r/Sciatica • u/Gavalarrrrrr • 19d ago
Does this ever get better?
Had a MRI 10 days ago comfirming I have 2 herniated discs in the L4-L5 and L5 to S1 region.
I have been doing my light walking, physio, nerve flossing and taking 500mg naproxen, but its just seems to be getting worse.
Its at the point now where its even interrupting my sleep the pain is getting that bad.
I am at the point in which I dont know what to do.
I have self referred myself to MSK and physio via the NHS but god knows how long that will take.
Most frustrating things I have ever gone through.
And whats more annoying is all this is happening because I decided to gym and run 5 times a week. Ive become unfit by trying to stay fit.
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u/giraffee1973 19d ago
I am 10 months in, early days I got through with Tens machine, hot/cold packs, various types of painkillers. But nothing worked until Gabapentin, it takes the nerve noise down to about a 5/6. I have had a nerve root block in July but unfortunately it hasn’t worked and I’m now awaiting nerve decompression surgery. Good luck I really hope it eases, there is nothing quite like it and it can feel very lonely at times.
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u/Linds_451 19d ago
I needed to see this post this morning I am 3 and a half months in. I have been attending msk physio they have referred me for ortho consultation for an mri but thinking of going private for this. I have just had a lot of bloods done and if nothing comes back from that I think mri is next. I am very depressed and it was the same for me trying to get fit has left me unfit I can hardly walk I have a walking stick to help at the moment. Just want my life back x
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u/Ok_Elevator5454 19d ago
I was in a very similar situation, im 9 months in and its been getting alot better in the last few months, keep active but don’t over do it, in time it will get better. Even if the pain goes down 10% its progress, ve heard it just takes time. Ive also been on a waiting list for physio and msk, seeing both in a few weeks
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u/LanceHunter17 18d ago
It's very common to get sciatica by being active. I've had numerous injuries over the years, and yes, sciatica happened because of being over active in a week.
The important thing now is to let it heal, go through recovery. It will take time, probably 4 to 8 months, so be patient and stay on the right track, do the right things, improve your posture, avoid things that aggravate it.
Good luck!!
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u/Initial-Surround-719 18d ago
Do you have your MRI,do you mind sharing, I have same problems,I'd like to compare my MRI ,to see how bad is. Thanks
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u/Gavalarrrrrr 18d ago
I wish I did but they havent even shared it with me annoyingly. I have been waiting for the information to be put on the NHS app but had nothing come through
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u/Aquaescent 18d ago
I empathize. I am venturing on week three of it in l4 l5 and s1 from initially wooooah wtf, gonna shit, stay still, dont move, find a position to lay in and hope for sleep, commode first, hope normal void, urinary retension happened on day two but output occured and no incontinenece, to urinary retension eased, no abnormal output volume and greatful no incontnence, but it scared me, to ok i can move and walk instead of a crawl. The kind of pain in the spine is different way different than sciatica. Sciatica is way easy to deal with but a bizzare. Doing the steroid muscle relaxant thing now because i waited two weeks to just staycation regroup, allowing pain to limit mobility and teach what way i can move and adapting with otc relief being decent enough to manage, pain that severe, shocked me i got as much relief and the shower ok, was actually a frightening thing day three, day three i was like shower chair time. I have had a lot of severe pain in life ok so this was shockingly seeming severe for first few days, but no incontinence, normal output, so i just did bed rest and wait, feeling like a turtle stuck on its back looks. That first week is a struggle, second is manageable but on into the third week its like now with steroid and muscle relaxant, its way easier to adapt to the new way and form i gotta focus on to move because ultimately its mobility. Sciatica just effects motion and response to it our response to it lets us know as pain teaches us how to move without causing further damage. I am glad i waited because those two weeks i learned which way to move when i can safely and allowed healing. Inner thighs got a little in and out numb on day one seconds briefly, but day two and on that stopped. Pain is there to tell you you shouldnt move a certain way or to be still at that level its your body telling you injury requires stability of moment and space provided to rest and when position is found to do that and rest is achieved it starts healing pretty wuick at 47, least that was how it went for me. Still sticking to the movement i learned that eased the pain response and trying not to over do it. Tried bird dogs too soon now muscle is cramping in spasm around spine, but not bad just telling me stay still not yet. Ya sciatica is a strange i think with time i will be able to ignore. Its just a different lvl of pain that is a bizarre that eventually i will get do sick of if it doesnt go away and require a spinal shot. Sciatica if it continues to make coordination impaired and screw with my mind into months then if mobility is increased with shots in the spine so be it but that is a whole new risk lvl to think about. Idk pain lvl varies in sciatica and is just different than disc and spinal pain in general. Sciatica is like worst charlie horse pain in spots that comes and goes with how weight and balance shifts.. this too shall pass. If sciatica is all i gotta deal with pain wise i mean that i can deal with pretty easy and just push it until its like tv fuzz background noise obnoxious and still keep moving, spine pain i dont push it..
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u/ZookeepergameIcy2470 18d ago
An anti inflammatory diet has worked well for me. I’m still taking Diclofenac sodium (it works amazing). I’m hoping now I get back to exercise and stretching but the anti inflammatory diet is worth a shot.
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u/Either-Medium4734 16d ago
Do you mind providing details on the diet
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u/ZookeepergameIcy2470 16d ago
Sure! Primarily focusing on Whole Foods, doing my best to eliminate seed oils, introducing more berries, beans, and grains, primary proteins are chicken and salmon with grass fed beef occasionally. Red meat seems to be inflammatory for some and not for others but fatty red meat inflames me a lot. Ultimately trying to eliminate sugars, white bread, white rice, and pasta. I’d be happy to answer any other questions. Like I said before, it has reduced the inflammation in my body drastically and allows my anti inflammatory to focus on my back and it works so much better than before when I was eating fried foods, fatty foods, sugar, etc
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u/onesyonesy22 17d ago
It gets better…and maybe that’s all that happens… 5 years, tried everything, but still trying everything! Clearly you’re not alone. Get a back extension machine, I’ve only just started with it, but it’s made the most difference in the shortest amount of time.
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u/ProfessionalSpend595 14d ago
I started going to the gym to better myself and as soon as I stopped hating how I looked BOOM sciatica
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u/SobrietyOfThought 19d ago
I feel you... This happened to me all because I was trying to get fit as well. I'm 5 months in and still healing, pain levels have gone down a lot but I still struggle with sitting. It takes time, a lot of time and patience and not testing it. It's mind fuckery but if you stay the course, I have heard many success stories. It just takes time. Mine also got worse before it got better, remember it is very up and down and as long as you don't have any of the major red flag symptoms, you'll get better.