My pain is back.....

[bmc1976]

As some of you know I suffer from siatica. I had a mri a few months ago and have scar tissue hitting my siatic nerve from a previous surgery. Eventually I'm gonna have to make the decision to go have the scar tissue cleaned up.  Right now is not a good time. I am currently mr. mom. I need to try and put it off until June. My wife is a teacher and will be on summer break then. I had to get back on the pain meds but I feel I don't have any other choice. I have tried many different kinds such as tramodol, fenoprofen, ketoprofen, sulindac, gabapentin, darvocet, and my worst enemy vicodin! The pain went away about a week ago and that's when I went cold turkey. I ended up abusing the vicodin and took way more than I should of. This is my 4th time getting off the vicodin and have 4 times in the past 4 years once the pain stopped. So far, vicodin has been the only pain med that has helped. I hate to get back on them but feel I have no choice. I hate to but I can't tolerate and would rather go through withdrawals again then have to feel like this. My plan is to have my wife hold on to them and give me them as needed. She doesn't know that I was taking so many before. Do you think this is alright? I'm not sure what else to do. I wish I didn't have to take them, but I'm kind of stuck in a bind. Any insight would be appreciated.
Thanks

[bmc1976]

Thanks for all the info. I'm guessing the scar tissue is around the S5 L1 or S1 L5. I alway get the numbers confused and forget. I'm sure you know which one I mean. I had a lumbar laminectomy for a herniated disc. I didn't get my vertibras fused, they just cut off the part of the disc that was sticking out. I live in Central IL around Peoria and Bloomington. I also have access to Veterans Affairs physicians and hospitals  for  care. I'm not sure if they have massage therapists though. I might check with my doctor and see if he can recommend a good one. He has always been so helpful in my care. I just don't know if he would know any that specialize in sciatica though. Thank you so much for the help!
Brian

[mschasser]

Sorry that it took me so long to get back to you... You should notice the relief with in a couple of sessions as long as they are close together, such as 2 in a week, that is just a guess, everybody is different. If done correctly, you should tell right away, but it won't last unless you keep up with it. The most important thing is to ask around and find someone who is very experienced with sciatica. Do you know where (approx.) the scar tissue is? Around your lumbar or sacrum area? They need to do something called "muscle energy techniques" to the muscles near and surrounding your scar tissue. It will lengthen those muscles and hopefully take the pressure off of your nerve, and maybe move the scar tissue away from it or at least loosen it so that it is not putting the pressure on it. After some time you will notice that you won't need the massages as often, especially if you do the exercises that they recommend for you to do at home. Try to find someone that does medical aka clinical massage. If you have xrays you can take, that may help also.  The only problem is if the scar tissue is attached to the nerve. Ask around, it is worth a try. If it doesn't help after a few (and the therapist knows what he/she is doing) than it probably won't. Sometimes you can find a therapist that cares more about the patient than the money and they will give you a monetary break or do 1/2 hour sessions that just work around that area so that it is not so expensive for you. Are you allowed to tell a general idea of where you live on this site? I might be able to make some calls depending on where you are. Sorry so long!   mschasser

[bmc1976]

Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions! I like the idea of telling my wife I just want to be careful with them because I have seen how addicting they can be and don't want to end up there.

mschasser.....
I have tried massage therapy 3 or 4 times in the past. It never really seemed to help with my pain but did make me feel great. I did go once when I went through withdrawals before and it really did make me feel much better. Would massage therapy actually help if I have scar tissue hitting my nerve? How many sessions would I have to go through before I noticed any relief? At $60 per session and without insurance covering it it could get quite expensive.

[mschasser]

I see that you have tried acupunture but what about massage therapy. I am a massage therapist and was trained to work with sciatic pain, working on lengthening the surrounding muscles that could be pinching that nerve and lessening scar tissue. If you can find someone in your area that knows what they are doing, you would be amazed at the effects. It can also help get the toxins out of your system that are left behind from the pain killers. It can lower your blood pressure and release your "natural pain killers" so that you may not need them as much. I know that there are people out there that do not believe in massage therapy, but it has been proven to help. Do a search online about it. It would be great if you could get around having the surgery and help your sciatic more comfortably.

[broknbck]

i also have siactia nerve pain. pain killers are suppose to be used for a temporary "fix". which it sounds like you may have a solution to your pain with surgery. i know well how painful it can be!! the pain killers can be a god-send if we don't let it control us. when they start to not work as well instead of upping our doses, we are suppose to stop taking them for a few days, or long enough for our tolerence to drop. taking them every other day also helps. this requires alot of disipline. having your wife dispence them to you would be an exellent idea. if you don't want to confront her with your previous addiction, simply explain to her how so many people are getting addicted to pain killers now. you hear it on the radio and tv all the time. you just want to be careful.
i was addicted for 4 years straight. i've been clean for about 5 weeks now.

[MissBecca24]

My husband is going through something like this. He hurt his Siatic nerve in Iraq and now has to take meds. He doesnt take them much at all but he wants to find another med to take something that is non narcotic. He is in the ARMY and doing PT is great for him he says that it helps him. I hope that you can stay ok till the surgery. As far as the meds I say do what makes you feel like you are doing the right thing. Hang in there! and feel better

Becca

[CinCee]

It's the core strengthening exercises at PT that seem to help my sciatica more than anything.  I hate doing them, but I work on my feet and can't deal with that knife in the butt feeling.  
Anyway, just a suggestion for something to help delay the surgery.

[bmc1976]

Oh yeah. Many times and still do on occasion. I do my back stretches religously. I still get the epidural steriod shots. I've tried accupuncture. Nothing seems to nip it in the butt or thigh or whatever you're suppose to tell the doctor where the pain is! I appreciate you asking. Hopefully I can find something other than pain meds for it. I think that I'll have to end up having that 2nd surgery.

[CinCee]

Have you tried physical therapy?  That has helped my sciatica.

[bmc1976]

I actually had foot drop for about a year and a half and the doctors said it would be permanent. It eventually came around and I no longer have that. They told me most nerves heal themself at a rate of around a centimeter a month. If the foot drop does come back for some reason I would get the surgery right away. I am a bit worried about the surgery because I'm sure it will just cause more scar tissue and end up being a on going issue. I went almost a year after surgery and had no pain and did not take anything for it. I was on vicodin for about 10 months prior to my surgery. I never took more than 8 every 24 hours execpt a few times where I might have taken 10 in a 24 hour period. I just need to get back in the mind set where I know I'm using them for pain. I know that's easier said then done. I would have thought the scar tissue would have been an issue before a year but just had a mri recently and they say that's the cause. I don't have any other herniated disc like before. The doctor I saw said the scar tissue can shift around sound to speak. Are you recommending the surgery sooner than I have planned? Thanks for any suggestions.

[dogneedshelp]

One thing you might want to consider about the surgery. If something presses on that nerve too long, the nerve can become damaged and you may develop a palsy in your step which may be irreversible. Once a damaged nerve, always a damaged nerve.

On the other hand, man I know EXACTLY what that pain feels like. Sorry,

[jader07]

somedays my backpain is not so bad, i think its going away so i start doing things that are normal for everyone eles, you know like sitting for an hour or doing laundry or playing soccer, then the next day or two i can't move. its unbearable. i've quit take my hydro and the fentynal cold turkey before just to do it and i felt horrible and man, was i MEAN. and i hurt. i did it to see what would happen, and now i know its pretty awful. i guess getting off any drug is awful. but when prescribed, its just a catch22. its hard not to take more when you don't need more, though.

[bmc1976]

All the neurontin did was take away the withdrawals. It didn't help with the pain. My pain went away a week ago and that is why I quit the vicodin. But it came back on me all of the sudden. This was my 4th time coming off the vicodin and hate to have to do it again but don't have much of a choice. I've tried other types of non narcotic pain meds but they don't seem to help much. I've read that the neurontin has helped some people with pain. Everyone is different so give it a try. It may work for you. If not, it will probably help with withdrawals if need be.

[againnot]

That's a tough one.  The very reason that I am on the THIRD time tapering.  I got down to 1 vic/day, then the pain would return, then I would call the dr for a refill, then start all over again.  My husband, my dr. , my family all said "you need the pain pills". .  I also have back problems that they want to do a fusion on, and I am avoiding that at all costs.  You were 5 days clean, and gave us all such hope about the neurotin!  Too bad that didn't help your pain!  Good luck to you.  Maybe if you don't take as many the w/d won't be as bad next time.  At least you have a plan to get it taken care of in June, but, that sure seems like a long way off from now.

[bmc1976]

That's the thing though. I don't feel comfortable telling her about abusing them. I know I really should but can't. She's the type that will not give me more than prescribed though. I'm sure she'll wonder why I want her to keep them so I might have to end up telling her. I guess we'll have to see. Thanks for the input!

[SotiredIcantsleep]

As far as giving them over to wifey,
awesome plan, when we are powerless to dose ourselves responsibly, it's always best to hand them over to someone who really loves and cares about.  Make sure she knows up front you like to abuse them though, so you can't con her into giving you more than you really need for pain management.  My friend is doing this right now, he was 30+ days clean and needed to take loratabs following wisdom teeth removal.  He fessed up about his addiction to his fiance, gave her the pills and he's managed to eat even less than he expected just to make her proud of him for using responsibly and toughing it out as much as he could.