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

Hello Matilda

I'm on a pretty even keel at the moment now I'm back on the ami

Start uni in September so I'm looking forward to that and am trying to lose some weight to boost my confidence before I start but I'm limited for exercise so its going to be tough!

Pav -I used to work full time with 2 dcs and pain, it's physically draining so you would need to love your job to get through it

I think if it was me I would apply but be realistic about the fact that you may feel you need to withdraw your application if you think they cannot accommodate your needs

oh you are so right I am not ready. Is it a one off? well, no, I don't think so, but there is a run of jobs at the moment, a big recruitment drive, and I don't know about the future. denial it's public sector/government job. I don't know if I could negotiate a transfer of my pension and I expect terms and conditions will be built up the same way, so a month per year to max - like you I am on 6 months full pay and thank fucking goodness. I just hate to think that I might need it again. Yes I so so agree at feeling trapped. I can't progress any more in my current role. That might, or might not change in the future with these new changes but I hate having to stay in a job because of this crap health.

I shall tell you the job - investigator for the IPCC (straight into investigator role without 'applying' for the qualified role once training/accreditation is achieved). A fucking awesome job investigating complaints involving police incidents, which involves everything from attending scenes of crimes and post mortems to interviewing police, victims, witnesses etc and, gathering evidence, reaching conclusions, publishing reports. I have all the skills I need and more for this, and my dream jobs as a child/growing up (until I decided I preferred drinking and sailing (not together) to hard work ) were to be a police officer CID or a pathologist and my favourite part of my job right now is the reading of the CPS documents, risk assessments, making decisions about honesty etc and DH and my friends always said I would be a good investigator of something

17 it won't be 9-5 full time either.

matilda yep, some days just managing is so hard, but then I think, it's not always going to be like this is it? By the time I have had the interview etc I will be back on track again.

Oooo sounds like something off CSI

My job wasn't 9-5 either and that was probably the hardest part as I was never able to get into a routine but that can also have its benefits in terms of getting to appointments and school events -little but if give and take goes a long way

Hey, i'm back, had to play abc songs to ds coz he was desperate :) The whole issue of codeine in pg- it took several months of diff docs to find out it realy IS ok if you are in pain and need pain relief it is actually better to take the pills until 2 weeks before due date as being in pain is also BAD for you in pg and in my case it gave me alot of braxton hix and i ended up in the ante-natal walk-in a couple times so they persuaded me it was ok to take the cocodamol- I started with the 8/500 and by the end of my pg was taking the 500/30 so don't worry, you have to do what you have to do. I cycled it down as i came up to due date but funnily enough what was the first thing they offered me in labour? co-codamol, funny that. There is a big book of meds in pg that are labelled "avoid" but are sanctioned if you need tham and some are more safe than others- they are graded in this directory for docs and midwives so they can minimise any risk by choosing the drug with lowest grading first. And she was not affected at all (my daughter)- she was very wriggly as soon as she was born, her apgar was 9/10 i think. she fed immediately after i cuddled her.
just wanted you to have the whole story queen

i think i may have put wrong name for which one of you was pg- sorry if i got it wrong

The job sounds amazeballs pavlov, I say go for it because it sounds like the kind of position you could actually adapt to your needs a bit. Not some things that have to be at times but all the work on the files and assessments- surely that could be done at home. Are they not duty bound to help you anyway- thought there are laws or somefink?? that you shouldnt be discriminated against becuse you have back problem etc, physical limitations etc- it's really your mind they'll be using most. But then I blagged my way into a chef job at 17 with no experience and felt very full of self doubt until some yrs later all the people working with me had the same history! You are gonna be like the cops out of "line of duty" but just without the cop bit, awesome.

in that case go for it

glad to see you back here, do you find you spend too much time on t'internet then?

Do you remember the doctor on ER who used a crutch? Carrie, was it? It didn't stop her too much .

pav the job sounds amazing. Would it absolutely definite have to be full time? I feel your pain. I'm also unable to imagine working at all all those hours. Sigh. Maybe you should chase your dreams. I'm glad I had a job I loved and did it well.

Enjoy your BH Monday, everyone.

Maizie - yep not me but I did pop a far bit of cocodamol in both pregnancies. No more pregnancy for me, too much pain. Thankfully I'm not even remotely broody.

Pavlov - just apply and cross the other bridges when you come to them. There's nothing to lose.

Matilda - patches seem good. I took nothing extra on Friday but I did yesterday but only because I had no paracetamol and had to sit for over an hour. I did again today but standing for ages and overdoing it building a playhouse for the kids. I have my dad helping DH but I did some lifting and bending I shouldn't do but can't stop myself. It needs painting but I think that's fairly light work I could manage in stages. I'm quite happy it's done - it blocks the ugly shed from view and the kids should be happy all summer saving me the guilt from not getting to the park.

I've also eaten too much and need to get back on the diet - only half a stone or so to shift but that's the hardest bit. As for exercise I was using the cross trainer and a bike with a comfy seat in the gym, plus Pilates/physio type stuff on the mats. I felt ok and more flexible immediately after. The pain clinic dr said it's ok if I'm not doing weights so I'm waiting on the trainer to get back and meet to discuss the new diagnosis and things I need to stop.

Oh I will say that the patch is very itchy at times and it's so tempting to peel it back to scratch. I showered and forgot it was there - I was about to exfoliate it off as my back was so itchy it felt I needed to give it a good scrub. I wondered what that rough thing was and realised I had to be careful with the hot water - heat makes it release more of the drug. But pain feels under control with some periods of soreness which is more localised. I recommend it so far.

Just testing to see if I can post a pic.

sorry to hear you are having a shit day boots- I have to call you that or looks like I'm saying tough! to the first statement
That playhouse looks fabulous. that is a very clever way to minimise any effect on them, as you say they will not even notice not going to the park much. My sister had a similar thing and we all loved it too.
I am experimenting with taking the diclofenac at dsame time as Gabapentin to see if it makes them work better. was responding very well to gaba but it seems my body adjusts very quickly- it adjusted to ami in 1/2 days each time i upped the dose. we will see
going to a fair today, bit annoyed coz was meant to be yeserday or friday and i was having better day- this morning has started a bit worse but fx feel better later. hope weather stays good too for that since it is bank hol and often rains!
what is everyone else doing on the bank hol today? or just relaxing?
i think the lady i meant to direct pg tips towards was candy - haha just realised what i wrote- bet i could direct them to all oncerned really all of us being very fond of a breww

toughas and sorry you are in lots of pain. What annoyance that your pharmacy doesn't do repeats. Is that what that little white slip of paper is for? Does that mean you can just take it to pharmacy? I often wondered what that was for, seeing as it says 'repeat card' on it and just realised maybe that's what it's for?! I had it on most of my meds apart from diazepam but recently none given with the prescription. Probably means there have been times I have had run out of meds when I could have gone to get more if that's the case.

Job does sound grand doesn't it?! It would be so varied, and so so much fun, although I doubt if it would be things like plebgate and the such every day, more likely people accusing police officers of assaulting them, or maybe even more basic than that, certainly while training. matilda I don't know about part time, I could ask I guess, but the training involved makes me suspect that it would probably be full time until that was complete at least. It is advertised as full time but that doesn't mean they definitely won't consider it under certain circumstances. I also don't want special treatment if I could help it, maybe chairs, and workstation type help but not reduced hours etc before I even started. Listen to me, presuming I am even doing the job! It's everything I am missing from my current career, and everything good about what I love about my job. It involves multi-agency working which I really enjoy too and I could work upwards to a senior position if I were good enough/wanted to, as the children become adults - I have another 29 years work left in me presuming I retire at 65 (it will be later) so still time for a good career.

But. Maybe I should give it a year, keep an eye out, there will be other opportunities (but I am never one to let things go, what if things change, i get scared this might be my 'chance' and I am letting it go, what if that happens - DH says there will always be doors to open, might not be the same one - I am a bit bull in a china shop). By this time next year I should definitely know if I can manage work with this shit going on, some stability might have resumed and DS will be settled in school.

I have just had a Day Out With Thomas and the family. Lovely but fuck me do I hurt now!

queen lovely photo!

denial you feeling reasonable at the moment? Have you started the new meds yet?

Bumping for Monroe.

Waves to all and wishing you a lovely day. Having BBQ now. Chat later.

fuck fuck fuckity fuck

had had a really reasonable few days after a couple of weeks of flarey shittiness but bent over to pick something off the floor today and couldn't get up. left si joint god knows what I've done.

Bugger Bugger bugger Bugger bugger

what's the opinion on out of date meds? I have some diazepam but it's at least a year out of date. fuck fuck fuck

Oh no! And that you have out of date diazepam how do you make it last so long! Do you have muscle spasms? If so I would call ooh and ask for some fresh diazepam, I don't know about out of date. I think a month or two I would be ok with, no sure about a year. I can ask my pharmacist friend, see if I can get hold of her now? Remember heat, painkillers up the wotsits, and do you have help with you now?

I was too scared to take it Pavlov :-) but it's felt like a nice little insurance policy tucked away in meds cupboard. I've had 60mg codeine, just had my anti inflammatory.not due paracetamol yet. dp had to lift me off floor and help me go to the loo.

I think there's some tramadol in the cupboard too but it's even older than the diazepam. I really need a clear out.

I have an appointment for bloods at docs tomorrow.Will ring in am and see if I can see someone doctor like at same time. i reckon dp will have to carry me there

we've just been out and bought a lovely new family tent and I was ouchy but no more than most days.

medicinal for everyone

Not sure you should wAit til tomorrow if you can't walk. Can you lay comfortably? Remember paracetamol with the Codiene to optimise pain relief. Shit that's really not good. Scale of 1-10 what's the Pain level?

Ignore me . You said not due paracetamol.

with the codeine on board it's a six lying down and a nine if I try and move. so I'm not going to move

Thank you Matilda I have recently started my own thread but Matilda suggested I woild find lots of advice and support from fellow back pain sufferers on here.

I apologise I haven't read the whole thread but I've skimmed the first few pages.

I have copy and pasted my posts from my other thread

After over 18 months of pain and lots of investigations, a recent mri has shown I have "clear deterioration" in my lower back between my L4/L5 and L5/S1.

I have been told I have been referred to see a neurosurgeon and can expect an appointment in the next 3 weeks but nothing else.

Can anyone say what treatment I might expect? Also what I should be doing, if anything, in the meantime. Painkillers have no effect and activity leaves my leg in severe pain so I am trying to take it a bit easier without putting my life completely on hold
I started with hip pain over a year ago. I was prescribed
Naproxen and underwent months of physio both of which had no affect.

An mri on my hip showed a slight tear and I was given a
steroid injection which didn't help at all. Because the pain was now travelling down my leg I pushed for the mri on my spine which showed the damaged discs. So this is where I'm up to. I've had no treatment specifically for my back as such and I'm just waiting to see what the neurosurgeon might say

Ok, so, 9 if you move. Its evening, which makes lying down easier, but 6 with meds is still quite high. Will you GP be able to give you anything to reduce from 9 tomorrow? I remember being told 8 plus is hospital level pain. You may be able to get a shot of painkiller injection direct, while waiting for other meds to do their stuff, and some diazepam to help you sleep through the 6 lying flat if you go to a&e. Is it close to you? How easy would it be to get there? Could someone drive you?