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)

Depends in which country you are. Some nations are more sympathetic to back pain than others :)

Mabelene - I'm really sorry that they didn't operate when you were a teenager. Were you in Britain? They've been doing fusions for decades in Britain. My procedure (using a Harrington Rod) was being phased out in 1991. My curve was 72 degrees.

I'm having a medicinal wine right now by the way.

Yes I was Yama but actually, thinking about it, I would just have had many more years like this, so at least I had my teens, 20s, 30s as a 'normal' person!! I have never been an adrenaline junkie but I did do lots of things I shouldn't have, in retrospect

I'll try and post my pre and post op x rays, if anyone is interested

Me too

Ok, I think they should be visible

Hello all, I have lurked on the spooners thread, but haven't seen this thread before.

I am still waiting to find out what is causing my back and now sciatic pain. I have been seeing an osteopath since my back went kerplunk a week before the holidays started. My MRI is on the 25th.

The osteo thinks there is nerve damage. Which is nice. All sorts of referred pain - acupuncture on my back makes the sole of my feet feel like they are being scratched. He tried to put a needle in today and it felt like a bloody wasp sting.

Apart from the terrible pain and the sad feeling that I am failing the children it is all fine.

SconeForAStroll - you aren't failing your children!
you are trying to get better and that's what's most important now

Wow, Mabelene - you have some serious metal there.

I don't have my x-rays. My curve is more severe though and the operation in 1991 when I was 15 has worked to an extent. I've had a fairly normal life. I've just always had to be mindful about not hurting myself.

At 37 though, I am suffering. However, I do believe my pregnancies made things a whole lot worse. We'll see what the Consultant says next week. There is only one Consultant in Scotland who deals with adults as well as adolescents. I have finally been given an appointment.

Mabelene
I thought of you when I saw a couple of office chairs on this page (scroll half way through the page to see them)
www.lushome.com/office-ergonomic-chair-designs-space-arrangement/14693

hello just barging in because I'm wondering at what stage do you go to the Dr with back pain
I've never had it in life until now

Woke up on Friday with acute lower back pain, below bra strap but above waist of jeans. well controlled with regular cocodamol and ibuprofen but hellish when they've worn off and first thing
I've had a cricked neck/torticollis before and it feels like that but in the wrong place and seems to be a lot of spasm going on
otherwise well and nothing radiating into legs.
Any suggestions anyone?

only a very quick post to say hi all and hope you are all well and to say scone I have felt that for such a long time, I go through such anxieties about failing my children. And the wonderful people here have helped me to realise I am not. You are not failing them. This is not your fault. It's a shit aspect of life chucking a curve ball our way and our children will be stronger for it. so i convince myself everyday

I will post more later. Off to work. Late. Very late. Oops.

tweety go now. If there is nothing more than pulled muscle or 'mechanical backpain' they will give you more meds and you can come here for more support about how to manage the pain, but then it's at least recorded, so if it continues you have started the process. They won't do a thing until you have been suffering for at least 6 weeks, so don't wait to see them as if it gets worse not better they will start that process from when you see them not when the pain starts. Sorry I can't post more to help with pain, as late late late! But I will later, or someone else will come and give you their tips.

Positive painfree vibes everyone!

I had a couple of episodes of back pain which I didn't 'trouble' the doctor with. Then one day I woke and it had truly 'gone'. I could barely move. I saw dr the same morning. She did some very basic tests, said it wasn't a disc(um, I now know differently), and gave me cocodamol, naproxen and diazepam.

I think if you've had it a few days you should go. Heat helped my spasm tremendously but only temporarily.

anti, wow! loving that chair. There's a few on this thread suffering in the workplace. Maybe they should suggest one. Especially in fuschia pink.

mablene, glad you have your animals! they are company when you spend a lot of time alone. My dog is with me now. Do you have good friends where you are? Mine have really saved me.

I really don't want back pain on my GP record though I'm a SAHM right now but I'm a nurse and I was hoping to go back to work imminently - just did my CV last week and ironed my interview dress and everything.

I chatted to you about your back under another name a while ago.

I'm just mystified. I haven't injured myself at all. I did sit in a hard chair for a loooong meeting the night before it started but I can't see how that would cause pain lasting this long

No, I didn't 'do' anything either. At least not the. Maybe 30 odd years in nursing and midwifery just caught up with me. Did we chat about ESA? I can't cope with name changes! Do you have a specific job in mind? I know how much things have changed, but no getting away from just how physical nursing can be.

Can anyone explain to me how to view mablene's X-rays?

tweetytwat - your best option is to go to and see recommened osteopath
(if you live in Surrey/South London I could recommend mine)
injuries like yours are of the kind where your body copes with some small changes in how you use your muscles until (it may be stress or tiredness) it flips over

you will recover but it is going to take time, with helps of osteopath it would be faster

I can recommend this:
www.imogenragone.com/lying-down-for-back-pain-relief/

esp variation#2 - you can lie on the carpet or a blanket, lifting legs like that would ease pressure on your lower back, let yourself 10-15 min and see the difference

also sleeping with a pillow between your legs helps to rest your back better:
backandneck.about.com/od/backpainandsleep/ig/Finding-Comfortable-Positions/Hip--Spine-and-Neck-Support.htm

My surgeon said I had about 10k€ of titanium - sure will be interesting if I ever go through an airport scanner (I haven't dared fly anywhere since my op, I can't bear the thought of hanging around the airport, actually sitting in an aircraft seat, turbulence etc - much to my husband's dismay) and I have joked that I'm worth more in scrap so if things get tough he can have me melted down.....

I hadn't done anything specific the day mine went either, just a build up of years of the pressure of the scoliosis (although I had stacked a tonne of logs a couple of weeks previously!)

I do have some good friends here, thanks, plus my parents about 5 minutes away!! I had to have an emergency hysterectomy about a year ago and one friend made dinner for us nearly every night for weeks while I recovered - we didn't ask, and actually my husband does most of the cooking anyway - but she just started ringing him to say she had fish pie or whatever ready for him to pick up!!

If you want to see my x rays, click on my username to go to my profile and then click on my photos

That pink chair-bed looks brilliant - exactly what I need

I got a glass of water from the tap. Living on the edge that's me.

I would go to the doctors as well tweety but if you are in or near South Warwickshire I can recommend my osteopath.

mabelene bloody hell!

Don't worry Scone I'm an extreme case, you only see that sort of metalwork in scoliosis or accidents - it's strange but I never really gave it a thought, I had a pronounced hump on one side but it wasn't that obvious in clothes, and I just thought everyone had back pain all the time so just carried on regardless. I think that's why I get away with no medication, I've never really known any different, so it's normal for me

Must admit I have heard mixed things about osteopaths. People who 'put their back out' seem to benefit from the clicking it back into position approach. Some do the massage type approach, which I would be ok with. A really good physio is more my thing, though. Can recommend mine in SW London.

tweety I second the GP route and getting it on record. If you need to get referrals for MRI scans etc it will help.

I like the link above, I am having a session with an Alexander Technique teacher tomorrow as part of Pain Management. I always have a pillow under my knees, just do it automatically. I'm really interested to learn what it is about. I've done Pilates for years, is it much different?

wow! you lot have been nattering a lot

My top tips of the day for managing back pain before reading all the chat:

steal your child's hot water bottle, prop yourself up with multiple pillows, tuck water bottle in the base of your spine, bend knees upwards with another pillow or three underneath.

Open box of boozy cherry chocolates that were meant to be for Christmas, eat the entire lot while MN'ing.

OK. So, it doesn't stop it hurting, but man those chocolates are good and the heat is lovely

Good tip Pavlov. I'm on the peppermint tea, dark chocolate and feet up remedy this evening.

I have also just realised that I haven't helped dh with clearing the dinner dishes all week.

Pavlov, you can move into my place! I've got exactly the set up you describe all around the house. I call them my nests. As comfy as it gets...don't fancy the chocs, though. Maybe a G&T?

Finding myself on MN too much. Any tips for cutting down. Can't help feeling I should be reading a good improving book. Or ironing.

I'm going out. Yippee. Hardly ever do so looking fowRd to it and know the place well and it's pretty comfortable. Have a good evening everyone.

I know some osteopaths are terrible, but with acute pain as tweetytwat is one I visit would just massage and help to relax muscles

Well still in pain today but well controlled with the painkillers but bloody hideous when breakthrough happens and it took ages to kick in today.

I have found a local osteo recommendation - I'm up north so that's in hand if I decide to go for it. I was going to try to get some NH work, was in a desk job for a well known helpline which has been destroyed recently for last few years before the children so not done hands-on nursing for a while.