More Terrible Back Stories

[Matildathecat]

This is the support thread for all sufferers of back pain. Acute, chronic, agony or niggles, we are strictly non competitive. All newcomers very welcome. (Though be warned, the language can be a little 'ripe' ).

Here are our previous threads:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1871592-The-Back-Story
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1992406-The-Back-Story-Continues

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.

So come and join us for moans, advice, downright rants or just a laugh.

Shit day here too, Matilda! In pain walking & sitting & even worse pain standing. At the moment it's awful in the calf - like a constant cramp. Hip is crap too - is that likely to be from the nerve as well?

Have had a houseful of boys - our two & a couple of their friends - as it's a strike day. They're all lovely & no trouble but just the extra food prep. & clearing up has done for me. Feeling a bit useless, really.

Have taken the 10mg amitriptylline a bit early to try & work out if it is actually doing anything for the nerve pain, rather than just helping me to sleep. I will discuss it with the GP but want to have a clearer idea of whether it's any good for me first.

I was wondering about frozencherries too!

So sorry your back is back Downton

for all today's oweies

Many thanks, girls. I'll take the

Well, nothing else has worked...

Oh and maizie, good wishes for your exam.xxx

sorry some of you are having a bad day.

I always assumed that you'd be in your stomach for MRI scan of back?

Lots of coming your way everyone and the missing icon also. Now take your drugs and go to bed! As I say to dd you don't have to go straight to sleep, you can do some online shopping in bed (actually my dd does like to look on eBay in bed but she is not allowed to buy anything, I expect this is bad parenting I do sometimes read to her, oh well at least I have taught her to look for the best deals).

I managed to watch the first episode to Orange is the New Black - love it! I promised DH I would try to stay away for longer than 10 mins after children go to bed! He said he understands, and he has actually been quite empathic and less annoyed, but I need to make efforts to ride through my default position of going to bed. In bed now though

Pain has been high today, almost bailed at work, until presented with some huge issues to deal with. Not great as I was peaking on the tramadol at 10am trying to make serious decisions and have intellectual conversations while away with the fairies, but not high enough to stop the pain, I must have been a right sight, as my admin sort of took over some stuff for me gently and without making a deal, just sort of guided me in the right direction Pain increased, numbness has increased, some groin numbness now but that comes and goes so not worried, mostly when I sit. In fact when I sit, get pins and needles in my right foot which I have not had for ages, since long before surgery, as it was mostly my left leg. Bloody physio irritated it all.

downton can you contact your neurosurgeon directly? If he has said he will keep it open you can go back to him. My surgeon told me before surgery that if at the time I felt the pain was bearable, I could opt out and it would mean that if it returned within less than 12 months he would just put me back on his list, and if after he would request MRI to see what is going on and then back on his list if required.

Might be worth asking him for the MRI, and not the GP? Perhaps you can talk to his secretary and explain what has happened? Or is this the one in London? Maybe you can ask him to refer you to the neuro in your area?

I am baffled as to why straight to gabapentin, especially if not nerve pain (although clearly nerve stuff going on as you know, with numb foot etc) Also, side affects are much stronger than pregabalin, it's all about cost there though.

Matilda is right about meds groups, you can mix the groups, but not within them (well, actually, you can, be carefully and with guidance from us experts .

Definitely ask for pain clinic referral, insist. Then you can discuss injections, they are great for lots of people, even if it only provides relief for a short while, it's enough.

Keep an eye on your pins/needles and numbness, you know the red flag signs for cauda equina don't you?

matilda sorry you are suffering for your MP meeting yesterday. I do hope it was worth it and you get somewhere, but whatever happens, you have fought the corner for everyone who has been shafted by ATOS.

I shall go read more now.

losty not heard from you for a while, hope you are ok?

We are missing some others. scone has disappeared - hope you are recovering ok?

loon keep an eye on the leg cramp. I remember being told to monitor leg cramps due to risk of DVT. I can't remember the signs/symptoms, so might be worth checking it on NHS website. I can't remember who told me, but someone with lots of back problems, disc in particular said they had several scares of DVT due to cramping in legs, always checked out but never anything other than linked with nerve pain but was told to always get it checked if worried.

matiilda I had a glass of wine today. And you know what? I drank only half of it! never done that. Except. Once. When I then promptly threw up. DH looked at me and said 'you are not pregnant are you?! and I laughed and said 'no! or else I would be barfing!' but, what if my pang is a body thing, not a yearning thing? that would Not Actually be Good...

apologies for another 'me' post but can I ask:

I am currently on: 2 x lyrica per day. 2 x amitriptyline per day. 1 x naproxen and 1 x omeprazole per day. Plus recently given 30/500 cocodamol for if pain bad. This regime only been going a couple of weeks so early days. Awaiting MRI (prev 3 yrs ago showed 'degeneration to L5 / S1 and S2'). Poss compressed peroneal nerve in legs / feet.

I have to have root canal treatment very soon. I am petrified. Previously dentist has had to stop work as I was hyperventilating / getting giddy / sobbing . I have a real phobia about dental work and am very very anxious about the root canal work. I want to ask GP if I can have a sedative, but, given I am already taking the above lot, will they just laugh at me, do you think / say I cannot take anything further.
(it is not the potential pain I am afraid of, but simple fear which is phobic in its intensity)

Sorry if this is off topic but I couldn't think where else to ask?

first my pharmacist friend told me it was fine to take 4mg of diazepam when I was taking 10mg nortryptiline x 1, 60mg codeine x 4 daily, plus naproxen and omepreazole. She said the doses were sufficiently low enough to not be problematic.

I would ask the question. I don't think it's out of the question that it's not too much on top of everything else, but I would not like to say for sure, as you are taking more of the amy/gaba stuff than I was taking, but not stupidly more, which is why I think it's worth asking for sedation.

I can understand why you'd want it. I'm anti taking lots of drugs (phobic) BUT more phobic about dental work, injections, etc. so I'd take even more if faced with it. GP will know whether it'd be possible.

Yes. It's me!

Can you tell

I had to protect my secret agent identity. lol

Anyone had this weird thing:
If I eat sugary/ fatty food, my joints hurt, my legs swell and I sweat all over.

thanks.
I will ask GP.
Problem is, GP is vile and wont listen.
I prob wont be able to get work done otherwise as I gag etc in panic and dentist has to stop.
Aaargh. I HATE approaching my GP as soooooooooooo patronising and unhelpful. Grrr. Wish me luck.x.

Ask to see alternative one. Just wondering, would it b better to change gp if he's an arse/ if you're uncomfortable w him, anyway. I'm sure u have yr reasons for sticking w him.

Frozen - v rural - only 1 practice available with 2 permanent GP's, one of whom is Head of Practice, other of whom is fellow parent of dc's best friend (so v tricky) and very prominent at school / church / Scouts etc. Head of Practice is an arse. Other isn't, but too close for comfort and HOP kills all referrals / offers of help anyway. Occasional locum, who is pounced upon by entire village (who have probs with both other GP's for reasons stated) and cant get a bleeding appointment. Gah!

I think dentist may be able to prescribe sedatives. You could ask and explain your problem with GP if necessary.

I am feeling a bit funny on the Gabapentin. I've been headachy yesterday and today and I had a woozy/funny turn tonight. I couldn't focus properly and my eyes felt very heavy.

I know my pain is mostly muscular at the moment and I need something stronger than paracetamol/ibuprofen for that.

Should I ask to see another GP and state my case? I have made the first bookable appointment with the Dr I would prefer to see, but it's for a week on Tuesday. I really feel the last GP was poor (trainee). I was perfectly happy on Pregabalin before,.

Hiya all, I typed a long post hours ago but it didnt get to you i think- but if it did and i repeat things then sorry.
hiyaa and nice to meet you to frozencherries ( i am slow- are you also downton then?
I had bad time in an mri too as lying flat makes pain level go up a lot- but later on that day and I was there for nearly an hour, kinda set me back permanently.
Thanks for thinking of me matilda, I didnt do as much revision (or rather vision, no re about it) because dh was ill yesterday but I think it went ok. They drop your lowest mark from the lot so you get one fuck up
firstchoice there are "sensitive/ gentle dentists", my dh goes to one as he also has dentist phobia because a dentist didnt believe him when the injection hadnt worked and didbnt stop- so he has to get sedated. they give you the prescription and you take it before your appointment. It is a really good system, look for one in your area.
About to go to bed, very tired as only got 3 ish hours last night.
hasnt it suddenly gone cold today, hope the warm sunny weather comes back soon.
Any fellow painters on here, am getting set up to try with oils- mostly have been using wtaercolour paint but I am attracted to the vibrancy of oils like a moth to a flame
I am part of a fb group of mums with kids same age (from when we were expecting) and I have a play date to go to soft play near her next Friday and i am ridiculously excited. I love meeting up with bods I have talked to online and become friendly with - think it satisfies a complex evolutionary social aim. I have met about half of the bods on the fb group so far. the largest meet was about 18 people, one mum on there has a nother group from an elder child and she is still in touch with them after 10 years!
sorry i digress, but then i do that a lot.
Last timed essay done now, just a multiple choice on fri, then no more "exams" just few assignments, home essays etc until the end of the year.
in May we have "research school" and its culmination is organising, running and reporting an experiment in a group- very much looking forward to that.
Apparently ds spillt some milk on himself this morning and said "mum",aw.
I rang the ward that did my op to find out when my appt with the consultant- "hip clinic" is as i thought i'd lost it but they looked on the system ad cant find me at all so seems i have gotten forgotten about(super glad the doc referred me already to pain team now since there'll be a delay now maybe)- have to ring back monday if no letter arrives with appt in the mean time.
so sorry to hear some of you are in pain- pavlov and matilda, and any others I have missed in your post, hope you feel a bit more onto an even keal soon. It is really shitty if you get used to a certain equilibrium and then it gets knocked, very disheartening, look after yourselves honeys

feels like there are 101 things i need to sort out (for work, benefits, uni, to name a few) and it is a bit overwhelming. have made a list so hopefully this will help get it under control :)
Do you know what kind of technique your counsellor uses matilda- she sounds nice anyway, a good channel to vent.
downton have you asked your doc about amitryptyline, if the gaba doesnt go the whole way you can take both i have just been advised.
how long do you guys think pain clinic referrel will take? I bow to your collective experience. remember i'm in Southwark so prob add a bit o any estimate.
Have had a bad week for machines- managed to smash the tstove top and crack the side of my phone in one day and my nana always said these things come in threes so wonder what i will total tomorrow. luckily i do not own a car!
mothers day plans- oh crikey i need to send the card tomorrow oops
anyway, going over either friday night or sat morning and spend sat and sun at parents', will take dd and have loose plans to do something all together, go out somewhere etc- i did say loose, wether will affect obvs as well
Either sun or mon meeting up with the lovely matilda" of our thread's fame - deffo in the mood for lots more coffee and cake- wear your looser trousers matilda* and I can unleash my nearly 2-yr-old secret weapon of cuteness upon her too
I was planning to go see my sister in Redhill but trying to thinkthrough the details as i may have to come home to feed the cat in between. Also not sure best way to go from surbiton to Redhill, not very direct and think going up to clapham and back down to redhill will be a bit horrendous, need fiuther investigation. I prob will have dd in a buggy, she does walk a lot everywhere but its quite a big ask to not take one at all, hmmmm, not sure.
hope you all have a pain-free night and might hope you sleep through till am ok and dont get a early wake-up, you too pavlov re the early rising kids, they are such larks from spring onwards

oh no downton I know this situation as had a similar one afetr my stitches with dd. I had diclofenac and had taken it with first pg (cs) and had no issues- my doc changed it to naproxen because he thought it was less hard on the liver and i had a reaction to it, lip puffed up madly and had to go to in ambulence with dd in tow (3 weeks old!) a&e to get seen and had to drag her around with me and bf in the hosp etc. you just feel so annoyed because the other option was "tried and tested". my sympathies, how horrid for you.
they may say to wait it out a bit though. I take Amitryptyline and it took 7-10 days for the side effects to die down. Are you getting support while this is going on?
this does not fill me with great expectations since i am starting it soon too. fx it goes away for you.

Maizie, although it must b a pain to get around, I'm relieved to hear you've no car when you're ok Operation Total safer that way.
What are you studying at Uni? Can't remember.

I had chronic nerve pain in hospital and needed a combo much like a triple I've cream with sprinkles AND a flake:
gabapentin
Flake: OxyNorm
Oxycodone
Sprinkles: Amitriptaline
cone: omeprazole (as an appetizer stomach lining protector)
Appetiser: Laxatives (3/4 types)