specialmama Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 let's share what brings relief! The puppy ate my TENS machine gel electrodes. I don't have an ice pack. Heating pad helps a bit sometimes. What works for you? Does lying on your side help, or your back? Any meds that will help? I'm going to see a chiro later next week, but really would love some tips in the mean time! Just when I thought it was getting better a few days ago... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Head over to the pity party...Faithe is bringing a masseuse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I put rice in a sock, heat it up in the microwave, and sit on it. My sciatica isn't terrible, put it is a pain in the bum (groan). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I had it bad for three years, I literally could not sit. A physical therapist discovered a jammed hip on the side that didn't hurt. I am mostly better, but do have to baby it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I make my own ice packs with rubbing alcohol and water in a gallon ziplock bag folded in 1/2. Much better size for me than the store bought. I have a blown disk pushing on my sciatic nerve. The chiro made me much worse because the motion irritated the nerve. I love my chiro, but not for my sciatic issues. I finally found a physical therapist who works from the pelvic floor up. She doesn't just address the immediate sciatic issues, she rebuilds the entire foundation of pelvic floor, hip and back. SHE SAVED ME! She was brutally honest with me about the way I stood, sat and walked. She changed some very small things that translated into huge pain relief. If your chiro doesn't help, I would seriously look into finding a PT who will work with you like this one does for me. It took me trying 4PTs to find a good one, but she is worth her weight in gold to me....(almost literally she saved me from a $140,000 surgery I had scheduled and was able to cancel due to her.) One way I used to get relief was to lay on the floor, on my stomach with a pile of pillows under my pelvis area. The position allowed me to take the pressure off the nerve. My mother used to lay on her back on the floor, grab ahold of the couch leg, and have my dad pull her legs as she held the couch. She found the gentle pulling and stretching of her entire back very calming for her si nerve. She would fall asleep in this position sometimes. LOL My friend will lay on a tennis ball. She moves her body around on top of the ball, and finds that when she gets up she feels much better. It hurts a lot when she is doing it, but her relief is almost instantaneous when she stands up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I had a discectomy while 19 weeks pregnant with DS. My back is 1000 times better but still icky sometimes. Sleeping on my left side with a pillow between my legs helps. Good, deep stretching helps. It's awful pain!!! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Head over to the pity party...Faithe is bringing a masseuse. I was just going to suggest that. What helps.... A hot bath with Epsom salts Cal mag supplements A bag of frozen veggies instead of a regular ice pack....more squishy...works better heating pad.... Slooooowwww stretching....to release the nerve Ibuprofen Rest...but stretch very gently too. Sorry you are hurty.....:grouphug: Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 When I was pregnant with baby #3, I had horrible sciatica. Due to being pg, many meds were out. I found a massage therapist with experience working with pg women. I went every three weeks for 30 minutes and she beat the heck out of my sciatic area, which gave me incredible relief. I sought chiropractic care during my 4th pg, when I had terrible pelvic pain. The chiro helped fairly quickly, and I went from being in almost constant pain and unable to life one leg at a time to very little and only occasional discomfort. Fortunately, my sciatica has not returned unless I am not pg or newly postpartum, which I will not be again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 When I was pregnant with baby #3, I had horrible sciatica.... Fortunately, my sciatica has not returned Mine started when I was about 7 months pregnant. Several doctors and the chiropractor told me it was from the weight of the baby and would go away after he was born. Yeah well, he'll be 14 in a few months and guess what? All relief is temporary and nothing gives complete relief, but here's what helps: -ice -TENS (ins. wouldn't pay but dh said if it helped me we'd go ahead and buy it) -Ibuprofen -not sitting for too long - long car trips are a b!tch -massage -lying on my right side -physical therapy, or doing PT exercises at home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herbalgirl Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I use a bag of frozen peas as my ice pack (like Faithe suggested). I have also found that going to the chiropractor regularly has really helped. I have sciatica problems with pregnancy and also with this pg, developed problems with my sacrum. It is no fun. I hope you get some relief soon! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialmama Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 Pity party. hmmm... maybe that will help. I have a bag of strawberry marshmallows I can bring. And a karaoke machine. :001_smile: Thank you all for the tips. I crave the ball thing, I'll have to dig through the toy box and see what I can find. The stretching is cool, I would love to lie down and do that. For now I stand on my dh's crutches and just hang out lol, but then my pits hurt. :lol: Tap-cubed: how do you make those ice packs? What ratio? It sounds interesting! My dh just bought me some new Epsom salts last night and I'm anxious to try that. Thank you! Surgery is an option, but I agree that all other methods must be tried first. The first time this happened I did go to PT and I ended up buying the TENS machine because that's all that really helped there. I just hate those spasms when you're standing and they just grip you and almost knock you to the floor. Getting in the standing position after sitting is especially gruesome. I had to roll onto the floor last night and crawl up the first few stairs in order to stand. It was an agonizing 30 minutes of me crying to my dd "don't look at me!" :crying: All in all, I'm thankful for this. Every time it happens I'm reminded of everyone who lives with chronic pain on a daily basis. It definitely ups my sympathy and empathy scale. :grouphug: Hugs to you all who endure this and so much more daily. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Ice pack--here is how I made mine Rubbing alcohol Water 2 new, good quality freezer bags (finished ice pack will use 2 bags each) Strong tape Microfiber cloth or thin hand towel 1. Mix 2-3 parts water with 1 part alcohol. The more water the harder the ice pack. (Some people use 4:1-I think I end up close to this) I usually do a trial of my ice pack before I tape it to make sure it is the right consistency for me. I like it to freeze almost solid, but still pliable. 2. Add the water and alcohol to one gallon bag. I fill one bag, 1/2 full. I burp off all excess air and put it in the freezer. In one hour, if it is the firmness I like, I proceed to step 3, if not, I adjust the ratio, refreezing until it gets just right. 3. I thaw and dry the bag overnight. I wipe it dry of condensation and tape all 4 seams including the seal shut. I fold the bag in 1/2 so it is about 10 inches by 5 inches or so. When I tape the edges I fold the side seams 1/2 inch to make the next step easier. It makes the bag about 1 inch smaller on the sides, so the finished size in this step is about 9x5. 4. I wrap the bag in a towel and tuck it inside another bag. I fold the outside bag over and seal it with tape too. IT is very easy to do. It takes about 5 minutes. I buy micro fiber towels at the dollar store, and rubbing alcohol is available anywhere for about a dollar a bottle. I can make 3 ice packs for about 4-5 dollars. This size of ice pack runs $8-20 here, so it is a great savings. I make sure to do it right the first time, and to tape my seams well. I have only had one leak and it was after about 6mths of heavy, heavy use. The towel wrapped around layer one, absorbed the leak so it wasn't even a problem. I just poured the mixture into another bag, and resealed it. I like to add the towel layer so I can grab and go with a bag. I don't have to wrap the finished bag with a towel all the time and it doesn't shift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialmama Posted June 16, 2011 Author Share Posted June 16, 2011 Ice pack--here is how I made mine Rubbing alcohol Water 2 new, good quality freezer bags (finished ice pack will use 2 bags each) Strong tape Microfiber cloth or thin hand towel 1. Mix 2-3 parts water with 1 part alcohol. The more water the harder the ice pack. (Some people use 4:1-I think I end up close to this) I usually do a trial of my ice pack before I tape it to make sure it is the right consistency for me. I like it to freeze almost solid, but still pliable. 2. Add the water and alcohol to one gallon bag. I fill one bag, 1/2 full. I burp off all excess air and put it in the freezer. In one hour, if it is the firmness I like, I proceed to step 3, if not, I adjust the ratio, refreezing until it gets just right. 3. I thaw and dry the bag overnight. I wipe it dry of condensation and tape all 4 seams including the seal shut. I fold the bag in 1/2 so it is about 10 inches by 5 inches or so. When I tape the edges I fold the side seams 1/2 inch to make the next step easier. It makes the bag about 1 inch smaller on the sides, so the finished size in this step is about 9x5. 4. I wrap the bag in a towel and tuck it inside another bag. I fold the outside bag over and seal it with tape too. IT is very easy to do. It takes about 5 minutes. I buy micro fiber towels at the dollar store, and rubbing alcohol is available anywhere for about a dollar a bottle. I can make 3 ice packs for about 4-5 dollars. This size of ice pack runs $8-20 here, so it is a great savings. I make sure to do it right the first time, and to tape my seams well. I have only had one leak and it was after about 6mths of heavy, heavy use. The towel wrapped around layer one, absorbed the leak so it wasn't even a problem. I just poured the mixture into another bag, and resealed it. I like to add the towel layer so I can grab and go with a bag. I don't have to wrap the finished bag with a towel all the time and it doesn't shift. Interesting! Thank you for sharing that info! I will try this! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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