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?

Might you be able to get to hospital lying on the back seat of the car? I know it's not great but perhaps your husband could put up something like duvet and furniture cushions in the footwell to stop you rolling off? And then maybe you could lie on the floor in A&E, again if he took a camping mattress or blankets for you to lie on?

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. I've had back pain and more recently (last two years) leg and hip pain which has really curtailed my exercising, it's been horrible. We went on holiday recently and the bed was pretty unforgiving. I went from a 'normal' (for me) range of movement with associated background pain to having to crawl slowly to the toilet. I understand some of the pain you are in and how life-changing it can be in quite a narrow period of time.

Honestly I think not being able to sit without being in agony is what A&E is for. I know it isn't how it is utilised entirely now, but... the fact that you can't sit at all, let alone for hours, shows you need help, it shouldn't be a barrier to accessing that help. That's wrong. They wouldn't leave you in a waiting area in the middle of a heart attack (... I mean... I don't know... but we can hope) so being physically unable to sit should be a pretty significant indicator.

I hope you get medical treatment and some support for management afterwards. Pain is so intrusive. I used to walk 3-6 miles a day and in the past two years the pain I'm in has a chokehold on my life. I'm sort of allowing it to happen because I don't know what else to do. If it became an emergency at home that prevented me from getting to the bathroom, I hope i'd drag myself to A and E. God knows what they'd do with me, stick me in a loo and leave me there?

Really hope things work out well for you.

Agreed

It's an emergency and not an abuse of the NHS. I do wish peeps would read threads carefully.

I really hope OP is on her way to hospital.

As previous posters have said ,she has deteriorated significantly and is describing red flag symptoms . At the very least she needs pain relief and properly assessed . Better safe than sorry in this situation .

hoping we get an update tomorrow that OPs pain is under control and the cause is something easily treated as opposed to anything more serious !

If it comes to it lie down in the back of the car and one there your DH can ask for help to get you out. If you need to you can lie on the floor once there. But you absolutely need to be seen. It is time critical and if it is cauda equina the clock is ticking.

People who come up with this sort of proclamation are more than annoying, they're potentially dangerous. OP has clearly not had her current condition for 15 years, it has become very significantly worse. Something that presents as possible sudden onset Cauda Equina very definitely is an emergency.

Have you not read OP's posts? She has been experiencing back pain for 15 years, but she has not been experiencing this pain for 15 years. She has only been experiencing her current pain for a few dys.

I really hope you have gone by ambulance to the hospital op. Good luck x

After reading about cauda equina I would also call an ambulance. If you can afford it maybe there is a private ambulance you could call if worried about the wait

They cannot sit or stand you need to do that unless your taken in via ambulance and your on a handy trolley

Report away but your being rather silly wanting to not aggravate symptoms is hardly a red flag

I cannot believe there are people on here claiming OP would be a drain on the NHS if they went to A&E or called an ambulance. Your country is broken. Seriously.

also I keep finding myself back here hoping for an update, I hope OP got some help.

I really hope you’ve called an ambulance by now 😥.

i also hope you’re ok

Not saying you can't be arsed, I'm saying don't wait for a clinician to phone to tell you to go to a&e. If you're like that call 999. They can do their own assessment on you when you explain. Just don't sit and wait for a clinician to call when they've already said a&e. I hope you've had some help by now

I really hope you have called an ambulance and by now you are in hospital

You cant stand, they wont make you wait in the waiting room

I’d push for further investigation, including an MRI if you haven’t had one.

No one should be diagnosing you on here. But I’ve had similar symptoms from a prolapsed disc in lower back, which was trapping the nerve and causing sciatica (pains in legs, feeling like my pelvis was falling apart and unable to walk). Osteopath sorted it years ago. I went in barely able to walk and came out of the first session with huge relief. Took a few more sessions to totally get rid of it. Had to pay as GP didn’t refer me. GP had advised painkillers and physio if it hadn’t cleared up in 6 weeks. I had a baby and couldn’t wait 6 weeks.

But it came back with horrendous pain a few years back (and I have a high pain threshold: home births). Had to crawl to the toilet. Only a few weeks’ wait for an MRI, which was fine. You just lie there and listen to music. Machine clanks a bit, but was fine. Then had to wait months for the muscular skeletal appointment, where they finally told me MRI showed two prolapsed discs. In the meantime I’d lost 2 stone (which had crept on during lockdowns and post menopause). The loss of my belly fat worked miracles. Have kept the weight off since and (fingers crossed) no probs since.

Suggest you push for it to be properly checked out. As yours could be a totally different cause.

The ignorant, mean-spirited attitudes of people amaze me. Think on that.

She reported trouble peeing. The potential impact of a condition which could leave her paralysed or permanently impaired outweighs all other considerations. She has had back pain for 15 years. This pain is sudden onset and significantly different with additional issues. Something has changed and it has the potential to be serious. If that isn’t an emergency I don’t know what is.

My friend went to A and E with severe back pain, shooting pains in her legs and difficulty peeing. She wasn't taken seriously.
It was cauda equina and she's now registered disabled.

Go to A and E.

If your piss is boiling you should go to A&E.

You should mention to them too that you’re having trouble with reading comprehension.

Go to A&E. Say you have symptoms suggestive of Cauda Equina Syndrome. Don’t leave until you get an MRI lumbar spine. If you’re actually febrile they need to consider spinal abscess. But you need an MRI pronto. Should be done within 24h according to guidelines.

A&E Consultant here

I’ve had herniated disc problems and muscle spasms that make standing, walking, sitting absolute agony. The times I’ve needed the doctor, they’ve always asked straight away if I have any of the following symptoms, numbness, weakness in legs, problems with bladder or bowel. I know they’re ruling out CE before deciding what help I need. OP you need checking straight away. Hopefully it’s not and good pain relief and anti spasmodics will relieve the horrible pain, but you have to rule CE out as lots of others have said. Good luck.

Lots of people can't sit up in a&e. They'll prioritise you and get you a trolley and assess for pain relief straight away. Call an ambulance though. Former nurse here and generally not a "go to a&e" person, but this is an ambulance/ a&&e situation.

Come on OP, what is it you actually want? I had exactly the same symptoms as you and slept on the cold hard seats of a&e overnight because I knew something was wrong. I had my mri at 9am, I was in surgery at 12 for Cauda Equina. The hospital can’t help you if you don’t go.

Did you go to A&E OP? Hope you're getting help.

perhaps your dh could get a wheelchair once you get to a and e