The Back Story

[Matildathecat]

Hi to all fellow back sufferers. I've been on Spooning for a while but don't really feel I fit as I'm not actually ill, just have a chronic (and permanent) back injury. So please post here, no niggle too small. We can share experiences, tips and moans!

Quick history, age 48, last year had sudden crippling back pain eventually diagnosed as disc prolapse L4/5. All conventional treatments tried and failed so had micro discectomy privately.

No progress, and much worse leg pain followed. V long story short was finally seen by second neurosurgeon who diagnosed severe scarring around the nerve root as a result of the surgery. Poor outlook for surgery but we gave it a go, so had second op with similar lack of progress and final MRI showed even worse scarring. Only option chronic pain management . Had several injections with not much effect...

So, permanently disabled, use a stick, endless drugs and a lovely blue badge. Along the way dismissed from career of 25years for ill health.

Sorry, it's a grim story, but hey, I'm ok. Not depressed, have an okish quality of life with the help of my fantastic husband and friends. I walk, albeit slowly and not far, swim a bit and can please myself. Luckily my boys are young adults.

So come along and share. Moans and groans ok, tips and recommendations welcome.

Just don't tell me to see your lovely chiropractor, I might just punch you!(wink)

Well done on the weightloss losty a few people in my family have issues with various food intolerance and have tried diets,there is certainly a possible connection. My Granny does a diet for her arthritis and although it hasn't cured it at all she definitely notices a difference in pain levels when she eats something she shouldn't. She did an elimination diet and now avoids wheat, dairy, red meat and citrus/citric acid. The citric acid is quite annoying, it is in loads of products. Its pretty hard to do these type of diets but worth it if it helps you. DG has been doing this for about 25 years now. When she first started we thought it was just a fad and a placebo effect but now there are a lot more people doing it. However even if it doesn't help that way being lighter will be helpful and less strain on your joints so that is great.

magso I am thinking of getting something like that for the car. It is very uncomfortable for me in the car. I just wish someone would give me some money to pay for all these things I want though!

Checked out some reviews for the poang chair, it is very popular, a lot said comfortable and good for backs.

Ok I suppose I should get off here, have been on loads tonight!

Lots of health vibes coming to you all.

goodness, I've just got up so am around for a little while if you're feeling alone. Here's. Hug from me ((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))
Hope that helps. The sore botty is just the last straw. Hope someone can suggest a quick and painless remedy and in the meantime lots of softeners. Lactulose is my friend. Actually, I've got my usual holiday tummy which is the opposite to most people's so come on Mr Lactulose, I thought we had an agreement?

Hello losty, hope we can be of help if only in a what shoes /drugs/chairs are best? Kind of way. Great that not only did your pain clinic recommend injections but actually gave them to you. Wow! Did you have to perform indecent acts to get this level of care?!!.

I took the slow release tramadol yesterday then some 8mg cocodamol a few hours later as I was so sore. Then I ended up feeling so stoned a couple of hours later it was horrid. I think the jet lag, heat and meds all make things a bit more enhanced. I didn't get more pain relief just that really, really stoned feeling (which I don't enjoy).

I'm spending this morning by the club pool while SIL gets her hair done then afternoon tea at Raffles Hotel. I do hope Mr P doesn't choose that moment to say hello.

Misery Guts here again to share my current woes (so sorry):

Lovely nurse told me I'd woken in pain and called every 30 minutes.
I asked why this was happening.
M. "Have you lowered/ lessened the painkillers?"

N. "No, darling. It's because you were more mobile yesterday. You had lengthy Physio and did some walking."

So ladies, this is what I get as a reward for daring to walk.
What a slap in the face!

Tags, apparently. Like I know what that is. Not.

Drugs/shoes/chairs would be very helpful, thank you. I embraced my sensible shoe wearer last year but there has to be something nicer than Hotter surely?

I take the slow release tramadol 100mg, it took me a couple if weeks to get over the grim stoned feeling (if my younger self could see that she would be appalled ) but I largely don't notice it much now apart from about 5 minutes in the morning before the caffeine kicks in no I am NOT typing this from the dogs beanbag on the floor in the kitchen as I supervise big boys getting ready for school, that would be weird!

Goodness have a giant Welsh cwtch. Much better than a hug I promise, it's gentle on your back but comes infused with strength to help you get through the day.

Sorry, to get the injections I cried in the waiting room because I was so sore. I am a radiographer so I had filled the questionnaire in that they sent ahead with tight paragraphs of proper medical speech, annular tears/bony spur/spondylitis and attached my MRI/X-ray/bone scan results. I have NO idea how people who aren't on the inside get through to what they need. I had to show my GP my actual bone scan and VERY firmly point out that such a high level of bilateral degeneration was not normal at any age let alone under 40 just. It makes me cross that the more vulnerable have no one to advocate for them.

goodness , you are doing really well it's bound to be up and down, hope you feel better this morning.

lost I know lots of people diagnosed with as without the hla gene but have you looked at psoriatic arthritis? it comes in a without much psoriasis version. I want some of those injections for my naughty spine and si joints please.

I have a poang chair very comfy but I suspect but actually not that good for backs in reality.I think your bum goes below your knees and that's meant to be bad?

They won't let me go to the pain clinic until I run out of dmards. I keep getting that quizzical "are you sure it hurts that much?" look from rheum nurse.

Urgh, I hate DMARDS. Four months of them and all I have to show is an even greater tolerance for stuff that makes me feel awful and bright yellow wee (I didn't get the yellow tears side effect which is a source if great disappointment to me). I have a huge area of wrecked bone in my spine which is never going to repair so I got pain clinic for that. Why are nurses like that? Maybe they have to deal with malingerers and don't realise we are nails and don't complain unless we really have to.

Goodness I didn't know you were still in hospital (I sort if know what you are up against but not your proper timeline). If you've had anaesthetic recently you are probably feeling low from that on top of everything else. I know physio is a pain, literally, but I promise you will benefit from it over the next weeks, you are going to have to suck it up and be strong for the sake of future Goodness who will be very great flu you took the hits now take everything easier then.

Well in the spirit of cheering us all up I tried to do a link to my lovely new boots but failed miserably. Its the Stuart Weitzman 50/50 - leather at the front and stretch fabric at the back, with the front going just over the knee. Horribly expensive even in the sale. They are tricky to get on and off (with an uncooperative back) but look better than my usual sensible flats! I think we should all be given a pair on prescription!
We had a Ikea chair, not the Poang but its cheaper (not well enough padded) slightly more upright predecessor- it was reasonably comfortable especially for shorter persons. Still looking for my perfect comfy chair. I know buying a comfy chair would have been more sensible than boots,--.

goodness, please do tell the physio just how crap you are feeling and how much pain you were in last night. Speed of rehab is very individual, never was the need for slow and steady greater. You can ask for more analgesia half an hour before and scale it down a little today. Recovery isn't linear.

I've had, as well as my two back ops, two major orthopaedic ops and although it was a long time ago I clearly remember my hatred of the physios! Don't let them push you further than is right for you.

Hoping, please god, things begin to improve for you soon.x

I'm back from a lovely afternoon tea and cocktail at Raffles. My back didn't enjoy itself but I did. Possibly the only person there with my own cushion but I was sooo glad of it. wish you were all here, too. Shame my left leg has gone numb and lower spine twitching violently. Mindfulness or a drink?

Gin sling at Raffles definitely Matilda- perhaps combined with mindfulness.

Goodness hoping you have a good day and better night. Just being stuck in hospital for so long is hard- but all the pain worry and indignities on top add up. You do sound as if you are doing well considering. Hope the physio is gentler today and gets you closer to getting home. (Hug)

Gin sling at Raffles has to be one for my bucket list matilda. It sounds so swish, glad you enjoyed yourself.

goodness hope you are doing ok now. How is your family getting along?

DHs birthday is tomorrow, dd and I are going to attempt to make him a double chocolate roulade this evening.

Ok, so I know in the grand scheme of things, a bad haircut is not a big deal. But, I so don't feel lovely and glam, I feel silly and tearful. It's not horrendous, but neither is it lovely. The colour, while not shocking, is about what I could do at home, it's patchy. The cut is uneven.

I am sorry for being such a drama llama, but this is not what I need, back to well tomorrow, instead of feeling as confident as I can, hoping the light doesn't catch my hair wrong so people can see bright roots. I guess the floodgates that have opened are probably a culminatipno of everything, the icing on the cake.

matilda dd is out so I don't have to go out again today therefor it's not too early for me t join you in a drink . honestly I am not normally spoilt and get all upset over a haircut. I am normally at it not going quite right, it will grow etc.

Emailed the salon, one of the owners is going to fix it for me and throw in some products as an apology. Unfortunately, I still have to go to work with it like this tomorrow. I might wear a hat...

On a good note, pain is not too bad today!

Sometimes it the last straw that breaks the camels back Pavlov, no pun intended. Hope everyone at work is so pleased to see you they see only you. I am useless at noting new hair colours or cuts, so I expect your colleagues will be far less aware that the hair colour is not quite as desired than you are. Wear something that makes you feel special. Hope tomorrow goes well.
Livela double chocolate roulade sounds very ambitious.

Oh good pavlov a bad haircut is horrible, esp when you were hoping to look nice for work. I hope they fix it up for you. I do wear a hat at work actually, but it is not a great look .

Dd and I have made our cake, hope it comes out nice, it contains a bar of dark chocolate and a bar of white is in the filling. We will be starting our diet again afterwards.

Chocolate sorts out everything, even bad haircuts

Sorry but we have to wait till tomorrow for it as it has to chill overnight in the fridge. I do have a bit left that I scraped out of the melting bowl and set again stuck to a spoon, so chocolate spoon coming your way.

Glad the salon are going to sort it Pavlov, I think that if you keep yourself together for so long in the face of extreme provocation it's the little things like a nice haircut that take on epic proportions. I know that I don't cry because of the pain and inability to do anything much but if a small treat I have planned to keep my spirits up doesn't happen I just fall apart. Chocolate always a good substitute though.

Well our heating has broken. Wonderful, that's just what I need when I am achey after yesterday, thank goodness for microwave wheat bags.

hope you had a better day today.

losty that's it! I fell apart. Absolutely fell apart. I felt like the world was conspiring against me! I feel like that a lot when small things don't work out. It's actually not so bad. I mean, it's not great, but the light is low and artificial and so I can't see the roots, and I have adjusted the bad bits of the cut so they can't be seen and it's looking quite good. The idea of it is good, it's just a bad cut, but I am sure no one is actually going to notice tomorrow.

that's going to have to do live

I am sorry your heating has broken too. No chocolate roulade and no heating sucks. One heating ws off for a while, but it was just before temp turned, hope it gets sorted soon. Do you have warm socks etc? Time to snuggle up.