I was diagnosed with PPMS in 2003 and although my mobility has declined to such an extent that I need a tri walker to get around I have until the last few weeks been able to get upstairs, although it is not easy! I have suddenly become unable to walk more than a few steps and find it very difficult to stand upright for more than a few seconds, standing itself is problematic. I also am getting back pain and a shooting pain in my right thigh. My MS nurse has suggested that I may be suffering from sciatica. Does anyone have any experience of this?
Yes, I get sciatica occassionally - I can tracevmy pain down the path of the nerve through my buttick and downvghe back of my thigh. It only rarely goes into my lower leg but other people do get pain alll the way down.
I find ibuprofen is more effective than paracetamol, and sitting on a warm hot water bottle or microwaved wheat bag helps too.
Hope this helps.
Excuse the spelling mistakes. I am on my tablet and for once failed to proofread properly before I posted. Mea culpa.
Hi Anon. Yes, I get it too and understand it’s quite common in ms sufferers. There’s not really a lot you can do for it but if it makes you feel better I seem to go through stages where it grips often and then can go months where it leaves me alone. I hope it’s the same for you. Acupuncture helped me for a while though, an nhs physio suggested and did it. I’ll admit I was sceptical having been a nurse for a long time but it was fantastic and I don’t know if it was related but it seemed to help my bladder and bowel situation too (I’d had episodes of double incontinence). Might be worth a try.
Good luck and please let us know how you get on.
Cath xx
Hello Anon; Yep, I spent years thinking I had severe sciatica before the PPMS penny finally dropped.
What helps, if you can manage it, is doing the lotus stretch twice a day: lye on your tummy, keep your hips pressed firmly to the floor and lift your back off the ground as far as it will go for 20 seconds. Repeat 5 times. Works for me. Otherwise I’d recommend mild dosages of diclofenac
Take care,
CP
I was suffering with back pain and my MS suggested Physio. The Physio then suggested acupuncture and carried it out herself. I went for 5/6 sessions and was very sceptical but it worked and I wouldn’t hesitate to go back for more if my back pain returns.
It was one of my biggest problem when I was walking but now I can’t walk I don’t get it. Use a wheelchair and your problems will be solved now I must say that comment is very tongue in cheek I still can’t undo crisp packets so being in a wheelchair don’t solve all of life’s ill’ s just the little ones. My grandson who is five saw me struggling to open a tricky pack of wotsits the other day said would you like me to do that for you grandad just as they exploded all over the place that my embarrassed face.
Hope you get it sorted had you considered it may be the new frame causing a change in the way you are walking? As I said I had years of it before dx and after twenty odd years ago.
Don
Me to my kindle is that clever it can make bigger mess ups than I could ever do it wanted to put totally irrelevant words in a post just now. I don’t know where it went to school but it wasn’t a very good one, Michael Gove will get it sorted.