Chronic Sciatica and back pain

Hello All,

I have been dealing with sciatica leg pain since I was 17. I am now 23. It use to only be once in a while but now it is almost everyday. The pain wakes me up in my sleep and toss and turn from leg to leg. Sometimes the pain has been so bad that I cannot sleep. I have been to neurologists, orthopedics, neurosurgeons, and my primary care doctor. Every doctor just seems to brush me off like I don't really have the pain, but I do. The only thing that has provided some relief was chiropractic care but I cannot afford it. I have tried NSAIDS, anti-depressants for chronic pain, tramadol, muscle relaxers, you name it. The only thing that takes the pain away is medications such as vicodin, but I have only taken them here and there when I really couldn't stand the pain anymore. I am going to see a new orthopedic here soon and my primary care doctor told me if they don't do anything to help me then he will send me to a pain management doctor. Has anyone else had experience with chronic leg pain and pain management doctors? My primary care doctor told me they could do epidural nerve blocks and maybe put a balloon in my discs to keep them inflated. Has anyone tried these? Have you had success? Do you have any suggestions or medications that have helped you? I really appreciate any comments or input you could provide me with.

Sincerely,
Erica

I highly recommend a good PM doctor if you can get in to see one. Has your PCP performed any tests? MRI or X-Ray? I figure they would have done something to see if there is anything odd going on in your spine or around there.

I have had epidural blocks and cortisone injections in my back, and they really haven't helped much, if at all. I have tried everything you have mentioned, and the only thing that really helped (even if it was only for a few hours, if that), was traction. I ended up receiving a traction machine to use at home in conjunction with my pain meds, and it helped until the machine broke and I couldn't afford to get a new one. However, if you can afford a PM doctor and physical therapy, I would highly recommend both of those. I would also say go for the injections, since they do not take much time at all to get done and have a shot at working. Not sure about the balloon thing in your discs, that sounds more invasive.

Best of luck.

I feel for you know back pain better than I ever wish I did. I just got a Pain Pump surgery done and still taking my medications until my PMD can tune the unit and feel it up in a few weeks.

But wanted to let you know I was on that the for me the epidural nerve blocks didn't last more than a day and about the balloon never herd of that. But for Pain and got me off that up and down pain roller coaster were you hurt really back before you take the pain medication will my PMD put me on time released Opana 30mg pill two times a day it helped me greatly and helped smooth out that pain roller coaster feeling.

Might me worth asking your doctor about it everyone reacts different to everything medication hope this helps.

God Bless take care

I keep hearing about the drug Nucynta. Is it a new Narcotic? Along with my failed back surgery, I suffer with permanent nerve damage of my sciatica and hv been begging my doctors to give me a medication that could help relieve the burning in my legs. How can I get my PM to prescribe this drug.

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to give an update as to what is going on. I had an x-ray last week of my lower spine. The findings were that I had mild narrowing of some of the vertebrae and spina biffida occulta of the s1. I don't know if this is the source of my pain or not, as I also have a herniated disk at l5-s1, (which could be from the occulta?), and degenerative discs. I am not sure where the chronic sciatica pain is coming from, but I am determined to find an answer. I am seeing an orthopedic on Sept. 20 to discuss treatment options. Hopefully, they will send me to a pain management Dr. so that I can get rid of this pain. They have prescribed me tramadol for pain, but honestly, it doesn't really help that much. I will update everyone next week as to what the orthopedic said and what is going to be my next course of action.

Take Care!

Erica

Erica, I have dealt with back pain and sciatic nerve pain and it isn't fun. I had tremendous pain just lifting my feet to take a step. I finally went to see a rheumatologist. He took eight viles of blood work, about 25 x-rays and two MRI's and diagnosed me with ankylosing spondylitis. Possibly something like this could be going on. Google it and see if this sounds like what you are experiencing. With this disease, your spine can fuse. There is medication that can help and even stop the progression. But this is something you might ask about. The rheumy said he thinks I've had this for years so it obviously had been overlooked.

Sherrine

Hello Everyone,

I saw an Orthopedic today and he reviewed the X-Ray with me. Turns out, my sacrum did not develop properly and where the sacrum is suppose to be one bone, it is in two. He also noted some narrowing in the disc space. These could be the reasons for the chronic back pain. Tomorrow I go for blood work, he is going to check for lupus, rhemotoid arthritis, and everything. I also have an MRI scheduled for Wednesday 9/26. He is going to see what is going on with the discs so we can discuss treatment. Then, I will go back to him and we will see what exactly is causing the pain and see if I need to go see an Orthopedic Surgeon. He prescribed me Tramadol 50mg 2 tabs twice daily with tylenol, and Mobic 15mg (NSAID). I hope I can finally have some answers this time! I will update yall as soon as I find out more and I wish you all the best! Who knows, maybe something I find out will help someone.

Erica

Welcome Erica and I am so sorry honey that your having to deal with all of this at such a young age. Most of us here have been on this train of pain for years and some as long as you've been alive. So we have tried pretty much everything out there,every new one that comes along and hold out hope for every future med or treatment in the making.

The thing with sciatica,and let me say here that it looks as if none of the good Docs you have seen have actually told you that most likely that horrible pain in your leg is almost always caused by the somethings going on in your back. I see from what you have shared several reasons for it.

Treatment on the other hand is difficult at best,not to discourage here but everyone seems to find relief for sciatica in different places. Cymbalta,neutontin,lyrica, all of these are meds used to treat nerve pain such as sciatica. Unfortunately they all come with the potential for serious side effects for some.

It is difficult for some of us to say we are on this and that as we have been down the road and around the bend finding the right combination to work and that simply means many many years for some us and many many trials and errors. We are for the most part on some very strong meds and some of us alot of them. You being young at this and new to the game are sadly going to find good pain management hard to get. This isnt fair by any means but alot of Docs do not treat younger CPers with much aggression and nor do alot of them take you seriously about your pain.

Be patient and firm and very forthcoming about your pain with these folks. Make sure you explain it all and in great detail how it effects your life in general and how you sleep or dont.Is looks as if you have a very good pcp Dr. so that helps since if he can turn out to be your best friend in all of this.

I also want to say that my cortisone shots as well as my blocks and I have very similiar problems with my back and in the same areas as you. Physical therapy helped me understand positioning as well a better way to sleep and sit that helps relieve the pressure on that nerve. The invasive things such as the balloons I would tend to shy away from until you have tried lost of other stuff first.

Tramadol,the nsaids, all of those are not going to do alot of good for nerve pain unless there is some swelling going on causing the pressure on the nerve. Stronger meds work like the hydro and oxy's well because they are stronger meds but also narcotics those horrid things that no one wants to prescribe for new cpers until you have ran the gauntlet of other things first.

I have a kind of off the wall question here and please dont think I am getting personal I was just re-reading your origional post and you said the the Chiro helped but you could not afford him. I am assuming and I know this mistake but do you have some type of medical coverage? I see where you have a pcp and then the MRI scheduled later on this week. I am getting to does your insurance if you have one not cover Chiro in your area? Alot of folks have had bad deals with them but I know some folks who swear by them if they are good I can see where they could help maybe get the pressure off the nerve for awhile bringing some relief but again get your tests done and see whats happening before going back that way.

Tried and true as I have at times some mean sciatica going on and found that if I stand near the way and apply my foot to said wall and press firmly that for some unknown reason to me it is the best relief I get for awhile,there actually have been times I would have considered cutting off that leg just to make the pain stop so this is not really such a way out there remedy and it works for me. So on one of those horrible night when sleep is only a dream and the pain is in the realm as we say try it,hopefully it will give you a time out too!

I think probably I was so deep in pain one night I might have been about to kick the wall when I found this relief in this way. LOL And really there isnt anything funny about this kind of pain and I know alot you understand it sadly.

Good luck to you and heres hoping one of the new Drs can find you some answers and get you back to the land of living as we say and out of pain,your way too young to have to deal with all of this.

Hey Everyone,

I had my MRI yesterday. I was in pain for 2 days straight with sciatica so I called my primary care doctor and he told me to come in. He reviewed my MRI while I was there. Turns out, I have a herniated disc at L5/S1 (same disc from 3 years ago) that's hitting the nerves. This is the cause of my sciatica. He said there was some narrowing, and some of my facet joints are building up with fluid and are starting to thicken. Does anyone know why facet joints thicken or build up fluid? He said there was a lot of inflammation and blood test confirms that. My ESR was more than double the normal! It is suppose to be 0-20 and mine was 43. Also, my thyroid is STILL off and I am taking Synthroid so he is sending me to an endocrinologist. I was in such severe pain I started crying to the doctor and he gave me Hydrocodone and Prednisone. Thankfully, the Hydrocodone and Prednisone helped tremendously. I actually slept all through the night without waking up with leg pain! He is also sending me to an orthopedic surgeon. Don't know if I will need surgery, but I will try everything I can to get that disc back in place. So currently, I am alternating between tramadol and hydrocodone. I am also taking some herbal supplements to reduce inflammation, provide joint support, etc. I will keep you updated and update you when I see the orthopedic surgeon. Thanks for the support and I look forward to any suggestions or help you may have for me.

Erica

Snowbunny21 said...
Thanks for the update...With all the inflammation..prednisone does wonders so I'm glad they put you on that..

I also hope that when you see the Ortho that they can put you on a good path to help your disc issues non surgically. Obviously that is the last resort and thankfully close to 85% of people have their issues resolved non surgically..

I just wanted to ask though as I read in your last post about your taking both the Tramadol and the Hydrocodone...In another post you said you are taking Ultracet which has acetaminophen in it...

Are these two prescribed by the same Dr.?

The reason I ask is that Tramadol is now a controlled substance in many states and when you are on an opiate like Hydrocodone....they can call you in for a random urine test...and if this was prescribed by a previous Dr...it can get you into trouble..

So...I just wanted to make sure that if a previous Dr. prescribe this that you have it IN WRITING from this new Dr. that he is ok with you taking the Tramadol as well.

Same thing with the Dr. who prescribed the Tramadol. They need to know that you are prescribed and taking the Hydrocodone..

If it's the same Dr. for all 3 meds....just make sure that he wasn't expecting you to replace the Tramadol with the Hydro and is ok with you taking them at the same time.

It's very unusual to be prescribed these two at the same time because they both have acetaminophen in them and they are both short acting pain meds....

So..just want you to be aware of all of this...

And I didn't see you mention any type of nerve pain med....This is something that many of us with herniated discs take because nerve pain is one of the primary pains with spine issues. Those meds are either Lyrica, Neurontin, or Cymbalta...

So this might be another med that can be helpful in keeping the pain lower with these issues.

Hey,

No the same doctor that I have been seeing prescribed me that. I have tramadol and tylenol separately. The pharmacy on the military base doesn't cary Ultracet, so he told me to take tramadol (no tylenol) when needed and when my sciatica leg pain flares up to where the tramadol doesn't work, take the hydrocodone. They said to treat these as the same drug, so don't take them together. If I take tramadol in the morning, don't take hydrocodone (if I need it) until 4-6 hours. Thanks for bringing that to my attention though but it is from the same doctor. I only see 1 doctor (Primary Orthopedic Doctor) and he is sending me to an orthopedic surgeon. I definitely want to avoid surgery at all costs. I don't have a med for nerve pain but I would like to try one. I have more problems with nerve pain than I do with my back. It use to be the other way around. I will take with the orthopedic surgeon about that and see what he wants to do.

Thanks for the information,

Erica

Erica

I am coming in a bit late but I just wanted to say I really feel for you. Back pain is awful and to be dealing with it so young is just awful. However, unlike what some have said, I think there is hope for you. Have you tried TENS, it may not correct the problems but it might help with the pain, some people love it some hate it. Even if you hate it, keep going back to it as with time you can get used to it. That may not be a long term solution and from what you have said I think you may be offered surgery. Nerve pains sound like a great option, in fact I too am surprised you haven't been offered them before.

Only you know whether you want to go,down the road of surgery. You have to ask whether you think you have exhausted every other possibility, and only then does surgery come in to the equation. For some surgery is a cure. On forums like this you tend to hear the failures and the poor result stories, people don't tend to come here and praise their surgery. So although many people will tell you their story and the negatives, there are some for whom surgery is successful. I had successful surgery two years ago, but am having problems again, that can be a downside in that surgery can put pressure on other areas.

You need to speak to a really good pain management doctor to see what he can do to successfully manage your pain. There are options there to help your pain, if not cure it. You also need to put a list of questions together if surgery is considered. Not only about the surgery, but about the future too.

I am learning just now about the importance of really good core muscles, something most of us with back problems lack. I have tried many times to find a physiotherapist who truly understands chronic pain, to no avail. However after years of trying I have found a real angel, she will never have me work through pain, it is all about very small movements and stretches, based on the Pilates model. So whether or not you go down the surgery road, that is something I would really suggest you consider.

Erica, it is never easy when you are in a situation like this, but don't give up. You have to believe that there is help out there for you. I really hope your appointment with the ortho surgeon goes well and some sort of plan can be set in place for you. I will be waiting to here, do you know when the appointment might be. If I were you, I would take your mum with you too, I always take my husband with me, helps to have support and someone to reiterate your present situation.

Take care

Jane

Thanks for the update!!...

I have been on Cymbalta which is another nerve pain medication. (Lyrica is another one as well)...

Many people experience some fatigue and/or dizziness when they first start taking this so please be aware of these possible side effects. Most of the side effects will subside after a few weeks to a month. With Gabapentin (brand name Neurontin), the therapeutic dosages can go all the way up to 3600mg. So don't be nervous when you see high milligrams as that is how this med is prescribed..

What dosage is he starting you on?

I always recommend that everyone give a 100% shot to any new medication as you will find that some people have great success with it and others have negative experiences. The key is being optimistic it will work for you!:) And again, realize that barring any actual allergic reaction...that the side effects usually get better..

Good luck and keep us posted..

Thanks for the great information. He is starting me at 400mg at night for 10days; then 400mg 1 time during the day. I don't think that is going to be enough to help! I guess I will see. I will give this medicine a try. If I am not seeing results in a few weeks, I may ask him about increasing the dose. I took it last night and it did make me a little sleepy but that was the only side effect. Do you all think this dose will be effective?

Michelle,

Have you found anything to help since this didn't? If so, what are you taking/doing?

Erica