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 yep googled that too, think it's probably that but will talk to gp, not an urgent appt just to see what he thinks, only because of me wanting to protect my single super kidney. I don't think that it would signify any urgency as he took a full blood count only a couple of months ago or so and my kidney function is normal.

Even that metatarsalgia or however it's spelt is blinking linked to RA though, it's bloody there everywhere i look, symptom wise

I have far too much time on my hands that's for sure i need to go back to work and start working on other people's more significant shit to remind me of how lucky I am then i won't bother myself with some stupid foot/toe pain.

and the pain in my foot is definitely coming from the ball of it, right under the toe, but not the toe. pain/throbbing goes up into the toe a bit, but definitely not coming from my toe or the joint, but the ball itself. you know like that pain you get if you step on a small yet horrendously painful invisible bit of lego, on the ball of the foot? like that kind of pain.

Magso - I have weak back muscles, really struggle with putting my 2yrold in her cot. I was also dismissed as having a weak core, although a private physio said the opposite - the only way they can tell if you have a weak pelvic floor is by internal examination! I asked for her to do it to confirm it wasn't weak and it turned out to be in spasm, abdominals were too. After finally getting an MRI (Easter weekend) I know it was all bollocks and was a big disc herniation. I was toying with paying privately - there's a company in Waterloo, London which charges £250. I got mine on the NHS by going via the pain clinic, GP, I suspect was more worried about her budgets than trying to cure me.

Pavlov - I've known a few people with gout recently, FIL being one but he would probably fit the criteria for over indulgence. Swimming with headphones? Never heard of that, although I hate swimming but do love QOTSA, not that I listen to music anymore. I liked Eagles of Death Metal too, loved Josh Homme. Nice to know the GP cares, it's easy to feel like you are being a pain in their butts, well I feel it, my nice dr has left :(

Got my app tomo and will ask about the neurosurgeon referral, baclofen and nortripiline and maybe nudge for a new opiate plus contraceptive injection. I also have to ask for what to do next for DD1 - she has a swollen nymph node in the groin and I was told to come back if it's there three weeks later, which it is. I'm sure it's fine but not worth ignoring. My mum had lymphoma so I was concerned to see a little lump but mum's lump was much much much bigger apparently. Also going to an open day at DD1's new school with another mum, it will be nice to go knowing we have a place this time but also nice to meet a friend without kids and I'm skipping the gym. I've taken a piriton and codeine but ignoring the anti inflammatories as my tummy is cramping after the voltarol.

Good luck with your appointment today queen, I hope your GP is sympathetic. Nytol tablets are very similar to piriton in that they are both anti histamines so yes do aid sleep but could be habit forming if you get used to it. I know the craving for sleep, though. Is it pain keeping you awake? And nerve pain or back pain? If it's nerve pain do push to try more nerve based meds as more likely to be beneficial over time. And if desperate volterol does come in a suppository!

pavlov can you do a links to your headphones? I'm interested in trying them if they work. Suspect steam room may not be the best for them though.

Counselling this morning. Need to make a list of the many things that have upset me in the last month...may take some time .

Yes good luck queen and matilda hope the counselling helps, will it be like in cartoons where your list unrolls down to the floor?

waterproof sony walkman takes a little adjusting, and remembering not to take it out of your ears once they are in and your head has been submerged as the water from your ears can get into it too and it stops working, only temporarily, but means having to faff a bit to get the sound back. And the buds I am using are the smallest and a little too big I think. read the reviews on amazon for some techniques, it's all trial and error, not straightforward but seems to be the best on the market at the moment for the technology that it is.

matilda good luck at counselling, hope it helps to process some of the newer stuff you are dealing with, like going away and the emotions that has raised.

queen not being able to bend and lift your DC from the cot is possibly not weak muscles and more to do with the pain responses coming from your prolapsed disc whenever you move into a position that aggravates it. Ask matilda for her thoughts on that, as even though she swims much less than she used to she still does a lot of swimming, and pilates so her muscles are not weak, and that feeling of weak muscles is still there, due to the other stuff going on. Good luck at the GP.

I feel a little tearful about going back to work. not really sure why, physically I am in a better place than at other times when I have been at work, so I should be able to manage this from a pain perspective without huge amounts of painkillers until I get home, and get through the day, it's only 5 hours. I guess there is some anxiety because I am going to need to take my crutch, because I don't have anything hugely positive to tell them about my progress, because my team members don't actually give much of a shit and I have to be around them for hours, because I know I will very soon be fucked of with listening to be people telling me how fucking shit their lives are, make horrendous decisions over and over again, when they have the power to change it. My tolerance and sympathy for people who just don't know they have it ok and have the ability to take control has reduced, making me perhaps a little less suited to my job at the moment , I also don't know what has happened about my desk as they were struggling to find somewhere to put it that was not away from my team. I don't feel accepted in my team as it is, so moving me away where i will be completely isolated worries me (and my GP noted that too), the desk is big enough as it is and as much as I need it, I am nervous about yet another 'special thing' for me that highlights my disability and the adjustments being made.

I got butrans patches! And amiltripiline. Boo. I feel like the amiltripiline brings on a dependence for sleep but leaves me exhausted and zombie like so perhaps piriton is the lesser of the two evils. I didn't ask the dr as I wanted to appear not the sort to abuse medication. She refused a muscle relaxant but because she didn't know enough rather than arrogance. It took a fair bit of discussion to get the patches but opiates seem very very safe. I'll get them tonight as DH has my prescription card and I'm doing some youth group thing tonight so need to be awake. Need to go back with DD1 with her lymph node. Will definitely be interested in theories about weak feeling back not being so, the gym hasn't helped but the diagnosis is new and I'm struggling to let go of the old diagnosis of being unfit.

Also saw an old friend who I lost tough with due to lack of empathy and willingness to adapt our play dates to my abilities. I don't dislike her, just feel I need more from friendships than being convenient and being dropped when not convenient. I'm guessing this is not unusual. I also have depression which is not caused by the back but definitely made worse.

Pavlov, work sounds like a nightmare, I don't even want to imagine what it will be like for you. Is it likely to be sustainable long term? Being at home isn't easy but there more ways to adapt and get in a lie down. Plus the kids are more forgiving of bad moods than your clients will be, they can't sack me even if I want to resign.

Waves hello

I lost you all cause obviously back again in the thread title wasn't bloody obvious

Just wanted to share my good news

For those of you that were around you might remember I had an interview for speech and language therapy at uni

Well I've only bloody well got in!

I also told them about my back and they've arranged an appointment with the uni occupational health to assess me for a chair for the labs and a back support for the lecture theatre

Yay 17 that is wonderful I am sure you will do well . Its great they are going to help you with your back too.
I know they are different conditions but I am sure your experiences as a patient will make you a better therapist and help you connect with the children and their parents. Anyway Good Luck. (dragons are good luck to the Chinese)

Hi. I just found this thread and I wondered if anyone had any advice.

I had a fall down some stairs about 6/7 years ago and hurt my back. I had physio and after 3 months I was no longer in pain. When I pg with DD (2012) the pain began again. I managed with paracetamol and physio.

I am pg with DC2 and the pain is far more severe and has occurred much earlier. I am now 24 weeks and the last two weeks have been awful. The GP has prescribed co-codamol 8/500mg with Lactulose & Movicol. Without the painkillers, I can't move. I can't weight bear. I can't get up off the bloody toilet. I've moved to the spare room as the bed is higher. I am sitting in my birth ball rather than chairs/sofa. I am trying to stay active by walking. I also have a 19 month old toddler to run around after. I phoned in sick last week to my work after getting trapped on the toilet.

I see physio at the hospital on Thursday this week.

Any advice? Tips for coping? I have 16 weeks of pg to go.

Do you think it's PSD or related to your fall?

If its pregnancy related (and it sounds like it is) then keeping your knees together when you turn in bed or get up makes a difference
Also sleeping with a pillow in between your knees

Standard pelvic floor exercises also help

Physio will probably give you a support belt, first one I got was like a massive tubie grip bandage -rubbish!
Second one was more structured with Velcro straps and it did help

17, yay!!! We've been missing you. That's bloody fantastic news. Well done.

stargirl I know this is a bit obvious but does heat help? At least it's drug free. Heat patches are a lifeline to me. Does anything particularly trigger the pain? If the cocodamol isn't enough you could get the higher strength. And maybe a support belt might help if pregnancy is making things much worse. Can you bribe your wee one to climb up for you whenever possible so you don't have to lift? Be shameless about asking for help at the supermarket etc getting shopping into the boot or do internet shop.

If water helps maybe try to do some gentle exercises in the local pool....sorry I'm brain dumping on you. hope some of that might be useful.x

queen a lot of us on here have discovered our friends have changed a bit. Some we thought would step up haven't and yet others, even just good aquantainces have been amazing. It's another bitter pill to swallow when you realise a so called friend just isn't that bothered.

Thank you -I'm sooo excited

Thank you. Yes, I use my hot water bottle in bed when I run out of 'allowed' dosage of co-codamol. I have pg pillow for my bump and legs. I am keeping my legs together in bed as well as getting in and out of the car.

The physio in my last pg thought it was a bulging lumbar disc which is normally forced into it's correct position by my muscles. The relaxin hormone in pg allows it to bulge again. He didn't think it was SPD as my pelvis was very stable and I didn't have any pelvic pain. Just a shooting, agonising pain down my legs.

I don't know about increasing the codeine portion of the medication. I have been advised not to take the current dose in the third trimester as it will result in an opiate dependent baby. I feel like a failure writing that. Like I am a drug addict.

I haven't tried a belt so that's an idea to try out. My elderly neighbour has offered her zimmer after watching my walk down the street!

Stargirl, does heat help at all? Hot water bottles or stick-on heat pads can be useful when you're limited in the drugs you can use. Would stronger co-codamol also be safe in pregnancy? Might be worth asking the GP about.

Hope the physio helps - s/he should definitely err on the side of caution when prescribing specific exercises, a) because you don't know what's wrong (& obviously can't have an MRI while pregnant) & b) because of the pregnancy. You may well need further investigations afterwards.

Are you managing to sleep? I'm guessing the on-your-side-with-pillow-between-knees position is the best at the moment.

17, that's great news - well done! Going to copy live with the cute congratulatory dragon ('cause I've only just noticed it).

Another x-post with everyone there...

17 yey!!!!! we were asking after you earlier actually, well, i thought it was someone else doing the course and we got back to it being you. WELL DONE!!! that's fab. How do you feel? scared? happy? nervous? excited? Do you start in September? Great that their OH will help get you things you will need to be able to attend and be active with it.

queen I have not heard of butran patches - are they morphine patches? I could do with patches of some kind, will discuss at pain clinic next week, have tried everything else, I cannot get on with nerve blocking painkillers of any kind.

ork have to be fair been fabulous in terms of managing my disability, they have pulled all the stops out as far as health and safety, HR support, line management, reasonable adjustments, time off etc, but my team are not happy with me, not openly so, they don't say it allowed but it's there, simmering under the surface, and I guess fair enough, but, it's tough being on the receiving end of their resentments. I don't want to stand out, and i want to walk into work like i did after surgery (8 weeks later) standing straight, mobile, smiling, saying how fab it was and how this was the start of me back to my professional self.

I don't know if it's sustainable long term, I can't think it's not as I am the main earner, and more than that it's my career, a career that I hope will still go places in time when I get on top of this shit. I have been in worse pain than this, but it's the longevity, the relentless, the lack of any real light that says it's going to stop that makes working hard, it takes all of the best of me, and leave the shit for my family. They get my grumpy, groggy, stiff and painful self in the morning, then work gets me as my meds do their stuff, then by the afternoon/evening I am worn out with managing my pain, meds wearing off and using my brain, then being mum so they get the worst of me in the evenings.

But, I have had far far too much time to dwell in the last month, to ponder and worry and feel sad for my future, work will mean I don't have time to mope.

Back is not good, but that's hugely because I have taken advantage of my last day before work to organise the children's bedroom, take them swimming, get the place clean for DH coming home, sort out work clothes and school clothes so as to show that I can manage vaguely without DH. Not that I want or need to, but I want to show I can do it myself. Except. Well, clearly I can't or, I can, but at cost. And I can't take lots of painkillers as I will be proper screwed for work in the morning. I have plans to go in with some nice make-up on, you know make up to look like I am not wearing make-up just look well, and I need time to get that looking right [ grin]

I asked DH if he thought I could pop out one evening on my own with a bodyboard, just to get back a little bit of me time like I used to, just an hour. No. was his resounding answer, not under any circumstances at the moment does he think I should go to the sea on my own. Even with it being with a bodyboard and not a kayak. I knew the answer, was just hoping. He said 'we can all come along soon and do it' but that means organising everyone and if it's a little chilly or rainy them hanging around waiting for me etc, where, if I go myself, I need my wetsuit, towel, bodyboard, that's it.

huge x-posts! I will go read and respond. My post is, as always, too fucking long. Feel free to edit/ignore as you please.

After my last pg, with DD, the pain disappeared within a month of giving birth and I was fine until week 16 of this pg.

Oh and queen do keep us posted on the butran patches! they are new on here! I think. Just looked them up, I'd be tempted if it wasn't for the non use of heat. I'd struggle with that.

pav been checking out the mp3 I'm seriously tempted but did, ahem order three pairs of Fly shoes yesterday. The spring shoe dilemma may be over! If they fit, that is. Their sizing is majorly weird. SIL had some new ones and a 3 fitted me. I'm a size 5 in every shoe make in the world. It does make online ordering tricky. Still, I'm a bit excited.

Counselling quite good. Got a bit choked when I finally confided that I believe this bastard condition might shorten my life...what to do? Suffer and save my liver or have some quality of life? Did 20 minutes of ironing and then 30 mins typing, trying to prep for ESA and pip assessments next week and am in agony for rest of the day. Cocodamol, tramadol, gabapentin and naproxen. Plus hottie. That's not good.

More x posts! pavlov could you go with a friend? Better than nothing..

Star girl -I had crutches in my 2nd pregnancy -whatever gets you through the day I would say!

Pav your OH is only being sensible but I get your frustration ref the sea kayaking -I used to love canoeing but I had to stop when I couldn't get out of it one day

Oh and I'm very excited but also very nervous and feeling old -all the other people at the interview were about 12 (well 18)

Start in September so need to sort my student finance out now

Mature students much more focused and hardworking.

I need to retrain I suspect and definitely worry about being an old lady in comparison, except I am told by some I look considerably younger, frustrating when I actually feel like a very old lady indeed. It isn't great when the outside doesn't match the inside.

Star girl - I have a similar story but without any disc suspicion, I did have pain in the SI joints though so all my pain was put down to pregnancy. The MRI lady did tell me pregnancy makes disc ruptures worse. I read about discectomies being performed in pregnancy, especially if there are signs of cauda equina syndrome. Take care of yourself and be careful planning the birth (if they are warning me not to strain on the loo I can't imagine what they'd say about giving birth!). I think I also read CTs were safer than MRI but best to check and see what the dr says. I had a 21 month gap and it's hard work but two toddlers is worse!

Pavlov - How rubbish for you, but having a job you get some satisfaction from is good at least. I think people can be the worst thing about work sometimes.

I vary between positive and certain I will get better and have some fab second career to I will never be able to work again - DD2's second birthday was the time I started thinking more negatively. I also find myself thinking I will die earlier because miserable people die earlier, not even thought about the impact of the medication.

DH begrudgingly went out for the prescription, he has no sympathy, even since the MRI. I think people run out of sympathy, some faster than others :( He is fab with the kids at least, much better than me.

Anyway, no patches so have to go back tomorrow and I think I'll start once the kids are in bed. It takes three days to kick in fully and it's the lowest dose. Not sure how I will shower and I'll put it somewhere I don't need to use the wheat bag. It's not the strongest option but stronger than Tramadol or codeine. It's a semi synthetic opiate, whatever that means, I think Tramadol is synthetic and morphine is fully natural. There is a chart of opiates somewhere I have been looking at as I'd hoped the pain clinic would give them. It shows the relative strength of each medication.

Ok bed but really sore thanks to sitting on a hard chair for ages and being cold. But nice to get out and feel useful. Also nice to meet a friend earlier, even if my house was a tip - DH does the vacuuming and mopping but isn't very good at actually doing it without lots of reminding.