how to cope with long term back pain

[PavlovtheCat]

Over the last year i have 'put my back out' 4 times. I suspect it is disc related but not had it investigated due to a) lack of interest by gp and b) laziness in following it up - the first time it happened it was so so bad I had to call the out of hours gp unable to move at all for several days. Saw GP a few days later and was told poss disc, poss tendon damage, either way, no real treatment, get on with it type of thing oh and btw will take weeks to recover. thanks

So, next time it happened, over the weekend, i called ooh for painkiller/anti-imflammatories, and have done this each time. Been given a range of stuff, but what seems to work the best is codeine/paracetamol/diclofenac combination.

Anyway, two weeks ago or so, back went again during a coughing fit, improved after a few days with just co-codemol, then due to DH and DS bot being ill and us going on hols I had to do everything to get it all ready with DS on my hip and it went, again, fully, in the supermarket day before christmas eve.

Spent the last week in agony, emergency gp on boxing day gave me co-codemol and diclofenac, and it has slowly improved. However, it is not great, and every twist and turn and any lifting makes it feel that it will go again majorly at any moment. GP was going to give me some diazepam but I was reluctant as DH was away at footie so had kids on my own.

Sitting it the worst, cannot get into a comfortable position. This is not going to go away any time soon and I know I should see GP, will do that next week, but can't see they will do anything to help me sort it and I don't want to be on medication forever. It am also expecting this to now be re-occuring.

So, how do you manage your long term back problems? when it is at its worst and walking is impossible, do you use crutches? I was thinking this might help, as last week I just simple could not walk.

ah yes, forgot to post that DVD pav. i'll get on it.

Re numbness, I told gp and he appeared completely uninterested, so I guessed it was not a big deal. It it has not got worse (nor better). Emergency gp told me to go straight to A&E if I lost bladder or bowel control or droopy foot. I guess that is why. Not heard from gp re referral so gonna hassle tomorrow. nevergoogle has given some advice re what to look out for too. Bowel works fine but I can feel pressure on it, worse as I get 'full' so to speak and eases a little after...

It is all just tiring now, almost gone but not quite, stiff aches, sore butt and leg pain but now all vague bearable but annoying now not horrendous. Just a matt of time it feels before it happens again.

woohoo! result! I have just spoken to my GP re referral to pain clinic as still have discomfort, although much better than it has been, and able to work at least with some adjustments.

He said he has referred me for MRI scan which he beleives has been successful and had expected that I would have recieved a letter by now. He thinks I should wait to see results of MRI scan before referral to pain clinic, as they will do little if pain is subsiding, and also if MRI scan shows herniated disc then likely I will be referred to neurosurgeon [?!] not heard that before. But anyway he wants to see outcome of MRI before referring on so we know where to refer. I accepted this as at least the MRI should help identify if problem is specific or if nothing shown then I can at least get some posture support and guidance in strengthening core muscles etc.

I shall let you know how I get on! (what is the wait for MRI scan these days? weeks? months?).

So glad you are going for MRI, that is absolutely the very best next step for you. No idea, though, how long you might wait. Fingers crossed you get an appointment soon.

And yes, herniated disc = neurosurgeon. Some neurosurgeons give you the impression that there is no other option but surgery (and of course that is how they make their money!) and others are better at exploring all the options, including pain management.

Good luck.

that's good Pav. Sorry i don't know the waiting times here.

oh i would definitely not be going down any route of surgery. that would be the ultimate last point once all else has been fully explored. but as others have said, it might not be disc related, it might be muscle or tendon and replicates symptoms but pressing on sciatic nerve. I am making no assumptions about what might or might not be found. Just pleased that the referral is done as whatever goes on from now some support for any future lapse of pain or helping to reduce/avoid it happening again can now take place.

And. A good friend of mine has had back issues for about 2yrs, similar to mine, including sciatic pain on quite strong painkillers for it, been referred to back specialist who gave more painkillers and some acupuncture but no MRI scan. I spoke to him today. We have the same GP. He absolutely will not refer him for MRI. keeps fobbing him off and has told him he simply cannot refer as he has a quota to stay within or something. I wonder why I have not experienced more than reluctance to refer . Friend said if I got an MRI scan agreed he would be marching straight down there...i have not told him yet...

Hope you get your MRI Scan soon. I have to say the Op was the only option left for me.

While being spaced out, and in relative painlessness for a few hours was heaven I was not 'living'

I was in bed or a chair doped to my eyeballs while everyone around me had to do everything. I wouldnt have been able to work and no way could I drive on those tablets. And the look on my DH face when I was screaming in pain was awful.

jax that sounds awful, so many horrid stories! if the op was the only option to give me quality of life, without a doubt i would do it, but right now, mild enough painkillers and anti-inflammatories are keeping it at bay, and just having to deal with some sciatic pain down right leg, which is bearable while annoying. Unlike so many other people on here I have not got it bad, so probably not a disc I am thinking, as it has recovered well, whatever the problem is.

It was awful and the thing is Pav, I have the same problem in the same area again - but the pain isnt anywhere near as bad as last time, so I get by by being careful and at the slightest twinge I have some paracetamol. I have the Tramadol, Diazepam and whatever else I used to take as a standby but I havent used it in over a year now.

Reeny

Not sure how long ago your problems started but feeling similar issues . I to have SCI classed as incomplete as I still get pain in my left leg right is nothing but left is hyper sensitive and can on a good day move my big toe .think I got a bum deal and do remember telling consultant that ffs least could have lost the pain too

Reeny Are you under a spinal unit at all as I found the support from them is so much better and do you have a OT at all between them they have helped me move into adapted house so more independent

Toe wrestling anyone

But please don't be fobbed of with the your too young to need more tests Gp line if the pain is bad and repeating , even the hospital was not expecting to see what they did on the MRI , went in being told probably just soft tissue damage ( only had MRI due to urine retention weakness in legs and pain that not even morphine touched ) came out scanner to see room full of people looking from faced at monitor screens

Unfortunately my case the damage was done complicated by another condition I have . To be fair I googled my early symptoms and it shoes sciatic/disc problems so yes mine is extreme but it can happen

Oh and google , gaberpentin and pregablin they can work better on nerve pain than traditional painkillers .

Don't be put of by seeing them as epilepsy drugs it was found they work well on nerve pain

Hi thehumancatapult,
Yes I am under a spinal injury unit.
Are you from the uk?
Separate to this, sorry not writing much, im still recovering, I had to have an emergency op the other night to take my appendix out and clean me up as I had a burst cyst in my ovary.

I'm allergic to gabepentin, and pregablin I was on, but came off when I got pregnant. I haven't gone back on it since I've had my baby, as I didn't find it much of a help plus I gained weight rapidly on it.

Similar position here pavlov.

I have a lower back pain that come and goes but can be totally crippling at times. ANd an upper back and shoulder pain that never seems to really go these days and leads to head aches and sleeplessness. I have used a chiro before now and in the past he helped but not any more. I used TENS but even that doesn't a;ways do it. I've avoided the GP up till now as I know the NHS isn't that great with back pain ..but I am reaching the end of my tether now. It's making me so miserable.

Yep I'm in the uk reeny am under stanmore , bugger that your allergic to both but hope you feel better soon

Grr. I am very very cross.

GP called me at work yesterday, pro-active for the first time probably ever. To tell me he has spoken to x-ray consultant who has declined the MRI referral. Apparantly I need to go to pain clinic first and try to manage it all through physio etc, MRI to be offered when all other options have been exhausted.

Or.

My so called friend who has a back problem went in this week and kicked off about not being referred and GP is pissed about it.

Either way. I am so annoyed, to be told yes, referral going ahead, then a week later no it is not.

And he has not referred to pain clinic until now as he was waiting for MRI. So now I have to start the process of waiting for this referral, by the time this happens, this bout of pain will be over, nothing will be needed until next time.

And he said to me 'do you want to wait and see how your back improves over the next couple of weeks to decide about referral to pain clinic?' NO I DON'T!!!

Grr indeed.

Can you change your Dr? It doesnt sound like they have a clue about back pain at all!

Where are you Pavlov? You need to be seen by someone who knows about back pain. Sounds like your Dr isnt treating this seriously at all.

I dont want to frighten you but I was told that if I didnt have this op, eventually I would be in a wheelchair as the nerve damage was so bad. I had the MRI on the Monday and the op was scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Any chance of private healthcare?

Max, have looked into private actually, but they won't accept pre existing conditions which this now is. My union gives me acces to additional support alongside NHs for a small charge each month but I have to join for 6 months before I can access services, however I am doing this now as they do accept pre existing conditions as it is not health cover,they will pay for up to £1000 towards MRI scan, plus £300 toward physio acunpuncture while waiting for referrals on NHs.

Prob with changing. Gp is he is for the post part supportive, well , he has been for lots of other things, although notorious for never referring onwards. I also worry that if this is local process of not referring that I then change to another dr who is crap too. I will consider it.

I am thinking that as I am able to function normally fit now with just some slight numbness from time to time and some leg pain that is bearable that it can't be that serious?

Jax, not max!

darling, it CAN be that serious, you shouldnt be numb at all, that means something (nerve) is trapped where it shouldnt be. You really dont have to live with this pain. Is there another Dr at the same practise that you can see?

If I were you I would get MRI scan asap - that really is the only way to see whats what and then you can decide how to proceed from there, whether its physio, pain meds or Op.

it can be that serious really dan and numbness can be first sign of a problem.You leave till got bowel and bladder problems then it can be to late

I will talk to the other gp at the surgery, but she will likely just give me a form asking me questions about depression, that's what she normally does

If it goes again proper like it did at Christmas I will go straight to a&e this time, should have done that at Christmas on hindsight, dud consider it but thought the emergency gp would send me if that was needed, won't wait for that in future, and I expect there will be a next time.

If I could afford MRI privately I would happily pay.

The backside pain is right on the coccyx. And if I press on the bone, right at the tip, it hurts and pain moves 'inwards' to bladder so guess that is nerve related. But that is not where the pain originated, that was lower middle back, and this pain is what is left after the swelling reduced. That and leg pain.

Oh, I am all in a quandary... I just can't see how I can get a gp to take this more seriously than normal mechanical back pain. And, maybe it is just that. But would like to know for sure.

Hi Pavlovthecat, I am really sorry to hear you have been suffering so much. I have had back pain too, which I think started after a car crash that knocked my pelvic girdle out of line and which has recurred at different times, especially when my second was a newborn and I was carrying him everywhere. I wondered if you had heard of PosturePlast? It's a fairly new product developed by an osteopath and because it's drug free it can be used at the same time as medication, and can be useful in between any other treatment you get e.g physio sessions. Back pain and sciatica can be aggravated by the normal bending, twisting, sitting etc. that we all do all day every day, and so PosturePlast works by holding your back in the right posture (it's a support that has flexible struts, which you put on your lower back - you can still move well though, don't worry - it wouldn't stop you doing things), which can support and give uninterrupted healing time. It might be worth trying, even while you're waiting for your MRI scan? I've used it when I've driven on long journeys, which I know is one of those things that sets my back off. I actually do some work with the osteopath that developed the product, so if you wanted to give it a try, if you email me with your details then I can send you some samples to try. It can't do any harm, and hopefully might help? [email protected]

Thehumancatapult, I'm under rookwood (it due to close soon though, will be sad to see the place go)