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!

pavlov it was probably me saying there could be an inflammation element to your flare ups. so sorry it's really bad again. I got through the week , still feel crap but off for half term so I'll cope.

for all the achey people must go and download Frank

denial shall I blame you then i definitely think there is inflammatory stuff going on as it gets worse when i stop naproxen, and there it feels like it's not just mechanical, whether it's the disc spitting out gunk or what, definitely eminating from that area of my spine and outwards.

Cold I bet it was such a brilliant post we would have all felt inferior and you'd have killed the thread, the internet was looking out for you. We will all remember the awesome post that never was .

livelab having a crap back sucks your confidence though doesn't it? I hope you can sort a better job soon.

Pavlov that is excellent advice, I will now never be tempted to cut a tramadol in half well unless I need seriously distracting from real life. Injection is tomorrow, I have been googling if I should have the sedation offered and as DH has he day off and my parents will have have the children all night I am using sedation as a good reason to ignore valentines day and lie on the sofa in my jammies .

glad you have half term off denial, will you get a chance to relax a little? I have to work most of it, training and most of my team have children so we can't all take the week off. However, on the plus side, I have over a week left to take as leave before end of march, so I am going to take one or two days a week off until my leave is cleared! how great is that?! Starting from week after next (two days off next week) I am going to think about that as I struggle at work and use it to get me through the weeks, try not to take more sickness off, especially after my new good fortune work wise, don't want them to fire me before I get the feel the benefits of being a civil servant

losty normal tramadol is fine, and I had done that on occasions with no problem (although any pharmacist would be at me even saying that I am sure) and that is why i didn't even consider it problematic with slow release, but they are made up differently. And, so are the slow release capsules, I had been splitting the capsules into around half, those are fine, as they are little beads, and they remain slow release beads when not in the casing. But, the slow release 6tablets they are the ones that are layers. And as such, I just did as I had done before, when the pharmacy gave me pills not capsules. It took me a while, and some help from MNers to figure out what the actual fuck was going on with me and if I should beg it to hospital. So, just don't try it. Wow, I sound like some of my clients

I have just asked my pharmacist friend about diazepam (she is consultant level, so proper knowledgable about this shit) and she said it is absolutely fine as doses are so low for diazepam and nortriptyline. So, yey !

cold how old is your toddler again? 3?

Work - I took uber amounts of time off. toddler, i had to teach DS from aged 2 to not run into mummy, to hold my hand and not be carried, to not be picked up all the time. I had mucho mucho tears from him and me as I didn't want to stop picking him up (or my older DD for that matter, they are my babies), but he had to learn the tough way. Unfortunately, he was not a quick learner.

cbeebies is fabulous, as a sticker books (thanks to puddlejumper who sent me some down one time) as it meant I could do those with him while in bed. Lots of stories, nursery rhymes on the ipad, snack food when DH was not around, relying on friends, grinning and bearing.

And, MN. Oh god dread to think where I would be without the fabulous MNers who helped me through some fucking shit times. You must use us to get advice, moan, shout, cry, and when things go well, celebrate. And to share links to shoe sales.

Fuck knows Coldlight, I am mostly treating life as one of those terrifying Japanese game shows where they push you to extreme limits. Hopefully my mahoosive big prize is coming very soon. I do love growling at children though, how do you get paid to do that? I'll be in your folk band too, when's first rehearsal?

denial I think she has an inflammatory element too, shall we write her a note for the doctors? I can do good medical words.

losty i love that idea! we so are in those torture type shows aren't we? get given a little bit of reprieve, before back straight into it all again!

my DD does growling at people. I wonder if that's what I do without realising she growls at her DB when she is cross, like some wild creature. It's quite unnerving as she is normally lovely and empathic!

cold it was horrible. I cried a lot during that time, I felt like such a bad parent. it was never meant to be that way. He was meant to be carried, like his sister had been. He was meant to ram into my legs in a rugby tackle, and have sleepy cuddles from the car. And DD. it was so unfair on them. It still is, but it's more normalised for them (and me to some extent) now. DD has grown into a wonderfully compassionate child (she always has been luckily) and 'looks after me' but she is 7. I had a blog (well, still do but stopped writing on it as I was always so down when i wrote, I needed a break) and wrote some of the things I felt at the time. Maybe I will post a link to one of them. But, you might cry again. I cry sometimes if I re-read them as it was a sad time.

Pavlov there is a good probability that it is ok to take the 2 drugs together but you need to get it checked and check the dosage. If you can get OOH to check it out for you they may look it up if they are being nice.

Oh, and he is 4 now. Sometimes he forgets he can't jump on mummy (i remind him!) sometimes I forget that I can't pick him up and I do. Actually now he is 4, and as he is little for his age, he doesn't wiggle and if he jumps when I grab him under the arms, he takes his own weight into the air and then I can carry him, or he can stand on a chair and I will pick him up from there. But not too often. It's probably why he still comes into our bed though, at 4am or so every day. That and he knows I can't carry him back to his own room

live I did better than OOH i checked with my pharmacist friend. She said it's fine as they are low doses (apart from codeine which I have taken 60mg, but that's also fine).

Oh good just saw you found out that drugs ok.

Its good to have a pharmacist friend!

I forget to ask her things actually! I was about to call OOH, then thought, ah XY can answer this if she is about. And she did, and then we had a chat about our families!

That's great is it helping? You never know with ooh they might tell you or might be awkward.

I used to carry my dd a lot and I don't think that helped my back. I used a sling for walks but used to lug her about the house and things. Sad not to be able to carry the little ones though. I picked up my nephew when my back was really bad, couldn't resist.

It is good for kids to do things for themselves, so I don't think we need to worry about making them walk or even help with chores or fetching something for you sometimes. What I find hard is having the energy mental as well as physical to do things together. My dd has got into some bad ways since I have been bad watching a lot of TV and staying up late and things. Even though I am feeling a lot better it is hard to get back to what we did before.

Just butting in here. Too tired (woken from drug-like stuper by 3 and 6 year old. Latter seems determined to wake me every fucking morning to check if I'm here n ok by asking some inane question. Grrrr
By the way, he growls, like an animal, when angry. We actually call them 'animal noises'. I'm a teacher. Turow firm home and supply teach. My first day booked into a school is 12/13 march. I hope ok ready!

Yesterday, I didn't take my oxyNorm. Today, after speaking to the pain team lady at hospital (thank gd for her as go only wants to see me every two weeks to count my fucking pills!), I'm cutting down from 15 to 10mg oxycodone slow release. I'm treating it like a challenge. Rock on!

That's great goodness better to talk to pain team lady than GP anyway as she is probably an expert. I expect you will feel more normal once you cut out the really strong drugs, but don't go too fast. Go steady as our motto is!

I am feeling TFI Friday today. Hope I don't get moaned at over yesterday's work problem, it wasn't really my fault but can't help thinking it over and wishing I had avoided it. Blah. Our catering unit is an outside contract to the rest of the workplace and I am the only kitchen staff member, so you feel a bit on your own when things go wrong. Still at least it is the last day before half term. I am going to see dds class play after work also which should be nice.

Listening to Frank Turner with a mahoosive cannula in the back of my hand. Nearly time, eeek!

How did it go lost? Hope it helps.

pavlov sorry you are flaring up again so soon. What a bummer. Hope you can rest over the weekend.

Home. . Made the most of my comfy bed/seat, though.. Oh to be super wealthy...