sciatica

[Rhirhikoz]

Anyone else suffering with this? Its so painful and paracetamol not working! Dont really like taking them anyway, anyone got any tips on how to ease it? My waitressing job doesnt help but obviously cant afford not to work !

 

[mrs whitehead]

I know how you feel. i suffered with it before i was pregnant ans its now even worse. iv tried a tens machine, it worked for a while but its now that bad i can still feel the spasms through the buzz. we went out for tea on sunday and i couldnt walk, i had to put my whole weight on hubby to walk, i was crying it hurt so much. im sorry i cant tell you what makes it better, make sure you get lots of rest, have a bath. apart from that i cant help you, im in the same boat.

 

[chelleyve]

I have found that a hot water bottle eases it but only very slightly x

 

[Rhirhikoz]

Arrgh that doesnt sound good! My boyfriend doesnt understand how much pain im in so hes not that supportive! I heared swimming helps but im scared of getting pins and needles if i go alone!

 

[Miss Boo]

I found for the last 4 weeks that as soon as I stopped and laid down in bed, my back would go into spasm and I would literally seize up. I would be 'stuck' in bed and unable to move and would have to yell at hubby to come and shift me - this really worried me as am only 15 weeks and figured it would only get worse the bigger I got but for the last few days Ive had absolutely nothing! Anyone else found that it suddenly and miraculously stopped? *knocks on wood*

 

[Rhirhikoz]

Yeah I get that too, sometimes my back doesnt hurt at all for days but then Ill have a busy day and wont be able to move for days again

 

[eeeek]

I went to the doc about this as it got so bad before Xmas that I couldn't walk. The pain started at about 14 weeks deep in my bum cheek then progressed to severe lower back pain and shooting pains right down my leg.
I was just shocked at how little the doc could do, she basically fobbed me off with a load of cocodamol tablets, despite me telling her I wasn't comfortable taking such strong tabs throughout my pregnancy. She couldn't suggest anything more natural like massage or exercise, and said that basically this was part and parcel of being pregnant.
I'm now 26 weeks and have good days and bad days, but find that if I spend a weekend day in bed, it's bliss and pain free but then agony the next day when I start to move around again. So I work on the logic that moving little and often is probably best. I lean on a hot water bottle if I need to sit still for any period of time (eg long car journeys) and when its at its worst resort to a warm bath and the tablets the doc prescribed. We live in a 3 storey house and I've had evenings where I've managed to get up one flight of stairs but am on my hands and knees in tears with the pain, unable to get up the second flight to bed. DH is smaller than me, so not much help in getting me up the stairs, so I have little choice but to pop the pills in those circumstances, although I'm not overjoyed about it.
Despite hours of research I've not found any miracle cure for this, so am just crossing my fingers that it doesn't get any worse as the pregnancy progresses

 

[Cherubim]

Anyone else suffering with this? Its so painful and paracetamol not working! Dont really like taking them anyway, anyone got any tips on how to ease it? My waitressing job doesnt help but obviously cant afford not to work !

I started suffering with this in my right leg a couple of weeks ago, and paracetamol doesn't help for me either, but a few things have.. I have a (male) friend who has suffered with sciatica for years, and his advice has been invaluable! So, here it is:

"My sciatica caused me agony for weeks, and I allowed it to stop me doing loads of stuff because I thought it was best to rest, as I do when I have my recurring back problem. The doing of nothing actually made it worse though.

When I finally did some research I found a few excellent tips - firstly, it seems, unlike with most back problems, you have to keep moving (worked for me anyway). Been out walking everyday and dance about quite a lot at home while doing everyday stuff. Heat treatment was recommended too - I find directing the hot water in the shower on the painful area helps loads, as does vigorous rubbing and even vigorous shaking of my left leg. And, working on the basis that a nerve had been trapped because my body had been compressed slightly during a heavy leg workout at the gym, I stretched and tried to lengthen my spine daily which also seems to have worked. An Icepack on the painful area was mentioned too, but I was too much of a wuss to try that as I just feel cold almost all the time right now.

I know this may be all in vain as your body changes, but hopefully you'll be able to ease the pain at least with a combination of different approaches.
It's worked wonders for me - I'm only getting maybe 20% of the pain now."

Hope that helps, hon xx

 

[capricorn1]

Hi,

I suffered really badly from a slipped disc and sciatia before I got pregnant and I still get quite a bit of back ache although it is not even in the same realm as previously. I've tried alot of things over the last few years to try and ease the pain and at the moment what is working incrediably well for me is reflexology. In fact I orginially went to see if she could help with our problems conceiving and not only did she sort out my hormones & cycles, but also sorted out my jippy back. I now see her once a month and for 3 out of 4 of those weeks I am pretty much pain free, the last week is always a bit dodgy.

It is safe during pregnancy, but be sure to check out your reflexologists qualifications and if I would absolutely make sure they deal with back issues.

I would also second trying to keep moving if you are able to and I was also given some exercises to do - these were for easing the disc back into place though. Happy to elaborate on these if you think they would help. Just let me know.

Hope the pain eases soon honey
xx

 

[Pippin]

Oh my goodness I've had this for the last three days and thought I was the only one. I was doing something so simple and it just twanged and now I'm agony. Worst is getting up and out of bed and seats. I was hoping it might just get better, now I'm thinking it might not. I'm going to try some of your great tips though ladies as looking after an 18 month old is hard enough in itself let alone being pregnant and with this trapped nerve. Grrrrr