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?

@Crazycatlady64

OP, I've been where you are now - 20 years of back issues and a couple of serious incidents, the last of which was exactly how you've described. The searing, torturous agony is like nothing on earth - so hard to convey to anyone who hasn't experienced it. With that last incident I was off work for three months, the first month almost completely incapacitated, it was unbearable.

I hope you don't mind me suggesting a few things you might find interesting. I know it can be annoying when people offer unsolicited advice and suggestions so feel free to ignore! But I found all of these to be a game-changer in different ways - including the more 'out there' ones. (I am normally a very rational, evidence-based person but when you are in endless pain you consider anything).

The first is the book: I would recommend just reading it with an open mind.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446557684

The second is Bowen Therapy. Some see it as quackery but it helped me immensely. If you are anywhere in the south east of England I would consider this therapist, she is unbelievable, but worth considering anywhere. It was life-changing for me: https://bowentechnique.org.uk/

The third - for when you are feeling a bit better - is this exercise regime called Foundation Training. It's a 12-minute daily routine. You work your way up to it, starting with one x 1-minute exercise. I've linked the founder's Ted Talk, then the short exercise, then the full routine. I think the comments speak for themselves.

Again, really hope you don't mind the recommendations, I know it can be a bit overwhelming. Just thought you might appreciate something hopeful to read! I got better, and so will you.

I really hope the pain starts to ease for you soon and you can begin your recovery. Take care.

OP, I had these symptoms two years ago and I truly sympathise. It took a long while to recover and I developed allodynia in my affected leg, so couldn’t wear have anything touch the affected skin, including clothes!

I was very lucky and had private healthcare - saw a consultant and had a total of 3 spinal injections. He has an excellent website which helps you understand the process, I’m not sure I can put up a link here? He’s suffered with disc issues himself so is very empathetic toward his patients.

I’ve not had a recurrence since, but remember at the time being terrified that I’d be ‘trapped’ like this forever. I wish you a good recovery.

Hmm, not sure, no-one ever named it per-se. Not sure I want to Google Bertolottis. Google will probably scare me.

DS has had the injection (2 year ago)
Within a month of the injection, he was off abroad (long haul) to work & play for a few month. Within 3 month of that injection he was bungy jumping off a bridge (nutter)
He took a large stock of meds he’d been on prior to the injection just in case, but didn’t need them. He has a physical job & occasionally complains of back ache, but nothing like he used to get. He was warned he may need another injection, or maybe even surgery eventually, but with injections & physio they wanted to hold off as long as possible.

DH had surgery many years ago as the herniated part had adhered to the spinal cord. He said it was the best thing ever. Still gets some pain & has had an injection since too, but all manageable. Good luck 💐

@EricTheGardener thank you so much

Similar to my friend she was a professional dancer, then ran a bar in London. Always exercised religiously. Walked miles each day. One morning getting out of bed she fell over onto the floor in agony.

You never expect fit healthy people to crash like this.

Honestly even some athletes get disc problems. I don't think it's necessarily to do with being unfit or overweight in every circumstance. Although obviously those things don't help.

Long term low dose steroids, but for a different condition OP. Helped a lot and minimal side effects. Take them with Vit D, in my case.

Sorry to see your thread being chewed up with arguments between some of the posters.

I have Bertolottis - Google wont hurt too much, just let you what you already know - it bloody hurts and is (quite litterally) a pain in the bum!

Found yesterday hard , I was struggling with sitting up. So in the morning I was grading raising the bed a bit at a time. And moving my legs where possible. On three different occasions a nurse or care staff would start lifting the bed causing me to scream out. They didn't even pre warn me I was made to feel like I was over reacting.

Then the physio came and said I need to get up. I was struggling (a combination of fear, pain and exhaustion) he snapped at me and said there was a 100 year old man upstairs waiting who was managing better than me. He then told me to hurry I as he had to go. I(it did take maybe ten minutes)

Once I was up he said he didn't have time to get me walking so I stepped on to a trolley and he wheeled me to a chair I sat. Itwas agony, shooting pains in back and legs. I asked how long I should sit like this. He said two hours I said I am not capable of sitting for that long on any day and my back will seize. I was told I just have to accept the pain. I was literally dripping in sweat when a nurse noticed she said it's just because you're anxious. I said no it's because of the pain.

While physio was getting ready to leave I ask how sitting in significant pain would help and he just said some people have lower pain threshold's!

This completely contradicts what the ortho consultant said the day before. He literally said it might be a day or two before I'm up and that might be sitting on the end of the for five minutes at first.

At the time I was trying to sit I had oxeycotin, ibuprofen and tapantadol in my system. And I was still in complete agony.

That's awful. I'm so sorry you're going through this. As if the pain isn't bad enough...

That sounds very upsetting on top of the pain. I would carefully document everything that happens (bullet points of days and times, keep it factual) and maybe email PALS if you continue to get conflicting advice and rudeness. 5 mins versus 2hours is vastly different and you wouldn't want to negatively impact a proper recovery by listening to the wrong person.

OP, you have my full sympathy. I had something similar nearly 15 years ago, excruciating pain came from nowhere and I couldn't move. DH called for an ambulance when it became clear it wasn't improving, paramedics came in a car (twice) before they finally sent an ambulance. Stretchered out the house and taken to hospital, only to be discharged the following morning as a doctor I hadn't even met stated "I could weight bear" (absolute bollocks!). I'd been awake all night unable to move and heard the staff discussing all the patient's at 4am.
I never got a diagnosis, by the time I had my first MRI (6-9 months later) the worst had long passed.
Of all the specialists I've seen over the years, physio were by far the least helpful. I remember being asked to lie on my stomach while they raised the head of the bed, then the physio lady tried to push down on my back. I'm not clear what she was trying to achieve, but it didn't go well, for either of us.
I've had the steroid injections; they either work really well or not at all. Certainly worth a try, you won't know until you try.
Once you are through this, and you will get through this, try seeing a chiropractor and hydrotherapy for ongoing recovery. It's the only treatments that made a difference for me, and I've tried just about everything!
Good luck, and best wishes for a speedy end to your current nightmare 💐

The ortho consultant was amazing said that pain team would get my meds right and physio would work slowly with me just sitting on bed for a few minutes at first. Physio was literally like sit up, stand up and sit in a chair for two hours. . I think I would just stay at home next time.

@CatMummyOf3 how long did the injection last ? Did you get it on NHS or private?

Complain about the physio. That's absolutely atrocious and could do further damage to your back. Comparing patients is a pointless and ridiculous task. No 2 patients are the same. So unprofessional and clearly ill informed.

Unfortunately they didn't work for me. I was told beforehand that was a possibility but I tried anything and everything, hoping for relief.
They were done on the NHS, and the staff were really lovely, very supportive (I'm not great with needles!)

Yes I’ve had them - they worked wonders but are not hugely long lived (though they lasted me at least 6 months).

I have had this twice this year. Both occasions responded well to steroid injections, gentle stretching exercises and walking. Sitting was not an option for a few weeks, either lying or standing were the only positions I could manage.
Steroids can take a few weeks to kick in and give disturbed sleep and funny dreams initially. Decent pain killers required in between.
I am back at work now full time after my last injection end of October and I am diligent with my stretches morning and night.
Ice packs may also help reduce the inflammation.
Good luck

Hospital are making me sit it's agony. My they say my back will stiffen with out it and worse in long run

If the physio/nurses are going against what the consultant says you need to push back on this until you can get confirmation from your consultant.

I don't get why they're making you sit, it's the worst thing for disc issues
I was told keep moving gently and stand or lie - even after my op I was limited to 30 mins sitting

Not sure how sitting will stop stiffness in your back? It would be better to do a few steps every half hour/hour then lie back down, rather than sit. You've been treated awfully, so sorry OP. I was made worse by an NHS physio pushing so hard on my back 😢 I went to a private one in the end (although she used to be an NHS senior physio)

Sitting is absolutely the worst thing for disc herniation! I've had four herniations, two were extremely painful and two were screaming-in-blinding-agony level. I tried physio, then injections and eventually gave in and had the microdiscectomy surgery. I still need to do pilates and physio to keep my core strong but no further herniations, so far. I'd ask the ortho consult what the plan is for injections or surgery, and if you'll be see in outpatients for a review later.