Sciatic pain

[wendell]

I dont know if I spelled it correctly but I have been having sciatic nerve pain in but butt cheek and down my leg.I had this pain before years ago but it started to bother me recently.Has anyone else had this happen and is it caused by the CD?Im curious to know if its caused by this disease or not.:dance:

 

[deb123]

Hi,

Im going through exactly the same thing at the moment, so ive sent you a hug, as i know how miserable it can be. Im literally limping by the end of the day, and dont sleep well because my leg aches, then goes numb, even my toes ache.
I know that some people do suffer from time to time with sciatica, but my pain came with a Crohns flare. After 2 MRI scans i have been diagnosed with a Perianal fistual, and lots of inflamation in my tail end. I was shocked to say the least as my blood tests showed no inflamation or infection??

 

[wendell]

Hi there Deb123,I had the same blood work that showed no inflammation and no infection and then was told I have Crohns.I think the swelling inside put pressure on the nerve.It really sucks and is very painful,so im sending u a hug back!!!!

 

[smallfry]

I used to get this off and on for a while but have not had it for a couple years thankfully! Hugs to you all.

 

[Weary]

After having sciatica for 4 months and my first flare (in the last week) in 3 years, it just occurred to me that the two problems might be related. I found this forum and am hoping for some advice. I have only 3 flares in the last 6 years and do not have the typical flares. I only experience diarrhea and tiredness. No pain, nausea, vomiting etc. My doctor is wanting to put me on Humira. I am really hesitant to do this as I have read the side effects and they scare me. I am so frustrated with the "oh by the way" attitude of every doctor I have seen. Now that I am seeing a correlation between the sciatica and Crohn's I am thinking maybe Humira is what I need to do. I am currently on Asacol. Any advice??? Thanks.

 

[Ozboz]

yes I have sciatica down my left leg and its not fun

 

[annawato]

Yes I get sciatica too. Its often relieved by doing exercises that stretch the muscles in the butt and hamstrings etc although I think these all tighten up due to the sciatica pain. Crohn's can cause inflammation of the sacroiliac joints quite commonly so this may be related to the sciatica pain. So my guess, and it is only a guess, is that it is related to the crohn's.

 

[annawato]

Weary, not sure of what advice to give because there can be significant side effects to humira but the same goes for just about every medication to treat crohn's. There seems to be a push to treat people as early as possible with the more effective drugs like humira in the hope of getting the disease under control and in remission before more damage is done to the intestine that could then require surgery etc. However this question can only be answered by yourself and doctor - maybe a second opinion would help? Good luck with it all.

 

[Weary]

Thanks so much! I know that is what my doctor is thinking. I had a re-section and colostomy and reversal in 2006. I know that he thinks it was a sudden obstruction with no warning however I believe that the signs were there for years and my former doctor just missed them. I now live in another state and this doctor wants me to be pro-active, but I believe the side effects of Humira are just too great for what little discomfort I have once every 3 years. I hope I am not being naive. I have been under an unusual amount of stress over the last 3 months which accounts for the flare and sciatica.

 

[annawato]

Yes stress is undoubtedly a culprit in causing crohn's flares. Maybe things will quieten down health wise once work does. Fingers crossed.

 

[Weary]

Does anyone find that physical therapy helps with their sciatica? What else helps with sciatic pain? Prednisone makes my heart race and causes insomnia.

 

[Ozboz]

i've tried physio and oasteopaths no real help

 

[annawato]

Physio helped me. Probably depends on whats causing the sciatica as to whether physio helps or not. For me it was muscle related and as long as I keep doing the exercises it stays away. Physio doesn't help with sacroiliac pain though.

 

[wendell]

Physio helped me. Probably depends on whats causing the sciatica as to whether physio helps or not. For me it was muscle related and as long as I keep doing the exercises it stays away. Physio doesn't help with sacroiliac pain though.

I had back problems years ago and just recently the sciatica has started bothering me again.I had a horrible day yesterday and was in tears most
of it.The depression hsa gotten worse too.I dont know if its the crohns or that im taking chantix to stop smoking.Lately I have been cutting the tablet in half to wean myself off,as I have stopped smoking.I dont want to take them the whole 3 months.Also have been in very bad pain in my joints.I have been taking my vicodine more lately and that bothers me to as I dont want to become dependent on that either...oh my what am i to do....:yfrown:

 

[annawato]

Wendell I know exactly how you feel, its all such a viscious circle. You need the vicodin for pain but if you take too much you get dependent but if you don't you're in pain and can't do anything which makes muscle and joint pain worse. Champix could definitely be causing the depression - i used it to stop smoking and found it to be a really good anti depressant but I know of a few people who had to stop taking it because it made them depressed - but then stopping smoking makes you depressed anyway. Probably what you are doing, weaning yourself off is a good thing in case it is the champix causing the depression.
I hope today is a better day for you. Lifes hard enough with crohn's but then you throw in pain and depression and having to stop smoking and sometimes it all gets too hard so you just have to give yourself a day to be kind to yourself, be lazy or take a walk or listen to music or read a good book,get takeaway for dinner and do whatever YOU feel like. The depression will pass and the pain will ease and in the meantime just hang in there and know that my thoughts are with you, not that that really helps but I hope you know what I mean. Take care,