SLIPPED DISC/ BACK PAIN

[angel2001]

i have had back pain on and off since a teenager but never this severe. last may i slipped a disc and saw a physiotherapy til march this year. he discharged me saying i will have to learn to live with the pain but the gp should do a scan or xray to find out what's going on. well it slipped in may again and left me with syactic nerve damage which sent pins and needles down my leg and my left leg would give way. well on Sunday it happened again i am sure my disc has slipped again. i am relying on lifts b friends cus i cant walk far at all. the gp has just referred me back to physiotherapy. am so annoyed that none will do any tests to see why it keeps happening. my dd who is 8 is really upset cus i cant do much with her except read and write. i cant bike, walk even get into a car at times. what does it take to find out what's going on. the docs excuse is because it goes down my leg if they manipulate my back i could lose the use of my leg totally, i am not far off that at the moment. standing from the sofa i fall back down. the pain is unbelievable. am on the strongest of valium, anti inflammatory, and painkiller i can take. sorry to go on but i bet if it was one of the in this much pain for 15 months they would get some sort of treatment. anyway back for a lay down as sitting is hurting badly got to be up in a hour to sort out things ready for dd to come home. sooo cross sorry again

Please try to find a new GP that will take your pain seriously. At the moment i too am suffering from something very similar but luckily i was referred for an MRI and hopefully will know the results this week. It sucks having to rely on others to collect your dc's. Explain to your dd why you can't do things with her atm she'll understand at her age. I keep buying stuff online to do with them over the holidays. Mainly crafts, journals, dvds, books and games. Fingers crossed for sunshine as i am also banking on alot of garden play to kill time.

Hope you soon get the help you deserve. Virtual hugs and well wishes

thank you may19, never thought about buying online, she loves receiving post so i suppose that will help with the excitement as well as a game or crafts for her. might give that ago. a friend just popped round to ask if she could borrow something she saw me try to get up and decided would be easier to come in and get it herself cus she could see how much pain i am in. i get told i am walking as if i am in severe labour (makes me feel loads better not), thanks for the idea

its now 4.30am and still awake in pain this cant go on am going to have to chase my physio. this is not going to do my mental health any good either. i need sleep to keep my bdp under control. off tot ake my valium and see if it knocks me out night night

Thats horrible. Maybe you need to go to A&E if its that severe to rule out any other problems? Fingers crossed your pain gets better. xx

Go back to your GP nad ask for an MRI and also a referral to the pain management clinic.

I've got a slipped disc and have had it since I broke my back 16 years ago. I have bouts of seriously crippling pain and the rest of the time I have a constant ache. Which does hurt but I have learned to live with it.

IME physio is useless, I always thought it was for muscle type pain. Not sure how it can help if you ahve a disc pressing on the nerve.

I take amyltriptline for the pain, its an anti depressent that is also good for nerve pain. So it works in a different way than codeine based meds. I'd be wary of using valium as it is very addictive. The pain management clinic should be able to help work out the best drugs for your specific problem.

Hope you get some help.

angel, I was like you a few years back. I think everyone's advice on getting an MRI sounds about right. The problem is how to get one as you can wait for an age, even once they've decided you need one. What I did, was to go to a private physio for a second opinion. It cost me about £40 to see him. He did an examination and decided my condition was so woeful that it would be irresponsible to treat. He wrote a report which contained lots of jargon, but basically said in his opinion an MRI was urgently required. I took that back to the GP, then got the MRI on the NHS in double quick time. Only once I'd got the MRI results did I start to get the appropriate treatment. So pushing for that is really your best route through. Really hope you get sorted soon. Be proactive though, as otherwise the system will make you wait.

i have been on anti epileptic drugs,valium and tramadol and another ant inflammatory and still non of it worked and to be honest i really didn't like having that many tablets around as i have bdp too so take 5 lots of t tablet for that, it worked out i was taking around 30 tablets a day and still in pain. my gp was not to impressed by it either as i am a od risk if i get severely depressed. my physc asked me to wean myself of them if they were not working. i phoned physio again today to still be told 4 week waiting list i cant wait that long. have spent most of today i bed as i cant do anything else but catch up on seep when i can. i love being active and was so looking forward to the school hols and spending loads of time with my dd. this has to change. think there is going to be a point where i will explode at the gp or physio next week to get this sorted i cannot believe they can leave us so long in pain.

I had this after having my dd. I have never experienced pain like it so you have my sympathy. I was referred to a consultant, given an MRI and then had a microdiscectomy. A year on I am virtually back to normal and am so glad I had the operation. Best of luck.

Angel, does keeping it warm help? If so, lying on mini electric blanket (on bed or sofa) might ease it a bit. Sometimes lying flat on hard floor can help vertebrae to line up, disc might ease back a bit.

Like you, I've been waiting for physio appt for ages, finally got to see NHS one last week, and got 3 mins actual hands-on work and suggestion of exercises, 37 mins of her filling in form, even though had been to same place for some 3 years ago - they don't keep notes apparently! Have had X-ray and know which disc has degenerated, but not what treatment is possible. Don't really think for me physio is going to do much but grateful for anything. Going again next week. Like you, can't drive so have to bother others, hate asking.

Smee, do you know anything about disc replacements? Like Smee says, Angel, you do need to press for MRI - if no chance for ages, then what about paying for lowcost private one, they do one at the Cobalt Unit, Cheltenham I think, its a sort of charity foundation - may be too far to go but if you called them they might know of other Centres who do it near you. Its terrible that you are being left to suffer like this but it will come right in the end, try to keep as optimistic as you can in the circumstances and badger till you get the scan.

My sympathies to you angel, what a horrible amount of pain to have to deal with. I suffer from back problems too and I know it's so so so frustrating to have to keep pushing and badgering for treatment which is really difficult when you're at a low ebb.

Another route to getting a speedier MRI might be to take yourself to casualty? When my slipped disc happened my osteopath advised this as the fastest route as I had numbness all down the back of one leg and in my undercarriage (so suspected Cauda Equina syndrome which is classed as medical emergency). I got discharged but an MRI six weeks later - it got me on the system at the hospital. Shit that that's how it works but there you go. (I hope someone's told you this already but if you have ANY problems with toilet functions after slipped disc then go straight to A and E.)

Another point is to keep flagging up at your GP/physio how much it's affecting your quality of life. If it's affecting your work, your sleep, your sanity or your ability to care for your children then I think they have to prioritise you. Make sure you let them know all this (you might have done already but some people feel bad 'moaning' to the doctor!)

Like sevenbubbles said there are surgical options for slipped discs. I really hope you get some treatment soon.

Quodlibet's idea is great about going to Casualty. Somehow you've got to get someone to take this seriously and sadly it seems those who shout loudest get results.

What about this supposedly amazing 'Patient Choice' thing we were all told so much about - surely your GP can arrange this, it would in the long run help her as well as you - if you become worse, where does she stand if she refused to get a diagnostic MRI arranged for you in good time? If we really do have a choice, then there may be shorter waiting lists for scans elsewhere. Once you've got a diagnosis you'll then have the evidence and they should jump. Even if like Quodlibet you've got to get through a week or two whilst you wait, at least psychologically you'll feel something is happening and you can hang on to that.

Good luck anyway, and hang in there like a limpet till you get what you want. Keep a diary and threaten to write a book!

went nd saw a diff gp on Monday and i cried to him for about half hour told him how its effecting my life. well he booked me in for a ex ray for the next day now just got to wait 7-10 days for results. am applying for a blue badge and high mobility us the pain is too bad. at least i was tken seriously but just hope it shows something and not nothing and be back to square one. wish me luck. and the heat is on continuous i have a hot water bottle glued to my side whilst in doors

Hurrah! Good, I'm glad someone listened to you and you've had some medical attention.

If it doesn't show anything up, keep insisting on more treatment/physio/investigation until you are getting the support you need.

Have you tried stick-on heat patches? Cheaper than having the heating on and easier than a hot-water bottle - you can get them in Boots (but actually I found them in the pound shop the other day and stocked up)

Good luck.

i get my results on tues the latest bet they wont be ready till thurs knowing my luck. i cant even walk round a shop any more cus the pain is too much. i am trying for a blue badge which i did not know the council can do and i dont need high mobility rate its the coucil decsion and fingers crossed this might help a bit cus the walk t the shop the round the shop is far too much for me. i am 36 not 86 i dont feel its fair that i am going thru this pain for so long

at last the result are in and i have Spinal Stenosis, narrowing of the spine which if it had been picked up a few years ago might now be this severe, been told back to physio, pain management clinic, loads of pain killers which i amon and making no difference, poss streiod injuction into lower back which lasts for six months and if all fails a op which may not work anyway. so going to be along old process.first app available with phsyio is 6 sept a 9 oh great the first day kida back at school so i wont see my dd return to school