day1 and counting

From my user name you get the drift. Just another sciatic nerve painer looking for solutions. Mine has been ongoing for six months and I squeezed all the conservative treatment into those and then some. Am now 6 weeks post discectomy and worse than when went in. Expected to wake up post-surgery with that miraculous "I got my life back!!" story but that was not to be. I have been a trial attorney for nearly 30 years, a helping profession with indigent clients, taking on everyone else's responsibilities while my self care drifted. That plus a hefty urban commute (4 hours a day!) and children with low level special needs who are now teens (where special needs take on whole new meaning). Lucky to have a supportive husband but difficult childhood makes relationships with few living family members challenging. All a solid prescription for TMS, yes?

I am following your stories. For good or bad I have been blessed with time off work to get my health together and have been squandering most of that in bed, waiting for whatever cocktail of pills I last took to kick in. I badly need structure but if the TMS diagnosis is correct also badly needed rest. Oddly, ,though, now that I have rest, I realize how much I emotionally depended on feeling overworked and stressed in order to feel valid. Now I feel like a loser with muscles atrophying and weight shooting up, unable to do all the multitasking and running around I used to accomplish without thinking. Can't even drive, which as most of you know puts a damper on one's life. No social relationships to speak of. Always crying. Can't even cook a meal for my family without burning everything because I get distracted.

Thanking the heavens for my rescue dog, who forces me to take walks.

HATE the Gabapentin I've been on, and if the TMS diagnosis is correct, don't need it anyway so cold turkeyed that, 3 days of cold sweat withdrawals but I'm on the other side. That's a start of commitment to this new lifestyle of which I am on just DAY 1.

Thank you for your stories. Keep them coming.

 

Sounds like you are on the way! Ditching the meds is a great start.

Don't get discouraged if your symptoms get worse before they get better; that is normal.

Believe, be patient, go easy - you got this!

 

thanks so much for the encouragement. Great to have someone listening.

 

Sciaticyuck how are the symptoms exactly what are you feeling? I hope you feel better. I have sciatica too start from my butt cheek like someone stabbed something there and then my lower leg feel like it's burning pin and needles when I start moving around.

 

Welcome, sciatic yuck. I might suggest the Structured Education Program, found free on this wiki. It will help you explore many aspects of mind-body syndrome or TMS, as Dr. John Sarno first called it in his book Healing Back Pain. I'd recommend reading that too. When I first read it, I saw myself on almost every page.
Wow, I sure relate to receiving validation through long hours of work!
Welcome to this wiki. We're a very supportive group! Here's to day one of your new lifestyle.