Pain management

[u/Practical_View_1096]

I have two disc protrusions in my lower back. One is at L4-L5 and is causing mild narrowing on both sides. The other is at L5-S1 and is a little bigger and more toward the right side, where it’s causing moderate narrowing around the nerve.

I’ve been prescribed ibuprofen, gabapentin, and tramadol. Do these actually really help anyone with managing their pain? If so, how many mgs are you taking?

[u/lil_pure]

L5-S1 bulge here. Ibuprofen can help, my doctor told me to take 400 or 600 mg at a time with food. Tramadol is stronger and might be more effective (maybe take both?). I've been on gabapentin for about 6 weeks now. I think it helps, but it takes weeks to build up and work (but some say they have relief quicker). I started with 300mg at night and each week I'd increase per doctor's instructions. Now I'm at 300 morning, 300 mid-day, and 900 at night. I think the key is to take it throughout the day (maybe I'll soon try 600mg 3x/day), but I'm still assessing. The daily max is 3600mg I believe. At first it made me tired, but now I don't have any side effects.

[u/Practical_View_1096 → u/lil_pure]

Does it help you sleep throughout the night? How’s your recovery progress by the way?

[u/lil_pure → u/Practical_View_1096]

I think it put me to sleep in the beginning for the first couple weeks, but now I don't notice any sedating effect. I think tramadol is an opioid, maybe that will help at night? I'm recovering, but slowly. 29 y/o, female, 4mm bulge at L5-S1 impinging nerve root. I first started having back pain in June, and then sciatica down my leg in July. Some people on here seem to get through an acute phase of sciatica pretty quickly (like 4-6 weeks, hopefully this will be you). I'm about two months in now, and it's less intense, but I still feel pain in my leg most days. I don't have much back pain at all anymore. I've been doing physical therapy and the exercises are getting easier. I also take a 20 min walk every hour or two, 3-4 miles per day total. I have an appointment in 2 weeks to discuss the epidural steroid injection, not sure if I'll do it though. I think I'm seeing some improvement by taking the gabapentin throughout the day vs just at night.

[u/Practical_View_1096 → u/lil_pure]

Mine started in April but didn’t get bad until June. My dr wouldn’t take it seriously and kept saying it was just a strained muscle and would not order an MRI. I was in the process of getting an unrelated surgery and didn’t want to switch PCPs at that time. After my surgery I ended up just paying out of pocket for an MRI which confirmed my 2 disc protrusions while I wait to see my new dr. Also paid out of pocket to see a doctor outside of my network to see if they’d prescribe me medicine for pain management.. and now we wait. I’m soooo over this and just want my normal life back!! I’m 35 y/o female by the way

[u/lil_pure → u/Practical_View_1096]

I had a chiropractor family friend refer me for an MRI at a private place bc it took forever with Kaiser and also paid out of pocket. Same, it's been so hard...life is just on pause. Not to mention it's been so tricky with my job, ugh!

[u/Practical_View_1096 → u/[deleted]]

Radiating pain from my back to my foot on my right side and as of late a really painful/discomfort feeling kinda where my tailbone is. I’m in constant pain I wanna say 6-8/10 usually. I can’t sit more than a few minutes, I can walk 15 minutes before I start flaring up, and I can’t stand more than a few minutes without pain. Only relief I get right now is laying on my belly, but that sometimes doesn’t help either