Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Woke up in agony... advice, please!

55 replies

DrVonPatak · 20/06/2019 08:42

Woke up this morning with my entire back in one big stitch! Literally wanting to scream with every inhale, DH had to go fetch some painkillers before work so I could get to the ensuite loo. Employer very understanding, but I have an unpostponable meeting at 1PM and HAVE TO get myself to work by then. Freaking out slightly... I'm not prone to this at all, I mean I have been known to get a very occasional crook in the neck, but this is madness!!! Completely out of nowhere!

OP posts:
Seeline · 20/06/2019 08:56

Sounds like it could be a muscle spasm.

Any chance of an emergency appointment at the GP? In the past I have been given an injection to help relax the muscles and then given a low dose of diazepam for a couple of days.

I feel your pain!

bimbodoc · 20/06/2019 08:59

Move, move , move and move some more. Diazepam not generally advised for this and would also be likely to affect your performance at the meeting. It will get better if you keep moving and stretching.

Cornettoninja · 20/06/2019 09:08

GP may be able to give you some sort of muscle relaxant.

I had a neck spasm once and was incredibly lucky that the GP I saw could do acupuncture and offered it to me. Honestly, it was like magic and instantly relieved the spasm. You could search out practitioners near to you?

Original poster
DrVonPatak · 20/06/2019 09:13

Called the GP, next available appointment is on 8th of July. Their advice was to take paracetamol - I did, just enabled me to cross the 10 feet to ensuite and that's it. Can't take ibuprofen. Diazepam: won't be able to work. Of all the days for this to happen 😭

OP posts:
NoSauce · 20/06/2019 09:16

I think I would I ice it. Obviously if it continues you can’t wait till July so I would go to a walk in centre. Poor thing!

Original poster
DrVonPatak · 20/06/2019 09:17

As to the moving, I'm a regular gym bunny, but this is beyond me atm... the only worse pain I experienced was inflamed nerve and appendicitis, even migraines are easier than this. Not a happy bunny.

OP posts:
GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 20/06/2019 09:22

Sorry but if your back has spasmed, there is no way you will get to your meeting for 1pm unaided.

Same thing happened to a lady at my work last year; I was despatched to collect her; it took over an hour to get her from her front door to her car (which I then had to drive) which was parked about 10 meters away. Poor woman was in so much pain.

It took several days of physiotherapy (and horse strength painkillers) to even get basic movement back again. I think you need to reset work expectations ASAP. Sorry this has happened today. Flowers

Original poster
DrVonPatak · 20/06/2019 09:23

😭

OP posts:
Original poster
DrVonPatak · 20/06/2019 16:46

Well, got a colleague to pick me up, did the meeting, next year's budget is sorted.

Got myself into the walk-in, the nurse tried to fobb me off with "go home and take paracetamol". I explained I already maxed myself out for today just to get there, so she did a set of observations. My saturation was 87% and had a 37.8 fever. Got sent for chest x-ray and I've got pneumonia on both sides. Freaking hell. Waiting for the senior doctor to come and see me.

OP posts:
CaptainCabinets · 20/06/2019 16:50

Blimey OP, that wasn’t what I was expecting! Poor you. Please take care of yourself and get well soon. I had pneumonia when I was 19 and it was fucking awful, I ended up temporarily moving back in with my Mum so she could look after me. Flowers

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 20/06/2019 16:52

Bloody hell!!!

Well done for getting organised and getting to the walk-in. And a bloody round of applause for getting to your meeting.

Really hope they can get you sorted out. You may need to stay in on an IV drip if it's double pneumonia. Really hope you start feeling better soon.

Original poster
DrVonPatak · 20/06/2019 16:54

You and me both. Pain aside, I've got no cough or anything. Ok, I couldn't manage stairs today, but I thought that's due to the spasm, not lack of oxygen. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed I get to go home tonight.

OP posts:
Sooverthemill · 20/06/2019 16:57

Wow! I'm pleased you've got that diagnosed. As a frequent chest infection sufferer I sympathise. Rest!

StinkinDrink · 20/06/2019 16:57

My lower back muscles have gone into spasm before, seriously more painful than childbirth! Collapsed on the hospital car park and had to be collected by a porter 🙈 I hope you feel better soon OP, that sounds nasty!

Original poster
DrVonPatak · 20/06/2019 16:57

Only thing that pisses me off is that the GP wouldn't see me until July!!! I mean, WTF??? How was I supposed to stay alive with a pneumonia until then?

Once I get through this I will have to have a serious chat with DH about Australia, this has gone beyond ridiculous...

OP posts:
ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 20/06/2019 16:59

Sometimes you don’t get a cough with pneumonia until you start to get treated and things begin to loosen up.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 20/06/2019 16:59

Good luckFlowers

Singlewhiteguineapig · 20/06/2019 17:02

87%!! Shit. Hope that you feel better, I suspect that you will be admitted with those oxygen levels.

justasking111 · 20/06/2019 17:02

So glad you are in the right place, my mum had pneumonia, no cough just feeling yucky for a while so went to see gp.

Original poster
DrVonPatak · 20/06/2019 17:08

Nope, getting stuck here until my O2 levels get back to normal, according to the nurse. Just got an IV, too. Still waiting for the consultant.

OP posts:
GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 20/06/2019 17:22

I know its frustrating but you're in the right place. Try and chill for a bit while those O2 levels get back to normal. can you get DH to bring you an overnight bag/recharger/book/headphones etc?

Original poster
DrVonPatak · 20/06/2019 17:30

He's coming in as soon as he can, finished work at the dot of 5 and on his way here now, but it'll take him at least an hour. I'm ok now really, got O2 prongs in my nose and was given stronger meds for the pain, so I'm sort of getting comfortablish first time today, even though I can still really tell where the bottom of my lungs are. I'd just like to see the doctor and put things straight in my head. I'm not the most patient person in the world.

OP posts:
Seeline · 20/06/2019 17:34

Wow - amazed you didn't feel ill at all! Hope you are on the mend soon.

FaithInfinity · 20/06/2019 17:34

I had a nasty chest infection and the pain across my chest felt like I’d broken something! As soon as the antibiotics kicked in I felt the pain ease. It does sound like the infection is so bad your lungs basically can’t shift the cough. I hope you feel better soon.

Good job you got soon. GPs are so stretched these days that a lot of appointments are long waits, I suspect they figure people will go to A&E or walk in centres if they’re really desperate. It’s rubbish for patients and for the hospitals and walk in clinics taking up the slack but it’s just another indication of the NHS crisis.

Original poster
DrVonPatak · 20/06/2019 17:43

I know what you mean, the closest way to describe the pain was like when I had an appendicitis at 13, which was minutes away from bursting according to the surgeon. Except this was all over my back.

Waiting for the AMU bed, I suppose I'll see the doctor there. People, please cheer me up a bit.

OP posts: