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.

And yes to massage. If it's a charity I imagine it will be the pampering kind which is nice but for pain you really need a release, sports type one. Go for it though, esp if it's free, you def do qualify as deserving it!

Matilda, I am not doing Physio if it ain't in exchange for being pain free. No deal.
but I most do my nunny Physio as don't really like wetting myself in public

I'm clutching my new tumour bags. I've only ever bought posh expensive bags as a cheer me up/ I deserve it L'Oreal moment of madness after a really sad or scary health 'thing'. THEY have names.
There's Molar bag (molar pregnancy), miscarriage bag and tumour bags. Tumour bagS consist of a whole blummin' FAMILY of bags. Figured it warranted all 4.
and I hope never to be able to justify another crazily-expensive bag again.

Hi Matilda - have sent you a PM

back fucking hurts like buggery this weekend. First time it's ever made me feel really tearful and a bit pathetic.

goodness it takes a while for the meds to leave your system. So if you stopped a week ago, you wouldn't necessarily feel pain straight away. It builds up in your system. I find that my pain increases about a week after stopping meds such as amytripyline. You need to make sure you at least take paracetamol and anti inflammatories if you have stopped everything else.

Nancy, hugs to you.
Back on the paracetamol n ibroprofen then

Thank you wise Pavlov. Experience of all this is a valuable commodity I lack and much appreciate.

Hiya gals, big helos to the newbies
Did quite a lot of essay yesterday, up to 1000 words (2/3rds done) but it is a SLOG this time. First one since the op and it's like trying to get blood out of a stone. Don't know why I am so much more affected lately. It doesn't help that this one is for Cognitive Psych module- that subject is drier than toast! I actually do like this topic but it is very dry.
Had an amazing coupe of days re my little boy as he has done 1 and 2 in the toilet several times now and seems to be really getting the hang of it. He has been talking loads more the last few weeks, I was writing the alphabet for him this am and putting a word under each letter (he likes to watch and says some of the letters)- when i wrote n and o he said out loud "no", he basically read it. So very happy mummy day and gave him lots of hugs and praise of course.
Bit annoyed because I went to get shopping (cab back) and got some nice skirts for dd but left them on the end and forgot to push them on so they never went on the thing to get bought. If that was me going next I know i would ask the next person"are these yours" but no such luck - nobody gives a flying about anyone else in there. in fact now i remember she had tried to jump in ahead when i had stuff in the thing but dashed off to grab something nearby- bitch! i will go get them tomorrow, no biggie, just annoying
goodness how are you today on the reduced meds? so what are you on and what is gone? seems odd you are still taking oxynorm or is it just for those now and again bad times? I read they usually take off opioids first, then downgrade your anti inflammatory (ie diclofenac to ibuprofen) , and leave the paracetamol till last to stop. anyway hope it is going well for you. I have found on days when i have slept late i see how i still need the various meds as i wake up achey because they have started to drain out of my system.
!! forgot to get a new hottie! am taking more meds in the pm because usually use the hottie then and try not to take anything unless need to.
chat more later, hugs to everyone.
hurray my ds has just another no2 in the toilet!! he is clapping himself and looking very happy with his self. sorry to go on about it but we have been toilet training over a year now that makes 3 toilet visits in one day, practically 100% , phew, this will be quite life-chnaging for us

Oh dear, I have worked out how to get Breaking Bad on my ipad and how to balance said ipad on a cushion whilst reclining on my bed...see you gals! May be some time...by god it's good.

Agree nancy, as said in pm take the drugs and take it easy. Pain that makes you cry is serious. Do you work and or have young dc? Hope you have good support.

My DH is cooking dinner, lovely roast whilst lazy bones is lying on her bed watching Netflix and MNetting. I did do a bit of ironing earlier and have a beaut outdoor swim. Can't believe how much tireder I get now. I guess the effort and pain just use more energy. Anyone else the same.

Are you having a lovely break pavlov? I think you still have some days off? Do enjoy. Have you got nice stuff planned or a secret addiction like mine?!!! ( see above )

Hope you all had a gorgeous sunny day. When the weather is like that you can't beat the uk. It's a shame it's just so bloody rare.

I promise the next post will be poo free

Yay to little maisieman. And yay to such a lovely patient mummy.

thanks Matilda, and thanks for PM.
Will see about painkillers this week and am looking into getting a standing desk to work at.

Yes, have DC but thankfully now not at an age where they need picking up and carrying. My other half works away a lot and currently overseas for 8 week stretch so am using oldest child as personal slave as I don't want to lift/move anything.

I am very impressed with how adept I am at picking things up with my feet though to avoid bending!

thanks matilda
yes nancy66 one's feet do learn v quickly- i sometimes wash a small bit of the floor with my feet using a baby wipe- slow but effective and builds my quads at the same time hehe
never heard of Mint velvet matilda but deffo feel like shopping as the weather is turning lovely on us. I got a little black dress, strapless, classic style- for £3.50 from charity shop in new cross- it's like it was made for me, fits like a glove! charity shops in se london are getting good lately. they are very good round Surbiton/Kingston too. i dont go in them al the time but sometimes u find diff stuff to any shops.
the side pain sounds bloody awful all of those that get it- much sympathy, must be so hard to get comfortable. does sound like muscular.
hope you are feeling a bit better today fizzle, getting lots of rest i hope

I'm so tired I'm crying. Is this normal nearly SEVEN weeks after surgery. I just want to cry. Want my old life back. I know I should b grateful and I AM. But... I can on,y manage ONE thing a day (eg escort child to party to b driven home, spend rest of day pooped).

One of the M ladies (malt/maize) so use my tired brain asked which meds I'm on.
None
Can't remember them. Came off all.
Hurt a week later. Now sporadically take amatriptyline at night, oxynorm if pain (virtually never), paracetamol and ibroprufen if I blummin' remember to.

I aaaaaaaaache and I moan, sorry

I've come off:
oxynorm
Oxycodone
Gabapentin
Amatriptyline
Loads a laxatives
Ibro & para
The usual thyroid meds

Erm, goodness now I'm no endocrinologist but why have you stopped your thyroid meds? Surely decreasing thyroid function might cause tiredness? Also amytriptiline is a kind of in or out med. it takes time to build up and decrease so taking a very low dose regularly is way more use than sporadic dose when pain has ramped up. Pain is such a subjective thing. Your 'ache' is my 'agony' kind of thing. But if it's hurting then it's pain. What you chose to do about that is completely up to you. I'm genuinely not having a go. Pain is a total headfuck as we've said so many times. Also 7weeks post op isn't that long after such major surgery. Trouble is nobody really tells you.

Book that massage and go steady.

maisie, I'm not adverse to a charity shop bargain! round here they've got a bit expensive, though. I love a rummage! Mint velvet is a bit quirky, think you'd like it do don't look. might cause trouble.

Sorry you're feeling so exhausted & achey, goodness. Do you have an underactive thyroid? I'm on 100mcg. thyroxine a day - my thryoid started packing up after I had my boys - & presume I have to stay on it indefinitely. Were you advised to come off it?

up late typing my essay arghhhhh. too many words now! oh a duck , nearly finished, just have to finish off and edit down. pavlov what do you prefer- editing down or up?
oh no poor you goodness, I relate to the aaaaaaaache, that is most of mine really, never get the sciatic stab, burn or tingle pain. Deep bone ache in the hip joint - usually not too strong but it can develop very sneakily, bit by bit and you dont realise it's become bothersome until suddenly it is really othering you, u cannot keep going and you cant ignore it, then have to take stuff , lie down and you are kaputt for a few hrs.
do you also get like flu-body aches that move around?
today and testerday have been getting aching in the other hip and right side of spine and si joint???? left side with problem felt ok, is this normal?

hope all are having lovely peacefull sleeps tonight zzzzzzzzzz

I haven't stopped the thyroid meds.

I wouldn't know who to book for that massage. Don't think most ppl would touch me with a barge pole for 6 months!

I'm sad. Down. Coming to terms with the fact that they very aches that've woken me and kept me awake for the last 2 years plus are ... Here to stay. Feel like I've been over stretching my sides for hours just through sleeping on my side. Bet consultant doesn't care. Will tell him but he just wanted tumour out. Private cover won't cover chronic stuff. So I'm panicking. Fuck. And will it get worse? Holy shit.
I thought I was just popping into this group as a temporary measure. Lovely as you all are (and you really are), I'm not up for life-long aches n sleepless nights.
I know it's early days but this ain't gonna get much better is it!

Sorry to moan.

I thought part of the reason for this thread was so we could have a good moan!

Thx 17 Xx Anyone else been through the depressing... 'so this is it then!' phase? I know it's incredibly early days but... I'm not stupid. That waist ache ain't going nowhere.

Goodness did your consultant talk to you about periods of feeling down or depression following major surgery?

It's a very real possibility and obviously on a forum we don't know if you've just had a bad weekend or if there is something more to it

You are still in recovery and as yet you won't know what is going to get better and what, if any, pain you are going to be left with in the long term

So please don't write yourself off just yet

Oh and to answer your question yes I did go through a 'so this is it depressed phase' when I got my MS diagnosis

But the reality hasn't been nearly as bad as I imagined it to be

Nope. Fleeting visit while still in anaesthetic fog, a call to say it (tumour) was cancerous but all out. Directions to go for follow-up CT of chest (routine when cancer found APPARENTLY!). And NO counselling. Not even a bit of hand holding. Been once though now. And going again this week (cancer charity) despite feeling I've no right to strip at their resources as my cancer has gone (trying to let that sink in is hard and it's all been such a ... mind-fuck of a few months. Have to say, I'd take the op and recovery threefold over The Wait for it. My gd that was hard.