Suffered from sciatica for 10 years and can't take anymore

[underpaidoverwalked]

Hi guys. Hope you are all well and thanks for taking time to read and answer.
I have suffered from sciatica for 10 years. Everyday I am in pain and put myself through the pain barrier just to get the job I’m paid to do done. I have to take strong painkillers every day, every 4 hours just to get through the day and also anti inflammatories. I have had many absences from work due to this. At the moment I am absent again from work due to this. There has been no improvement at all in the 10 years. I have had many physio appointments through the NHS,private,and through Royal Mail which has not helped at all. I am now taking 23 tablets a day including diazepam. 1 of the other tablets is an antidepressant, as this situation has got me so down. My doctor referred me to a back specialist once again but once again instead of straight to a back specialist they are sending me for more physio that doesn’t help. I am at the point now that I do not know if I will ever be pain free or be able to continue my role in Royal Mail. Before I went on the sick I was going to work in tears and coming home in tears as the pain is now unbearable. I am trying to keep myself as active as possible but anything physicaI is killing me. I have been asking to be referred to occupational health since before Christmas but so far I have not had any contact from them.
Is there any other route I can go down or is there any other help available through Royal Mail. I am now at the point I feel as if I am getting nowhere with this condition and worrying about going to half pay isn’t helping the depression side of things. Thanks again for taking the time to read and answer.

[WASD]

Sorry to hear this, impressive that you"ve soldiered on so long, a true asset to the company. You'd be worth keeping on as a caller's office worker for sure.

But to the point, eff the RM managers. See your GP, get signed off for the various reasons as they're not willing to help. Next step contact CWU further up the line, not the office rep.

Some other replies may help more than i can. But from what i've learnt, going sick is the only way for many.

[underpaidoverwalked]

Thanks Wasd. Will phone further up the CWU line and see what they say. Appreciate your time to answer.

[Dexydog]

You have my sympathies also.
I had it for maybe 3 months last year and luckily cleared up on its own.
From my experience of it, actually keeping moving is the best thing.
Night time was the worst, impossible to get comfortable which then has the knock on of little sleep which then just makes your week worse as it goes on.
At the very least you should be on light duties.

[underpaidoverwalked]

Thanks dexydog. I’m in that much pain I can’t even do light duties in the house lol. Any thing physical and the pain just gets worse. ie walking, bending and just general moving or twisting. Defo phoning higher up in the CWU.

[mw7485]

Hi guys. Hope you are all well and thanks for taking time to read and answer. I have suffered from sciatica for 10 years. Everyday I am in pain and put myself......

Feel for you. Been there done it ......and got through it. For obvious reasons, I am uncomfortable about going into specifics as I am not a doctor (!) but Sciatica can generally be fixed and the solution may well be your physio. It was for me.

First off, the Sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body and opioid pain killers are NOT the answer. They generally will not significantly touch the pain (which has to be experienced to be believed) and there is always the very real possibility that you become dependent on them. Also, they usually cause problems with your bowels. At best, they only ever mask the problem; they don't treat the condition. BTW, do not just stop taking them, you should ask your GP for assistance with reducing your intake over a period of time.

Sciatica is often caused by muscles "gripping" the Sciatic nerve, effectively shortening it - that's were the pain bit comes in. There is a muscle group that runs laterally cross your buttock at a right angle to the Sciatic nerve (which effectively runs vertically down the back of your leg), and it is more often than not this muscle group that causes the issue. For some people, the Sciatic nerve actually runs through this muscle group, making them more likely to suffer with the condition. After being off with this condition for two months, I had a number of sessions with a private physio who knew what they were talking about (ATOS referral as it was then) and who got me on the road to recovery. After fixing me up a few times through manipulation, I was shown two exercises. The first helps release the Sciatic nerve and the second helps stretch it back into place. I still use these techniques now and they work very well if I feel it kicking off. I do however still avoid sitting on any hard surfaces as this tends to antagonise the problem for me.

I would absolutely find a physio who has experience of this condition. Given the length of time you have had it, I would have thought you are unlikely to be able to initially sort it out for yourself.

[goneaway]

Hi guys. Hope you are all well and thanks for taking time to read and answer. I have suffered from sciatica for 10 years. Everyday I am in pain and put myself......

After fixing me up a few times through manipulation, I was shown two exercises. The first helps release the Sciatic nerve and the second helps stretch it back into place. I still use these techniques now and they work very well if I feel it kicking off. I do however still avoid sitting on any hard surfaces as this tends to antagonise the problem for me.

Hi. I also suffer from sciatica and it seems to be sitting whilst driving for any length of time which really aggrevates it. Do you have any notes on the two exercises you were shown that you can share with me and the original poster?

[Dexydog]

Excellent advice.
The painkiller I was on I had to take another tablet to stop me getting ulcers.
It certainly is a debilitating condition and sounds like the OP has it in its worst form.

[mw7485]

Hi guys. Hope you are all well and thanks for taking time to read and answer. I have suffered from sciatica for 10 years. Everyday I am in pain and put myself......

After fixing me up a few times through manipulation, I was shown two exercises. The first helps release the Sciatic nerve and the second helps stretch it back into place. I still use these techniques now and they work very well if I feel it kicking off. I do however still avoid sitting on any hard surfaces as this tends to antagonise the problem for me.

Hi. I also suffer from sciatica and it seems to be sitting whilst driving for any length of time which really aggrevates it. Do you have any notes on the two exercises you were shown that you can share with me and the original poster?

Siatica can take several forms and I am definitely not the one to say which is involved here. I am not in anyway recommending these - but they work for me. This video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ictednuKxvc is similar enough to what I was taught to give you an idea.

First, the release (the guy in the video has problems with his right leg). Whizz forward to 7 minutes 37. Watch to 7 minutes 59. I use a softball for this and generally have as much of my weight on the ball as possible. DO NOT do it for too long, all you are trying to do is to get the muscle to release the nerve. Two minutes is definitely about the most I do. I guess you could always use a rolling pin for this part.

Then the stretch. I generally do this sitting rather than lying down. This is the start position: https://www.mal-au-dos.be/wp-content/up ... how-to.jpg (assuming a problem with the left leg). Then, I grip my left knee with both hands interlinked, and very slowly try to pull my left knee up to my RIGHT shoulder. It'll never get there, although it can get pretty close. Gradually increasing the pull pressure, you feel a tightness down the back of you left leg. Just at the point it becomes slightly painful, I'll hold the position for 30 seconds or so. Then, I just gently push my left knee back to, and slightly beyond the starting point. I'll repeat this about three times, each time getting my left knee slightly closer to my right shoulder. The combination of these two has been revelatory for me.

The stretch is really handy to master, as you can quickly do it pretty much anywhere, and can given immediate relief.

[mw7485]

Hi guys. Hope you are all well and thanks for taking time to read and answer. I have suffered from sciatica for 10 years. Everyday I am in pain and put myself......

After fixing me up a few times through manipulation, I was shown two exercises. The first helps release the Sciatic nerve and the second helps stretch it back into place. I still use these techniques now and they work very well if I feel it kicking off. I do however still avoid sitting on any hard surfaces as this tends to antagonise the problem for me.

Hi. I also suffer from sciatica and it seems to be sitting whilst driving for any length of time which really aggrevates it. Do you have any notes on the two exercises you were shown that you can share with me and the original poster?

....buy a nice soft cushion to sit on for the vans (seriously)........

[underpaidoverwalked]

Thanks guys for all the replies and advice.

[goneaway]

Likewise, thanks for the details of the exercises and the cushion advice!

[sfxdby]

Sciatica is a symptom.
So,people get sciatica who have different problems.
For me, the person who helped the most was the chiropracter.
The doctor put me on painkillers but really couldn't help.
He told me that I had sciatica, and that I shouldn't be in so much pain, and sent me for physio.

The chiro explained what he thought the problem was, and how he was going to go about alleviating the pain.
I think it cost me about £160 for four sessions. Best money I have ever spent, after being in chronic pain for four months.
It's a possible avenue for you.
I was very sceptical, but I have not had the need to go back, and the results were amazing.

[Dorset Plodder]

You'd think that a business that has a larger workforce than the British Army would have a more effective system for keeping it's employees fit, and healthy, being able to refer them to a team of specialists for this kind of problem?

It seems most of you guys have just been left to your own devices, with mixed results.

[underpaidoverwalked]

Just I quick update guys. Managed to get a MRI scan. Turns out it’s not sciatica. I have a rare disease called spinal epidural lipomatosis. Been told it’s inoperable and I have to live with it for the rest of my life. Scunnered. Getting sent to a chronic pain clinic. Will see how it goes.