I just finished a course of Prednisone for sciatica.

[zanana1]

It didn't help. The problem is, my knee gives in. I use a walker, but that doesn't prevent it. I'd take a steroid injection any day, but so far that hasn't been given as an option. The last time my knee gave in, I went down and broke my leg. Four months in a rehab facility. I'm terrified of falling again. Is anybody else dealing with sciatica?

[chelsea0011]

1. Yes, I do

I have spinal stenosis and am getting a new epidural spine injection next week. If I can be of any help, I can try but my sciatica is specific in nature related to my spine.

[mountain grammy]

3. Same.. also getting an injection in 2 weeks

the last one was good for a year.. I'm lucky.

[Walleye]

2. Yes, I've been having a real problem. I can hardly walk in the morning.

I take ibuprofen, but I’m not sure if that’s the right thing to do. Is there an injection I can get or something is getting very depressing. I really feel for you.

[mountain grammy]

5. Yes there are injections

not a miracle cure but mine has made life much more bearable.. also, riding a stationary bike 30 minutes a day.. not a workout, just a slow ride. In my case, losing 30 pounds has made a big difference, although the first 15 were "easy" because I was in too much pain to prepare meals or even eat.

[Walleye]

7. Wow, I know how that feels. Sometimes it hurts just to stand up in the kitchen and fix a sandwich

[mountain grammy]

17. I understand

Doing better now. Small kitchen. I can lean and cook.

[Walleye]

21. Yes, I have become grateful for my small kitchen. I do a lot of pivoting like a basketball player.

[slightlv]

12. Injections helped more than prednisone pills, but still, the "help"

didn't last long. I've gone stenosis and sciatica, as well as disk disease. I hate the fact I'm basically always bent over, but even then my spine hurts. The only way to stand up even partially straight is to take a deep breath and consciously hold in my stomach muscles. Most days, even getting out of bed is scary... I'm so afraid of my knees and legs just giving out on me the minute gravity hits. I've not found *anything* that helps... I'm always open to hearing about anything new (or old) that might help, but as so many of us now have problems with it, it seems the scams are out there everywhere. And after hubby cleaning out our bank accounts thanks to a scam a year ago, I'm afraid of even clicking on a "learn more" link!

[mountain grammy]

15. I'm sorry I think your condition

Is worse than mine. I’m still getting around with a cane which keeps me upright and fairly straight but without it I’m bent. My pain doc told me I should try to strengthen my core. I’ve been working on it but it’s an old, flabby core. I do think I’m making progress cause I can walk a little farther. Hoping for the best for you and will share any good news.

[slightlv]

18. Oh, man... do I resonate with the "old flabby core"! (LOL)

I used to do Tai Chi and had excellent balance... even at 225 lbs. I started dropping weight in my late 50's, and didn't stop until I hit 80 pounds. I've yet to be able to find my "center" since then!

[lark]

4. Accupuncture is what has gotten me safely through 2 bad sciatica attacks.

It was a little expensive, $89 a session and each time I had 3 treatments which cured the immediate problem. It was such a lifesaver for me! I felt a lot of relief after even the first treatment.

[mountain grammy]

6. I've has 2 ablations done 3 years apart

and an epidural a year ago.. they really do help.. I'm never pain free except when I'm laying down, but, thankfully, I'm getting around much better.

[Walleye]

8. Damn, chronic pain is depressing as hell I can't do the things I used to do

Of course, I’m 77 years old. I don’t expect to be able to do everything. But I used to enjoy walking

[slightlv]

13. I hear you! I can't clean the house

and I used to love walking the dog. Maybe I'd try it again if I had a dog the size of a yorkie... but instead, I've got a 150 pound behemoth! With me weighing around 80 pounds, even when I could, I rarely walked the dog... the dog walked me!

[Walleye]

20. Good thing I'm a cat person, I guess. Don't need to be walked.

But cleaning the litter box can get to be a chore.

[slightlv]

22. I finally got to sweeping the foyer and the hallway...

found four of Gabby's little "pompom" balls while sweeping under tables... she'll be ecstatic when she wakes up in a bit! (LOL)

[mountain grammy]

19. 78 here!

in 2016 when that election happened I decided to go to DC. I started walking, first 2 miles a day, than up to 4. I lived in the mountains at 8500 feet, so it was a real workout. If it snowed too much, I walked on my treadmill. Never lost any weight cause of my addiction to junk food, but I was in shape for the Women's March.We stood for hours.

Yes, I miss my walks too..

[sinkingfeeling]

9. Physical therapy and gabapentin got rid of mine.

[dem4decades]

10. I just had a knee replacement 5 weeks ago, if i sleep in a bed i wake up

With sciatica pain for an hour, then it goes away, I don't know how anyone can deal with that pain. I'm sorry for anyone that had it.

I've taken to sleeping in a recliner for the first part of the night, then over to the couch for the last 3 or 4 hours then a heating pad on it before I get up. With this method I have been able to avoid that hour of misery.

The sleep sucks but it's a trade I don't mind making.

[QED]

11. If I don't do my stretching exercises in the morning....

it comes back. Mine is mainly due to sitting too much.

I've also had pinched nerves in my lower back that were just plain hell. I had injections twice, about 3 years apart, and they immediately stopped the pain. Nothing, no painkillers, worked until the shots.

[montanacowboy]

14. Getting SCS surgery

Implanting of 2 rods up your spine attached to implanted battery
Boston Scientific for spinal cord stimulation
Tried everything else - drugs, injections, PT, you name it

[mopinko]

16. dont wait for it to b offered. ask.

and if the answer is anything but yes say- please note in my record y u r refusing this request.

i’ve been dealing w lower back pain for about 9 mos now, w only occasional sciatica.
shots dont always work. i had 3 b4 i got any relief, and that seemed minimal. what it did was shift it toward 1 hip. an mri showed a trapped nerve there. shot didnt help that. but i think it did help the back pain.

shots r def worth a try. when the work, they’re like magic.
doing pt now, and it’s starting to help. i was not offered and did not ask for pain meds. i broke down and asked for lyrica about a wk ago. it’s not particularly acting on the pain, but i take it at night and my sleep has been great. since the pain is worse when i’m tired, it’s helping indirectly.

dont accept just letting u suffer.