How to reduce pain! Sciatica?

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Lemon

Active member
Joined
Nov 27, 2021
Messages
63
Reason
DX FIBRO
Diagnosis
08/2022
Country
US
State
PA
Hey,
I’ve been reading a lot on this forum and other places and learning a lot, which I appreciate so very much. I’m just in constant pain and can’t get comfortable until I’m exhausted and wake up a lot from the pain, can’t sit, too stiff to walk normally, and going to standing is torture as is everything. It’s just non stop stabbing pains in my buttocks to my foot, all cramped. Also I have pains in the rest of my body, but the worst is my sciatica and headache that won’t ease up. I’m just sick and tired. Literally and also of taking cortisone all the time to pull it together a little bit. Any advise? Nothings working. I used to have extreme shoulder pain and low back, that’s mild for now (knocks wool). My ankle and hands also hurt. Most of the time. I’ve been to tired to go for drs last and this week and need to get better- it hurts too much to ride in the car. I think a combo of an opioid and muscle relaxer might help but drs almost never prescribe anything helpful. They’d rather give me some chemo type experimental or new medication to try, with lots of side effects that just distract you with new symptoms to deal with. Any help for unrelenting pain is 🙏
 
I tried to make a cup of lemon tea 🫖 and dropped it everywhere, as I tend to do. My hands just lose their grip and strength, I’ve been unable to open anything for months despite trying all the tricks (hot water on lids, banging with a knife, grippers, etc) and I thought I used to be quite strong. Someone wanted to break dishes for the holiday, haha it’s like it’s always a holiday if that’s what me dropping my dishes 😝 *long sigh*
 
Hi Lemon, I drop things, too, and it is definitely annoying. Many of us understand what it is like to be in constant pain. so we can definitely empathize with you. I want to say, however, that there are better ways to manage it than seeking opioid medication. If you were to take an opioid medication daily it ight lessen the pain but it will also make your body addicted, and then you would have a new problem. Such things are better used only rarely. Trust me on this.

forgive me if I have already asked this (I am having a hard day myself), but have you tried other things...non-medication - to manage your pain? If so, what have you been doing? I am asking because I want to help. sorry so short, my reply, right now it is hard to type.
 
I’ve been trying to eat healthy, and stay hydrated. I take prescribed vitamins, and try to walk a little bit a few times a week and light stretching. I bought a gym membership but can’t bear sitting in my car for the commute. Also want to
Try pain psychology and PT, and allergy shots, but sitting for a car ride is unbearable. This makes visiting for holidays near impossible which no one understands. I can’t do expensive supplements right now, everything has such inflation. I have therapy pets, that help with stress. I have helpers occasionally for basics. I try to use natural and less chemicals as I’ve always tried the more natural approach but find I do have sensitivity and allergies and other things. I feel like if it’s only flared that go away then why do we need long term high doses that would make it dangerous? Can’t short term work of flares are actually short term? They’re not are they. They are chronic and feel progressive. I don’t care sometimes I just want to feel better, anything, to the point of it not being dangerous and want understanding not feeling judged and misunderstood. I am supposed to get more x rays. Past X-rays showed nothing, then showed arthritis, but I don’t understand getting x rays yearly for pain what that helps.my ana was slightly elevated and rheumatologist brushed it off as it can normally become slightly elevated, and that’s normal. I’ve been seeing so many drs in the past decade or so but feel like a lost goose that the doctors aren’t caring to find. Tired and hurting sucks. I try music, meditation, need dark and silence most of the time but others a mild distraction. I try but the relief I find anywhere is mild if any at all. I’m allergic to
All otc pain meds do that leaves me being very careful what I take. A test found me lactose intolerance but I love cheese, just upsets my stomach. I usually have ibs-d anyway so tried a bit of elimination diets, didn’t make much difference. They need to invent something to help pain that’s not so dangerous maybe? 😂 I’d rather live not in pain any way looking at it. Mild side effects, well those happen with Tylenol- take it daily and pain level rises at baseline and you need larger doses as it stops working, and allergies can develop as well, to even this. The safest medicine in some
Ways, others can also be the most dangerous with side effects possible, ya know.
 
Well, Lemon, it sounds to me as if you are doing a lot of things to try to help yourself. You need to give yourself credit for that, because it is not easy. All you can do is keep trying nything you have not yet tried, and continue to experiment with things until you find the right combination that works for you. And then, of course, be ready to change it if you need to.

I do want to encourage you not to think of FM as being progressive because there is no scientific evidence as yet that it is.

I know the feeling....I wrote the post on things to do to help yourself, and I do many of them all the time and still end up with very bad flare days.

I am sorry I don't have any words of wisdom for you today. I am realizing that I feel bad enough myself today that I can't think of many good things to say to others, so I should just get off the computer! But know that we are all here for you and want to help if we can.
 
Hi Lemon - just a few ideas of mine, my tuppence worth...
worst is my sciatica and headache that won’t ease up. I’m just sick and tired. Literally and also of taking cortisone all the time to pull it together a little bit. Any advise? Nothings working. I used to have extreme shoulder pain and low back, that’s mild for now (knocks wool). My ankle and hands also hurt.
Trying expert physio could help with sciatica, headache: maybe neck?, ankle & hands. As a workaround doing careful versions of exercises for these on youtube. What helped your shoulder & low back? Isn't sciatica low back too? (Personally cortisone is one of the things I'll never take if I'm in my right mind, however the pain, cos of the many sfx...)
cup of lemon tea 🫖 and dropped it everywhere, as I tend to do. My hands just lose their grip and strength, I’ve been unable to open anything for months
Like with any tendency to fall, praps prevention and alleviation may be a bit of a workaround for the dropping. I don't have it all the time, but had to test this yesterday evening due to jab-effects as I wasn't able to carry anything longer than 1'' (second). We always end the day with a 10-20' game of cards, so I rested my hands on the table almost all the time & threw the cards with my fingers. Well actually I cdnt sit any more, so we got on the floor and it was on a tray with a box under it. For drinking or eating I'd use both hands & even rest the cup or plate on a box while taking from it, if need be.
As I did have one second and my loins are OK at the moment, I could get my (now 5 pairs of) socks & trousers off myself standing, each with a 5 second rest in between. Took a while, sometimes a 2nd or 3rd attempt.
But I always try to do the maximum of what my body allows - except when carrying hot tea etc. ;-D - there I preventatively do a lot less.

My ability to get things open has decreased a bit of late, even before the jab. Knowing this "the Nikolaus" on Dec 6th "brought me" a hand exerciser which I'm now using several times a day. I also have another which I'll have to get out again. I'd offered a neighbour to put a better light bulb into a lamp outside the house the other day, but I had enough difficulty feeling safe on the ladder for 3 minutes, and could only get one of the screws out, so left it half-done, like a similar light problem a few days before. There will come a day when I can manage it better, or it won't and I'll do something else instead... :rolleyes:
can’t bear sitting in my car for the commute.
This seems to be fundamental for progressing. Where we live, I can get almost anywhere on my bike, which hurts me less than anything else, esp. sitting in a car. When I do have to, it's only because my wife wants me to come with her somewhere. As she drives with a leadfoot it often hurts, so I put the back of the seat down & lie down and maybe cushion myself, twist-stretching to reduce the pain; but as you say it's your car that means you drive yourself so that won't help,:... so: Praps you can get someone to drive you?
I can’t do expensive supplements right now, everything has such inflation.
Supplements can get really expensive, but quite a few of the ones recommendable for FM are fairly cheap... Learning to encapsulate yourself makes it cheaper, might be OK for your wrists in short stints.
natural and less chemicals as I’ve always tried the more natural approach but find I do have sensitivity and allergies and other things.
Sensitivity & allergies to herbs & supplements? I've had them too, but a lot less than to medicines.
I feel like if it’s only flared that go away then why do we need long term high doses that would make it dangerous? Can’t short term work of flares are actually short term? They’re not are they. They are chronic and feel progressive.
I know what you mean! That's why I don't take anything dangerous any more. Especially as my fibro has been in one long flare for 2 years now, and I can only be active a bit by doing lots of things to keep it down. For some people flares are fairly short term, and I do also have flares of a few days inside of this continual flare. Flare is only a relative term for the amount that something has got worse, not necessarily for the time it has. To use the image correctly I should say I'm in a blaze, with loads of firepersons (= supplements, my acupressurist, exercises / stretching) working at keeping it under control all the time, and yet sometimes a trigger makes it flare up even more all the same. I'd think that's what you mean by chronic? But there's enough of us who have less of a blaze going on. As @sunkacola said it's not of itself progressive - after a certain build up it's usually only age, co-morbidities & not doing anything about it that make it progress.
I don’t understand getting x rays yearly for pain what that helps.
I don't either, I'd stop them. Just for jaw inflammation I've been needing several x-rays. And yearly MRIs to check if my (probably harmless) spinal tumour is growing, which it isn't.
my ana was slightly elevated and rheumatologist brushed it off as it can normally become slightly elevated, and that’s normal.
I agree with your rheumatologist. Fundamental bloods every one of us should get checked regularly are B12 and D3.
And as part of the diagnostic process generally "all" your bloods, e.g. by a rheumatologist (esp. CRP) and an endocrinologist (hormones) and then a general big check every 2 years. I also needed to make sure my allergies, kidneys are OK once, and need to check my lipids very regularly.
I’ve been seeing so many drs in the past decade or so but feel like a lost goose that the doctors aren’t caring to find.
I've been to 50 in 2 years, but I don't see myself as the goose and them as my gooseherds, after realizing in my twens that most doctors have no clue of my body and only some a little (or occasionally a lot, but only 'their bit'). I'm obviously (still) not a total master of my body, but as close to that as anyone will get (being pretty sure I would be getting severe jab effects proved it once again). Let's say I'm training myself to become master of my body more and more, and see doctors & physiotherapists as my servants. I treat them kindly and humour them, for what morsels & crumbs they may have to offer me. Maybe their demeanor can sometimes fob me for a minute, but so often have their absolute certainties turned out as sham. I can understand people feeling intimidated, but I'd recommend trying to become self-expert and to self-advocate more and more, learn to explain the unexplainable to people who are miles away from knowing or even understanding, so that they can develop their ideas and praps give suggestions and develop research. (How are they to know if not?!)
I’m allergic to All otc pain meds do that leaves me being very careful what I take.
Same here, over the counter, as well of course as prescribed, that's why I don't take any meds (any more).
I've even managed to convince my cardiologist & GP that my supplements & activities are keeping my lipids, blood pressure and blood flow under control, so I could stop my 5 cardiovascular medicines, altho I seemed to have been tolerating these for once.
A test found me lactose intolerance but I love cheese, just upsets my stomach. I usually have ibs-d anyway so tried a bit of elimination diets, didn’t make much difference.
Lactose free cheese is probably too expensive if you can find it at all? (And tastes different...)
If an elimination diet hasn't helped yet, then I'd think you haven't eliminated enough - did you go down to almost zero?
Or quick check via this video: "Best & Worst Foods to Eat with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) | Reduce Risk and Symptoms of IBS". This is where self-discipline comes in & making sure of your intention to progress.
But also instead of cheese increasing lactose-free things you love.
They need to invent something to help pain that’s not so dangerous maybe? 😂 I’d rather live not in pain any way looking at it. Mild side effects, well those happen with Tylenol- take it daily and pain level rises at baseline and you need larger doses as it stops working, and allergies can develop as well, to even this.
Well, the way research & pharmacy is going, I'd say they are continually developing less dangerous medicines.
But pain is a hard nut to crack. And their aspirations are to satisfy the want for something that helps all of the people all of the time quickly & easily. Obviously that's going to mean the results keeping being dangerous, maybe OK for short term use, often needing further medication to contain the side effects, but not designed for chronic pain. The alternatives we have to keep it as un-dangerous as possible means it's more individual, less reliable, slower and more complicated - hard to get medical evidence for that, but actually for the supplements I'm taking I'm relying only on medical evidence in studies. These are only few, because to measure these slighter effects the studies would have to be really big, which makes them more expensive with less financial reward. So instead of them putting money into this, I need to myself... (The most expensive supplements are the rarest, not necessarily those with the least medical evidence tho.)
A bit of a serious take on something you meant of a bit of a joke, maybe, but I think it's good to become aware of what's behind it all, as this can help our mental hygiene, to accept the situation we are in (and not look for scapegoats to blame, in case we do, as this doesn't help anyone).
 
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Lemon. I think I was where you are bout 7 years ago. It got to the point I couldn't get out of bed for 6 very long, agonizing weeks. Begged my husband to find a way to kill me. I just happened to see a place online that offered help for fibromyalgia and got appointment. They use alternative medicine. I followed their instructions, changed not only my diet but habits. Eating smaller meals more often. Taking supplements and brain exercises. It all seemed to help. I was still taking a pain med (ultram) but weaned off. I've had a few killer flare ups, one very recent but I can have a life now. I wasn't to happy to give up favorites like pizza but then I found out how to make it safe to eat. It's alot yes. But worth it. I can have some really good days in my garden or kitchen. Don't get fooled by how good some pills make you feel because they are doing all kinds of damage to the rest of your body. I am lucky as I live where I can grow my own medicine and do so. I don't think I'd be doing as well without my cbd, leaves, and rso. Read a book how this young woman juices marrijuana leaves for arthritis so I'm going to try. Alot of the drugs are just made from original herbs that work without side effects, then the scientists added chemicals with bad side effects. Stay as pure as you can, your body will thank you.
(((gentle hugs)))
 
Get a scrip from primary for OT.
 
Hello Lemon, You have received a wide variety of advice. Here's what works for my general fibromyalgia I've had for 30 years: muscle relaxants & tramadol. I take 400 mg metaxalone during day, 2.5 mg flexeril at night. I take low dose tramadol at night so I can sleep. I've tried all the supplements, physical therapy, etc. Gentle exercise + stretching helps. For sciatica that has come on in past year, I had steroid shots & that helped a lot, lasted 6 months. Best wishes. CB
 
Hi @Lemon ,

Try using the Search function in the forum (🔍) looking up "sciatica". There's are quite a few old threads that you'll probably find interesting or helpful!
 
Lemon you may want to try candied ginger, you can also get it without the sugar on it if you can stomach eating it. it doesn't take much to help when mine flares up, I get it from a health food store. Worth a try.
 
If you don't want to take pills for pain, and I don't blame you, then I would try the RST/Sanexa treatments. They are FDA approved and in most cases covered by insurance.
 
Parrotbay816, I love candied ginger. I enjoy it and it helps my stomach aches. I need something to help these de pain in my hip i don’t want to go to hospital but don’t know what to do it hurts so bad. Will they just say they don’t see anything much and send me home? They did that for people I know that were serious injured and missed the dx!
 
Parrotbay816, I love candied ginger. I enjoy it and it helps my stomach aches. I need something to help these de pain in my hip i don’t want to go to hospital but don’t know what to do it hurts so bad. Will they just say they don’t see anything much and send me home? They did that for people I know that were serious injured and missed the dx!
Hi Lemon,
If your pain is caused by fibromyalgia, they won't find anything in the emergency room and won't be able to help. These kinds of doctors don't deal with chronic conditions - only family doctors and specialists can offer the kind of tests and treatments that may be useful. Of course, if you think you might be injured, then the hospital is the place to go!
 
I've given up on doctors. They just make you feel worse.
 
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