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!

Sublime, that does sound like a nasty fall to the ground - inevitably straight down and hard.
We've been chatting about paracetamol helping certain drugs have more of an oooomph!
Can anyone advise on whether Sublime's might be aided, too?

aaaaaw Lost, horrible and painful sensations! My bum one is... like I can feel where they cut the glutes pulling away, just by sitting down.
Naaaaaaice!

Lost -charges are per item so if you are prescribed codine and diclofenac for example, it's £14 something

If you have a nice doctor they will increase the quantity prescribed so 100 will cost the same as 50 tablets but it depends on your gp if they are willing to do this

Goodness that just sounds so wrong and ouchy, urk.

17 bloody hell, that is so much money! I think the Welsh NHS say that they have saved a tonne of money from just not having to deal with all the paperwork for people getting exemptions etc.

goodness this is mine

www.modalu.com/shop/mini-pippa-grab-orange-lizard.html.

Promise no more shopping for me, though just saw sweet little leather wrist thing on eBay that matches. Hmm, must stay firm. No more. Will go and stroke my bag. Actually must use it this week, don't want to turn up at the reunion looking like I've bought a new bag specially and had hair and nails done

Hardly been thinking about my back at all so that's good.

Took my 3rd dose of co codamol for the day about 40 minutes ago and I'm feeling decidedly spacy -doesn't normally have this effect on me and I'm not liking it

Goodness, I have a 6 yr old boy and as lost says, they are wee pickles. Some of it may be his way of coping with everything that's going on too. I have noticed that when my health is worse that ds1 is much more demanding of my time, which is only natural, but a pain, literally, at the time

Thanks for the hand holding, I may have to go back for more bloods on tues or wed as they couldn't get all of the tests done and they were trying to phone the consultant to see if she would do them in the hospital or if she wanted the results before I saw her on thurs.

I'm very thankful that we don't have to pay for prescriptions here in Scotland and before we moved here I had just been diagnosed with hypothyroidism so I got free prescriptions. Before that I got the pre-payment card. It is extortionate and it sounds like things in Wales are even worse!!

Pavlov hope you have had a great day and the meds have kept on working.

Matilda, the bag is gorgeous

17 I know what you mean exactly. Most times I take the meds with no strong reaction then occasionally I feel totally stoned. I think you just have to sit it out. Hopefully will pass in a couple of hours. Are you leaving four hour intervals? If so maybe try six and see if that helps. I often feel the codeine lingering for much more than four hours.

Speaking of which I'm feeling very ouchy but haven't yet had any codeine or tramadol today. Just about to remedy that. Pain is so odd. With me there's pretty much no rhyme or reason so it's very hard to manage.

Matilda, LOVE the bag you bought! I have the same 'hold off from the alluring matching purse' thing going on. Am resisting cos I bought LOTS of bags yesterday but I'm not telling you about the others as would have to admit it to myself.
Mandarin us the new black!

I have found that since all my 'shit' kicked off, I've had a need to buy brights! Orange mostly. Makes me happy.

Helibee, what an annoying thing that is - fir tests to be dragged out cos they aren't organised to know! Been in that situation, too. I remember my 'last two weeks' pre-op very clearly. Most days were stolen from me by spontaneous tests being urgently sprung on me. Felt pissed off.

Greetings bad backers. I'll be joining you if that's ok.

Anyone else absolutely dread sneezing in case it puts your back out?!

Yep I left 4 hours, going to hold off until bedtime for the next dose though I think

Dd has made a chilli so I'm going to have some and see if it wakes me up a bit

Going to see if I can get an appointment tomorrow -I've had an awful weekend

Hi Nancy!
Sneezing is fine for me if wearing a sanitary towel well theta an introduction but sitting down or getting in a car, don't get me started. Lol
Welcome.

Ha I was about to say that worrying about my back when I sneeze at least distracts me from worrying I'll wee Hello Nancy!

Nancy, I'm with you there. I had to sneeze a few weeks ago and held my back as tightly as I could with one hand whilst also gripping my nose with the other. I thought I'd delayed my sneeze and was so proud of myself and then nearly fell off of the chair when I did sneeze about 20 seconds later. Dh and ds1 we laughing so hard they were crying and ds2 was walking around saying "mummy so funny" I was in agony but it must have been a funny sight! Good job I had a pad in at the time too

helibee - yes, I clamp my hands over my mouth whenever I feel a sneeze coming on. I manage to stifle about 50 per cent of them I'd say.

If I can't stifle a sneeze I run to the nearest wall and put my back up against it. God knows what people think when I have to do this in public.

I have to hold on to something, or else I crouch down if I need to sneeze. I always get scared when I sneeze. Welcome nancy.

Oh thank GD I'm not the only person who worries about wetting myself! I'm all for anonymous 'exposures' (not at all the word I was looking for) but I thought of gone too far.
And now I have.
Oh deary me.
Must shut up.
Now.

'I'd' not 'of'

Goodness, I haven't read back yet, but talking about sneezing and pads reminded me. Have you been using your new machine? How did your appt go? Sorry you have prob told everyone already.

Haha helibee. My machine and I are far better aquatinted now than any other appliance around the house (including my DH).
It's really good as gives me some idea of whether I'm doing the exercises properly. My doubts, poor memory and lack of any sensation at all always led me to give up. Saying that, I haven't done it today. Physio not done for two days but I think my big walk around Bicester Village has to count for something (no?)

Gd, I soooo need to name chance now!

Seriously, how do I do that? People on other threads might find out waaaay too much personal info on me!

hiya, hope everyone had a comfortable evening.
the orange bag is lovely, very chic!
have fun at the pennywise farm again pavlov is it nice coffee there?
hiya to nancy, 17 and ....corpse if i havent sid hiya yet
matilda you are so right about [ain differing and being hard to control right) like if you are trying to keep something at just the right level- toohigh, get spacey, too low and in pain.

No more puke hooray! but ds had a nightmare, kept waking and i had to lie along the bottom of the bed and hold his hand for a few hours so today my pain has gone way up- and a new deep ache in my hip joint which was rather persistent. Usually i get all the aches in my back and bum, not my hip where the problem is. It is quite effective for me to have a hot water bott on my back but couldnt really do that with hip-tricky.

deffo find bright colour an aid to a failing mood. I am mad on deep purple and teal - not usually together but it does happen. Have an Accessorise satchel in teal, a cheapie sporty one in purple. Purple is the perfect mix of red's agression and blue's calm- asseryive and creative ( and usually viewed as expensive or even royal!). I like alot of the flowery Cath Kidston ones- never used to but my sister is mad on her and so I have shopped for her so many times I now like it too. So much for familiarity breeding contempt!

My posts have been a bit huge so far so I wil try not to ramble on this time too much.
T minus 3.5 days before the op. Have stocked up on paramol and got my omeprazole and codeine prescriptions but yes each one is £7.85 a time- i should look into that card thing some of you get.I am paying 25p for each 15g codeine pill!.
Tomorrow I have to meet with my boss at 9am.
At 1pm I have a hair appt for the roots- tidy myself a bit so I dont feel glum about my appearance while getting better, as one can.
The time in between I might go up oxford street as it is nearby (boss is in cannon st). I was going to try to work on my essay but i havnt prepared myself so i can do it when i get back/ evening.
I really need to fit in a pilates class- tue eve or weds early am. have uni all day weds and catchup with our main lecturer after classes. Weds eve spend time with my 2 little kiddies and dh. Would like to squeeze a visit to softplay with ds and dd if pos - maybe one on each afternoon of mon and tue if i get back quite quick from the hairdresser, argh, too little time always!
sweet dreams

Maizie, that's a jam packed week-ish you've got there!
Sounds like you would benefit from the pharmacy card thingy.
I never ramble (lol - WHAT a fib)! I'm convinced that those who see my posts skip them as you'd avoid cracks in the road.

I reckon I'm paying about 0.00000001p per pill!

That's because I have the pre payment card and swallow a lot of pills so not something to celebrate but I do love a bargain

Feel that after four weeks of numb bum since the SIJ injection may have worn off. Awful sicky pain in bottom / hip last night. When it's better I forget so quickly what it's like. I wonder if a lot of hip pain is actually trapped nerves and not really hip at all. I've got a similar hip history to maizie and also had hip pain just before my back went. I don't think it's a coincidence.

Hate the sicky feeling in my bum