bababear_50
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2007
Did you try physical therapy for your sciatic pain?
I have a herniated disc and back in 2012, I was putting a sock on and just felt a jolt down my leg and excruciating pain. My calf was twitching like it was possessed. Really freaky! I could barely walk and the pain was insane. Like someone had jammed a butcher knife in my left upper outer thigh/lower buttock. Excruciating. At its worst, I only got 3 hrs sleep one night and collapsed in bed at 6 pm delirious but still in too much pain to sleep. By 2am I went to our local ER for pain meds before I'd go insane from lack of sleep.
I was out of work for a week and my dr gave me steroids to reduce inflammation and muscle relaxers. I started PT 2x/week and that was the best thing ever. I went for prob 8-10 weeks and they kept changing it up as I progressed. I applied for FMLA and luckily I work in a hospital so I could take their last appt of the day and just walk over after my shift.
I work in a busy xray dept with lots of leaning, bending, squatting sometimes & lifting. There is no "light duty".
I also had some OT where they had a simulated washer/dryer and had me move like I was doing laundry to see how I bend, pick things up off the floor such as a dropped pen. They gave me all kinds of tips such as lifting the further back foot up off the ground to pick things up, the way a golfer retrieves his ball from the hole.
I was happy to be done with the $30/week in copays but even more happy to be pain free and have my normal life back.
Anyway, 5 years later, the stripe of complete numbness is still there from my hip down to, and including, my little toe. It's a strange sensation when I'm shaving my leg and go across the numb area.
I still work FT and if it starts acting up again I will get right back into PT again. They were so phenomenal, I hated to leave them and brought them a big bag of candy on my last visit. This was our own hospital's PT dept. (we're a regional spinal-cord injury center) not one of those chain-type outpatient centers like NovaCare. I used one of those once for my back several years ago after I fell and they were so pathetic. Unprofessional & lazy is the most Dis-friendly terminology I can use here.
Best wishes to you and hope you feel better soon!!
I know that sciatic pain is excruciating and though I'd consider myself a mentally strong person, this constant pain is enough to make me want to jump off a bridge. Not kidding. I would have done ANYTHING to get some relief & solid sleep.
Speaking of sleep, do try keeping a pillow under your knees while on your back or between your knees when on your side. It really does help!
Hi Hon
Welcome back from your travels, it sounds like you had a great time.
I have done a few months of Physio Therapy, and while I found it helped I now feel I can do the exercises from home. I was thinking this weekend of going for massage therapy and am going to set up some appointments this week.
I have figured out the hard way (lack of restorative sleep) that I will have to take the prescribed medication ,gabapentin until this subsides. Going back to work mornings is going ok, sometimes I feel more numbness, muscle spasms and pain by lunch time ,but Advil and stretching helps.
I tried swimming but my skin is not a happy camper--hates the chemicals in the pool so I am going to try and walk in the forest by my home once a day.
Oh my gosh you are so right about the extra pillow,,I bought a body pillow and use it regularly.
I so happy PT was able to help you and that you are doing well.
BIg Hugs To You
Mel