The Back Story Continues

[Matildathecat]

This is the support thread for all sufferers of back pain. Everyone most welcome to join.

Here's our first thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1871592-The-Back-Story

My story long and grim but basically had failed surgery for disc prolapse, then further failed surgery to attempt to salvage the situation. I have nerve root damage and severe scarring around the nerve at L5 which won't get better. I'm 48, can't work, take a lot of drugs and have a blue badge. Currently battling several different agencies for ill health retirement and other benefits.

But I'm ok, having some fun despite the pain and have made some lovely friends on here.

Please post and include your story if you'd like to. No niggles too small, this is strictly non competitive!

Home early from training couldn't do it. Sat for an hour in hard chair, tried to get into comfy position. Spent the rest of the time standing and my back popped, grinded as I stood up, and as the morning went on, I could feel the muscles tightening and my leg pain increasing and the tears welling up. Trainer. Already well aware of situation, she was fine with me leaving early, and told boss, back in spasm at the very moment I s talking to him, legs shaking, so I barely spoke to him. Just 'yep' to most of what he said and the got the fuck out if there. Ok, that sound like it as fast, but it was pigeon steps to car where DH collected me early. Luckily I have tomorrow off work as annual leave anyway, shame it's going to be spent me laid up.

I have taken shit tons of meds, cancelled kids swimming lessons and am about to catch up on your posts from yesterday and today.

Another

Another poor

I knew my phone was messing about and am relieved it didn't post "another poo"and then cut out . I was going to put another poor thing for Pavlov. hope lying down with hottie and drugs is helping.

Pavlov that sounds horrid. There's nothing worse than a plastic chair is there? Especially when it's combined with a feeling of obligation! I hope your pain settles down tonight and that you can hobble about a bit tomorrow.

I went to the doctors for my results and saw someone else. She was really lovely and actually listened and asked a lot of questions. Apparently I'm anaemic, but as I haven't had a period for 5 months they need to investigate where I'm bleeding from so she's referring me to a gastrologist. She says it might be a bleeding ulcer or similar but can't tell without putting a camera down. Yay! She thinks my periods have stopped because my weight has reached a "critical point". I've been putting the weight loss and lack of appetite down to all of the pills and pain, but the doctor says it may be something else as may the wrap around pain below my ribs. Everytime she asked me something the answer was "I assumed it was because of my back" or " I thought it was the pills", I've never really considered anything else. Duh. Oh well, a quick camera down my throat will tell!

Hope everyone has had good days.

Well great you have a helpful doc but eew for camera down the throat but I hope they give you some answers. Did you mention the pelvic numbness when you spoke to her?

cowmop I almost spat my coffee out when I read your recollection of your doctor experience! How tactless are they?! Glad you have seen a nicer doctor that has not put it all down to your weight, as you know that's not the case. Hope they get the referral quickly so you can get some answers, then maybe you can start feeling Bette with the right treatment. What she say about pelvic numbness?

live DH is not upset about the USA thing, I have not said I won't go, just that I have fears about travel and why. He thinks I will be 'fine'. Where is that Pain Transfer Device? I remember someone saying to me before my back was formally a problem that I should go to USA and hope it goes while as the travel insurance would sort it all out for me! Sort of wish I had done that! As I expect they won't cover my back now either matilda It's part of the reason we have for now ruled out moving over there for a bit, as I probably won't get medical insurance over there for it or it will be astronomical.

My friend with the bad back I mentioned has talked about going to the us for an op he felt might help but was not offered here. He says he thinks medical care abroad is better as you pay directly for it, fine if you can afford it.

Anyway I hope your back is a little better now.

live my MIL lives in the US. She is 80, and has, in the last two years had both hips replaced as soon as they became a problem, within 6 months of each other (less than that I think) and a cochlear implant as she has been deaf for many many years, but had pretty much lost all hearing in one ear so worth a go. She had it done through the insurance and is now as fit as ever health wise, and most certainly fitter than me. She climbed mount kilimanjaro at 74, and before she went, her insurance paid for her to have all sorts of tests to ensure she was physically fit enough to cope with the walking, and the altitude (heart, lungs etc). It has more than paid for itself, especially as she has not had it forever as not always lived in US. My US family were when the first saw me with my back problem, as it went the first serious time that I didn't ever really recover from when I was with them at Christmas in UK. They were like you need an MRI now! I looked at them like they were crazy and they looked at me the same when I explained that was like gold dust, as all their insurance would most likely have just had the disc removed there and then! Although it's also not good for many things as they were also that we did not give our children antibiotics for a runny nose and fever. But, they will get a chest infection and pneumonia!! I remember DD got an ear infection when she was about 5 months old, probably related to the plane journey to NM, and when we saw the doctor over there (cost us $190 for trip and ABs) we were given ABs, told my GP over here what she had and the dose and the GP was like at it! he said typical american doctors, and that he would rarely give that particular AB, as a last resort, and the dose was like 3 times what he would give for first infection for a 5 month old! But then, my GP has diagnosed an ear infection with DS and said he wanted to see it run its course for a few days, and it did work itself out. The US family almost died with shock at that.

Pain, flu feeling, muscle spasms. bleurgh.

oh and MIL was in hospital for a while with all ops she had done, with The Best Care.

My friend also used her travel insurance in US. She had a serious ski accident (she was pg at the time, lets not even go there) and her medical bill was like £90k. She was given the best surgeon in the area who was a top ski accident surgeon, she was transferred to rehab clinic there. The insurance wanted her back in UK for second/third op and this surgeon said no way. He said she would not get the same standard of care or op and that his team could make the difference between her walking properly again and not and was not confident of that happening in the UK (she had broken her thigh bone in half - femur? and had a titanium plate put in to fix it, also ripped all but one of the ligaments/tendons or whatever it is that hold the knees in place from her knee on other leg, she had them replaced with artificial ones). So, even the docs in the US don't value our treatment that highly.

Cowmop, thank you. I'll just go all n see. No choice anyway. Lol
Sitting at slimming world. Put on 4 lb. no waaaay
Must b the meds and constipation as I've not eaten anything more indulgent than a muller light. Last of my problems and in perspective, it's silly to care but am wondering: would my meds affect my weight?

My arse hurst sitting here. Have to wedge my hand behind my bum n sit lop sided. But again, in the big picture of things, it's early days and I'm lucky just to have just that.

goodness I've heard anecdotal reports of people putting on weight on amitriptyline. But face it you need it and four pounds it's just so big poo

Pavlov and Live I didn't mention the pelvic numbness. The appointment was for test results and by the time she'd gone over everything, felt my tummy, weighed me and given me more pills I just didn't think to ask. It's not been right for a while, I just didn't really think much about it until Matilda and a couple of others mentioned it.

Goodness I can't believe you're back at SW already or that you could possibly have put weight on. I'm very familiar with the dead hand wonky sit, hopefully it will be short lived for you.

Go steady everybody and night night.

goodness I think your great just for getting to the meeting! I expect some of those drugs can affect weight, also some of the weight gain could be fluids I expect you have some inflammation and things.

pavlov what surprised me is my friend has a Thai wife and he feels that medical care is better in Thailand. This may be because he thinks everything is wonderful in Thailand though!

The good is definitely better in Thailand.

After a teary-moody rant night, I did actually laugh out loud reading your 'dead hand wonky sit' description. I must be a natural.

Yes, when the four types of laxatives eventually get everything moving and OUT, it's better be a 6 pounder!
Slimming world has always been my only evening out. Cinema with DH, predictably most Saturdays (BT : before tumour). But SW is full of friendly faces and I've lost 2 and something stone since I had my daughter 3 years ago. Took me a while cos I ... like to eat. Lol
Have felt so much happier as a result as was quite depressed for a loooong time before that. I know this stuff is all v v superficial but I don't want to feel bad about myself as a 'going home present' from the crap (not enough, clearly) I'm going through.
Gd, what a moaning Minnie I am tonight! Ignore the Whinger on the corner!
Xxx

cowmop I think that pelvic numbness is something they always tell you to look out for, and it is quite urgent to see dr about it. A bit weird no one has picked up on it when you have seen lots of Drs recently. But if it is a new thing you should probably go back tomorrow, or at least ring your Dr for advice. I think they would want to see you.

goodness its great to go to SW even if you don't lose weight much while you are recovering, it will do you good to get out and see friends. Maybe a really good cushion would help you to sit there, you can buy special supportive ones for travelling. I love Thai food, my Thai friend is the slimmest person I know so I think it might be good for losing weight? Hopeful emoticon.

pavlov just saw your thread about your dd hurting her wrist, hope she is ok tomorrow.

Oh, how disappointing. I thought i'd invented the dead hand wonky sit. .

goodness, I'm off to Weight Watchers this morning. First time since holiday so I'd be fairly ok with four pounds! (Actually that's a lie but you know that). I lost two plus stone about eight years ago and kept it off. When my back first went I lost more. Skinny. Then, very gradually started gaining and hated it so joined WW with my friend last autumn. We lost out ten odd pounds very quickly when we put our minds to it. That weekly weigh in does concentrate the mind! We've kept going even though on target and really enjoy the social side plus (sad me) it's a regular fixture in my week. So I get it. Do try not to fret though and certainly don't be tempted to fiddle with your meds. Meds can't actually make you gain though they might make you slow or hungry. We'll keep plugging away together.

cowmop for me pelvic sensation loss means being unaware of a full bladder until it's very full ( not good for you), plus some ahem loss of sensation in the bedroom department. I don't have retention or incontinence, thank god, just numbness. I believe it's caused by sacral nerve compression. l5/S1?

I posted but it's not here.

It's gone to mumsnet heaven with several of my posts.

Hope you are all out enjoying the sunshine- or commfortably lying on a bed near a window. Bit bummed coz i was planning to go swimming with my dad tonight and visit him and my mum but because he has a bad cold I have cancelled- just in case- as if I got his cold it would nix the op next Friday. It may seem over-cautious but i think it's best. Although there are obvs loads of sick people evrywhere it seems prudent to avoid a known one just for the sake of a week. I'll see them when I go stay with them after the op anyway.

That weight loss sounds a bit worrying cowmop - I have found the opposite since i've had probs with my hip/back but you have had a lot of weight loss too havent you pavlov? Have you tried buying a nutrient drink to just add into your day if you find it hard to eat more? And if you can bear to see someone about the difficulty wee-ing and the pelvic numbness- they sound like things you should get checked out just in case- it could actually be someething unrelated to your back like a uti. I was surprised to find i had one as the pain from back and hips had masked it completely.

I am worried in the back of my mind that the Amitryptyline is making me put on weight, I had been losing since my little girl was born in 2012 but it had plateaued intil i had that gastro bug last week- not the best way to drop a few pounds i can tell you. Do you know anyone if it makes you put on weight directly or through making you hungrier- one you can try to counter but the other not.

It must be hard to decide over the tickets pavlov but it is important to plan things in the future. I got tix for comedy standup in april, in the night garden in june and i have got a hairdresser appt to pep up my roots on monday to try to make me feel less meh after the op. stuff to look forward to does really help- if you cant do the festival maybe plan something else in case you feel letdown grin

why are my grins not working? oh yes

maizie, lots of people do seem to gain weight on these meds. It's listed on the info as a risk. My belief is that you are more likely to gain ie by being more hungry or moving less. Knowledge is everything so I've kept a sharp eye on my weight (see above) and am pretty much on target. I'm also taking Gapapentin which says the same.

It can be very hard when I lounge around so much but exercising as much as is possible does help. It's also true that when the pain is severe hunger vanishes.

Thinking of all those who have too much pain to eat.