In pain, could this be sciatica?

My DH is been having a nasty bout of sciatica right now. It's now over a month, he has back pain going down to his leg. He had it before and it's caused by two herniated disks. He was seen by the GP before all this and prescribed Gabapentin and Co-codamol, which today he had to phone and ask for a repeat of same. They are reluctant to prescribe co-codamol but it's the only thing that gets him out of severe pain. When all this is over he will be given an MRI and referred to a specialist. It's unfortunate it's happening now when you can't be seen unless it's an emergency.

It very well could be Sciatica, and a physio thinks it is, I think you should continue to follow his advice. When I’ve suffered persisting with the excercise helped in the end but it can take weeks to settle down.

I agree with you. I get Sciatica but it usually is painful down my buttock, misses out my thigh and is very painful down in the back of the calf itself. I thought that a sharp pain actually behind the knee was something else and not sciatica ? Bakers cyst is one problem but I guess you would have an obvious lump of fluid. I do feel for you as often painkillers don’t even help the problem and I can have very little sleep. Best Wishes.

My sciatica starts in the middle of my right buttock and shot down to my ankle, it was excruciatingly painful. You’re right you will need an MRI to confirm the diagnosis but (until I had to have an emergency op) I tried physio plus pain killers. You could try to get a referral from your GP to a consultant, it might lay in an in tray at the hospital for a bit, I had to see the consultant before I got the MRI, meanwhile the exercises could help you to feel better.

Hi Jellaway, thanks for your reply. Google is a dangerous thing as a bakers cyst was the first thing that came up! I obviously said this to my brother in-law but he ruled that out straight away. I have no swelling and no colour change in the skin at all and was able to do all of the moves he asked of me in my assessment.

Thank you all for your replies and I wish you all well.

I really feel for you. Have suffered with this myself. Nearly three years on i still have a partial numb foot from damage to the nerve. I had an MRI and it showed three herniated discs. I was given a nerve block injection into my spine which helped fo a few months. When the pain became unbearable again my GP gave me Gabapentin They certainly help with the nerve pain dulling it down so i can at least walk, stand and do most things, exercises, gardening etc. If i am walking any distance i use a stick now otherwise i can not do it.

I actually forgot to add to my original post that over the last week, the pain is now also up the back and side of my thigh so not just isolated to behind the knee.

Sounds even more like Sciatica then Wells1977