AW post re: sciatic pain

KayDeeKay81 · January 2015

For the past 2 weeks I have been dealing with a horrible unrelenting nerve pain. I can't sit, which means no driving, no going out to eat and TMI - can't sit on the toilet without wanting to cry. As long as I'm standing or walking the pain is dulled and my calf feels like it just had a Charlie horse. However, standing all the time is hard on the feet, hips and back. I can only lie down on my back and at night I wake up 3-5 times from the intense pain and have to get up and pace the bedroom until it starts to feel numb again. I alternate ice and heat alI day and night. I tried a massage, which felt fantastic but did nothing to help. I was able to get an appointment with my doc who is sending me to physio on Tuesday and has told me to take a week off. I am exhausted, everything hurts and I feel like an ungrateful crybaby. It is all very overwhelming and exhausting. I am praying that the physio can help because this is hard. * end sad-sack rant*

missab · January 2015

I don't really have any advice, but for the past week I've been in a similar boat. Sitting is the worst possible and most painful position (unhelpful given long hours at my desk job). A moist heat pad brings some relief and walking and stretching seem to help some. I'm planning to see my acupuncturist this week; if that helps I will let you know! Last time I had pain this bad she said my hips were likely going through a growth spurt and it eventually passed. Hope you get some relief soon!

Babykells3 · January 2015

I hope you feel better after some physio. I'm a massage therapist and I know how bad it can be. When it comes to pregnancy, there's only so much a massage can do when your nerve is pinched from something other then tight muscles (ex. uterus/baby putting pressure on it). Hoping you get some relief soon!

KayDeeKay81 · January 2015

It will be my first PT - I don't know what to expect but that reassuring that it works for you @mooreamanda11

redneckmomma25 · January 2015

Chiropractor can also help alleviate pain.

AmCheri · January 2015

Oh, that sounds miserable. I've had bouts of sciatica, but nothing consistent. Sorry you're hurting! Hopefully a week off will help you feel better. Hang in there.

KayDeeKay81 · January 2015

@missab - my job is at a desk too, the last day I worked was a half day on NYE and I found a box to lift my monitor and keyboard up so I could stand and do my work. I can honestly say I feel your pain.

sallen26 · January 2015

I feel you! I've been dealing with a leg that goes numb almost every time I lay down on my side, which makes sleep impossible unless I fall asleep before my leg does. When I am not prego, I am a back sleeper, so that's what I really want to do as it eases the numbness, but I have been told its not a good idea for a long period of time. My midwife thinks I am pinching my sciatic nerve, hence the numbness, and suggested a maternity band. It kinda helped, but really not as much as I would've liked because the issue is at night primarily when I am sleeping and it is NOT comfortable to sleep in the maternity band. It was also suggested to put a pillow in between my knees, which somewhat helped, but didn't solve the issue. What I found helped the most along with the pillow between my legs was using my travel/airplane mini pillow under my waist to support my spine and bump while I sleep. I wish you best of luck!!!

Oh! And yoga stretches, like pigeon and other hip openers have been great right before bed, too.

KayDeeKay81 · January 2015

@rednckmomma44‌ - I have never gone to the chiropractor but I am willing to try ANYTHING. If the PT fails I will ask the doc for a recommendation for sure.

sallen26 · January 2015

This is a good website which demonstrates some of the stretches that have helped me. https://yogainternational.com/article/view/7-poses-to-soothe-sciatica

KayDeeKay81 · January 2015

sallen26 said:

I feel you! I've been dealing with a leg that goes numb almost every time I lay down on my side, which makes sleep impossible unless I fall asleep before my leg does. When I am not prego, I am a back sleeper, so that's what I really want to do as it eases the numbness, but I have been told its not a good idea for a long period of time. My midwife thinks I am pinching my sciatic nerve, hence the numbness, and suggested a maternity band. It kinda helped, but really not as much as I would've liked because the issue is at night primarily when I am sleeping and it is NOT comfortable to sleep in the maternity band. It was also suggested to put a pillow in between my knees, which somewhat helped, but didn't solve the issue. What I found helped the most along with the pillow between my legs was using my travel/airplane mini pillow under my waist to support my spine and bump while I sleep. I wish you best of luck!!!

Oh! And yoga stretches, like pigeon and other hip openers have been great right before bed, too.

Do you mean like wrapped around your waist? I will try that tonight

missab · January 2015

@KayDeeKay81‌ I'm definitely going to prop my monitor starting tomorrow - sitting all day is just not an option!

Separately, I think the wrong redneckmomma is tagged in your last post, so tagging @redneckmomma25‌

KayDeeKay81 · January 2015

Thanks @sallen26‌ that is a helpful site

KayDeeKay81 · January 2015

missab said:

@KayDeeKay81‌ I'm definitely going to prop my monitor starting tomorrow - sitting all day is just not an option! Separately, I think the wrong redneckmomma is tagged in your last post, so tagging @redneckmomma25‌

Shoot! Thank you for catching that

sorry @redneckmomma25 and momma44!!

sallen26 · January 2015

@kaydeekay81 - My travel pillow unzips to a long thinish strip of stuffing, so it is about 14 inches long by 8 inches wide and maybe 1 1/2 inches thick. I have a waist that is quite a bit smaller than my hips and shoulders, hence why I don't like sleeping on my side as the center of my spine falls towards the bed and seems to pull everything out of alignment. I lay the pillow down perpendicular across the bed at my waist and lie on it, and it seems to give me a little more support. I purchased a pregnancy wedge, too, from babiesrus, that I tried sticking under my belly but that wasn't as comfortable for me.

https://www.toysrus.com/buy/pregnancy-supports-pillows/boppy-contoured-pregnancy-wedge-5200207k-trs-22412516

I wish you best of luck. My hip pain has definitely eased a bit, keep me updated!

sallen26 · January 2015

qwanda2013 said:

https://m.toysrus.com/skava/static/product.html?type=TRU_product_us&url=/product/index.jsp?productId=17879916&domain=http://www.toysrus.com&productId=17879916 This is the one I love.

That looks really nice! I might order one. :-) I've been enjoying the seat warmer in my car.... I bet this would be nice at work.

KayDeeKay81 · January 2015

qwanda2013 said:

https://m.toysrus.com/skava/static/product.html?type=TRU_product_us&url=/product/index.jsp?productId=17879916&domain=http://www.toysrus.com&productId=17879916 This is the one I love.

And it's on sale!!

mhickey426 · January 2015

I have 2 herniated disc. It sends shooting pain down both of my legs. I was in or and a chiropractor for almost a year. I eventually got an epidural last April which helped but this baby is making it flair up again. I posted asking about back supports not that long ago. In pt or a chiropractor they are limited with what they can do because of the pregnancy but it's worth a shot. Back pain is the worst! Get a back support, try to streach, and go give or a try. Hopefully, it will help. Good luck!

stephrob88 · January 2015

I have had siatica issues since i was in high school from a car accident. Pregnacany has only made it worse, couple that with Charlie horses in my legs and sleep is pretty bad. I have found when I sit at my desk it had helped to keep my feet on a small box. It is about the same height as the roller legs of my chair but it lets me put my legs out in front of me instead of under my chair. Also prop your body with pillows. I use a big body pillow, this allows me to put it between my knees and under my bump. - hope that helps some.

redneckmomma25 · January 2015

KayDeeKay81 said:
@rednckmomma44‌ - I have never gone to the chiropractor but I am willing to try ANYTHING. If the PT fails I will ask the doc for a recommendation for sure.

I go weekly for my S I joint. I missed two weeks and I could tell after just missing 1 week. It makes a huge difference for me. I'm not sure how much they can do for sciatica but it's worth a shot.

JJBoden · January 2015

Definitely try chiropractic! I had this with my first. Shooting pain down one side. Chiropractic helped so much! Good luck! Sorry you're in pain.

ally3242 · January 2015

KayDeeKay81 said:

@rednckmomma44‌ - I have never gone to the chiropractor but I am willing to try ANYTHING. If the PT fails I will ask the doc for a recommendation for sure.

The PT will help, but it's not going to help overnight. It's an ongoing process to strengthen muscles and shift some things around. I would suggest also going to a chiropractor as well as seeing a therapist. I have some lower back issues from a long time ago and during my last pregnancy, I was in the exact same boat as you with the sciatica. I haven't had as much pain this time around, but I'm doing the exercises recommended by my therapist and started going to my chiropractor early on. I hope your pain is alleviated, sciatica is absolutely horrible.

kassiz · January 2015

sallen26 said:
@kaydeekay81 - My travel pillow unzips to a long thinish strip of stuffing, so it is about 14 inches long by 8 inches wide and maybe 1 1/2 inches thick. I have a waist that is quite a bit smaller than my hips and shoulders, hence why I don't like sleeping on my side as the center of my spine falls towards the bed and seems to pull everything out of alignment. I lay the pillow down perpendicular across the bed at my waist and lie on it, and it seems to give me a little more support. I purchased a pregnancy wedge, too, from babiesrus, that I tried sticking under my belly but that wasn't as comfortable for me.

https://www.toysrus.com/buy/pregnancy-supports-pillows/boppy-contoured-pregnancy-wedge-5200207k-trs-22412516

I wish you best of luck. My hip pain has definitely eased a bit, keep me updated!

I actually use my wedge behind my back even with my belly, it gives me the feeling of sleeping on my back without being flat on my back... It seems to be helping my sciatica pain as well

KayDeeKay81 · January 2015

Thanks for all the tips and sympathies ladies

sagehens47 · January 2015

I had an incident at 14 weeks which toooootally fucked up my herniated discs and gave me sciatica pain to the point where my fiancé had to move my limbs for me for a week. The ER have me a dilauded which barely touched it. It was the worst pain I had been in. I went right into PT, and although it takes work and time, it has saved me. Best thing ever.

Blergbot · January 2015

I have a history of sciatica with periformis syndrome. I, too, only felt ok when I was lying down. I would come home and crawl straight into bed. I tried PT, accupuncture, meds (NSAIDS, which you can't take now, anyway), and chiro. The one that helped the most was actually the chiro. It wasn't an overnight miracle, and it didn't completely relieve my pain, but I was able to manage it better. My chiro did eventually give me a shot of lidocaine, which helped numb the pain for about two months, but I don't know if they give them to pregnant ladies. Other than that, continuing chiropractic care and sleeping with an arrangement of pillows (I use a Snoogle Mini between my legs/under my bump and a regular pillow under my back) has helped me sleep at night. Best of luck!

dana1047 · January 2015

I have a history of herniated discs and sciatia. I sleep with a snoogle & do stretches. The stretch I do that helps the most is getting on all 4s (knees on the ground), then sliding one leg straight behind you. Previously I did the full "one legged pigeon" pose but the leg in front isn't as comfortable now.

dana1047 · January 2015

Adding a photo of the stretch.

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