Back Again! Back Pain Support Thread

[PavlovtheCat]

Only right I start the new one seeing as I was responsible for the last one ending so abruptly !

This is a support thread for people with back pain (that does not even cover the description of hell that back pain causes). It's for all types of back pain, for long term posters with chronic pain (including those on the upwards journey to recover), short term advice through tough acute episodes and all the in betweens.

We moan, winge, share successes, guide each other and hand hold through the maize of a million medical routes and options, treatments, investigations. We internet shop as a form of pain relief, drink wine, take strong painkillers, eat cake and we go through lots of heat packs!

We don't always have the answers but we do have a lot to say about it all

Here are the links to our previous threads:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1871592-The-Back-Story
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1992406-The-Back-Story-Continues
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2023274-More-Terrible-Back-Stories

loon I was told that often disc problems resolve themselves after around 55 onwards as the disc basically dries enough to no longer prolapse/disappears completely and naturally fuses. I had the conversation with a HCP who said if I can last til then I will be skiing and all sorts hmm. I am 36 so not sure I want to wait that long I was sceptical to say the least but perhaps that is true for some people, as shown by your mum.

i don't understand the free prescriptions thing, like as you say thyroid issues mean free prescriptions, as does having diabetes, but then other diseases or say for example auto immune issues where the body is not working as it should don't have free prescriptions. I advocate the direct debit, £10.50 per month i think it is? for the yearly PPC anyway.

Another option is to permanently be pregnant/have babies…

It's the obvious solution, pav!

You lot are brilliant! I'm going through this thread with a pen and paper tomorrow. Thanks all.

I am another one actually who is reluctantly accepting that it's meds or lose my job, my sanity etc. It's slow though, so i do understand those who struggle to 'give in' and those whose DHs do that

buzzard make sure you have a hot water bottle and some with you. And hide your credit card, as you will read a lot of stuff about spending money online (and in RL shops) to cheer us up and that might not be so helpful

buzzard just a thought, if you are unable to work but up to date with your NI you might be able to claim Contribution Based ESA. I got this for a year. Good luck with ploughing through our threads. There's a lot of chat but loads of wonderful advice and help if you go through them all.

I had a goodish day yesterday but feeling it today so no rehab Pilates class and probably no pool either. Just don't feel like it. I did 20 lengths yesterday. Woo hoo. Used to do 80 without stopping. love the water! though.

Hope everyone is having a good day.

Thanks Matilda, yes, I have contributed my full NI before I stopped paying recently (accountant told me I no longer needed to). I apologise for my complete ignorance on benefits but I have worked since 16 (now 47) and have never claimed anything other than when I was on Maternity leave which my health visitor helped me sort and have no idea where you go to find out about these things. I went into a Job Centre with my DH and the woman was very dismissive of me and told me that my DH should be supporting me. The trouble is he doesn't earn a lot either (less than £24k) so with two mortgages we do struggle. I con't even know what ESA is but I am to Google

Employment Support Allowance. The contribution based one is not means tested. Or support group.

Like you I worked for 30 years and have had a very steep learning curve. Actually the staff on the helpline were helpful. I won't lie, it's been a slog but I did get a year of the ESA.

www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance/what-youll-get

Hope that helps. Definitely worth enquiring.

Thank you Matilda

hi to all the newbies, think everything has been said about pain relief tips. I have a few of the stick-on heat pads but havent tried as i am bit worried they will irritate my skin(very sensitive).
had to wrangle with a diff doc to usual to get a repeat for my dihydrocodeine- yes i am reducing it with a view to not taking it all together but am still in that process this week and I have to function to do these last two essays for my psych course. I am upping the gabapentin too, now on 300 x 3 /day, can go up to 400 x3 before seeing my gp again (the one i usually see).
i keep forgetting! i have to ring the spine clininc in few days coz they have not rung me yet and were supposed to- this weird letter system where you get a code and they ring you to arrange an appt. hope it's soon. I think of anything this achey pain is worsening. The first hour of the morning till i get meds in is not pleasant.
how hard is it to get the uniqlo ultra light down jackets in a colour- went to oxford st and only have drab boring colours and says out of stock on web site. have ordered xs in mint green and hope it fits or i can send back. I would have got the small but only like 2cm diffs in the measurements.
I really hope they say its ok to wear slight heels coz my new(ish) fly shoes/ankle bots are very comfy and i love red at the moment , it gives me energy- sorry if that sounds a bit hippy-dippy. I am into my colours lately. colour therapy! so into purple- had all diff shades on in jeans, jumper, t-shirt, cardi and even my suitcase is purple! dh said i looked like a bruise! harrumph. poor guy has awful toothache, he took 50mg codeine, paracet and ibuprofen and still hurting now.
I am on a mission to complete one essay by end thurs. I will do lots work tomorrow and then am going to see a folk singer in concert at 7.30, love folk music. think she's called claire wisley?? hope you are all sleeping well and had low pain day xx

Does anyone else find that fatigue is a side effect of the pain? It seems whenever the pain flares up I become absolutely exhausted with it.

ltl when my pain was really bad I just felt exhausted the whole time as if I had the flu or something, but even now my pain is not bad and just achey really I do think it tires me a bit. I don't have much get up and go. I guess also the painkillers can make you sleepy. Also you may not be eating as well and exercising as much if you are in pain for some time so that might make you less fit. I think that last is a problem for me anyway, I want to work on that.

maizie I miss my heels. I got I to them quite late in life really, having been a doc martins kind of girl. But, working in court meant some heels and so I have, not many, but some fab ones. My favourite are a pair of black Mary Jane style stiletto ones, with hidden platform, probably about 4 inches with platform. I tired them on yesterday as they looked fab with my black skinny chinos. DH told me off bit style for even contemplating them, even wit my crutch he is right of course. I think wedges are ok, as the step is not jarring like stiletto types.

ltl my pain levels and my fatigue levels tend to run parallel! the more pain, the more tired. And, also, as the pain subsides, I find myself left with exhaustion for a while after (good couple of weeks). Pain, especially pain that is always there, is tiring, not to mention that you have to think more about what you do - how you stand, a walk, change how you perform tasks, process meds, your body addressing the issue that is hazing pain and trying to fix it etc, that also makes you tired.

Flatforms are the new trend I read today. Great for us shorties. Are they good for backs though, not sure.

I have some black suede flat form boots. I adore them not very high but not flat. The wedge on my fly boots also works because there's very little slope, iykwim. Still haven't figured out spring shoes...

Re fatigue, yes, yes, yes. Exhausting. Spasming muscles use heaps of energy. And so much more effort put into each activity. I spend half my life resting. Tis dull.

How is everyone doing? I am ok, still getting some aches and pains esp in the evening, but I have been able to stop taking naproxen every day again, but not sure if that will last or if I will have to start taking it again. I am determined to try the pilates for back pain video at last and see if I can stick with it for a while. Also trying to lose some weight as ever. I'm sure this would help my back as I have quite a bit to lose, if not at least I would look better.

That's good news to be feeling better. Well done. Weight watchers is good for losing. Worked for me last year when a few pounds had crept on.

Feeling vexed with mother. She can be hard work. Anyway I called today, obviously a few days Too Late. She was quite off about it. I tried to explain I'd bleed either busy or crashed out exhausted and wrecked. She thought that if I was lying down it was perfect to call and do lightweight chat. Didn't understand that when I'm in bad pain I don't want to talk. I did tell her 'Don't Start...'

Off on my weekend away tomorrow morning. Pleased but feel like a day on bed. Hey ho. Sure it will be lovely.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Very Jealous of your trip away matilda. DH is also away on Saturday, to watch Arsenal playing with his brothers. He has all the fun. Yeah it's shit he is having to pick up the slack but the odd little pick me up like this, gives him a break. I really need a break you would think 3 weeks off work would be a break. Nope, not with Easter Holidays, and then a child with viral spots so a day off this week before we could be certain it wasn't measles (pregnant woman at school), and hydro tomorrow, made for 9:30am so I could go before work, but not at work, and the only bloody day I could have as a lie-in before doing sole care of the children and the school run both ways monday/tuesday.

Sorry, moaning, moaning! You are going to have a fab time and you thoroughly deserve it, once you get going you will enjoy it more I am sure, know what you mean about just wanting to stay in bed though.

live glad there is some improvements in pain levels. be careful not to come of the NSAIDS to soon, as they are probably working/built up in your system so once they start to leave you might find a surge of pain, so just take that steady, there is no rush. Good luck with the DVD!

I went for a swim earlier in the week with my headphones, properly on my own without children. I did 10 lengths and felt really good. Had not meant to do so much but had to keep adjusting the headphones and testing them again then I sat in the steam room with bunch of men, chilling while they all sat in silence! Biggest problem is that I have to sit carefully as If I don't, my back goes and I sort of fall, and then make a squelching sounds as my thighs hit the west seats and when I am listening to music I can't hear if that is happening!

But, it drowns out the sound of the woman shouting at the aqua aerobics lot and their awful music. Quite nice doing front crawl to Four Simple Words by Frank Turner (of course it was him ) and the odd Queen of the Stone Age track.

Back pain has been reasonable, walking with my crutch constantly and decided today not to take it when I took the kids to their lessons, was good for about 20 mins, and in that time I saw a colleague! Then it was shit again! Pain increases in legs if I walk more than a short distance now, where I used to find the walking eased it a little if I could push through the pain barriers,. But, still pain is not as high as it used to be in my lunar area.

However, my shoulder muscles are solid. literally like balls of solid on my shoulders/neck/upper back. DH said it goes down to my lumbar spine so guesses its coming from there but that pain is not so bad (or, am I used to it hurting there?) and doesn't feel spasmy at the moment, but my arms are hurting because the muscles are so so rigid. I have had headache/migraine symptoms for almost two weeks on a off now and I think it's due to these muscles being so solid, so I am going to take 2mg of diazepam tonight to try and relax them.

But, apart from feeling generally off colour in myself, and even that is improved, I feel reasonable pain wise. I am accepting I need a crutch and that is helping as I am not trying to do it all without and making the pain worse (apart from today!)

Hope everyone else is ok.

and at your mother! clearly doesn't get your pain.

I'll be joining you with the diazepam tonight, pavlov - have already had some co-codamol & thinking about adding some alcohol in there too.

Big flare-up yesterday & today - obviously jinxed myself musing about whether disc might be healing after all this time. Pain down to ankle when walking today, excruciating shooting pain & cramps when standing still. It even hurts when lying down. Fucking nerve pain.

Really am genuinely thankful that it's been so good for most of the school holidays - my boys are off until Tuesday - but disappointing that it can come back on at this pitch so quickly.

Let us know what the DVD's like, live. Could do with a change from my boring yoga for lower backs routine. Do back block too & thought it was really helping again, but feel too sore to do it today.

Hope you have a great weekend, matilda, & that everyone else is managing the pain.

loon oh no! how shit. I fucking hate nerve pain more than the back pain (although really, not hugely comparable, I still fucking hate back pain!), but find nerve pain so so much harder to control and keep at bay than back pain. Keep an eye on it if it's at the ankle and hurting while still, watch for numbness and if it increases, thinking about calling OOH for some advice, incase your disc has move onto the nerve more. I hope you find some comfortable position or ease from pain this evening. be careful about taking codeine/diazepam and alcohol, you will be proper spaced!

Thanks, pavlov! Codeine honestly doesn't seem to have any effect on me (beyond helping with the pain) & I really don't drink much, so I think I'll be okay - will save the diazepam for bedtime if it feels spasm-y too. It's not worse than it's ever been, it's just it had been so much better - for 3 whole weeks. Gutting.

loonvan i sometimes feel that I would prefer no break, and that time when you think you are on the mend and it's going to be ok, then it all goes wrong again. I mean, I don't really as when I am not ok I pray for just a few days of ok. but, I am so jaded by it, I no longer go through good periods with a sense of happiness and hope. This time I have felt quite down through it, waiting for it to get worse again and I almost want it to get worse again, just to get that waiting over and done with knowing it's coming soon enough. I need to learn to just enjoy the reasonable times and accept it won't last but be ok with it as it is now.

But, fingers crossed for you that this is just one step backwards and you are still on the road to recovery. Mending doesn't mean 'mended', it takes time. I read that it takes several years for a disc to heal, but that if we lay flat for 8-12 weeks it would heal itself in that time. It also means our muscles would atrophy and we would need intense physio to get ourselves back to 'normal' and that is why it is advocated to get on with shit with a disc problem, my cynical side is so we get the fuck back to work and paying out taxes and not losing jobs and whatnot which we would potentially happen if we had to lay flat for 12 weeks plus physio after. But, we would be fixed! as opposed to hanging on to jobs by finger nails, paying taxes as required but living a fucking miserable life because of it. Like I said, I am cynical.

That's so interesting about the lying flat for 8-12 weeks. Because that's what the advice was when my mum had her disc prolapses back in the '80s; & even though I remember her being in screaming agony - literally - in the early stages, she was recovered within 6 months each time. They also did traction in hospital back then & it seemed to help for her - not recommended by NICE these days either.

I know what you mean about not being able to enjoy the periods of respite. I was determined not to get carried away this time, but it seemed to be lasting - longest good period since it happened last May, I think - & I was able to bend & stand still & was starting to feel normal. Just wondering if maybe, after nearly a year, I was going to be one of the lucky ones. Trying to take each day at a day is so difficult.

Anyway, am now drinking Youngs double chocolate stout & going to eat crisps. This will not achieve anything (& not help weight loss) but sod it.

it helps your soul and thats good enough today anyway…

it makes sense laying flat, or semi supine, and even traction, for a long time as the disc needs to have time to get back to it's original position and constant moving about and placing weight onto the vertebrae means it cannot heal itself and rehydrate. My understanding is once it is prolapsed it cannot easily hydrate itself and that means the prolapse does not go back. We lose up to an inch (or so, not exact as pulling info from memory) in height by the discs losing water/fluid through us standing and moving each day, so it makes sense that the disc will becomes hydrated, heal more quickly if it does not lose the fluid it needs to heal itself and it it's not been pressed down on.

I am quite worried, talking of impact of this on work, that I will lose my job. I have managed to get into the public sector with this private sell off of my organisation and in theory this should be a fantastic opportunity, but I think it might slip through my fingers. As much as I would love on one hand to give up and just not work for a bit, I have been in this career for 12 years, and if I leave now, I will never be able to pick it back up, and maybe I will struggle to work again. Hanging on by the finger tips, feels like I have been doing that for a while, and sort of fed up of waiting for this hanging on to end too. Think that is why I would want to just give up.

I feel quite bleak with it all. My future does not seem rosy. I mean, yes I am going to festivals and as a short term thing that's a great positive, but what is my purpose in life now? to survive? to get through each day and hope it's ok? for how long? 40 more years? what is the fucking point of that? ! So, for now I have my children as my motivator, they need to see drive and determination and that this not going to be the end of fun mum and successful mum, but, how the fuck do I do that?! I need a new direction. I have reached a turning point (been here a while, buried head in the sand), a crossroads that I was probably at before christmas, I need to find my new future as at the moment, I can't see anything fabulous about my life outside of my children, nothing fabulous that makes me, me.

Sorry, I feel a little sorry for myself. I have never felt this before. I feel so pointless.