Excruciating Sciatica Pain

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
M

Miri

Guest
#1
Hi folks, I wonder if you might be able to take a moment to pray for me.

I've had awful back problems for about 4 weeks now. For the first 2 weeks
I continued to go into work but sitting at a desk all day just made it so much worse
so I've been on sick for last 2 weeks.

It seemed to be on the mend and I hoped to be going back to work next week.
But then middle of this week I felt my back give again, I was in total agony for
most of the day, but then in the shower later something clicked in my back and the
majority of the lower back pain disappeared.

Great I thought. :)

But the next day I started with sciatica pain, a throbbing dull ache at first in my hip and
upper leg. :(

It got really bad Friday night/Saturday morning and in addition it felt as if my left shin was on fire
when sitting down. Also my left leg has become weak i have to be careful going up and down stairs
especially that my leg doesn't give way.


Ive never heard of shin pain caused by sciatica so I rang our local 111 health advice service.
They advised me to go to Accident and Emergency, I think they thought I had a blood clot or was
having a stroke due to the leg weakness. It seemed a bit extreme and I was sure it wasn't that!
So in the end I went to a walk in doctor's clinic. They said it was "just" sciatica and gave me more
pain killers. Although not common, sciatica can apparently cause shin nerve pain and the leg
weakness.

I'm now on three lots of painkillers and none of them touch the pain.
One lot to target the nerve pain
One lot to target the inflammation
And prescription strength cocodemol for the general pain.

I'm still in agony, walking around reduces the burning sensation and throbbing a bit but my leg still
remains very weak as if the muscles can't work properly.

Sitting down for around 5 minutes and the full force of both types of pain returns. Even lying down
hurts due to the pressure so I'm not sleeping well.

I'm going to see my own doctor again tomorrow for another sick note and to see if he can suggest
anything else. I've tried everything I can think of, heat, ice packs, light stretching exercises,
rub on pain killing gels, tens machine. Nothing has worked.

Prayers would be appreciated for this pain and sciatica that it would quickly clear up. At the
moment I feel like chopping my leg off! :( I can't imagine the pain would be any worse!

Also pray that there won't be problems with my work place. They have this strange sickness
policy whereby if you are off so many days you get a verbal warning, then it escalates
to a written warning etc. Even if you have a sick note! That's why I struggled to continue
to go to work for those two weeks in the first place, but i've just made it far worse.
 

Huglife

Senior Member
Aug 15, 2016
2,543
50
48
#2
what kind of sick place do you work? thats just mean and rude.
Lord, i wish to pray for Miri, that she may get through her pain, and get back to her life. i pray that you be with her and help her through this. In Jesus's name, amen
 

Huglife

Senior Member
Aug 15, 2016
2,543
50
48
#3
your place needs to understand thatnyounare not capable of working. inwould not work for them
 
M

Miri

Guest
#5
This man has a wealth of stretching exercises. Pay attention, and get into doing just about all of them.
.
https://www.google.com/search?sourc...TF-8&rlz=1T4GGNI_enUS640US640&q=Brian+Abelson

Thanks

Some of those exercises on the YouTube link, I've been trying. My doctor gave me a
sheet of exercises and I also down loaded some Pilates exercises for lower back and
sciatic pain. Im in too much pain to do some of them, others I can't do as my left leg
(thigh muscle) has just become weak over last few days. Something to do with
nerve impulse messages not getting through properly.

I am persisting though. :) I will have a look at the other stuff in the link, thanks.
 
W

wwjd_kilden

Guest
#6
Praying
Can't you get something from the doctor that allows you more sick days (Having worked in Scotland myself I know bosses can be very <insert "**" word of choice> about days off )
 

Deidre

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2016
258
7
18
#7
It's illegal to be reprimanded or fired due to a legitimate illness or injury. I will be praying that you heal from this soon. Sciatica is terrible pain, and it can strike anyone, there are many helping things you can find to do for it online. ((hugs and prayers))
 
M

Miri

Guest
#8
what kind of sick place do you work? thats just mean and rude.
Lord, i wish to pray for Miri, that she may get through her pain, and get back to her life. i pray that you be with her and help her through this. In Jesus's name, amen

Thanks for the prayer.

I work for the Government!

We get 6 months sick on full pay, followed by 6 months sick on half pay in any 12 month
rolling period. Because of that they want to discourage sickness absence as much as possible.
The last time I was off sick was 11 years ago!

They have already instigated the sickness absence policy, I got a phone call this week
from the occupational health company they have a contract with. It was a nurse she
wanted to know what was wrong, if I had seen a doctor, when I would be back at work etc.
I was hoping that at least they might help me get back to work by providing some
private physio etc. But apparently while my place of work pays them to act like the
sickness absence police, the contract does not include things like physio to actually
help people back to work.

If it goes on much longer I will probably have to go see one of their doctors to prove
I'm sick. Even though I've already seen my own doctor twice plus the walk in emergency
clinic doctor on Saturday.

Its like they don't believe you are sick or something. So it means people go into
work even when they are not well.
 
A

AuntieAnt

Guest
#9
Praying for you, Miri! May the pain subside and you regain wellness in your body.

Thank you Lord Jesus for hearing Miri's prayer and answering her. You're so faithful!
 
F

FreeNChrist

Guest
#10
Hi folks, I wonder if you might be able to take a moment to pray for me.

I've had awful back problems for about 4 weeks now. For the first 2 weeks
I continued to go into work but sitting at a desk all day just made it so much worse
so I've been on sick for last 2 weeks.

It seemed to be on the mend and I hoped to be going back to work next week.
But then middle of this week I felt my back give again, I was in total agony for
most of the day, but then in the shower later something clicked in my back and the
majority of the lower back pain disappeared.

Great I thought. :)

But the next day I started with sciatica pain, a throbbing dull ache at first in my hip and
upper leg. :(

It got really bad Friday night/Saturday morning and in addition it felt as if my left shin was on fire
when sitting down. Also my left leg has become weak i have to be careful going up and down stairs
especially that my leg doesn't give way.


Ive never heard of shin pain caused by sciatica so I rang our local 111 health advice service.
They advised me to go to Accident and Emergency, I think they thought I had a blood clot or was
having a stroke due to the leg weakness. It seemed a bit extreme and I was sure it wasn't that!
So in the end I went to a walk in doctor's clinic. They said it was "just" sciatica and gave me more
pain killers. Although not common, sciatica can apparently cause shin nerve pain and the leg
weakness.

I'm now on three lots of painkillers and none of them touch the pain.
One lot to target the nerve pain
One lot to target the inflammation
And prescription strength cocodemol for the general pain.

I'm still in agony, walking around reduces the burning sensation and throbbing a bit but my leg still
remains very weak as if the muscles can't work properly.

Sitting down for around 5 minutes and the full force of both types of pain returns. Even lying down
hurts due to the pressure so I'm not sleeping well.

I'm going to see my own doctor again tomorrow for another sick note and to see if he can suggest
anything else. I've tried everything I can think of, heat, ice packs, light stretching exercises,
rub on pain killing gels, tens machine. Nothing has worked.

Prayers would be appreciated for this pain and sciatica that it would quickly clear up. At the
moment I feel like chopping my leg off! :( I can't imagine the pain would be any worse!

Also pray that there won't be problems with my work place. They have this strange sickness
policy whereby if you are off so many days you get a verbal warning, then it escalates
to a written warning etc. Even if you have a sick note! That's why I struggled to continue
to go to work for those two weeks in the first place, but i've just made it far worse.
I can relate. Have you had an MRI? I ask because I had sciatica for over six months because my doc kept saying it would clear up. Finally had an MRI and discovered I had a popped disk and the material that had come out was pressing on the sciatic nerve. People who have never experienced it probably wouldn't believe just how painful it is. Lost half of my business through that ordeal. It never would have gotten better on its own, surgery was the only solution.

Praying for you.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
M

Miri

Guest
#11
I can relate brother. Have you had an MRI? I ask because I had sciatica for over six months because my doc kept saying it would clear up. Finally had an MRI and discovered I had a popped disk and the material that had come out was pressing on the sciatic nerve. People who have never experienced it probably wouldn't believe just how painful it is. Lost half of my business through that ordeal. It never would have gotten better on its own, surgery was the only solution.

Praying for you.
An MRI is kind of a last resort if it doesn't clear up over here. :(

Ps I'm a sister. Lol
 
F

FreeNChrist

Guest
#12
An MRI is kind of a last resort if it doesn't clear up over here. :(

Ps I'm a sister. Lol
Yeah, had hoped I got that corrected before you saw it. :eek:
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,862
9,581
113
#13
Take it from someone who was stuck in bed with sciatica for nearly 6 months, the pain is indescribable. I didn't have the burning pain you describe, but the agony of it is sheer hell. I had to have 3 steroid injections into my back to relieve the swelling of the herniated disk, and the Dilaudid I was given didn't even touch the pain. Sciatica doesn't cause shin pain, it affects the entire leg and back.. Maybe you cracked a bone or something, have you fallen recently?


If you can, try sleeping on the opposite side of where the pain is. If it's in your left leg, sleep on your right side, and vice versa. The ONLY time I was pain-free was when I was laying down, completely not moving.. See if you can get some steroid shots, or even topical steroid patches to wear on your arm, and also oral steroids.

I feel so bad for you, Miri. I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone. But sciatica doesn't go away on it's own. And any extended pressure will only make it worse..
 
M

Miri

Guest
#14
Take it from someone who was stuck in bed with sciatica for nearly 6 months, the pain is indescribable. I didn't have the burning pain you describe, but the agony of it is sheer hell. I had to have 3 steroid injections into my back to relieve the swelling of the herniated disk, and the Dilaudid I was given didn't even touch the pain. Sciatica doesn't cause shin pain, it affects the entire leg and back.. Maybe you cracked a bone or something, have you fallen recently?


If you can, try sleeping on the opposite side of where the pain is. If it's in your left leg, sleep on your right side, and vice versa. The ONLY time I was pain-free was when I was laying down, completely not moving.. See if you can get some steroid shots, or even topical steroid patches to wear on your arm, and also oral steroids.

I feel so bad for you, Miri. I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone. But sciatica doesn't go away on it's own. And any extended pressure will only make it worse..

I didn't think sciatica included shin pain either, that started off as a sensation of ants crawling up
my leg, then the awful on fire burning sensation started. I haven't fallen.


The doctor at the walk in clinic said it was one of the rarer symptoms of sciatica, there are 4
nerve branches apparently and one goes down the shin. Anyway I'm going back to see my own
doctor tomorrow to see what he says and hopefully get another sick note and some stronger
pain killers.

Ive tried every sleeping position known to man. Lol

The stupid thing is that when I first went to doctor, I was told to let them know if I
experienced any numbness or weakness. Now that I am and I have told them I can't move my
leg properly. I feel like its just been waved aside as one of those things.
 
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
413
0
#15
These are two exercises that I, personally, use twice a day to ward off numbness in my lower legs and feet. And they are super-easy to do.
.
[video=youtube;wqEYefzrrLM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqEYefzrrLM[/video]
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,862
9,581
113
#16
I can relate. Have you had an MRI? I ask because I had sciatica for over six months because my doc kept saying it would clear up. Finally had an MRI and discovered I had a popped disk and the material that had come out was pressing on the sciatic nerve. People who have never experienced it probably wouldn't believe just how painful it is. Lost half of my business through that ordeal. It never would have gotten better on its own, surgery was the only solution.

Praying for you.

I had to take oral steroids, wear topical steroid patches, AND have 3 steroid shots in my back. I had to wait a month in between shots, though. I was given Dilaudid and it didn't even touch the pain. I lost probably about 75% of the use in my left leg. Couldn't even kick a light blanket off my legs at night. Even now, almost 2 years later, that leg is still somewhat weak, even after several months of rehab, but I have exercises that they gave me to do at home, along with resistance bands.


Miri, just trust in God to get you through this. :) I couldn't have gotten through it with my own strength, I begged God for his. When you have a chance, read my pain testimony, it's down in my signature. :)
 
Feb 28, 2016
11,311
2,972
113
#17
thanks so much Willie,

when I am able, I will certainly give these a try out...have to be very careful because
of neck seizures from a broken neck and spinal synosis, etc.
I never know when they will hit and render me helpless so I have to carry myself in a certain way as to not
aggravate my neck and bring them on.,.but I do try new things and have gone to a
chiropractor for over 20yrs, until he said that he could no longer help me and acupuncture,
but they no longer can help me with certain things, such as RA and the stenosis, etc...
but, I am a survivor, and will always keep on trying whatever it takes to keep moving on my own,
although I have had to use canes and crutches at various times - without hubby being my main
care-giver, I would be in a wheel-chair...he is an amazing husband and has found many helpful
things to keep me on my feet most of the time...I am truly blessed every day of my life,
and we both always give Jesus Christ our grateful praise and thankfulness for what He
does in our lives in all ways....:eek::)
 

lv2ski

Senior Member
Aug 20, 2016
542
15
18
#19
I have that sometimes. I'm a truck driver. The Lord led me to some stretches on YouTube. Look up yoga for sciatica. Now I'm not talking about getting your Zen on. Just stick with the simple stretching. About 20-30 min a day does wonders
 
M

Miri

Guest
#20
Thanks everyone, the weakness in my leg doesn't seem anywhere near as bad
this morning.

I'm still in pain though, good job I have an iPad mini, I'm currently reading your comments while pacing
around my bedroom.


Willie l will try the exercises I know I need to do more of this kind.
I decided way back in June i wanted to be a fit 50 year old.lol
So since June I've been dieting and lost 12 lb by mid August when i did my back in.

I had already decided I wanted to get exercising more, so got a mat, a roll and some
stretch bands etc. But before I could do anything my back went. :(

Blue you are amazing :)

Ive got a friend who has pain in both hips caused by Bursities. She was up last night in
pain as well and text me Proverbs 3 & 4 which she got, especially Pro 3 v 8. I'm
going to look up this properly later.