I’m going to have to cancel.

Oh what a rotten shame for you
I think you need to inform your insurance company now
Hope that your treatments work for you and hope that you have many more holidays to enjoy

Tell your insurance company now. They may not pay out if you don't. You'll need a doctor's note, too.

I hope you can go on your trip another time.

Whenever I get the dreaded sciatica pains.....3 incidents of slipped discs over life....I lie down on the floor on my back and gently bring my knees up as far as I can and clasp them with my arms and form a sort of rocking posture - I gently rock back and forth a dozen or so times. Its an exercise my trainer showed me. I do it a couple of times a day always gently but methodically and grip a little tighter if I can. Its great for freeing up the vertebra.
P.S. tell insurance company asap and you will need medical proof - had to cancel a holiday years ago for exactly same reason. Touch wood I have not had it nearly so bad....fingers crossed!!!!

But how do you get up from the floor!!?? When I had slipped disc I could not even have got down on the floor, let alone up!!!

Howjado - definitely tell the insurance company right now!

See the Doctor, I had to cancel a walking holiday recently due to bad Asthma, informed the travel company, but the Doctor refused to give me a certificate for the Insurance Company, said the holiday and sunshine would do me good! as I couldn’t even have walked to the arrivals hall at the airport, there was no way I was going on holiday, I’m still trying to get a letter from the surgery to at least confirm that I had an Asthma problem, paid them £30 for it too! But nothing so far.

Oh Luckygirl....not doable when disc is well and truly slipped....I was talking about when I get warning signs.....and its an exercise I do anyway....when tolerably fit....it keeps stuff subtle....and that's what I've learned ....back problems do need you to be brave and keep moving (under medical advise of course)

HildaW
I can't agree more. We do this every week in Pilates. As you know it's one of the most effective and simplest moves to 'loosen' up that nerve.
howjado
Another simple one is: stand straight, drop your chin onto your chest and slowly bend down as far as you can go. Imagine that your slowly releasing each vertebrae. Come up slowly, still with the chin on the chest.
If that doesn't work, Tramadol with full strength ibruprofen,
That hits the spot

How do you all get up from the floor? Now I can no longer kneel I try to avoid sitting on the ground or floor but if I do then I get up like a baby - bum stuck up first. I avoid doing this when there’s anybody watching. Anybody.

Although I get lots of back aches and pains with osteoporosis I m still quite supple and have always been a floor person it’s funny I was thinking about this the other day how I still automatically sit on the floor when I watch tv with all the chairs empty ???
I d love to watch the ‘bum up’ arising Nfkdumpling

Nooo - nobody watches me getting up! There was a time when I could do the cross leg sit down / stand up thing. But no more.

NfkDumpling, we'd make a good double act. Probably funnier 9to others) than many a TV comedy show !

Try acupuncture.It works.

I find when I am away all pain seems to disappear. GP Said it is the adrenelin kicking in.

Have you tried a Tens machine? Quite cheap from chemist, for me it has been better than any physiotherapist. On the physios advice I use it constantly when in pain rather than for 15 minutes as per instructions. If you got one today you could be feeling much better in a couple of days. As an aside, my daughter used a much stronger form of the same whilst in labour and it was the only pain relief she needed. Good luck. If it works, enjoy your holiday.

Tell the insurance company now

I do that exercise too, but on the bed not on the floor! I’d never get up either!

I hope you took out your holiday insurance from the date you applied for it, not the dates of your holiday.

Been there when it comes to cancelling a holiday for health reasons. All I can suggest is that you read every single word on your insurance documents, mainly ie is this an on going issue ?did you know about your problem and were you having medical treatment for it before booking the holiday.The list is endless.A tens machine as one comment suggests does help and see your GP for stronger meds and do not 'drink' anything stronger that water/ tea /coffee fruit juice while on this strong pain medication.Is there no way you can take this holiday as I fear cancelling is not going to be easy without losing your money.

good luck with the insurance, and more importantly I hope you get the sciatica sorted. I've trapped a nerve in my back and have been in hideous pain for a few weeks, like sciatica pain. not funny so I do sympathise! I find nurofen, then paracetamol 2 hours later, then nurofen 2 hours after that etc is the most effective. Extra strong pain killers dr. gave me made me so dizzy I couldn't function. Gentle walking helps too. Hope all goes well.

If you need to cancel get a Doctor’s letter for insurance company.

A good chiropractor or a doctor who practices acupuncture might be able to help your sciatica.

Thanks for all your replies. My osteopath gave me a position to lie in on the floor that took the pain straight off, but I struggled so much to get up, I was soon back in pain. I have seen a physiotherapist twice this week and am very impressed with the machine she used, so have ordered a TENS machine for home. Just about to write to the insurance company now.

You might still be able to go if you do the exercises and see the physio howjado I do hope so it’s so disappointing if it’s something you’ve look forward to but if you can’t go I hope the insurance sorts out so you don’t lose too much

You will need to ask your doctor to write a letter stating you are not fit enough to go on the holiday due to the excess walking and other related travel. You will have to pay for the letter, about £30, and the doctor will take a few days to do it ( that's if he agrees with you!).

I had a similar thing a few years back. I developed a strained ligament and had been planning on walking up Mt Etna. It wasn't going to happen. My doctor was really difficult about writing a letter but did reluctantly. I cancelled the holiday about a week before the date and let the insurance company know ( Nationwide). I got the full cost of the holiday back minus the excess.