Hello, im sorry you are having so much pain. And i just had a skit of sciatica really bad that just cleared up yesterday. It lasted 5 days i could barely walk and it was worst.And mine radiated in the front of my thigh for the first time ever too.

You should definetely ask your doctor and tell them about the calf pain. Is your calf hur in a certain area? or is it swollen? feel hot? or just a spasm?

Last week i was in tears with my sciatica, first time in months it acted up and years since that bad. i felt like i was being electricuted down the front and back ot my leg down into the bottom of my foot and it switched sides for the first time too .

i tried ice, heat, then finally started stretching with help and it cleared up. Did you do anything that could of acted it up? shopping? lift? etc.

Mine started taking my 2 year old to the movies and he fell asleep and i didnt want to ruin it for the other kids so i sat there still the whole movie with him on my lap uncomfortable.

well enough said i was laid up for 5 days.
I sure hope you find some sort of relief please try to stretch. but also make sure it is sciatica and check the calf for swelling etc.

i am not associated in the medical field in anyway,I am just offering advice thru personal life experience. I am awake if you want to talk post or pm me.

sincerely
dawn

PS.
DID YOU MEAN 15 MG OF VICODONE?

I'm sorry you're having so much pain. Can you contact your Dr. and maybe get some meds to help out and maybe xray or MRI. Take care. Charry

Hi OnlyoneLucy, welcome to the board. I hear you. I live like that for the past 6 months this year. I had TLIF (Fusion) last year on L5 / S1 due to a spondy. Before that surgery, I was living that way for 2 years. So, I feel your pain. What happen to me was the scar tissues built up after the surgery, and right now pressing against my nerve. I did exercise to try to prevent this from happening, but I must be one of those 5% that doesn't work , anyway, the same nerve was compressed, and now I will be going for another surgery to remove the scar tissue. I had an MRI and a CT to verify the cause of the pain. I hope yours go away on its own. Call your doc and request for an MRI. It will show if the nerve is inflammed or compressed. With this kind of pain, I don't take vicodin anymore. I have percocet, oxy, and at times, the doc prescribed morphine for me. Don't live in the dark, find out the problem, then decide what you want to do.

Best,
Zach

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Sorry to hear about your pain. Reading your post, you have had previous Lumbar and cervical surgeries. At what disc levels were they?
What sounds strange is that this all happened so very suddenly. Normally sciatic pain (resulting for a disc pressing on a nerve root) is a gradual process. After a disc is herniated and starts to press on a nerve root, you then begin to start to feel the discomfort. It can take a while before it becomes chronic.
What you are describing would sound as if you did some that created a major disc problem and that the disc is really hitting the nerve roots.
I would not start switching and take different pain medications. You mentioned Vicodin, Perocet and Demerol.
Again I can only assume those are left overs from previous disc problems. I can not imagine any doctor prescribing those different pain medications at the same time.
What does you doctor say about this current situation?

Hi Onlyonelucy:
My sciatica - Spinal Stenosis affects my hips down through the back and sides of my legs around to the back of my calves. It feels like it just grabs my calf muscles and squeezes, almost paralyzing them. I tried everything you tried to help with the pain but until my dr. put me on Lyrica did I get some relieve from this pain and able to walk again. This is what has helped me. I totally understand what you are going through and my heart goes out to you and I do hope you get some relieve soon.

Hey guys. Thanks so much for the nice replies. I go to the "Pain Management" tomorrow morning and I am PRAYING that they will give me a nerve root block. I am so sick of this!
As far as the VICODIN, I took 3 of the 5/500's and no relief. Now I am on 2 Demerol's every 4 hours and still nothing.
I didn't do anything to make this act up whatsoever. It just started like this about 2 weeks ago

I'm so sorry you have this pain. Yes, this is my life. I am a fusion "success story" in that I am stable, but I was left with permanent nerve damage. My S1 nerve burns night and day from my buttock to my foot. If I could reach it, I could use a magic marker to draw exactly where I burn. This pain is incessant and mind-numbing.

Selective nerve root blocks did not help me, but for some people they do and most clinics and insurance require you to try them before moving on. Sitting (and anything else beyond sitting) triggers my pain. I stay reclined 23 hours a day, or the pain goes beyond manageable.

On Dec. 4th, I go for the spinal cord stimulator trial (ANS EON Mini), which is my 2nd to last option. Last option is implanted intrathecal pain pump. Radiating nerve pain is IDEAL for this procedure, as it really doesn't work great on muscular back pain.

When my nerve pain is really beyond bad, not only will my calf muscle cramp, but I will "lose my leg" while walking. For that reason, at age 42, I have a cane and my very own walker (with brakes, a basket and seat.) Pitiful, but have to have it for safety on really bad days.

There is nothing further that can be done for me surgically. I was finally given nerve conduction studies and an EMG and voila' - there it was. Acute and chronic S1 nerve damage.

You might ask about those tests or the SCS at your next appointment and see what they say. For me, I have been suffering with this exact pain for several years now while doctors thought my nerve would heal and regenerate. Didn't happen.

How did your appointment go?

Oh, forgot to add that I am on a long-acting med and breakthrough meds, along with muscle relaxers up to 3 times a day. This keeps my pain at a 5 out of 10 on a "good" day.

Good Lord! You have it bad girl! I feel so awful for you.

Well, I went to the Pain Management Center this morning here in Kansas City and had a spinal injection. It hurt like the devil but it helped. He said judging from where my pain is in the leg, it's my L5-S1 so it's a different one than I had operated on last year which was L4-L5. So, my injection was this morning at 10:00 and I have NO pain down my leg right now at all. ONLY in my lower back where the injection site is and where the lower back usually hurts (upper hip). Whatchall think of that?
I am so thankful for this message board. It's good to be able to talk to people who understand.....although I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
Love,
Sherry

Lucy:
Get thee to an interventional pain specialist ASAP. That is one who does procedures for pain.

I am a retired interventional pain specialist, and have treated, with fair success, a number of people with complaints like yours.

The rule to remember here is: Crazy does not make pain! Pain makes crazy!!!

I suspect the pain specialist will recommend a spinal cord stimulator after a careful workup. If he offers a stimulator to you, GO FOR IT! I have produced wonderful relief in people like you. It does not deliver drugs, just electric current.

There is a second rule to remember here: Relief does not, usually, come out of a bottle. Narcotics especially are not the answer to this problem.

Hang in there! There are good answers out there.

Ken

Thanks to all of you for your replies.

Ron, my first back surgery was a discectomy between L4-L5. The pain management doctor last week who did the epidural told me that judging from where my pain is, it is now between L5 & S1. So, as yall know, I had that epidural last Tuesday and it helped........until Friday! The nerve woke up on Friday while I was working a flight (I work for an airline). Boy did it come back with a vengeance! So, I go back this Thursday for another one.

Ken, the pain management doctor mentioned that stimulator thing to me. What exactly is it? Is there something prodding through my skin? Sounds awful.

Guys, I am just sooooooooooooo tired and worn down from this. I know that narcotics are not the answer to the problem and personally, I am sick of being on them. RIGHT NOW, they have me on: Demerol, Flexeril and Relafen. Awful, isn't it? And......I'm having to work while on all this medication!

Sherry

Had my 2nd injection yesterday. He said if it doesn't work he wants to try that neurostimulaor thing. Can someone live with that thing implanted forever?

I was wondering if you ever been on any medication for nerve pain like Neurontin, Lyrica, or Cymbalta. A combination of one of those with a muscle relaxer and pain medicine helps to control the sciatica and back pain.

I honestly have questioned my whole sanity and reality on my bad days.
When you gulp down your pills then question whether you have or not...the days blurr the pain bores.

Butthere is always tommorrow and who knows what that may bring!
You must try everything, logically. Something will work, you just haven't found it yet!

Well, my 2nd spinal injection wore off.....SURPRISE. Now they want to try the neurostimulator. I'm not too sure about that thing. I guess I just need an MRI to see what's going on.