Sciatica, and leg problems?

i have been told i have sciatica and have had it almost a year my back pain is so bad i can hardly pick up my 5 mth old. i got sciatica when i was pregnate with her. they told me it would get better and it has got worse i have tried pt and that did not help i have been on 7 different types of pain meds and a musckel relexers non help then last night my entire right leg hurt and my foot keep drawing upwards. i have pain in both legs all the time an di am worried about loseing my legs from this. i was wondering if that was possible. they stay swollen and sometimes as i'm walking will so heavy i can't move them and sometimes they will just go out from under me. anyone who could help ease my mind with all this please do i'm scared of what might happen. please answer i don't know what to do.

i for got to stay it is form a herniated disk on my spine pinching my sciatic nerve

"loosing" your legs (as in amputation) from sciatica is probably unheard of. If you have sciatica from a confirmed herniated disc, I recommend you follow up with physical therapy. Pain meds will only cover up the problem, while physical therapy will show you how to address the actual cause of the problem. I HIGHLY suggest you see someone who has MDT credientialing or has at least some MDT experience...you can get a list of credentailed physical therapists at: www.mckenziemdt.org. However, the fact that you have a foot drawing upwards and occasional leg buckling could be the sign of a serious neurological problem. I would see a neurologist prior to beginning PT to rule out underlying medical cause.

The swelling may be an entirely different problem and requires further evaluation by a physician.

The first thing you need to do is go back to your orthopedic doc and get this checked out again. If they did not do an MRI the first time have the doc order one to find out exactly what is going on. Once you have a clear cut diagnosis the doc can tell you what treatment options are available. Sciatica is merely a very vague general term for pain of the sciatic nerve area but is not really a clear cut diagnosis such as a pinched nerve or bulging disk or herniated disk. In otherwords the doc has did not diagnose what is causing your sciatica in my opinion unless there is more that he said that you didn't post. Either way you have to go back to your orthopedic doc and get more testing done.

GREETINGS, I'm sorry to hear your have such horrible back problems. Just in getting pregnant, the weight gain, would be enough to cause other problems besides the back issues. Have they tested you for other things? The heavy feeling in your legs and swelling is a classic symptom of lymphedema, I'm not saying you have it for sure, but it's a possibility. The weight from pregnancy would put a strain on the inguinal and iliac lymph nodes in your abdomen (in the crease of your leg and near the belly button) and if you were genetically prone to lymphedema it could trigger it, that would also escalate your back issues because lymphedema is not just a leg or arm, it's full system stagnation.

I would suggest going back to the doctor and getting some tests, get blood work to rule out diabetes, infection, organ problems, and veinogram to rule out vein problems and blood clots then ask about lymphedema.

If you do have lymphedema, the protocol treatment is complete/complex decongestive therapy in which a trained therapist does a medical massage on your called manual lymph drainage, you are taught to do it yourself so you can keep the legs in good shape, you also learn do's and don'ts, skin care, and special exercises to promote lymph flow. If you have lymphedema contact me and I will help you find a therapist and treatment.