Hey all!
Overall I'm doing really well, almost 10 weeks post op. I'm almost completely off the hydrocodone, I'm only taking it before I go to bed.
However, I struggling with feeling frustrated because I can't sit up now as well as I could earlier in my recovery. The sciatic pain starts almost the moment I sit up. If I lay down or walk it doesn't hurt, it hurts only when sitting. My surgeon did warn me the surgery would probably irritate my L2-3 nerve root, and when I called to tell them I was having trouble with it they prescribed lyrica. Unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover it because there is no generic, and I don't want to shell out $200.00 for something that may not help.
The hydrocodone doesn't seem to help the nerve pain at all, so my questions are:
If you had sciatica post-op:
1. how long did it last
2. did lyrica help if you took it?
It is so frustrating because if my leg wasn't bugging me, I would have NO pain at all. And I really would love to be able to sit up for more than 10-20 minutes at a time. I either lay down flat or walk, sitting is just painful. =( I really want to be able to drive! I am thankful at least one of my legs is better. I had sciatica in BOTH legs pre-op, and my right leg is now %100 pain free (but my right leg pain was more recent, whereas my left leg has had problems for years). It does seem better in the sense that pre-op it just hurt no matter what position I was in, and now it only hurts when I sit up, but GRRRR I just wish I could sit up!
I know recovery is LONG, just trying to get some idea of what I'm facing for the nerve pain, and if I should go ahead and get the lyrica (which did NOT help by the way, pre-op when I took it over 2 years ago. I haven't taken it recently, so seeing as how the nerve is no longer compressed, it may work now? I don't know.)
thanks for your input!
Overall I'm doing really well, almost 10 weeks post op. I'm almost completely off the hydrocodone, I'm only taking it before I go to bed.
However, I struggling with feeling frustrated because I can't sit up now as well as I could earlier in my recovery. The sciatic pain starts almost the moment I sit up. If I lay down or walk it doesn't hurt, it hurts only when sitting. My surgeon did warn me the surgery would probably irritate my L2-3 nerve root, and when I called to tell them I was having trouble with it they prescribed lyrica. Unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover it because there is no generic, and I don't want to shell out $200.00 for something that may not help.
The hydrocodone doesn't seem to help the nerve pain at all, so my questions are:
If you had sciatica post-op:
1. how long did it last
2. did lyrica help if you took it?
It is so frustrating because if my leg wasn't bugging me, I would have NO pain at all. And I really would love to be able to sit up for more than 10-20 minutes at a time. I either lay down flat or walk, sitting is just painful. =( I really want to be able to drive! I am thankful at least one of my legs is better. I had sciatica in BOTH legs pre-op, and my right leg is now %100 pain free (but my right leg pain was more recent, whereas my left leg has had problems for years). It does seem better in the sense that pre-op it just hurt no matter what position I was in, and now it only hurts when I sit up, but GRRRR I just wish I could sit up!
I know recovery is LONG, just trying to get some idea of what I'm facing for the nerve pain, and if I should go ahead and get the lyrica (which did NOT help by the way, pre-op when I took it over 2 years ago. I haven't taken it recently, so seeing as how the nerve is no longer compressed, it may work now? I don't know.)
thanks for your input!
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