A&e, doctors or wait it out?

[autienotnoughty]

Off and on back pain for past 15 years. More on in past two years. Symptoms include lower back pain, painful spasms , shooting pains in thighs. Being managed with physio, Pilates, walking and yoga.

Last six weeks pain has got significantly worse. I keep experiencing weakness in my legs, periods of not being able to stand/needing support to walk and get up.

Today my back has locked three times leaving me unable to walk, getting worse each time. I am now laid flat on my back, I can't sit up. Dh had to drag/walk me to the toilet. I can't walk. I can't turn over. I'm applying heat and cold.
I'm also feverish . I have shooting pains/tingling in my legs plus the back pain and spasms.

Do I go a&e?
Ring doctor Monday?
Ride it out?

OP i had a bulging disc and (not UK or NHS) my insurance paid for lumbar epidural steroid injections. I believe it is also available private in the UK.

The treatment was injections every two weeks over a six week period and the pain was completely gone.

My husband unfortunately has has surgery for similar on his back twice, he was involved in an accident which caused damage to his discs. Before surgery he took amitriptyline, naproxen and cocodamol to help manage the pain. If you are close enough to Oswestry I strongly advise you asking for a referral to the spinal centre there , you will be able to get an injection to the site to help with the pain and the specialists can put a plan of action in place for you. Its a long slow recovery, keep on top of your pain relief, keep moving when you're able to as you find you'll ache more if you don't.... although I'm sure you know this x

They mean the cauda equina syndrome. Equina means horse. It's called that because the nerves come down the spine and meet like a horse's tail. It's nothing to do with horses per se though.

Dispite my disk bulging and pressing into my spinal fluid thingies around the nerve, it not yet touching the nerve. I was told surgery is risky and touch wood the symptoms went. Consultant said he seen people with worse MRIs and no symptoms and better MRIs with horrendous symptoms. So lots of people worse than me living a pain free life. I think that's comforting as I really don't want surgery unless I absolutely have no other choice. Even then my friend had to go privately

Not read the thread but this sounds similar to what I recently had - I was advised to go to the Urgent Care Unit if I got such feelings again, including numbness in the groin. I was lucky but my GP did admonish me for being rather stupid in ignoring clear signs of issues. I've since been referred to various specialists and I'm facing surgery. Hopefully you're not as bad and able to sort yourself out!

Thank you that's really helpful it's not knowing that's scary

I'm going to ask ortho about them

as mine has been a gradual degeneration due to my disks drying out, rather than a sudden herniation, i think in my case i just.. learned to live with it. i was getting the back spasms back when i was 17/18. i don't remember ever not being in pain...

The severe hip pain and sciatica that suddenly showed up at 35 were the first hint that something had changed.. i think i had a couple of times where i could barely move or put weight on my leg, but i gritted my teeth through it, took the pain relief and got on with it... but i'm a single mom with a disabled kid, i've had no choice.. i got mobility aids, rested when i needed.

The gabapentin made a MASSIVE difference.. i think my 'blessing' was the worst of my pain refers into my hip, i know my lower back hurts, no-one can touch it (physio did once and i shrieked like a banshee 'i think we found the issue' she says..) but its walking/standing that hurts me like hell.

I'm not saying this to say you should 'get on with it' but there is a point of 'mind over matter' and the fear of it hurting, and focusing on the pain can make it worse, or seem worse.

I'm also an absolute baby with 'new' pain.. recently started having joint issues from arthritis and sacroiliac joint pain and OMG, i think i've cried more in the last few months with this than i ever did with my back!!

Give yourself time to heal, take the meds, do the physio, don't be ashamed if you need crutches.. tbh, i'd absolutely recommend them as they take some of the load bearing off the spine, and give you something to lean on if being upright hurts too much.

@HaveANiceFuckingDay yes they did some checks and I have some numbness so had mri. It's not that. A bulging disc and inflammation

It sounds hellish ( history of back problems and have fibro so recognise the locking type of pain which is another hell)
It’s likely the morphine made you vomit, it does with me. Hopefully you’ll be prescribed gabapentin or similar and that should help. You also need a muscle relaxant which drs in the UK seem reluctant to prescribe ime.
Do you have a tens machine, ice packs ( gel filled ones work best) and also hot water bottles, heated throw at home ?

The worst should be over now and hopefully you’ll recover over the next days and weeks.

OP you could be me! I've had chronic back issues since my teens and have experienced days/weeks exactly as you describe (although without the supportive husband, thank you so much for the reminder as to why I am now divorced).

YES it can be terrifying but, and this is important, every time I've been like that it HAS got better. It's like childbirth almost, at the time impossible and excruciating but after a few months then 🤷🏻‍♀️ I'm fine (well ish) and I can move.

What I'm about to suggest might sound crazy but it's worked for me, change your diet so something super healthy (mediterranean style with lots of pulses/olive oil/live the humous life), find a good pain clinician (they have them on the NHS but go private if you need to) and get a good regime that helps you. Main one though, get fit, get strong, find your muscles! I've been going to something called TRX for 5/6 years now and my abs are insane, I have a core of mad muscles and I am the most functional and least pain I have been in for decades. TRX is good (it's a suspension system) because you are always holding on to straps so can support your body doing exercise, no one bit gets overwhelmed. But also it's given me back the confidence in my body that I'd lost and <touch wood> I haven't had a debilitating back spasm in years, which feels like a miracle.

You are going to have to learn to live your life for the stupid body you've got not the standard model that most people have that just does what they want without questions. It's not as easy but you can look after yourself, this will get better and you can have a lovely, lower pain, future. DM me if you need, trust me after 30 plus years I'm pretty expert on shit backs. Good luck.

PS also look into CBD/THC, seems to be incredible for dealing with inflammatory pain.

@WinterBones honestly I'm no wuss. Ive had awful back pain and muscle spasms for years and gritted my teeth, oc meds, exercise heat etc.

This time my back locked so I physically couldn't move and the most horrendous pain I've ever experienced I've had I think 8 episodes of it since Saturday I passed out with one. Vomited. Screamed . If I put that at a 10 on a pain scale then spasm's that come and go would probably be a 7-8 and a tooth abscess a 6 and child birth a 5.

Thank you. I'm hoping it's not just a case of get me mobile and chuck me out with no after care .

Poor you, I've suffered with back pain since my early 20s, and even 'moderate' pain can be very debilitating so you have my utmost sympathy.
I remember a few years ago in bed my back just went into spasm. Dh was still up so I texted him to get me some pain relief - he said he had some strong painkillers left over from when he had his wisdom teeth out but wasn't sure what they were and I said I didn't care just bring them up! Thankfully it abated, but I couldn't really move and it was agony. I hope you are getting decent pain relief as well.

I was going to look at a tens machine. Yes have everything else

So sorry, thinking of you.

Re pain, I unfortunately had experience of this. Look into the full range and advocate until they get it right. You shouldn't have to suffer. Also make sure your stomach is protected if you have NSAIDs. Do what you can with food to line and protect your stomach and ask about meds to protect it.

I've been having diazepam and oxycodyne which are helping get the pain down

@Iwanttoputmytreeup I didn’t realise that offering advice from personal experience was “wading in” but you live and learn

Same. I have this too. Bertolottis?

@Hotpinkangel19 I have bertolotti syndrome too. It's a nightmare.

Awful isn't it. The pain!

@Crazycatlady64 If that's the way you want to be....personally I think you're really rude and I have no idea what you are on about by "wading in"...... only comment I have made is to say that she doesn't need to call an ambulance as she was already on a ward....which posters would know if they bothered to read at least the OPs update......

@Iwanttoputmytreeup it was you that said I was wading in! There was really no need for you to comment on my post in the first place. End of.

I'm feeling calmer this morning pain relief is helping.

Looking at steroids injections has any one tried them?

@Crazycatlady64
Below is a screenshot of my message....perhaps test your comprehension and go and be rude to someone in real life....oh and even if had put something else ...that is surely the point of such a forum....