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.

FirstChoice, that's terrible (GP drama). Shit.

No I'm not Downton.

Hello all -- I have had a wonky back since falling down a flight of stairs in 1995 while carrying a laundry basket. I landed on the small of my back on the floor. For a few months afterwards I had horrible pain but then one day I felt a click and after that just the odd twinge, on my left side. I began to feel back strain and pain on the lower right side a few years later and that has continued on and off. If I overdid the housework or did too much heavy lifting I would end up hobbling around and very stiff.

Then in the last 8 months I have had four episodes where my right hip feels as if it's dislocated. The first episode was accompanied by muscle spasms in my right leg, especially around the upper thigh/groin, and some numbness and lack of movement in my right foot. Trying to bend it normally to walk required a lot of effort and was quite painful. I have iced my hip and done a lot of resting through these episodes, and taken aspirin. The episodes after the first one did not involve side effects in my foot. However, even though I have almost full use of my foot back, I still feel slightly numb in the big toe and parts of my lower right leg.

Oh no, M.A. What do the docs. & medics say?

Maizie, your FB art group sounds fabulous! I've made a couple of really good friends from MN which supported me, albeit virtually, through jumping onto my FB group. They've helped to get me through! An art group sounds exciting. I love art! My big 'thing' is (what's the word... begins with 'a') understanding the story behind the price of art. Grrrrr no memory. Blame lack of sleep.

I have no 'homed skill' as, if I have to plan the task, I'm not interested. My 'art works' (if can be calked that) are what I've always called 'happy accidents': I intended to do one thing/ abstract, didn't work out (inevitably) and ended up happy with the result that just 'happened'.
Took an evening art class once - and a Saturday class at that posh art school in London. Local art class had an art exhibition. But I had Parents' Evening... so couldn't go to my one and only exhibition (all students' work). Apparently, someone wanted to buy mine. Can't believe it though.
I've put one abstract oil painting (or may be acrylic) on kitchen wall. Did it at a really fun Hen Do. Not sure whether to be proud or embarrassed by it. Will stick to child-like pride.

Anyone relate to this:
Can't sit up in bed with legs out in front.
But when I let knees go to side, the hip on top feels like it flops too far over to the side so stretches at hip joint (feel nauseous doing it). Remedy is cushion or pillow in between legs. Hassles!

Not fully getting that, frozen but for me any thing 'sicky' tends to be nerve led pain. You had another bad night? Pain or just good old fashioned insomnia?

math hi! sorry to hear about your pains. Have you seen your GP and are you taking any meds? Are you thinking that the first injury and this hip pain are connected? Sorry, I'm being a bit dim. But, IME sometimes we make these connections and it can be a bit of a red herring. Tbh it just sounds like it needs investigating. Or maybe it has been? Sorry, it's early!

Did anyone watch the documentary on bbc3 last night about the young girl with breast cancer? It was amazing. She was amazing. I was feeling quite emotional and kept thinking 'yes' to a lot of her feelings about life being turned upside down etc. then cross with myself for comparing my situation to hers. Do watch if you missed it.

pavlov, you aren't, are you?????

Not sure ;(
I tend to wake every day at 3 or 4
Pain consultant said it was cos pain I can't 'feel' acutely is still sending signals to my brain to wake and alert it. He wanted me on more meds., pain injections, etc. I don't. GP doesn't either. Seeking second opinion today.
Tired n teary as it's EVERY day, pretty much, and even when I DO. Sleep (until 6), I tend to feel a different sort of exhausted. Can't catch up.

pavlov ??? POAS!

I'm in so much pain today I don't know what to do with myself.

Am going to call in to the GPs. Pretty sure I've left it too late for emergency app but can't face waiting 10 days. Only problem is it's a double location surgery and the good, experienced doctors always seem to be at the other one. I am loathe to see the GP I saw on Monday as I told her it was muscle pain and she dismissed it as probably nerve pain and put me on the Gabapentin.

Horrendous muscle spasms. Feel like I'm going to collapse when I stand up and it takes a good few minutes to loosen up enough to move. Sitting down gives me awful dragging pains down my thighs and sharp stabbing. The whole area is throbbing, I can feel my pulse pumping the blood through.

So, can I request naproxen for the inflammation ( possibly with omeprazole)
Tramadol for the pain
Diazepam for the muscles spasms.? Have I got that list correct?

They are going to think I'm some kind of drug addict.

Sorry you're having a bad morning, Downton. Me too.

Re. drugs: yes, definitely ask for anti-inflammatories & omeprazole. Also something for pain - tramadol / co-codamol. And diazepam because the muscle spasm is at least making things worse.

FWIW I do think a lot of those symptoms sound nerve related, but then the degree of nerve irritation / compression is obviously affected by the levels of inflammation & muscle spasm. So giving a nerve pain drug by itself sounds unusual, to say the least.

There really shouldn't be a problem getting those drugs. My husband had a bout of simple back pain (gone in a couple of weeks, no leg pain) a few months ago & came away with NSAIDs, strong co-codamol & 2mg diazepam. Mind you, I had primed him to know what to ask for!

Thanks. The info is invaluable.

Downton, how did it go for you at the doctor's?

the diazepam seems to be contentious depending on your area. I am in se london and my doc said he would "get struck off" if he prescribed it to me! My mum had suggested I ask about it coz she has various issues and is taking it herself in similar way you guys do- when spasming, only when required, mostly at night. I dont really get spasming, more the pre-cursor to that it feels like it wants to but it doesnt actually go. it moves up my back if i do too much and cont. to do stuff. anyway hopefully they wll be ok with ut coz sounds like you really need it. hope all went ok at the doc downton and you are feeling a bit better now, sounds horrendously awful so sending you a big e-hug ((((()))))
Loonvanboom you are on 10 amitryp- this is very low- I found I had to go up to 50, has the doc suggested increasing or is there too much side effects still, when they wear off you can go up v gradually and the side effects will still wear off again a few days later- it is a slow process but it gets there eventually.
I am multi-tasking like a biatch today! going out to get tix for dh's trip with ds tomorrow (one week at mil's- his first hol away from us) and i have to post my mums day card, do my revising for stats and experimental design on the journey, then go in cath Kidston shop there to find prezzie for my sister and maybe for me too if there is any steals! Then once bask, gnna take ds for dinner at macd's just me and him, treat as he is going to be away for a week. I will really miss him, but we can skype etc. We have been telling hm about it but obvs dont know how much is going in since he isnt talking yet. Lots of long chain babbling going on this week though- very encouraging. and he and dd have started being more of a duo, and are working together - yesteday we caught them trying to get over the stair gate- dd was holding the swivel chair steady so ds could use it to climb over-sneaky!
hope you are all getting some lovely sunshine

Hiya math sorry to hear about all your pain and stuff, the symptoms you decribe sound a bit serious, re they looking into it thoroughly and have neuros on board etc coz sometimes it is a lottery how you get treated. I remember falling down stairs aged about 2 and it was shit scary so it must have been terrifying as an adult.
This is a great buch of bods here for venting, comparing imaginative pain analogies, techniques to deal with docs, plus the wrap-around issues of cake, shopping, shoes- especially Fly boots, and anything else we feel like nattering about.
There is alot of sharing on here of how we are managing by meds or meds-free strategies but everyone becomes proficient at first level pharmacology pretty quickly - are you just taking aspirin? I have never found it helped me much but everyone is diff of course. Think you deff need some more help and support from a doc to help sort this out- still having numbness particularly, that is an urgent issue perhaps?- others on here will know more but I would think they need to find out why that is still there. How do you ice a hip? quite tricky. I had difficulty getting heat onto my hip at the weekend- in the end i lay flat and laid it on top of my leg crease, we all love our hottties on here too
oh frozencherries- love the sound of your 99- had similar just after op but thn they refised to give me any more oxynorm coz they have a policy not to at my gp ho hum, and I'm studying Psychology. 2/3rds through foundation year and if i get the ok marks will go staright into the Bsc next sept. loving it, fav topics so far- consciousness, neuro-transmitters, attachment and brain lateralisation of function- and split-brain studies.
The fb group isnt an art group- I was just chatting about painting coz it's a hobby, sorry to confuse. The fb group started on MN as a "due in xxxxx" group and we made a private fb group from that, we have been posting together for about 2.5 yrs now and lots of good and bad things have happened on the group but either way we are all there for each other. When someone has got married or had a baby we have clubbed together to send a gift - pretty easy when there over 30 peeps on the group, it is a very loving and non-judgy atmos- and not because we are all of the same mind/ attitude about stuff- eg parenting styles are the whole spectrum but everyone respects other opinions/approaches and info is shared with no agenda. Just ike yourselves on here- share to help, no judging, no competition and everyone's situation is valid and cared for .
I better go now so someone else can get a word in edge-ways!

Maizie your dr sounds bonkers 'struck off' indeed - what for prescribing a drug to someone in pain?

Drs are (understandably) mindful of the fact Diazepam is highly habit forming but most will prescribe it for a very limited time.

downton, yes correct list. I'm in really vicious pain, too. < hand holding>. It's a bastard. Hope your GP is helpful.

Have you got heat patches on? They do help a lot. I've gone mad today and got the heat belt thingy. More expensive but hey. Going wild on heat products, what a girl.

frozen hope your appointment goes well. I know how anti meds you are but is it worth a trial of sleep meds for a short while to retrain your sleep habits? Being permanently exhausted is, well, exhausting.

Oh dear matilda it's awful isn't it?

I can't see a doctor. I have an appointment with the one I want to see on the 8th April. That was the first one available!

I could have a phone app with the GP I saw on Monday. The one who didn't examine me and fobbed me off with the Gabapentin.

If I want to see a dr sooner I have to do the madtryingtogetthrough phone call first thing in the morning for an emergency appointment. Again, it would be with the GP ^. Who I don't want to see.

I am going away for the weekend so I can't go tomorrow. I will have to dose up on paracetamol, ibuprofen and co-codamol as back up, just to get me through the train journey.

Rubbish. My GP surgery is so good I'm appalled at how hard others find it to get appointments.
ok, so if it's a self help med mix you can take 600mgs brufen x3/day with food or milk. Paracetamol up to 8 over 24hours or cocodamol x8 but not both. I guess carry on with the gabapentin. It takes a while to work, anyway. Still find it a bizarre first choice though.

Have you got cocodamol 30? I think you said you don't like codeine? Well you could take 1x cocodamol 30 plus one paracetamol. It's so tricky. It's a bit of a shame you are going away, do try to rest as much as possible. I cannot overstate how much it is necessary early in a flare up though very bad at following this advice.

Hope it's somewhere lovely and you can relax in a nest of cushions.x

Big Rant.

Ordered Fly boots from shop on Amazon in Petrol blue. Today they arrived and they are a hard, shiny green colour. and they have been worn! Crease marks and mud in the tread on the sole! have complained and sent photos but how totally crap is that? Very cross.

Better news...we got two Congestion Charge tickets (£120) in January even though I have disability exemption. We'd changed the registration plates and though I had remembered to change it on the tfl website I had apparently overlooked some tiny box to link it to my disability...I know, I don't understand either. Anyway I appealed and got it accepted today. They really are thieving bastards. I hate them with a passion, can you tell?

And need to catch the news because I hear ATOS another favourite of mine have been fired. No, I've just had a look and seems they will be continuing with the ESA assessments and PIP for most of the uk so not at all sure what has really changed?

That's crap, Downton. My GP surgery has a system where you have to 'phone at 8am to get most appointments (or book weeks ahead), & that's annoying if you want to see one GP in particular - but at least you can see someone.

You could get nurofen plus (ibuprofen & about 8mg codeine) & take alongside OTC co-codamol. I know you're not keen on codeine but it might get you through the w/end at least. Paramol has dihydrocodeine in it I think - not sure how that compares?

You can get diclofenac 25mg OTC too (it's called "extra strength") but 1 packet only has about 3 days worth of pills, so you'd need to go to a second pharmacy if you wanted more. Very expensive too.

Sorry about your boots, matilda! I've almost given up ordering footwear online as my feet are so awkward & it's so much hassle carting big boxes to the PO to send back.

downton feminax ultra contains 250mg naproxen I just discovered. My prescription from g.p was 500mg and I could take 2 a day. So you could try that, make sure you get the ultra if you want naproxen.

downtown now your docs is shut, call your emergency OOH docs and tell them your pain is unbearable and you need something stronger than paracetamol NOW. They will prescribe you codeine or tramadol if you tell them are not good with codeine. They might prescribe diazepam, perhaps just a couple if you emphasise the muscle spasms that are not easing at all with normal ibuprofen, and should give you napraxen or diclofenac to replace that. But, the diazepam is hit and miss via OOH I have been prescribed it two or three times, like 7 tablets of 2mg max, and once not at all. But you should get something stronger than the rest.

Tell them if you get no stronger pain relief you will go to A&E as it's that bad.

Cry.

And if you don't get what you need, consider A&E as being in horrific pain that you cannot control IS an emergency. They will give you something better for the pain.

matilda i don't think so hope not too early to poas live I don't feel pregnant. It would not be fab timing that's for sure.

I am in so much pain. I don't even know where the pain is - my entire bottom half hurts. And my fingers (probably too much typing) and my necks fucking creeking/chrunching. I am falling apart and I am almost in tears.

I can't bear this any longer.

Oh pavlov, you sound exhausted. It's shit to be in so much pain. Have you taken all your meds. for the day? Can you have a drink or something to help you sleep & get to bed early?

You're so helpful on here I feel bad not having anything useful to suggest.

to you.

I feel just the same pav. and my neck, too. Bizarre. Annoying. Can't tell people around me how bad it is in case it sounds moany.

I had an interesting discussion with my psychologist yesterday about how we lot tie ourselves in knots trying to analyse our pain, blame ourselves, work it out and on and on. She said as humans we are programmed to make sense of all things but chronic pain just doesn't make sense. Hence the Headfuck thing. At least that makes sense IYSWIM? She was really interested in this group. I know that I've had more support here with my actual pain than anywhere else.

Thankyou ladies. At least we all get it.