous time is when my back is being at its best and has been for a couple of months.

[CLKD]

Do you not have a support to wear?  Or maybe when you feel better, have a stick to remind you to bend correctly?

[marras]

Have you tried a TENS machine? I've found it very helpful in the past for pain.

[countrybumpkin]

I have an implanted heart moniter in me at the moment so cannot have any machine that sends electrical impulses as it would wreck the moniter. Hopefully having it taken out in summer as they now know I have super ventricular tachycardia.  I would def try tens if I could and hope to do so.