To be petrified of this pain coming back

[Kreeshsheesh]

I was signed off for two weeks after having a gall bladder op in late August. This is a pretty standard signing off time. I'm a teacher, so wanted to get back to school for my classes from day 1, so went in at the start of term which was 4 days before my 'official' return date. I felt capable of going back. Unfortunately, I had to hold open a couple of heavy doors, move some books and desks (not carrying, just shoving gently in the right direction!) as well as stretch to switch on projectors. All quite normal and usually not a problem. However when my upper/lower back and abdomen started aching quite a bit afterwards on Friday I thought, ho hum, I've overdone it and took some pain meds. When I got out of bed yesterday it was very, very painful - cue more pain meds. Fast forward to tonight at 2am. I tried to get out of bed to go to the loo and the pain was so bad I woke hubby with my crying out in agony. I was petrified as I couldn't move! After a lot of manoeuvring involving dh holding a pillow under my back to lever me out of bed, I managed to pee, but only by standing up. I took some dihydrocodeine, but the pain got worse and worse and was now in my upper stomach area (though could have been radiating from back). Dh called NHS 24 and a nurse told me to go to the hospital 40 mins drive away. Tricky with two kids asleep in bed. Instead I opted for a GP to call me who said it is a back spasm. See your GP tomorrow. I'm thinking clearly I wrong to go back to work - but if I felt fine otherwise, how could I have known?! Has anyone else ever had this back problem and been scared of the pain?

I had a back spasm a couple of years ago and yes, they are absolutely agonising. They need to come up with a more dramatic name to reflect the pain.

Can you put your hands on some valium/xanax things to relax you? From memory I was given valium and strong painkillers to relax the cramped muscle. Hope it eases soon.

I had my GB removed in 2009, and was signed off for two weeks, also. Did they do it laparoscopically? That's how mine was, and I was fine to drive after a week, no lifting for two.

Thanks for the replies. Abby, Valium would be good! I will see what GP says. The codeine has helped but this is the worst pain I've experienced since labour!
Steff, yes it was laparoscopic and I really felt fine to go back to work - just a little more tired / achey in the abdomen than usual! Is this what happens when you get over 40?

I've had back spasms (and the gall bladder op, though not consecutively). Again I was prescribed valium and co-codamol. I recall swinging my legs over the bed then realising I couldn't get them back nor lift myself to stand. Terrifying.
Hopefully the recovery will be speedy. Putting your back through so much may be because you were handling loads differently out of caution from the surgery. If you get any physio revisit your handling practices with them. Best wishes.

Sighing, thank you. Your description of trying to get up is frightening and very similar to my experience earlier this morning. I was worried that my dh might think I was exaggerating but I was begging for some kind of help to take the pain away! I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy!

I've has back spasm too, and never felt anything like it before.

I don't even know what set it off. I was downstairs fine, ran upstairs, fetched a jumper for dd, came back downstairs and it started to hurt. Thought I'd lie down with an ibroprofen, woke up a couple of hours later, no one in the house, phones all downstairs and in complete agony.
Thought I was stuck for ever for a bit, then nearly fainted half way down the stairs.

Gp prescribed lots of strong painkillers and recovered slowly, took about a fortnight, but very nervous for ages.

GP said thing like hoovering and ironing are bad but having spare strong painkillers does help too. I've had a return of it twice since, but both times I've packed myself off to bed with strong ibroprofen the Dr prescribed and I'd describe it as mostly stiff rather than painful. Not had the really bad pain again.

Witchend that sounds horrendous. At least I wasn't alone and it was still petrifying. Now I come to think of it I was ironing on Sunday morning...

It probably is a back spasm, but how can they be so sure? That is what would be worrying me, that you are ignoring a complication of the gall bladder op that actually needs treatment.

You definitely need to be seen. It's not very good care to diagnose and prescribe a new pain in a post op patient over the phone. My GP will not do this unless it's a chronic condition and patient is "known".

Back spasms are very very painful. Mine are worse than labour pains. As well a conventional pain killers, diazepam has helped me. Plus being supported when lying down, pillows or wedge under back and also under knees. I would also take the maximum amount of painkillers prescribed, not like my DH who waits for it to get "really bad" first!

But I really really think you should be seen in person by a HCP. Sympathies, it sucks being in pain.

Thanks for the messages. I've just been to my GP who was very helpful. He says the back pain is definitely musculoskeletal and related to doing too much too soon. He is also fairly certain that the upper stomach area pain is ibuprofen related gastritis. That pain was very intense! He has prescribed me omeprazole and co-codamol. He has also signed me off work for another week. He'd like me to take a short walk every day to build up strength. I wouldn't wish back spasms on anyone. What a horrendous ordeal.

Western style acupuncture, done by a qualified physiotherapist can easy spasms very well, as can a good £50 ish Tens machine. I had extreme muscle spasms a few years ago, after a herniated disc, and these got me off the sofa, then off crutches and back on my feet. I did take painkillers and muscle relaxants, too, but the Tens machine was the most effective. Anything that hurts more than gb pain is excruciating

I have constant back spasms and spend most of the time, which even the strongest pain killers, including morphine don't really touch it.

You have my sympathies OP

Thanks for that TENS machine tip, TheExMotherInLaw. A herniated disc sounds awful. Shutthatdoor, I am sorry to read that you have this as an ongoing problem. I couldn't manage with one episode. Is there anyway you can be helped?

Thanks - it's not fun! :P When the results of the MRI arrived at my GP surgery, the duty GP phoned me on my mobile to ask if I could get there asap. She was astonished that I walked in unaided, and that I am doubly continent. I now know what awaits me if when it gets worse. They won't operate unless it gets worse, as there is a high risk of the op leaving me paralysed and doubly incontinent. Ho hum. It's so flippin' difficult to go through life not lifting, carrying, bending etc. I feel like I'm behaving like a precious snowflake.
I got the Tens machine from Boots that was about £50, as it has various different settings on it - you must RTFM, tho!

My DM had two slipped discs after having me don't think she's ever forgiven me , but the condition you describe sounds much worse. My heart goes out to you. This episode has made me realise how much we take good health for granted. I am probably to blame for my current back problems (bad posture, not enough exercise, carrying a heavy bag for work) though I can remember being prescribed the big pink smarties, aka brufen, when I was 13 because I had lower back issues caused by travelling on the school bus 45 mins each way. I don't think work should have let me back in really, but it was my call and I'll know next time! You wouldn't think it, but teaching is quite a strenuous job.

Ah, mainly self inflicted here - a couple of motorbike crashes and too many drop kicks on crappy crashmats!

As someone who has suffered a lot of back spasms the past few years, they can be horrific. At their worse they were far worse for me than labour pains. Diazepam can help as it's a muscle relaxant (but cause drowsiness so you may be advised not to drive etc).

No Valium offered. My GP is hoping that prevention is better than cure. Which it would be if it works. I just never ever ever want that pain again!