MY LIFE
Sciatica Sucks: Functioning Pretty Well — Except When I’m Not
How much ibuprofen will I need today?
This is likely to be my last post about my adventures with sciatica for a while, unless something interesting happens.
My physical therapy sessions ended three weeks ago. I’m pleased with the progress I made and with my decreased pain level overall.
My goals for therapy were to be able to walk in my neighborhood comfortably, and I’ve achieved that. The therapy succeeded so well that I should be able to use my local bus system with little difficulty now.
No need for para-transit. Yea!
Sleeping with this is still difficult. The inner side of my left thigh is hypersensitive to the slightest touch of a finger, of fabric, of anything. Parts of it feel constantly raw. Sometimes, I’ll spend half the night in my husband’s big armchair in the den so nothing touches that leg.
On bad days I wear a skirt to work and walk funny.
I underwent an ergonomic assessment at work. Since I had already bought a lumbar support cushion for my existing office chair, I will keep my chair, but they are ordering a footrest for me. I’ve needed a footrest for years but never asked for one, so this is a good development.
I’m still taking gabapentin and ibuprofen. I’ve reduced the ibuprofen to 1200–1600mg a day (6–8 tablets) in hopes of avoiding kidney damage. My goal is to need only 600–800mg of it a day. I’m slowly getting there. Some days I miss a dose and don’t even realize it.
I have good days and bad days. Yesterday was not so good. I went grocery shopping and my left hip, which almost never hurts now, began to ache. I couldn’t wait to lie down after putting the food away.
This is a ‘one day at a time’ sort of thing, so that’s how I will deal with it.
Thank God for physical therapy, medications, the kindness of my employer and friends, and for the love of my husband, who helped me get through it. I appreciate all of these more than I can ever express.
In April I will begin buying more exercise items, including a resistance band, ankle weights, and weighted balls for my sit-stand exercise. I might write further, recounting my experiences using them.
In the meantime, I have very much appreciated the words of encouragement many of you have sent me throughout this. Many thanks to you all.
Stay healthy, my friends!