Sciatic Nerve problem??

UPDATE:
After two weeks of pain, I finally went to my primary care physician today and he pushed and pulled for about 10 seconds and sent me to Palestine (40miles) for X-Rays and an MRI.

Laying motionless on that hard surface for 25 minutes during the MRI took some reall praying on my part. By the time it was thru, my hair was wringing wet with sweat and I was hurting pretty bad but we "Got'er Done" as Larry would say.

He put me on Soma 3 times daily, Meloxicam (anti-inflammatory) 2 times a day and Hydrocodone (vicodin) as needed during the night. and wants to see me back in his office on Tuesday to discuss the results of the tests.

Don't mean to be Ps'n & Mo'n just passing along this info for Y'alls future reference which I hope none of you ever need.

Thanks again to "ALL" for the advise and personal experiences,
Mello

I'm just gonna wing it here.
I lost my right leg above the knee almost 12 years ago. Every morning and I mean every morning I take a hot bath and soak for almost 30 minutes. I do have a TV which helps kill the time in the bathroom. I do have hip and backpain,,,,but doing this makes me last all day without pain. I also take Osteo-byflex which is a pill. I'm only 52, but life can't get any better for me because life is good to me by doing this. I also see a back cracker every once in awhile. That is the last resort.
Soak in a hot tube. It's may be the answer. One never knows. Everyone is different.
The Gitchie weed does help some too.

yep i have a upper disc that needs a titanium cage and one in the lower back that could be fixed the same way. thats the last talk i had to the doc over 5 years ago .i gone to the bone crackers and they at times have help and hurt me so i do not go to them much any more. i been this way for 20 years just never got the feeling by talking to many doc s that the fix would be the end of some of my nerve pain so i walk it off and eat pain pills and know when it is time to sit down or take a day off .i can say letting this go i have some nerve pain that rapps around to the front of me .i have lost all feeling to my leg down to my toes but did come back .every 5 years it will nail me down to the floor .but i get up and keep going but nevers go,s all away for me. i think the nerves have re wired them self .after just getting back from burning my back shoulders down to my butt with 2 degree burns it s not on the top of the list like it us to be :whacked:

Since you all were so kind to relate your stories and advice, I thought I'd give Y'all a quick update.

I decided to go see an Orthopedic Specialist and after a couple of visits, it has come down to this. I have three options 1. see if it continues to get better each day 2. get him to give me a steriod injection at the base of my spine. 3. let him schedule me for reconstruction surgery and I opted for number 1 and he agreed with me. It has been getting better to the point that I can sleep without pain pills and walk without the walker. We can always go to steps 2 or 3 if necessary but surgery is a final option for me.

Once again, thanks to all of you for your input and support.

God Bless and have a Merry Christmas !

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Originally Posted by MelloYello

Since you all were so kind to relate your stories and advice, I thought I'd give Y'all a quick update.
It has been getting better to the point that I can sleep without pain pills and walk without the walker. We can always go to steps 2 or 3 if necessary but surgery is a final option for me.

Once again, thanks to all of you for your input and support.

God Bless and have a Merry Christmas !

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Well, I guess that is good news! At least your walking and sleeping and that means a LOT! And a Merry Christmas to you and yours as well!

To answer your original question, a neurologist is the specialist you want to see. I just went through this. Began having loss of feeling in my left leg and arm. No tingling, just a lack of feeling and some dull ache. I noticed it first on the bottom of my left foot when I brushed against the carpeting at my computer chair. Went to my primary care physician, who referred me to a neurologist, who ordered MRI's to scan my brain and spine. He wanted to see if I had had any mini-strokes that would show up as little busted blood vessels in my brain. Nothing conclusive. It was determined that I have nerve pinching at 3 locations along my spine. The doc said we should try an anti-inflammatory drug first and see what happens. He prescribed Gabapentin 300 MG 3 times a day. It does seem to help and so far, has no nasty side effects.

The doc said that I could be on this med the rest of my life or I could opt for spinal surgery to relieve the ports where the nerves come out of the spinal column. Right now, I'm pretty much convinced that I would rather take the meds forever. The other thing I have noticed is that my posture has an effect. If I slump, my leg goes deader than Walter Matthau's sex life, but if I sit up straight and take my meds, it ain't so bad. I'm thinking about getting one of those upside-down racks to hang by and try that. My buddy does that and claims it helps him.

i have had the steriod injection with some pain killer . they shoot in the spine under a live X ray so they know were to stick you. do not look at the needle :eek:. it never really did much but many have had good luck with it . they do them every month i think they shot me 3 or 4 times . i pass on this for my upper back when i was the only guy in the world that this stuff made me sick

MY - some more about the DW which you have heard much about here and elsewhere. The stuff they injected in her back was cortisone which worked well the first time and it lasted 2-3 months. The next set of shots - well let's say the doctor might as well have rubbed Ben-Gay on the area of her back. And the injection spot ....... a year later still itches and she says it occasionally feels like fire. And that was by the area's so called best neurological doctor.

I hope your series of shots work out well as most folks have relief.

Go to an Accupuncturist or Dr of Oriental Medicine. All western medicine Dr's will do is presrcibe drugs since they get paid by phamicutical companies. I had back pain for 20 years and all the Dr's did was prescribe pain pills and anti inflammatories. Had 6 months of accupucture and herbs and my back hasn't hurt since!

There are a lot of info of what works for various people and what works for one person may not work for another as is pretty evident in reading all of this. I have been to good bone crunchers and bad ones as well as docs. The bottom line is that you keep trying until the pain is taken care of. I had a parishioner who ended up going on disability about 2 years ago because of sciatic pain. I believe he had surgery before going on disability, but it really did not help. He ended up having surgery by another doc this year on his back which was a huge success. I think he goes back to the doc this week where he will probably be cleared to look for work again. I have had other people who have had the shots that last for months and others that last for days. So I guess that I am trying to say not to give up because constant pain can throw you into depression and just make your life miserable.

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Originally Posted by pastor bubba

There are a lot of info of what works for various people and what works for one person may not work for another as is pretty evident in reading all of this. I have been to good bone crunchers and bad ones as well as docs. The bottom line is that you keep trying until the pain is taken care of. I had a parishioner who ended up going on disability about 2 years ago because of sciatic pain. I believe he had surgery before going on disability, but it really did not help. He ended up having surgery by another doc this year on his back which was a huge success. I think he goes back to the doc this week where he will probably be cleared to look for work again. I have had other people who have had the shots that last for months and others that last for days. So I guess that I am trying to say not to give up because constant pain can throw you into depression and just make your life miserable.

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Your right Pastor Bubba. I've know good Docs and bad Docs. Locally, most of the Orthopods that are top notch, have crummy bed side manors, but they get the job done right the first time. Same with Chiropractors, etc...
A good massage shouldn't be under rated either! Who ever or what ever you try, if you aren't getting results move on, life is too short to live with back pain if there is a remody out there!

I had a similar problem. My generous daughter scheduled and paid for a deep tissue massage with a qualified massage therapist. It helped tremendously. You might try that. Not too expensive, and no drugs.

One more story. I had similar problems with L5 and L6, lower back. Got a MRI and had the surgery. It came out almost perfect, if I don't abuse it. No more injections and no drugs. Best thing I ever did for it. It was a tough decision thought, I have to admit. Can't wear my Spedo's with out my scar showing :LOL:
Ken