In asking for help?! My back has gone!

[clickymad]

It's gone. I was just walking across the room and this incredible pain hit me in the lower back in the middle. It's got steadily worse all day!

It's coming in waves and the pain is unbearable, worse than childbirth.

I'm not in the UK so don't have access to ambulances even if that were a thing for a bad back.

No way I can get to the doctors, I scream if I move an inch, could get a house call but what would they do?!

Put heat on it, taken ibuprofen and neither helping.

Try ice. It sounds like it is in spasm.

Back pain really sucks. So trying to keep mobile and icing should help the spasm. I'd try to see a medical person for some good pain relief too. I've had diazepam in the past and it's really helped.

Where are you? You need an osteopath or a chiropractor. Google semi supine position.
Doc would give morphine.

Good luck x

Mobile?! I move an inch and I'm a screaming wreck. God I would actually marry someone for some diazepam right now!

I'm in the states. They wouldn't give me so much as codeine for a broken foot so I can't see them giving me a bloody thing for this. I get it, we are in the middle of an opioid crisis but it would be lovely to ease the pain for an hour or two.

Can you call friends or family to come and help you. If you're in that much pain can you call the emergency services.

Osteopath appointment and call your doctor. Also diclophenac patches (I’ve spelt it wrong) are good for back pain.

Definitely sounds like spasms. Can you find a physio/osteopath/chiropractor type person who does home visits?

My poor dh had to carry me to the car then get the physio to come and help get me out the car after I hurt my back at work and was stuck on the baby room floor.

If you cant call for an ambulance I would call for a doctor house call and maybe lie down as flat as you can while you wait.

You have my complete sympathy. A couple of years ago experienced spasms from lower to middle of my back and I would describe it like my back was in labour. On one occasion I was dripping with sweat and screaming. Couldn't move an inch unless painkillers and a heat pad eventually took the edge off. I went to the walk in whilst drugged up enough to hobble. I was prescribed Naproxen and codeine and was fine after three or four days.

Can you get Cocodamol? You can alternate with ibuprofen. The pharmacist can also give max strength ibuprofen. I know you're not in the UK but it's worth asking at the pharmacy if you have someone who can go for you.

Once it started improving I found some exercises on you tube for helping compressed disks. I think they involved a lot of laying on my tummy whilst clenching buttocks. Good luck!

What are spasms? How can I go from happily walking along to this?! I've never had back issues before.

I may call the doctor in a bit, it's so bad it's making me want to vomit

@Shittybobbins that sounds like me!

They won't even give you co codamol on prescription here. I live on an area with very Hugh opiate deaths, all of the police and emergency services carry narcam on them it's so bad. They brought laws in and there are very strict criteria for prescribing painkillers.

I do have some naproxen upstairs, once dh is home I'll ask him to get them. I think there's more chance of going to the moon than me climbing the stairs!

We don't have a bloody pharmacy I can get to. It's a 5 hour round trip. Ridiculous

You really need to get medical help. If you’ve never had back issues before and now suddenly you can’t even get to the phone etc then you need to get checked. It may just be muscular but you might’ve slipped a disc, none of us can tell over the internet.

Ps I hope it passes quickly, back pain sucks!

I fully realise it sounds impossible, but try not to stress - in all likelihood, it will pass fairly soon and stress equals muscle tension equals worse/prolonged pain. (Ask me how I know :/) Can you prop yourself on sofa and distract yourself, eg with television? I agree re semi-supine position. Keep going with gentle heat and whatever painkillers you can get, within reason. Good luck to you.

I should have added that calling your doctor sounds sensible. Also... Whatever it is, longer-term, you must check your posture/ergonomics when at a computer, driving etc - you may have been under strain without realising.

Wow, 5 hours round trip!
I know paracetamol are a bit lightweight in this situation, but you could try taking them alongside the Naproxen or ibuprofen if you have them. I found that I needed that dual pain relief alongside a heat pad.

When the Nurse asked me how I injured my back, they definitely didn't believe me. It was so stupid; all I did was turn over in bed and something just popped! It's flared up every few months since then but only quite mild twinges usually.

If you start to feel numb or tingly around your bottom and pelvis, you do need to go straight to the hospital.

Hopefully DH will be home really soon to help you out.

do they do telephone consultations where you are and/or have the ability to send a prescription for you straight to a pharmacist?

You might need a muscle relaxant (not opioid but still tend to have a street value) or at least they can consider your symptoms.

Heat, ibuprofen and paracetamol, lie very still until it doesn't hurt quite as much anymore. If you can get a doctor to prescribe Valium, it's wonderful.

Sorry about your back OP, you have my sympathies. I really is worse than childbirth.

I would call the Dr if they do a home visit no sense in going to hospital if you don't have to you will find the journey very hard. I had a very bad back like this once and couldn't even get to the toilet. I had a combination of diazapam, paracetamol, codeine and naproxen. I think the naproxen helped a lot to reduce inflammation you have to take it regularly for a while to make sure inflammation goes down not just when in pain. But do get checked over first and check its nothing dangerous.

www.spine-health.com/conditions/lower-back-pain/cauda-equina-syndrome check you don't have any symptoms of this rare but dangerous back condition cauda equina

Try ice to reduce the swelling in the muscle.

Ouch. Where are you in the US? Must be very rural. I feel i see a pharmacy everywhere I go in the US even in fairly rural places. Hope you get help soon.

On an island. Dh came home and gave me some naproxen and a hot water bottle. It's much better. Still really hurts and I can't move but I'm not screaming in pain.

Thanks everyone for the help!

If it gets bad again today when the naproxen wears off I'll try to see a doctor.