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!

[livelablove]

Pavlov so glad you had a great time, and nice to think Frank Turner may also be lying down with a heatpad this morning.

Actually it is great to know people with long term back problems can still have successful careers and a great night out (and nice boots)! Or even if chronic pain prevents a career you can still have a good life like Matilda. As i mentioned above Mum is a Mental nurse and she tells me she quite often has to counsel people who have chronic pain and feel their lives are ruined. So this is good to know, even though i hope we all get better very soon.

[PavlovtheCat]

live oh yes, I agree. I try to look at people with successful recoveries and think that yes, it's possible, even if not to the same standard of success as those people, with hard work it is possible sometimes to get a bit better, and for some, completely better - did you know Ben Ainsley had a discectomy in Dec 2011, prior to winning THREE gold medals at the 2012 Olympics just 7 months after, he was training again in March 2012 - i'm sure I have. And also Andy Murray has reported back problems requiring a discectomy recently, although, I am annoyed that he completely minimised it 'minor back surgery for a small problem' is pretty much what he said. I agree that lots of people ca bounce back, and his type of profession doesn't warrant taking huge amounts of time out, or suggesting to his sponsors that he is not going to make a speedy recovery by talking about the seriousness of the problem, BUT, it re-enforces the stereotype that back problems are not really that complicated or serious, and that surgery on your spine is often minor. It's never, ever minor, even if it is successful and uncomplicated.

Frank Turner referred to them as Fucked Discs and he has written a song about it! It's actually one of my faves and I didn't know til yesterday it was about when he first 'fucked up his back badly' as he put it.

I shall link it. It could become our like Mascot Song or something

[PavlovtheCat]

I doubt he is lying down with a heatpad. He is probably already on his way to London for his next gig tonight. Although I expect his tour bus won't be a National Express type vehicle, he is bound to have lots of lovely beds and things to stretch out on, and a physio on hand and all sorts well, actually not his tour is hardcore!

[Matildathecat]

Speaking of famous people with their back problems, I'm still absolutely seething that last summer David Cameron was flown (at our expense) to an nhs hospital in Oxford from the Scottish Highlands for am MRI and spinal injections because his back was too bad for him to go stag hunting!!!!

It still amazes me that there wasn't more of a fuss when you consider the shit we have to go through to get any kind of treatment at all.

Glad it was all worth it pavlov. I'm sitting here in the evening warmth for my last night here. I fly home tomorrow night so fingers crossed for a god journey. I can't tell a lie, I am travelling in comfort so will be trying to use as many facilities and eat/ drink as much as I can stuff in my face. Then back to earth with a very hard bump. It's been a tonic. I've had such a shit two years in many respects. I needed this although I didn't realise it. I just hope I can sustain it for a while at home. Some hope...

[PavlovtheCat]

i bloody missed that! wow! was a local hospital not good enough for him? We have to manage on the provisions for where we are when we have emergency cover and fight like tooth and nail for anything more than weak opiates and he gets an MRI and injections at a click of fingers? Where was his minimum 6 weeks before back problems are deemed to be worthy of further investigation such as MRI, before being referred into the normal NHS system of a further 4-5 weeks for the MRI appt to come through? I mean, fair enough if he doesn't want to use the NHS, that's his right and to be expected being a Tory who wants to rip it apart, but in that case, he should use his own private medical insurance (and if not covered pay his own way) to bypass the normal medical routes.

[livelablove]

Well I did not hear about that either matilda but it doesn't surprise me. Only this week there have been several people on MN complaining the GP would not even give them adequate painkillers for really serious pain, one was a ruptured disc and they told her to get something from the chemist! I bet they didn't tell David Cameron it was all in his mind and take an ibuprofen.

[Matildathecat]

Ok, I don't read this paper but this was the story.

Let's all hope poor David's back is better since he's shown us so much consideration.

www.express.co.uk/news/uk/423375/David-Cameron-My-back-pain-is-stopping-me-from-deer-stalking

[livelablove]

Yes get well soon David and does this mean we can all have an MRI if we can't go deer stalking and waterskiing? I am feeling a lot better, but still not well enough to waterski so I will have mine tomorrow, can you have me helicoptered back in.time for work please?

pavlov I like lost days I think it could be our theme tune.

I had my last session of physio today, my physio was pleased my back is so much better. She said do you remember that you said your pain was 9/10 at its worse when you first started coming. I didn't remember having said that but that just shows how it has improved. I am not 100% better yet, I still want my MRI Dave! I am still stiff esp my calf and I have those numb tingly places, and gets achey in the evenings and when in an uncomfortable chair but i hope if i keep working on it and exercising i can improve even more. i will be on tour in no time. My plan is to do the exercises they have given me, get better chair, find a back support for the car, start building up my walking and difficult one- lose weight. i might be brave an ask my Thai friend about massage. The physio says exercise is the most important thing, but i think all those little things like comfortable shoes will help.

[PavlovtheCat]

live my fly boots I wore them yesterday to the gig, and they were soooo comfy. I didn't get sore feet like I have before when standing for so long, well I did, but that was nerve pain, rather than bad shoes pain, and the spring in them I am certain meant I could actually jump a bit without my back going completely. So, given they are in a sale...

[magso]

Quite right to buy them Pavlov, it is after all medicinal. I do like Fly boots ( sadly Dh does not). Good you enjoyed your concert.
Matilda, hope you have a lovely evening sun soak and smooth flight back home. It must have done you a power of good just knowing that with a few modifications you can do lovely normal things despite your shiny blue badge. Life can go on with a few modifications. the first year after I became ill I got rather down ( not helped by the lack of medical support) but slowly slowly life has got back to near normal. My first longish walk in the mountains had me on a high for weeks! Ok so I had to 'cheat' with a lift to a pass, so I could walk down hill, (lungs will not allow uphill walks) but the mountains are just as nice which ever way you are walking. I do think doing fun things is so important - perhaps more so for us!
Live I am impressed with my inexpensive amazon seat pad. Its good in the car but might be problematic for taller persons as even my head (5ft1) is close to the roof with the extra height. On the other hand I can at last see over the bonnet!! I'll try and work out how to do a linky. I use a compact Putnum back rest for lower back support - have done for decades so there might be better now. Being short I find the full length ones not right.

[PavlovtheCat]

magso oh, I wasn't clear...the ones I wore to the concert aren't those I linked to. Noooo. I now have three pairs

[magso]

Forgot to mention that the Ikea neck rest ( the one with the sand filled counter balance) is quite good as an inexpensive slim lumber roll. I think it only comes in black but I use one on the computer chair.

[PavlovtheCat]

mags you are so right about the fun things being important. I think we probably take them for granted less, maybe even enjoy them more as we have to pick and choose more carefully what we opt in and out of, and consider the consequences and prepare for those, it's much more than just flippantly going up a mountain without much planning or to a concert, being right at the front, or hopping on a plane with just two hours before flight is due.

I have some great news! Well, probably doesn't mean that much to most of you but, some I think know where I am at with my employment. I won't say too much, but, this morning I got a letter to tell me that there had been an error in sifting, and I am now assigned to the sector that will remain public. Which means I will be a civil servant etc. So, it's still a change of contract, being moved to Home Office, but government not private orgs who will cut salaries by a third. I am not sure I believe it and am half expecting them to change their mind again. but, if it is indeed correct and I will take it as correct, then it's bloody great, although they may well still go down the route of medical retirement if i don't get a grip on my pain levels so they are manageable. But. regardless of everyone at work convincing themselves that private is not worse than public, I had a sense of relief when I got the letter. So or and to everyone to celebrate.

[LostInWales]

Pavlov that's bloody brilliant news . Can I listen to that song near DS'?

I've had great news too a hospital in our trust phoned today and said my pain clinic had been in touch because they can see me quicker (a bit further away but TBH everything is far away from here!) so would I like to come in this Friday for injections to my SI joints under sedation! I am over excited and terrified and scared and worried and excited. The only problem is I have spent 20 years being the radiographer during these so I have watched an awful lot and held a lot of patients hands as they were done, it's not the nicest looking needle . I know OYBBK has had some, anyone else? Could I get away without the sedation or shall I just go for full on chill out mode? What if they don't work? I will be devastated, I feel like I've waited so long for them. Eeeeek.

[PavlovtheCat]

losty he is 14? or your younger one? well, my best friend took his 11 year old with us, for his first concert , actually though, he swears a LOT. And he swore a lot yesterday, both talking and in his songs! however, that particular song, I don't think there are swear words, references to anything illegal or sexual. I will have to go listen to it again to check

[PavlovtheCat]

oops, pressed enter too soon.

That's fantastic news! I think, especially as you have been the radiographer, and have an idea what to expect, you should go for full sedation if you have enough support to help with your children. I can't answer anything about the procedure itself and if it will work, but you can only give it a try.

[livelablove]

great news Pavlov and Losty! No comparisons to Dave Lost as long as you don't go by helicopter.

Love the boots but I find it hard to get a good fit on my calf. I need to stick with the diet for a bit ages. I will have to stick with trainers for now.

magso yes please do a link if you can I am short too. Can you explain how the wedge works? I can't understand it being comfortable to sit at a sloping angle.

[livelablove]

I couldn't listen to the song on.my phone but found it on here losing days

[denialandpanic]

lost good luck with the injections.as you can guess I am very interested.yay Pavlov staying in the warm fur lined rut of the public sector (that's not a criticism I'm a long term member)

[PavlovtheCat]

denial I need slippers now. I wonder if I will be able to move about the civil service like my mother did? Currently we are not civil servants, neither are we local government workers. We are public sector employees, so that route of transferring to other civil service posts have never been open. I wonder if that will change. I said to DH for a joke that I could join the foreign office and be a diplomat. He pointed out, laughing hard, that would require some diplomacy and I probably the least diplomatic person he knows

[LostInWales]

That song is great Pavlov, he's quite easy on the eye isn't he . I can't quite hear all the words properly but tomorrow I might get my super dooper new bone conduction headphones delivered so I will include it in my listening to music I can finally hear afternoon. Is it a bit odd I like him even more because he had ear moulds like me? I know his are because he is a fabulous gorgeous musician but y'know, bad back, ear moulds, he's obviously my spiritual twin .

Will go for the full on sedation, DH is going to try and have a day off work which is tough as he is a primary school teacher but there will be a way and my parents are going to have the children over night, it's the first time in a long time I've had family around to help so it's just perfect timing. Did you know that in the fact sheet they emailed me it says I can't sign any legal documents for 24 hours after the sedation, that has made me grin. I should try and live blog it to you all as I have it done, could be worth a laugh

[livelablove]

Oh dear just made an undiplomatic comment on aibu, must be listening to Frank Turner that does it.

[livelablove]

cold everyone is very lovely and if you need any advice on your back they are experts. Or if you want to eat and drink and chat about Frank Turner also fine