Hello and thank you for being a DL contributor. We are changing the login scheme for contributors for simpler login and to better support using multiple devices. Please click here to update your account with a username and password.

Hello. Some features on this site require registration. Please click here to register for free.

Hello and thank you for registering. Please complete the process by verifying your email address. If you can't find the email you can resend it here.

Hello. Some features on this site require a subscription. Please click here to get full access and no ads for $1.99 or less per month.

DataLounge Medical Advice Needed

I am in real trouble possibly with Sciatica/pinched nerve.

I've had severe pain in my hip area (butt check)/back of leg area. I've gone to walk in clinics 4 times in the past 4 months. They gave me a steroid injection each time. And each time, it totally helped for almost a month. But the last time, it only helped for 2 days. And now I can only walk for 3 minutes at a time and then I get terrible pain/spasms and I have to lay down, on my good side for at least 5 minutes. And I am groaning./breathing hard the entire time

Has anyone had anything like this? I have an appointment tomorrow with an orthopedic dr

by Anonymousreply 37May 4, 2021 11:04 AM

I wish I could help, OP, but I'm afraid I don't have anything to contribute that would be helpful.

What you are going through sounds totally terrifying and painful as hell. Glad you are going in tomorrow. Please keep us posted. In the meantime sending supportive and healing vibes your way.

by Anonymousreply 1April 27, 2021 4:33 AM

Yes, it’s time for epidurals. You can do up to three for sciatica. They really helped me.

by Anonymousreply 2April 27, 2021 4:40 AM

You guys always shock me with how sweet you can be. Good luck op and I wish I had advice to give. I hope the doctor find a cheap easy way to help.

by Anonymousreply 3April 27, 2021 4:40 AM

Loose weight Sometimes it can b fat pressing on a nerve. seek out a physical therapist for the exercises. They hurt like hell but they worked for me.

or BOOZE

by Anonymousreply 4April 27, 2021 4:59 AM

I had it several years ago, so bed that I would be temporarily paralyzed if I happened to move the wrong way, and the thing that finally helped was physical therapy, not doctors. I still do several of the stretches they recommended, and I haven't had the problem again. Good Luck.

by Anonymousreply 5April 27, 2021 5:03 AM

Sounds like a herniated disc, probably pressing on your sciatic nerve.

by Anonymousreply 6April 27, 2021 5:07 AM

OP, there has already been a thread about this. No need for ANOTHER one.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 7April 27, 2021 5:09 AM

I’ve never had sciatica (knock wood), but a friend has and it sounded exactly like what you describe. It’s good you’re going to a real, non-DL doctor and probably a good idea to do as another poster suggested and look into physical therapy as well.

by Anonymousreply 8April 27, 2021 5:16 AM

OP I’m no doctor but I’ve had what you described - twice - both times ending up in surgery with a herniated disk.

I could only hop on my good leg for a couple of minutes then would have to lie down with my left leg elevated until the muscle spasms stopped. All the time gasping for breath. Never had pain like it - never want to go through it again.

Assuming that you’re in the USA I understand that this could be difficult depending on your medical insurance (where I live we have universal healthcare) but you should ideally see a neurosurgeon ASAP.

The longer that you leave it the harder it is to treat.

I have regained 95% of the use of my left leg after surgery. I arrived at hospital in an ambulance, woke up after surgery completely transformed. No more agonising pain. Find a way to see someone.

Good luck!

by Anonymousreply 9April 27, 2021 5:31 AM

Massage and physical therapy.

by Anonymousreply 10April 27, 2021 5:41 AM

For many kinds of sciatica, there are specific stretches you can do. Just type sciatic pain stretches into youtube, and there will be hundreds if not thousands of videos demonstrating them. One of the best is a piriformis stretch. I am linking one of gazillion videos below (no guarantees that it's the best one). But if you have a disc that is herniated, do these stretches gently. With back pain, lots of muscle groups spasm, and that is what you are feeling more than the actual area of damage in your back/nerves. Stretching can release accumulated toxins that register as pain. But massage, gentle walking, strengthening of the core muscles in correct alignment will all be needed for full improvement.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 11April 27, 2021 5:45 AM

According to WebMD, you have cancer and you might not last through summer. Can I have you stuff?

by Anonymousreply 12April 27, 2021 5:49 AM

Thank you all for the advice. I am really scared. I've never heard of anyone having this before

R2, what is an epidural like? I have crappy insurance. How long do epidurals last?

R11, I saw those exercises a few weeks ago and they helped, until this latest "episode"

by Anonymousreply 13April 27, 2021 5:49 AM

I had a couple bouts of sciatica, nothing as serious as what you described, for me I think walking & mild exercise hurt more than helped.

by Anonymousreply 14April 27, 2021 6:44 AM

You will need to see an Orthopedic Surgeon or Neuro surgeon which you are in the process of doing. You will get an MRI and most likely you have some form of herniation. They will try to manage it first with Physical Therapy (Witch Doctor) and Pain Management (Opiates, Muscle relaxers, other drugs). If that doesn’t work them you may get surgery. A lamenectomy removes a small amount and relieves the herniation. For more severe cases (like mine and Tiger Woods for instance) you get a fusion surgery where they literally fuse together your spine and it usually is held in place with pins and screws. Mdoes it work? Sometimes, for some people. I think for most people with these kinds of i juries you try to figure out how to manage it the best you can by trial and error,

For now try Ice and NsAIDs, and a tens unit-got mine from Ebay zewa is a decent brand.

Good luck op.

by Anonymousreply 15April 27, 2021 7:05 AM

I fought this for many years. The slightest movement could trigger pain that would bring an elephant to its knees. Drugs, weight loss, and physical therapy helped. The single best thing I did after years of pain was to purchase an over-the-door water weight cervical traction. You feel like an idiot, but let me tell you, it works! Changed my life.

by Anonymousreply 16April 27, 2021 7:09 AM

Also, my neurosurgeon nursed me along for ten years with different therapies, because he said surgical intervention was too low a rate for satisfaction, particularly with fusions. Water weight cervical traction, don’t make me say it thrice.

by Anonymousreply 17April 27, 2021 7:13 AM

[quote]According to WebMD, you have cancer and you might not last through summer. Can I have you stuff?

Yes you can. You're the first to ask. You entitled to everything

by Anonymousreply 18April 27, 2021 9:42 AM

I'll have you know R12 that stuff is MINE.

And I'll make sure you're run out of this town like the cheap tramp you are!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 19April 27, 2021 9:53 AM

[quote] The single best thing I did after years of pain was to purchase an over-the-door water weight cervical traction. You feel like an idiot, but let me tell you, it works!

Thank You. To quote the late Barbara Bush, "this will work out well". I'm already an idiot

Is this a good one to get? I'll do anything to feel better

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 20April 27, 2021 10:33 AM

[quote]DataLounge Medical Advice Needed

Literally the most terrifying words ever typed on the internet.

by Anonymousreply 21April 27, 2021 10:34 AM

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good tens unit?

Thank You

by Anonymousreply 22April 27, 2021 10:40 AM

R16 = little Chinese kid who sews cervical neck traction devices.

by Anonymousreply 23April 27, 2021 2:44 PM

Hi OP, how did your appointment go?

by Anonymousreply 24April 27, 2021 11:11 PM

Any updates OP?

by Anonymousreply 25April 28, 2021 4:26 PM

You need a hip replacement, right?

by Anonymousreply 26April 28, 2021 8:04 PM

Sadly, I think we've been had once again by an attention seeker. This keeps happening more and more on here, and it's causing me to become even more of a cynical bastard, as if I thought that was possible, let alone needed any help in that department.

Wishing you a grease fire, OP

by Anonymousreply 27April 28, 2021 8:07 PM

I'm not a troll R27. Sorry I haven't gotten back

I went to the dr and when I got out of my car, my back and my leg were fine. I don't know if my car seat acted as some type of traction

The Dr didn't really believe how much I had been hurting. He prescribed physical therapy and gave me a script for an anti-inflammatory. He didn't want to give me a dr's excuse for work. He was a real asshole

When I got home, I was okay for an hour and then when I sat down, it flared back up

The pain has gotten much worse and it seems to mostly be in my leg and the back of my calf, which really, really hurts

This feels a lot different than just sciatica. I think when I got the last steroid injection (last Sunday), it may have damaged the nerve. I googled some stuff about the injections, and that's one of the side effects, but I didn't see much on what to do if someone has that side effect.

by Anonymousreply 28May 2, 2021 12:34 PM

Mom? You're on DL, Mom?

by Anonymousreply 29May 2, 2021 12:34 PM

Life's a Bitch.

by Anonymousreply 30May 2, 2021 12:46 PM

You need a hip replacement.

by Anonymousreply 31May 3, 2021 6:39 PM

I vote for a personal TENS machine. Bought mine on Amazon. I would get sciatica routinely about every month, so bad I could barely walk. I finally got my TENSI when I had just started my 3rd new career at 58, and experienced a bout 2 months in to my new hire 90 day provisional, so I had to go to work. So, ibuprofen, and I wired myself with 2 TENS pads on my sciatica area, and 2 more near the mid back, draped the wire through the back of my TShirt, and ran the TENS for about the next 3 days. It auto turns off in 60 minutes, so I had to frequently turned it on. Hearing pad at night, with the TENS. Felt better after 1 day, but still sore and muscle spasms. Even better after day 2. By day three, I was able to walk without significant pain. It's now been almost 3 years without a major episode like this one. The TENS machine I purchased came with these tear drop shape pads, 2 as big if you made a circle with your thumb and index finger, the other 2 even smaller. So, another search on Amazon, and found these maybe 2x4 rectangular shaped pads. They are perfect. I often just use 2 pads now, no need for 4. They were not from the manufacturer of the TENS machine, but made for my wires snap at the end. Fairly cheap, and made in the USA. Remember, TENS machine contract release your muscle area, but also sending an electrical impulse into the afflicted area. Best thing I own.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 32May 3, 2021 7:42 PM

You don’t have to give your stuff to the first person who asks.

by Anonymousreply 33May 3, 2021 7:46 PM

Is it possible that you need a hip replacement?

by Anonymousreply 34May 4, 2021 4:22 AM

Never sleep on your stomach. Back or side and make sure you don't turn over while you're asleep.

by Anonymousreply 35May 4, 2021 4:44 AM

Stop going to walk-in clinics and establish a relationship with a doctor if you can. You really need an MRI to know what's happening, but with crappy insurance that's probably out of your reach. However, you should ask for an X-ray of your hip and pelvis/sacroiliac area, which should be enough to establish whether you do need a hip replacement and whether there is any bony problem in the area. If you're lucky it could even show a prolapsed sacroiliac disc.

Beyond that, listen to R15.

by Anonymousreply 36May 4, 2021 5:43 AM

[quote] Is it possible that you need a hip replacement?

My hip doesn't hurt. The pain was in my butt cheek and my calf. It's still there, but the calf is really bothering me

When I walk, it's okay for about 3 minutes, then I feel like someone is stabbing my butt cheek or the muscle is tearing and cramping up

I'm going to talk to this primary care guy that I go to. He's really weird. But I do need to find a good GP

by Anonymousreply 37May 4, 2021 11:04 AM
Loading
Need more help? Click Here.

Yes indeed, we too use "cookies." Take a look at our privacy/terms or if you just want to see the damn site without all this bureaucratic nonsense, click ACCEPT. Otherwise, you'll just have to find some other site for your pointless bitchery needs.

×

Become a contributor - post when you want with no ads!