Sciatica - any helpful advice please

I had a very debilitating bout of sciatica last year. I spoke with the GP surgery and they said to go down if I could and I saw a nurse practitioner, luckily my daughter-in-law was off work and she was able to take me. The Nurse Practitioner examined me and said to try and keep mobile, easier said than done, and take the full dose of painkillers which was 2 Paracetamol and 2 Ibuprofen four times a day, I didn’t take them together but two hours apart. I had trouble sleeping because I couldn’t lie flat and after two weeks I spoke to a GP and he prescribed Codeine which I took at night and it helped me sleep, he only gave me two weeks’ supply but it definitely helped. I looked on the Internet for exercises to do for sciatica and also how to use a stick correctly especially up and down stairs. It did go away eventually but I was affected by it for about two months. It sounds like sciatica but I think it is important to be checked over by a medical professional in case it is something else.

You absolutely should see your GP and explain without apology, the pain and how it is affecting you.
At times it can be trial and error as to what drug (s) are best suited to ease your specific pain.
You will know your own body and what drug you can tolerate well and others you may have tried in the past without success.
I hope you get an appointment quickly.
Do try a proper heat pad. It will help soothe the horrible aches.
Amazon sell some really good pads like mini electric blankets.

I’ve been using a Soulitem back stretcher which I got for about a tenner from Amazon. Having had chronic lower back ache mainly at night and sciatic pains for nearly a year I thought I’d give this a try. All I can say is, it may be coincidence, but I no longer have jiggling back pain at night and I’m finally getting some quality sleep. Sometimes if I’ve been stood up for a long time especially early evening I get back ache but as soon as I sit down with the wedge behind me I feel relief.

I was misdiagnosed with sciatica by a GP, I had GTPS which is just as painful but easier to treat.
I would recommend a good physio.

I have a very good and trusted osteopath I never even bother going to the GP she sorts out any aches and pains. I find this far more effective. Also I can get an appointment to actually see her in person within a few days. Of course this does come with a financial cost.

Avalon Like the OP I'm in my 80s and not very mobile. Would your Soulitem back stretcher be suitable for someone who has stiffened up with age to use? It looks like an instrument of torture.
But its only £9.99 so might be worth a 'try' for we sciatica sufferers.
I'd been told that it was due to a degenerated disc impinging on a nerve and the only cure was an operation, although in many cases it sorted itself out in time with routine painkillers.
Sigh!

I’ve got it down the front of one thigh, well I think it’s sciatica, I think it’s from ancient ligament damage in my back, mine only happens when sitting. I’ve got physio on Tuesday.
Not a lot of help Franbern but I hope yours improves soon.

I’ve had it several times, worst time it lasted 5 months. Very painful and made me feel very low.

There are some good stretching exercises if you google but when I feel mine starting I place a tennis ball under the place where it starts and lie on it and gently move my body so the ball massages me. Mine always starts in the middle of my buttock. The piriformis muscle. This does help. If it lasts longer I go for acupuncture.

Primrose
I have a tennis ball. A chiropractor I used many years ago told me that what I was paying for could easily be found on YouTube.
My worse attack some years ago need Tramadol and 800mg of Ibuprofen.

DON'T wait for it just to go away - sciatica is far to painful for that.

Ring your GP and if you cannot get an appointment soon, ask for a referral to a physiotherapist, or find yourself either a chiropractor or a acupuncturist.

And above all, keep your lower back warm, wrapping a woollen scarf round your hips on top of your clothes helps a little in this respect.

Avoid bending sideways to pick things up - if you don't already have to avoid this. Turn round to face whatever it is you need to pick up, whether it is on a table, or on the floor.

With your existing back problems, you probably do have the kind of stick - thing, I just can't think what it is called, with a grip at the end for picking fallen objects off the floor or getting your shoes on and off. If you don't, get one now and a long handled shoe-horn too!

A hot water bottle in your bed half-an-hour before you get into it, and placed exactly where the sore part of your back goes is a good idea too, if you don't have an electric blanket to warm the bed thoroughly for you.

Your local chemist may be able to recommend an ointment you can rub on the sore spot - they don't do much good in my opinion, but you may be more fortunate than I have been in this respect.

I had this and eventually had a discectomy. It took away the acute pain so I can walk ... but lots of general aching and I need to use a grabber to pick things up. Xxx

You need to see a GP to get a diagnosis. It does sound like sciatica, but you should have a diagnosis.

Displaced a disc in my 20’s and had sciatic pain since…found a fabulous chiropractor who gave me a series of exercises…no longer have pain at all……now in my 60’s and have been pain free for about the last 6…

Did find acupuncture helpful.

Try not sit for to long and just have a walk about your apartment. I brought an electric heating pain from Amazon .
Letitwell
Electric heating pad
Dark grey is £22.99 other colours are dearer. So I had this one.

24" x 12"
6 temperature settings and 4 time settings.
The main pain I had was the Sciatica nerve in my bottom. This pad is soft and flexible. Sitting it on it at the highest setting eased the pain . Also Eases my back and when I put it under my thighs. I took extra pain killers but the heating pad helped the most. Also in bed lie on your back with a pillow under each thigh . It eases the pain so you can sleep. I am a side sleeper but this is the only way I could sleep.

I have found the pad very useful for wrapping round my arm when it's more painful.

All you folk who manage to get GP appointments are very lucky! Surgery not interested when I had sciatica last year and was advised to take paracetamol.

There are some NHS exercises on YouTube. I found the most helpful was sitting on a kitchen chair for a few minutes, at first it was agony and made me feel sick but it worked for me.

Even chiropractors disagree on heat/cold. One practitioner recommended a heat pad, another a bag of frozen peas.
I see the science of the cold, you are shrinking the nerve.
But everyone had to find their own way
.

It will often ease up and go away.

I've had this recently and a physio told me I needed to stretch my Hamstring as often as possible which was extremely painful but worked very rapidly. I was pain free within days. I laid on the bed and raised the affected leg as high as I could and flexed my foot as much as possible. Apparently I'm very supple so nearly took her head off but did that several times a day for several days and the pain was gone.

Well named then!

FlexibleFriend

I've had this recently and a physio told me I needed to stretch my Hamstring as often as possible which was extremely painful but worked very rapidly. I was pain free within days. I laid on the bed and raised the affected leg as high as I could and flexed my foot as much as possible. Apparently I'm very supple so nearly took her head off but did that several times a day for several days and the pain was gone.

Interesting, walking gets rid of mine, stretching leg straight and pointing toes in bed too.

I could barely walk to the loo using crutches, I was in absolute agony.

I have had this over the years and the best advise I was given , if possible lie flat on your back, on your bed is fine , left your effected leg up as far as you can , if you have someone else with you if they can support the leg and just give it a gentle push up, so that you are stretching the hamstring even more, do this twice to three times a day 10 times each time and I am sure you will see an improvement . If you live alone just try the lifting your leg without that final push. Even if it 6 inches up off the bed to start it will help. You can also stand holding a dining room chair and stretch your had leg back so that you stretch your hamstring again doesn't need to be far a few inches will be enough to start make sure you feel stable before you start. If your hospital has a walk in physio service try and go to that.