Can Methamphetamine Cause Degenerative Nerve Disease And Sciatica

Can taking methamphetamine cause a sudden acute attack of painful sciatica and degenerative disc disease? I was fine when I went to bed but woke up with it and could not walk and was crippled with unbearable pain that's continued for a month and is still going on. Dr. prescribed neurontin which doesn't help at all. Help with medication suggestions please!

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I'm very sorry to hear about your debilitating side effects. From what I've been reading online, many of the symptoms associated with Methamphetamine use are often considered to be sudden and in some cases severe.

This drug literally destroys from the inside out (lowering your body's immunity/resistance to illness in general); so I wouldn't say it's not possible to become crippled on methamphetamine, even when it comes to short term use. It really is that powerful.

I'm not a doctor, but what I would do in such a situation is start treating my body to healthy raw foods, herbs, essential oils, and other holistic approaches that are more focused on healing instead of treating.

I hope this helps and wish you good luck on your road to recovering!

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I would also seek out a Rhuematologist, to check for Fibromyalgia, and maybe even get a second, and 3rd opinions.....this is your life and health we're talking here, so its not a bad idea to seek as many answers as possible. Find a doctor who understands your plight, and is sympathetic...i hate jerk doctors, who think they know it all, and, they don't LISTEN, so they don't know JACK! I've never heard of this happening, but I BELIEVE YOU KNOW YOUR BODY BY NOW! , and if you think that's what caused it, it probably did!

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I have degenerative disc disease that took a year of being on disability for it to get diagnosed and a treatment plan found. I took methamphetamine for 4 years prior to the sudden back pain that never went away. I never saw anything saying methamphetamine can cause it but I always wondered if that's what happened. It's been 8 years of pure misery now because it robbed me of the life i once lived now everything revolves around my back problem. My pain is managed with 6-8 tramadol's a day and 3 neurontins now. I've been on it all but Tramadol works the best, lasts the longest, is easier to get a rx for, it can be called in over the phone, and you can work because your not taking a narc that comes up on drug panels. But what I learned to be the best way to manage this problem is you MUST find a Doctor that listens to you and cares about your pain, is open to trying different options he's aware of or that you heard about, is easy to get a appointment with, and doesn't make you feel worse then you already feel everyday by making you feel like a lier that is seeking drugs that you don't need. Bottom line it doesn't matter what drug it is if you run out and have to suffer because you can't get it. I'm so sorry about your back disorder.

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I first ask if you are currently using methamphetamines, if so, STOP! It can affect absolutely every system in your body. Methamphetamine may not come up in your UDS, but it will take a very long time to heal the damage that it's caused in your body. Are there any specialist that you could go to for a second opinion? Finding a Dr. who is willing to go that extra diagnostic mile and treat you using alternative methods may be more helpful. I wish you luck!

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I know this post is from a while ago. I've been looking for answers myself on this topic but not as a methamphetamine user but as someone who was exposed to a lab and users as a child..for several years. I am 27 years old, have barely been able to work in my life so far and just had spine surgery less than a year ago for degenerative disc disease, 3 herniated; sciatica, and was living in debilitating pain (which is moderately better after surgery). This is not limited to just the spine though, my knees, ankles, and elbows are also with issues requiring a surgical fix. I also suffer from asthma, chronic bronchitis, infertility, severe memory loss and difficulty retaining new information. My brain doesn't work how it should, I can't focus I have adhd (took adderall for 15 years, stopped when I turned 21 and lost insurance coverage for it) I just want to know if people have experienced the same sympoms. Someone please help. I'd really like some answers.

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The same happend to me in fact im going to doctor about it today. Will be intresting to see the results and opinions of the dr and others

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Just went to the neurologist today. I haven't been able to walk right now in a few months. Due to lower back pain I can barely hold my body up when walking, standing, bending over, etc. Just came on one day. I thought I had a pinched nerve. The doctor told me I have nerve damage. Neuropathy from nerve damage. The only thing that could have caused this is methamphetamine. I never knew this was a side effect.

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Hi, sorry to hear about your situation. Your situation is like the wearing of joint cartilage. Certain things digested could cause deterioration of cartilage. Perhaps methamphetamine is one. Glucosamine Condroitan is a supplement one can buy over the counter from your supplement section in your local store. This item builds and lubricates body joints. It keeps bone to bone from contacting each other which results in pain. Try it out. Take care.

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I don't believe that it gives you that disease but it could make it prominent enough to diagnose

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First off if u have bronchitis u have an infection my son had pnemonia for three years as a child fir three years it turned to athsma .they were giving him pink amoxicillan .Then i remembered how my other child was given a white antibiotic .so for three years the dr. Guineea pigged my son and i told him of the medicine .He perscribed it to him and the white powder antibiotic cured my son in. Less than one week.no athsma no pnemonia no bronchitis ....Look for the right perscription...

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Re: Rhonda (# 7)


I've been taking methamphetamine for under a year (twice a month). During the day I fell asleep and woke up with leg pain. I'ts been a week now and it hasn't gotten any better. I can't help but wonder if methamphetamine had something to do with it? It feels like I have a permanent charlie horse and it's very painful. No position eases my pain. Will I ever get over this pain? Will my sciatic nerve ever go back to normal?

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Yes it can I know for a fact...i also know it will enhance any element you may have in your body to go haywire all at once causing unbearable pain...receotors sending message more meth... now I take 300 mg of nueraiton and is a huge help curves body aches fever sweats......GOODLUCK OH AND YES GOD WAS HEADING MY BATTLE TO GET CLEAN AND 5 YRS AND GOING STRONG GIVING ALL THE GLORY TO GOD

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Re: David (# 1)

Yes, David, I like your thinking! To expound on that, I have wondered if some of the aches and pains one feels could be associated with the increased activity, i.e. superman (or woman) syndrome. Bending, turning, lifting, or whatever, for however many hours because the person feels invincible.

Perhaps there's no sudden onset of pain. Not this time. But in all their fervor and zeal, they had an accident. A fall at home, a sports injury, or working too hard..we don't often consider this, but it counts. A person may be alert but they are still intoxicated and we know how that story goes..S*** Happens!

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Re: Rhonda (# 7)

Yes I to have just started dealing with AN GOING THRU this nerve pain! It hit me at work, all of a sudden! Within 2 hours I couldn't get up, AN had never had back pain or back problems a day in my life! I'm going to a neurosurgeon tomorrow to discuss my options AN can it be fixed? I've been using for 15 years! AND IM quitting cold turkey!

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Re: Rhonda (# 7)

If u don't mind me asking? How many years have u been using??? I'm been using for 15+,years AN now I have DEGENERATIVE disc disease! Having surgery next week!

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I highly doubt it. As a person in recovery myself from illicit drug abuse, almost all my injurys were because I was under the influence and would do something that my body couldnt tell me to stop because I was wacked out and had no pain reflex. Especially with harder drugs. If you look at the pdr for desoxyn with is pharma methamphetamine hydrochloride one of the side effects is indifference to pain and hunger. Another common thing that happened to me was that I overdosed on xanax opiates and cocaine. I was in my bathroom and fell in between the toilet and sink for probably 8 hours and got nerve damage mainly in my left leg, couldnt walk without a walker for almost 3 months. Crutches 6 months, and another 6 months of a cane. To this day im prone to intense muscle spasms. My passion is cycling and when im sober I lean heavily on the endorphins of cycling. I work at a bike shop and am a cat 4 racer. Like alot of addicts I go to the extreme in everything. I had degen dis disease with some other stuff I cant pronounce and one day I was laying in bed sober (methadone clinic at the the time) and all of a sudden pain hit me like ive never felt before. It was intense.. No position in bed gave me relief. I was on 80mg methadone and motrin 800 and was screaming. I called 911 and they thought I had kidney stone.

Unfortunety for me in the mid 2000's I had kidney stones, blood in my urine and talking my way out of the ct by saying I didnt have insurance and if I didnt pass it I would come back. This is after multiple shots of dilaudid. All in my file. When the ambulance came the way the board was putting pressure on my back I was screaming in the er. When the emts came in I got my stuff together to talk to them without screaming. I overhead them telling the nurse station how I was fine when they responded to the call and I was drug seeking probably. I yelled out its the position of the board. I live off blvd which in atl is the highest concentration of section 8 housing in southeast and im white so I stick out at the hospital. They know me over the years. I purposely tell ambulance to take me there because I figure they know im not trying to run game at atlanta medical. I showed them my bottle of methadone. Something is wrong. The urine came back neg for blood ct no stones but really quickly he said you have arthritis of the back, like literally 20 seconds he told me this. Luckily wellstar has a online mychart where you can log in and see what the ct shows. They game me a shot of toradol an anti inflam and my pain went from 100 to 5. So I think they started to relaize I was serious. Without insurance I went back twice again just for some relief. Like when I passed out in between the toilet northside had the the passion to write me 90 nuerontin because they knew I was an addict not getting help.

The muscle spasms were so so so bad. Og my god. And the choices are flexeral, skelaxin (expensive) pretty much for being an addict. I asked for methocarbomol because I forget the brand name, I probably would of got it but it probabky sounded too much like soma or sumin. So in basically I would think your son did something while high feeling no pain next day maybe he smoked some cannabis didnt even get that loaded and felt a sore back like I did. I didnt take anything but my methadone and two days before the attack I felt like damn my back is getting jacked but nothing like that hell. My guess for me is 3 days before I remember getting on my litespeed aero 7000 racing bike, hundred pounds heavier then the last time I rode it and just did like 4 laps around my apartment complex. But I was on xanax or who knows. Probably valium or some benzo. And those 4 laps being not properly fit on a bike 75 pounds heavier since my last relapse (bike fit is soooo important for back injury) and just those 4 laps did something. Thats my guess but who knows. Its been 6 or 7 weeks and im mobile. It was bad. I needed help with everything moving 2 inches in bed was impossible. And I had to ho to the methadone clinic every day. I straight up told my counselor I am going to take the drugs that people would take without addiction problems. I knew they would give me oxycodone, the level of pain I had I bet a non opioid tolerant patient would of had to take 15mg at least let alone me. She saw my chart and knew I didnt have money to go to a addiction pain specialist and said odo what you got to do. For the first time in my life. I actually developed control over having drugs. Give me 5 oxycodone 30mg I would do it all immediately, thats how I knew I was in a bad spot because I had to be smart just to survive the walk to the front door to the uber and sitting in it going over bumps and I was still in pain.

If I found a doc who didnt have my record I would be on fentanyl patches and something for breakthrough pain and valium for muscle spasms. Which occasionally when I can get the doctor to see my leg moving ungodly back and forth and me screaming will write me 30 valium. To this day my worst fear is being ins one major accident car or bicycling (which has happened) but being stuck in a hospital and them treating me like a normal patient. I had to spend a night one time and I kept saying to the charge nurse and doctor tomorrow morning I need my 80mg methadone, here is the docs # here is an empty bottle with all the info on it. They gave me one 10mg methadone tablet. I cant wait to ween off this s*** (which because of back I may not) and be sober. Im 33 and an athlete. Ive ridden my bike across the state of flordia, 172 miles. Ive ridden the silver comet trail 124 miles almost 30 times. Marathons. Unfortunately I relapsed. All my friends are dying in their 30's. So many. The heart cant take it. If I dont get sober by 35-40, my death rate raises big time. I hope your son gets help. Having pain issues and addiction issues is such a hard one to crack. So many people die. Because we need some not all but some of the drugs we abuse. Facts. You tell me a drug that takes away my muscle spasms in 15 minutes like a valium please tell me.

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I've taken it a few times over the years.. recently overdid it and woke up not being able to walk.. it's now going onto 2 months of weekly physio and doctor visits and chronic pain. It is slowly improving. I only take the medication if I'm desperate. Doing physio is the most important thing you can do. And persevere! I'm still in chronic pain now but I don't take pain medications often and the pain is tolerable compared to before

It's right to note that I've had previous bulging disc in my lower back before and I definitely believe methamphetamine aggravated this.

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Re: fallenmoonchild (# 5)

I’ve been prescribed Adderall for 20 years, I’m 28. I have ALOT of the same symptoms as you, when you mentioned you’re brain not working like it should, I was like no way. I can’t remember s*** anymore. The worst of it all is, I feel like I can’t function with out it.. I deal with doctors blowing me off as well. So obviously I hate going. I pretty much gave up and I just pretend I’m normal and not in pain. We’re so young and can’t enjoy life properly. I’m 28!!! Not 82.

Much love to you all and I hope we get answers

XXII J

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Re: Mischeese (# 11)

That sounds like dehydration

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