Sciatica - Robert's story

'I used to wake up five times in the night with aching pain'

Sciatica: Robert's story

Robert's sciatica caused him intense pain in his right leg. He describes how the condition affected his life and mobility and what treatment options were available to him.

Robert's sciatica caused him intense pain in his right leg. He describes how the condition affected his life and mobility, and what treatment options were available to him.

Last reviewed: 17/09/2010

Next review due: 17/09/2012

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16 Comments about ‘Robert's story’

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Comments are personal views. Any information they give has not been checked and may not be accurate.

Mrs Claire Mcghie said on 04 February 2012

I am 25 and have been suffering with sciatica for almost 4 years. Last year I received treatment for the pains in my leg and all was going well, or so I thought until last November one day I woke up and could barely walk the pain was so bad in my lower back and further down. The doctors sent me for more physio and an MRI all last year but don't seem to listen to me when I tell them how bad the pain is. I can bearly walk, standing up is very painful and everyday tasks that should come with ease I can hardly do with the help of another person.
I know this is going to sound dramatic butithas literally taken my life away.
I am fed up with ringing the doctors every few week because they don't seem to realise how bad it is but I can't go on any longer, it's really quite depressing.
If anyone has any information on what I can do I would be really thankful !!!

sleepy21 said on 23 January 2012

cheryl worsley i am so happy i read your comments. i have suffered the same you and im now having a operation in 2 weeks time. i was very worried about going ahead with it but i have been suffering for years now and couldnt put up with it anymore. im 38 yrs old but feel like 88 yrs old. im actually in bed at this moment unable to move due to the pain in my back and left leg right into my foot. your comments have given me hope that 1 day i wont feel this way and i can start to enjoy thing again. im so miserable, moody and cry all the time due to being in constant pain. i hope you continue to get even better and enjoy your pain free life !! im hoping for the same

Kathryn52 said on 04 January 2012

I have sciatica for some years now on and off, I have found that a good walk or stretching helps, but recently the pain has intensified and as I am no longer able to take any form of painkiller ( because they give me headaches) also I was having problems in the left side of my neck (stiffness and painful movement) my doctor suggested I try Propranolol 40 mg twice a day and hey presto the relief in my neck was instant, within a couple of days i felt no pain in my left side at all after a couple of weeks it felt good to be pain free however the side effect was that I was so tired all the time. after discussion with my doctor i reduced the propranolol to 10 mg twice a day with the knowledge that should the pain return I could increase the dose for that day. all has been well until the last two weeks. The pain has returned and although one dose of 40mg propranolol helps to relive the pain it's not working as well, so back to the doctors for me. Has anyone else been prescribed this drug? I am very active (I have a dog and no garden) I don't work at the moment but keep busy all the same. For me with my pain I don't have problems with activity in fact the more I do the less I feel pain as of course my mind is busy with other things however its the resting i find difficult, waking up at the silly hours of the morning in pain but really tired and wanting to rest but finding i need to move because of the pain ? any one else feel like this? I have heat pads , cold pads , massage machines, you name it I have it or have done it , swimming, walking, cycling, everything works for a while then its back again, I have also tried every kind of anti-inflammatory available but all to no avail. so any other suggestions would be good, also i have done deep massage therapy and chiro

mummyju said on 29 November 2011

I wrote a comment on here back in Feb 2010, about the sciatica problem I had and I thought id just update you on progress.
It got much, much worse. One night it got so unbearable I rang NHS direct and they got me into the local hospital immediately to see a doctor. I felt as though I was being a pest, as the doctor said he couldnt do anything except offer me that diazapan stuff which I refused, as I have two small children to look after. (at the time my husband was out of the country on business) he told me to make an appointment with my GP in the morning. Then the doctor even turned all the lights out before Id got out of the corridor and couldnt see and then I literally bumped into a porter who let me out of the hospital!

However the next day I made an apointment, but my ususal GP was busy so, I got a lovely lady doctor who immediately put me in for a MRI Scan. The scan was gonna take weeks but I got a good tip - I rang the hospital and told them I would except any no-shows or cancellation appointments if I could get in quicker, and it worked within 2 weeks I had my scan (it was hellish laid in that machine for that amount of time with sciatica, i just laid there and cried!) and found out the two bottom discs had prolasped. It was funny really as my usual GP told me my condition and he was sympathetic (not like he had taken any notice before hand though).
What was really strange was the moment they told me what was wrong, my sciatica got slightly better and by the time I saw the specialist who was wanting to do an operation, the majority of the pain had gone. So I refused the operation and although my back is like glass and I have to be so careful, and still have no feeling in the last two toes of my left foot (nerve damage) Im coping.
I know it will flare up again, as I constantly feel on the cusp of another attack but, touch wood, its gone for a while. All I would say is, that giving up for me was not an option, never will be. Good luck :)

CHERYL WORSLEY said on 27 November 2011

I had Degenerative Disc Disease 4 years ago which caused Sciatica but was able to manage it with exercise until January this year. My GP referred me for an MRI and then to a Consultant as it showed I had two prolapsed Discs. My Consultant couldn't really see from the MRI exactly why I was in so much pain and after having a Spinal Epidural [which didn't help] he ordered another MRI. Still he wasn't sure but I could see no other course than to have the operation [Spinal Decompression and Discectomy] I was so scared and wondering if I was doing the right thing because as my Consultant explained to me there were so many things that could have gone wrong and left me in more pain.
I had my operation at the Circle Hospital Bath 9 weeks ago and I am so pleased I did. The operation itself was no where near as painful as I expected, you do need someone to look after you and make sure you don't do too much, but I was carefully walking around the block at home 3 days after my operation. Now I attend Back Rehab at our local hospital and when that is over next week I shall continue with the Water Mobility Class at our local Leisure Center. I go out and briskly walk for half and hour every morning and excercise in between.I still have a bit of pain some days but it's nothing like before and I do realise it can take 6 months for the nerves to settle down. I had a badly trapped nerve, which was age related caused by narrowing at the bottom of my spine. I also had some shaved off the two prolapsed Discs.
I would say to anyone if you are in terrible pain from Sciatica don't be afraid of the operation. Be sure you have a Surgeon you have faith in and trust. Also realise you must work hard after to get fully fit again.
Any process with Back/Sciatic problems will take time on the NHS whichever hospital you go to as so many have the same pain. I couldn't take painkillers other than Panadol which made it worse for me, but now I am taking nothing and feel I have a life back again.

macallan said on 30 October 2011

i have had this pain for a year now, i have been on so many pain killers, which takes the edge of the pain. sleep at night is still a broken sleep. i have a five old boy which is my life. but i am so cripple with pain that i cry out in pain in front of my son. the doctor sent me for a mri, which has show my L4/L5 are causing some narrowing of the lateral recess. also be sent to pain clinic to mange my pain and the possibility of steroid epidural injections. i have pyhsio. i do the exercise, heat etc. i have been give a walking stick to help. but still in so much pain. i get pins/neddles in my legs,hands, neck, feet. my ribs feel like they are be crushed cause the way i walk, sleep, sit, stand. but i still carry on with every day. i take one day at time. some days are good. the bad days i try not let them get to me. i enjoy what i have got. for my beautiful son.

rogerofsa said on 23 September 2011

after 3 visits to 3 different GPs from the same practice and after 7 weeks of sleepless nights from sciatica and nothing offered other than pain killers i went direct to a physio who was brilliant --i now have an MRI scan at at hospital within 48 hours of seeing him.

Cost me £30 fro the consultation and it will cost £300 for the scan --if it puts me on the right road it will be well worth it .

I had not realised you could get a hospital appointment without going via a GP.

rogerofsa said on 22 September 2011

Reading other peoples stories makes me realise how much pain some people suffer --i am now 68 and have had a largely pain free life.

7 weeks ago after sailing and gardening i had intensive back pain diagnosed by a GP as sciatica .

I was largely immobile for the first few days but it has gradually improved so i can walk/drive etc but there is a nagging pain down my left leg and it still wakes me up at night -after a while it gets you down.

But reading how much worse it is for others and for young people is humbling.

I tried this morning to get a GP appointment but was offered 4 Oct --nearly 2 weeks so i now have an appointment with a private physio tonight.

So far the only treatment has been ant -inflammation pills and pain killers.

having semi retired at 60 i now have a fairly important job to do and need the medics to get me through this.

CATH1020 said on 12 September 2011

HI i have Degenerative Disc Disease and iam not finding a good way to deal with it any ideas

CHERYL WORSLEY said on 23 July 2011

I had back pain and Sciatic Leg Pain 4 years ago and after an xray was told I had Degenerative Disc Disease so I gave up Gardening and joined a ' Healthy Back Class'
Last Christmas I started getting what i thought was the same 'Pirriformis Syndrome' but when it didn't go away I went to my GP in January. She sent me for an MRI and that showed I had subtle disc bulge at L3/4 touch4 and L4/4 touch 5 but no real compression on the SI nerve root..I saw the Spinal Surgeon who sent me for an Epidural which I had 8 weeks ago with no effect at all.
I have just had another MRI on the back but also on the Pelvis this time. My surgeon will operate on me if he can find the target as he doesn't want to put me through an operation if he doesn't think it will help me. He did say I may be 'Unusually Wired Up'.
I can't take strong Painkillers/Antiinflammatory type pills and have to rely on Panadol Advance which don't help much.
I go out to walk every day to get some exercise and I go to WaterMobility Class at our local sports center.It is much easier to exercise in the pool.
Reading all the comments makes you realise just how many others have this problem and why it takes so long to get hospital appointments.

Maggie Gray said on 23 November 2010

I like you have suffered with back leg and buttocks pain for many years. I have tried all the relevant treatments and lived on pain killers. My doctor recommended physio which worked for a while but as soon as I stopped within a couple of weeks the pain was back. I recently had a course with a chyriopractic three times a week for 6 months then twice then eventually once. I was pain free for the first time in years. But this treatment is expensive and after the year a maintenance programme is recommended once a week. Unfortunately I paid the years treatment up front from my small savings and can no longer afford to carry on with the treatment so now 6 months later I am back where i started in pain

Rob1822 said on 12 October 2010

“Roberts Story”
Robert obviously does not live in my part of the world, I was given painkillers and Anti inflammatory pills, after a week the pain was so bad I had to crawl to get a few yards, response stronger pain killers for the day and Amitriptyline for the night, it took 8 months of asking to get an MRI scan which showed up the problem, which turned out to be a cyst that needed to be dealt with and not any of the suggestions made by the doctors, also unlike Robert my doctor would not refer me to a physiotherapist and to MSK, I had a choice! A sports injury specialist? Apparently we don’t have anything like that in this trust. What I did find useful was a deep massage followed by some regular full body massages although it did prove expensive over time. I also tried Osteopathy, acupuncture and chiropractic to no avail but soothing at the time.

kate north said on 04 June 2010

Thanks Georgesgranny - the info you have added has been really helpful. My GP did mention the Salmon exercise, it's a yoga type stretch for the back, I have used it when I have had back pain in the past and it really helps. The chair seems like a sensible idea. I guess the trick is to look after oneself and not take risks, and keep moving as much as possible.

Reading the other comments was so depressing!

I have sciatic pain and I want to improve or at least manage the condition to keep as normal life as possible. The NHS info is much better than what I recieved from my GP, in fact I don't know why she didn't point me to this site.

georgesgranny said on 06 April 2010

I have had problems with my back for some months now and have had almost unbearable pain in my leg. I was unable to sit at all at Christmas but bought a sit / kneel chair which is great.
I've also been having physiotherapy at my local NHS hospital since the end of December. My problem hasn't gone but I am SO much better. I am now driving myself about and doing more or less everything I used to be able to do.
Apparently the treatment I am having is fairly new and was developed in New Zealand. It consists of exercises based around one I think is called a 'salmon', gentle pressups keeping my hips on the floor, and done every 2 hours if possible. There is a progression to the exercises so I suggest anyone suffering from sciatica / bad back and leg pain sees a physiotherapist. It's certainly helped me, and is continuing to do so.

nednoodle said on 12 March 2010

@mummyju
Sorry to hear you have been suffering for so long. I have also had back pain on and off for 2 years. The last 6 months has been pretty constant and last 2 months it has been pretty bad. I was really dreading going to my doctor and was putting it off (have moved house and had to register with a new doctor. My previous doctor sounds like yours so was expecting a brush off).

However my new doctor was lovely. Offered me painkillers, referred me to a specialist back physio who saw yesterday. He was also great and has offered me a number of options including a scan which I am going to go for.

Long story but basically I just wanted to say, not all the doctors are like yours, so try a different one and insist on getting the help you need. I know it is hard when you are feeling awful, you just don't feel up to arguing. But no one should have to suffer like that. they may not be able to fix your problem, but at least they should try! Good luck. :)

mummyju said on 05 February 2010

Hello, Ive had backpain on and off for 15 years, it got worse after having the children, but now I have developed sciatica which is unbearable at times. I have a high tolerance of pain, but this is constant and relentless.
I even went to the doctor, I was told to get on with it. No pain relief or further action was taken, he wouldnt give me a number of anyone else who could help even though I asked him twice.
I have since found a osteopath, who has helped a little, but hopefully, eventually it will work.
Im an optimist, but it really can bring me down, its very difficult driving and at meal times when sitting straight for a while is needed. I will not let this thing beat me, I am determined to get better soon.

Sciatica - Robert's story

'I used to wake up five times in the night with aching pain'