GP - Sciatic Pain - Arthritis

lynnemarie1123

Helloo

After having the worst week in a long time - I have visited the Gp today who thinks that my back pain is linked to my arthritis but not too sure why - she mentioned it was like a sciatic pain - has given me the strongest type of co-codamol (30/500) and some Amitriptyline - not had these before, along with my normal diflofenic and sulpha. she is referring me to the physio at our medical centre - re doing bloods in a weeks time to see if the crp of 25 has settled down to my normal 5! -

I feel so much better having seen the gp and today in general - anyone had anything similar??

stickywicket

It's good that you feel better and I hope the new meds help. I only ever had sciatic pain in the last month of my second pregnancy when my son made himself comfy on my sciatic nerve. As I recall, the pain was in the back of the thigh though but that might be more to do with pregnancy that sciatic problems.

elnafinn

Hi Lynne

You have my sympathy. I had sciatica for a whole year. In the end I had injections via exray direction on 3 December 2009 and since then, so far, no return of that horrific pain. It is pure bliss. I hope it is sorted for you asap. It is most debilitating.

Elna x

ps I do stretching exercises nearly every day to help with my lower spine so do not know if that has kept the sciatica pain at bay too, but I am not going to stop the exercising to find out!

kentishlady

Hi Lynne. Do hope your pain has eased a little. I have OA in my back with 3 discs affected and when it is extremely bad get sciatica problem too so I do know what you are going through. Hope you can get it sorted soon. Take care. Beryl

lynnemarie1123

Hey guys, thanks for your replies. The pain has subsided - I feel like I can cope with it!, it still thee when it has no right to be!! I took a tablet last night that gp subscribed and slept til 9.40!!! (I'm normally a 6am gal!) - when reading the leaflet it said it was a anti depressent (what's that all about??) X!

elnafinn

Hi Lynne

Amitriptyline has lots of uses! Taken in a high dosage it is prescribed as an antidepressant, in lower dosages it helps with quite a few different symptoms. I was prescribed it for really bad, persistant diarrhea after being checked out by a gastro and took this med in a low dose for a year and my problem was more or less solved. It is also p rescribed for chronic pain associated with arthritis, fibromyalgia, neuropathy or neuralgia (nerve damage), and migraine headache.

Great to hear you are feeling much better all round today

Elna x

barbara12

Hello Lynne
I have sciatic pain, so I do feel for you, I take the ami's at night but also gabapentin of the nerve pain..it hasn't taken it away but helped a little.
I am glad it has eased for you, like Elna say stretching exercises are good for keeping the spine from pinching nerves.x

lupin15

lynnemarie1123 wrote:

Hey guys, thanks for your replies. The pain has subsided - I feel like I can cope with it!, it still thee when it has no right to be!! I took a tablet last night that gp subscribed and slept til 9.40!!! (I'm normally a 6am gal!) - when reading the leaflet it said it was a anti depressent (what's that all about??) X!

Hi i was given amitripyline but because i was working i had to stop... my head felt like cotton wool and it took me most of the day to get myself back to normal. I am sure the doctor said it does help to switch off the pain. I would try it again it did work.

elnafinn

Quite a few of us have found that when we are prescribed amitriptyline it is a good idea to take it quite early on in the evening b efore actually going to bed. I did this but still found I felt a tad whoosy on awakening but once out of bed this feeling soon subsided.


Elna x

lynnemarie1123

Thanks for the advice - i took the tablet earlier today - i was scared of taking it last night in case i didnt wake up this morning ha!! - i have just realised that part of my leg is numb - why is that - is that the meds or the problem?

i will try and do some stretches - i had been doing some over the week to try and eliminate the pain - nothing helped but it might help keep it at bay.

I am back to work tomorrow after the xmas break - hope it doesnt make my condition worse! x

lupin15

lynnemarie1123 wrote:

Thanks for the advice - i took the tablet earlier today - i was scared of taking it last night in case i didnt wake up this morning ha!! - i have just realised that part of my leg is numb - why is that - is that the meds or the problem?

i will try and do some stretches - i had been doing some over the week to try and eliminate the pain - nothing helped but it might help keep it at bay.

I am back to work tomorrow after the xmas break - hope it doesnt make my condition worse! x

Numb bit is the trapped nerve or can be.. i get that in my feet, hands and sometime my legs.. i think

frogmella

I have had sciatica twice and it is horrible so I feel bad for you (()) I now have nerve pain in my legs and feet but on a different path so not sciatica. Also not as intense as the sciatica I had but still bad enough!

I was on ami for a while and learnt to take it 13-14 hours before I wanted to get up. It wrote off my evenings but meant I could get up in the morning! I now take gabapentin, which has been more effective on my nerve pain, but has made me feel much more stupid. Swings and roundabouts with these things I find! Some days I miss the sleep that ami gave me.

I have a numb bit on my leg too, it has been there since my disc went nearly 4 years ago. I also have a slightly numb little toe. You can tell where in your spine the pain is coming from by tracing the pain's path and comparing it with dermatome maps. I reckon your physio will do that for you.

I hope that your return to work doesn't set you back too much.

Helen

kentishlady

Hi Lynne. Am pleased to hear that you are feeling a little better. My sciatica is playing havoc at present but just have to wait for it to calm down again. Hope you got on ok back at work. Beryl

lynnemarie1123

hiya

My return to work wasnt too bad - have felt it twinge but school life is v v v busy you dont have time to blow my nose most days so it has helped take my mind of things - i am wiped when i get home tho x

stopped all pain relief as it was making me far too spaced out - still concerned about the numb area on my leg - but just hope it magically disappears xx