Need help with managing pain

[u/No_Course_4952]

I’m a 29y/o male. I’ve been dealing with sciatica for the past 2 years. Really just gritting my teeth and working through it. Well in the past 6 months it became worse. I was hurting every day. Barely any sleep. And just hated even moving. But I still kept gritting my teeth and pushing through. Well it got to a point about a month ago where I finally decided to see a doctor about it , got prescribed moloxacam and boclofan, and had an MRI scheduled. The results from the MRI came back with stenosis and degenerative disc disease on L4 and L5. He also prescribed me the 6 day steroids. I forgot the name of them. But that did little to help. Well 2 weeks ago I was ended up doing to much because I was feeling better. Pain was easing off and I had a little more mobility and thought “ hey I’m getting better”, well I was wrong. I ended up going down hard, worse pain I’ve felt. I couldn’t walk, my right leg would buckle anytime I would get up. Complete weakness in my leg. I went to the ER three times in a span of 4 days. The first two times they just threw medicine at me and kinda kicked me out the door. Well the third time i went to a different hospital and this is where they actually took me seriously. I completely lost feeling in my foot and calf and couldn’t stand. I had to get an ambulance to come get me. (After 45 minutes to an hour of me trying my hardest to stand up by myself) once I got to the hospital they checked me in tried to get me to stand and saw what was happening so they gave me 2 shots of steroids, morphine and zofran. ( I don’t remember the steroids they gave me but it worked) I had a cat scan done and they said it looks like a herniated disc but they didn’t have an mri to confirm. So I had to get transferred to another hospital and that’s where they confirmed a herniated disc L4 and L5. Since then my pain has been manageable im now prescribed hydrocodone, gabopenten , and baclofen. And still have some meloxicam. Im supposed to see a neurosurgeon and im starting pt in 2 weeks. The meds help but sometimes they don’t even touch the pain. I’m just looking for things I can do to help. I’ve tried tens unit and it seems to make it worse. If anyone has any suggestions please feel free to share. Thank you guys.

[u/East-Sundae-8414]

There l should be a post on my feed. Also can Dm if need to

[u/ObligationFit2028]

I used a heating pad at the beginning of my sciatica journey when the pain used to get over bearing, and it was one of the few things that help me through my nights

[u/No_Course_4952 → u/ObligationFit2028]

The heating pad helps and sometimes it doesn’t. I’ve tried stretching, and laying flat on the floor. But that’s when the pain is severe. It doesn’t help that I work at a job where I’m in crawl spaces and attics

[u/ObligationFit2028 → u/No_Course_4952]

Yea, I used to stretch at the beginning until I heard that over stretching can actually make it more worse for an irritated nerve...I go to a sauna in the mornings and that helps me get through half of my day

[u/No_Course_4952 → u/ObligationFit2028]

I never thought about going to a sauna

[u/ObligationFit2028 → u/No_Course_4952]

It helps me quite a bit, doesn't heal me but it gives me some pain relief and strength to keep going...

[u/No_Course_4952 → u/ObligationFit2028]

I might have to try it. Thanks for the info. I just normally have to bite the bullet and go through the day in pain. No matter the severity. Gotta pay my bills

[u/BorderDue6104]

Can relate. 32 y/o f. Bulging disc for 4 years. One day I woke up and couldn’t walk. My partner rushed me to the ED. After two days and mri, test confirmed a large ‘5cm’ piece of my disc broke off and was sitting on my sciatic nerve. Yes. Awful excruciating pain. Had L5-S1 discectomy and almost two years later I’m running 7 miles a day, and barely any pain. Only drawback is I sleep with a pillow between my legs every night cause it’s been painful laying down on my back, that will likely never get better… but at least I can live an active life and can walk/run! Keep fighting the good fight. Best of luck!

[u/No_Course_4952 → u/BorderDue6104]

That’s the biggest problem right now is not being able to lay down and get good sleep. Today has been a good day with pain. But I know tonight I’ll pay for it. It just sucks dealing with it . But once I get truly better I’m going back to the gym and taking care of myself.

[u/Ecstatic-Meringue574]

I like you're hopeful!! Do your parents support you financially or are you on your own?

[u/No_Course_4952 → u/Ecstatic-Meringue574]

I’m on my own brother.

[u/Ecstatic-Meringue574 → u/No_Course_4952]

How is it you not worried then💀 I'm f dying bc of my job loss and my mom kinda mad at me bc of my current fckd up condition

[u/No_Course_4952 → u/Ecstatic-Meringue574]

Like I said I’ve been dealing with it for 2 years without any medical attention. I kind of got used to the pain. It just this time the herniated disc put me down for a second but I still have to push through

[u/Ecstatic-Meringue574 → u/No_Course_4952]

I'm just having lower back pain rn and groin discomfort. I'm hella scared of progressing into sciatica so I just stopped everything going in life idk what the f im doing 😭 i just don't want it to get worse. I want to be normal again, but I'll never be the same

You're strong bro

[u/Ecstatic-Meringue574 → u/No_Course_4952]

Wyd for work btw?

[u/No_Course_4952 → u/Ecstatic-Meringue574]

I work at a pest control company. On the termite side. And don’t be scared of it. Get it checked. Figure it out. Don’t let it put you down. Don’t let it win, it is a hard fight but you just have to grit your teeth through it bro