hi and welcome to the forum! we are here to offer you support and answer what questions we can. perhaps another doctor should look at your mri and at you!! don't give up if you are feeling pain and need medical attention... many of us have had to seek out doctor after doctor to get a proper diagnosis... if you recive enough confirmation of a diagnosis that does not include surgery then you should probably find a good pain management doctor.. he can offer you the most options for pain control and a pain plan.. i am sorry you are having so much pain and not receiving much relief..good luck with your pain problems!! stop by the forum anytime! Jenny

I know exactly how frustrated you are.
http://www.spine-health.com/forum/sciatica-leg-pain-radiculopathy/will-m...
From my very small experience but especially from friends and relatives ii is very important to rest at home [mainly in bed] for some weeks.
Now being off work for so long is a problem but it seems inevitable.
In my case I have just started to feel better in my fourth week at home and after taking Medrol pills 4mg 3 per day [first 3 days], then 2/day [next 3 days]
and 1 per day for the final 3 days.
Before Medrol I had NSAID pills and injections.
I hope in 2-3 weeks to be much better and back at work, till then pray...
Keep searching this site, you will find useful information.
I wish you fast progress away from pain.
Nick.

Hi Kelsey, I too am new to this forum, but I need to vent to anyone because you can only go so far with the doctors before you get the obligatory mm, that's bad, and my brother-in-law is a daggum neuroseugeon.
I have been going on like this for years, and I mean years. There is absolutely no explanation for my sciatic pain, but proof the nerve has significant damage shown on my nerve conduction tests, and I have
no plantar reflex. I know what you mean about the Neurontin, but trust me, it is helping. Without it you may end up not eating, sleeping, smiling, laughing (well, can't laugh anyway because of the pressure on the nerve). I ran out of it once, and forgot to call the doctor. By Sunday all I could do was lay on my side and make low grunting sounds. My dear, sweet brother (not my arogant @#&* brother-in-law) offered me his Nortripyline that had been prescribed for nerve damage in his arm. Out of desperation I took it, and Monday had my Neurontin refilled. I decided to keep taking the Nortripyline, and am so glad I did because the combo has helped by giving me a good night's sleep everynight. I am still in awful pain during the day, but I do function. Ask your doctor. Also, don't let him give you a piddling amt of Neurtontin. I am on 3,000mg a day and 100mg of the Nortriptyline. Also, take the Neurontin three times a day. If I run out of my bottle at work, and forget to bring a new bottle for a few days, I can sure tell it. You need the three doses a day. Hope this helps a little. I guarantee it won't help a lot. BOO HOO!

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Ron DiLauro, Spine-Health System Administrator 02/03/12

in the medical field (especially nurses, respiratory therapists, etc) who injure their back from having to lift patients that are way over weight.

And for whatever reason, the problems seem to be in the L4/L5 and L5/S1 area.

It sounds like the pain going down your leg is sciatica. I would have assumed that via your diagnostic tests that would have been picked up. Many times, clinical examinations by doctors can just about verify that sciatica is one of the problems.

For my nerve pain, Neurontin took a while before I started realizing its benefits. I started at 300mg a day, went up to 2600mg a day and now I am on 1200mg a day. You should never stop taking Neurontin unless you have discussed this with your doctor. Yes, one of the side effects of Neurontin (and I think with other nerve medications) is potential weight gain.

Since your doctor has prescribed medications for , what is his/her action plan on treating you?

Hi all. This is my first post here. I've read what other folks have posted regarding their pain and how long they have dealt with it. I'm now thinking I shouldn't be complaining at all. I've only had Sciatica for 2 weeks (sudden onset)... but still it is already affecting my quality of life. The DR at first put me on Percocet and Vailum (which did nothing for the pain) then put me on 900mg of Neurontin, 1000mg of Naproxen, 30mg of Flexeril and 150mg of Tramadol per day. This combination has done little for me but perhaps taken the edge off. I am a diabetic so getting a steroid injection is out of the question. The pain in my thigh and calf are excruciating and I've begun to lose sensation in my toes. Going upstairs is practically impossible without stopping once or twice. I am unable to find a comfortable position period... sitting, standing and walking can only be done in short spurts. Laying down on my right side with a pillow between my legs is the only time I get any kind of relief and even then the pain is still unbearable.
I don't have insurance so a MRI is out of the question. I have had xrays done but of course that showed nothing. Just not sure how much longer I can live with the pain and not lose my mind.