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

Yes, it is interesting about the steroids. Thing I'm worried about is that it's 8 days today since I had the injection, & I'm still worse. The radiographer told me I'd see an improvement in my pain levels between 2 & 7 days afterwards & told me there were no side-effects.

He admitted it had taken him longer than usual to get the right place - had to try 2 sites - so I guess I keep worrying that something went wrong. I had numbness in both legs afterwards - the local anaesthetic part - but am worried now that I shouldn't have done - surely it should only have been the right leg, as it was the right S1 nerve root that was targeted? I don't know.

Also, how do you guys manage about plans to go away / hotel breaks etc.? One of the reasons I'm struggling mentally / emotionally as well as physically with this increased pain is because we'd been planning to have a few days away - just in the UK - in half-term week (starting bank holiday Monday).

Basically we haven't seen my ILs for a while - it's a 4-5 hour car journey & I haven't been up to it, DH shows no inclination to go by himself (& to be fair, hasn't much free time). They can't travel here as FIL has recently had a hip replacement. We don't want to stay at their place - MIL has her hands full, the sofa bed DH & I have to sleep on is not back-friendly (& it's very easy to have too much of my MIL) - but do want to see them. I know DH has been worried about his dad.

So I had researched & booked a hotel in nearby city, & thought we'd have a few days there & visit ILs at the same time. I could have managed that in the Easter holidays, with adequate pain relief etc. But I honestly don't think I could do the car journey at the moment, let alone anything else. We haven't even told the ILs our plans, so no danger of disappointing them, & DH is saying he's happy to cancel - but I feel bad about it. It's frustrating too to think you can't plan stuff & never know how you're going to be.

So what do the rest of you do? Just think fuck it, & go away even if you're really suffering? Or leave all plans to the last minute, or what? I feel like I'm limiting what the whole family can do. Have booked a Summer holiday, but to be blunt it's a bit boring - a cottage we've been to before (so I know the bed is supportive) & under 3 hours drive. Lovely place, but with so many places to go we haven't been in the habit of going back to the same place before.

Oh dear - mammoth post. Will definitely go & lie down now.

loon, do finances permit breaking up the journey with an overnight stop? or could you travel by train.Then you could stand up and walk around a bit. I have to admit that for family plans I take loads of drugs and stumble through . This is not necessarily a good thing! We are going camping five nights may half term so you see I am certifiable

Yes travelling is hard. My parents are in Devon and we in London so rarely go. I also drug up, have heat and cushions, lie the seat far back and stop frequently if DH allows. Last year I got through France like this really quite well. One crucial extra to this wAs supporting my head with a pillow. It made a huge difference as my spine wasn't carrying the weight of my head. Next day bound to be tricky, I'm afraid.

I micro manage trips now. Plan, plan. But what's the alternative? Stay home forever? No thanks. I've been brave and booked a few trips this year. It means worsening my pain temporarily but in my case I keep in mind I have chronic pain. If I do things that provoke it that's a choice I'm making. I am not damaging myself.

Plan for the worst and hope for the best. Have fun .

I never thought about having a head pillow, matilda. Have tried all kinds of lumbar supports, mesh supports, cushions etc. in the car, but that didn't occur to me. We do do frequent stops, anyway - I've always been a big water drinker so loo stops were an essential before back stops came into it!

The train would be lovely, denial, but then we'd be stuck in the city without any means of getting to PILs' home, as they're in a village a few miles out, not on bus routes. And on a good day the journey might only be 3.5 hours or so, so an overnight stop shouldn't be needed. It's just that it's M1 most of the way, & getting stuck for hours would be a nightmare. It's happened before - appalling 7 hour journeys & stuff if there are delays - & then it can be tricky near Birmingham. We're going down from Yorkshire to Gloucestershire, so it really shouldn't be a big deal.

We'll have to see. You can cancel with the hotel with 24 hours notice so I don't need to decide now. The boys couldn't care less, & PIL aren't expecting us - we just thought it would be a nice surprise for FIL. I could happily go many more months without seeing MIL, but that's a whole other topic!

I am realizing that I need to get back to the GP & discuss my medication again. Diclofenac with co-codamol & diazepam as & when hasn't been too bad up to now, but now there are issues. I have tried amitriptyline but it wasn't actually prescribed for me (naughty) & I think I may need to try again & get it prescribed. Also need my pain-killers not to all be in combination with paracetamol, because it makes combining more difficult.

Also I tend to put off taking anything except the diclofenac until the pain's pretty much intolerable because both codeine & tramadol give me constipation. So I think it would help to take full-dose paracetamol separately, as a matter of course, & then be able to add codeine / tramadol if I need them. I never dare take ordinary paracetamol in case I'm going to need something stronger later, & my codeine & tramadol both have paracetamol already with them. Can you get codeine by itself?

Yes, you can but remember it's far more effective when combined with paracetamol. I would concentrate on solving the constipation. I take a Big slug of lactulose at night and it works. I know others take movicol. Codeine really hardens the poo so a softener is likely to be most effective. It's a shame to be in pain because of the fear of constipation. Are you taking the diclofenac regularly? Anti inflammatories work best if you do. And yes, if you've got the nervy pain do ask for amytriptiline. And maybe gabapentin, too. I started that first in fact and added ami quite late in the day and then kicked myself for being so stupid because I finally slept.

Actually, I'm sure you know all of that so I will shut up .

Done some lovely shopping today. New comfy outdoor furniture. So excited.

Yes, I do take the diclofenac regularly. It's the co-codamol that I put off taking, then end up taking 60mg at once. It does help - has usually been enough in the past - but the pain this week is of a different magnitude.

I do tend to get constipated anyway, despite eating loads of veg. & fruit & drinking lots of water. I've been "slower" in this area since my thyroid became underactive, & supplementation - though my levels have all been fine for years now - has never really addressed that.

Shopping sounds good! I am tempted to do some. I want another cashmere cardigan for a start. Have already ordered some fit flop sandals this week but they were no good - much bigger than the ones I already have & not as comfy. Can't wear toe post sandals, so I go for the proper sandal ones. They're great for my arthritic toes - can't even feel them with my fit flops on. I think they're quite good for the back too.

I have put off going away lots, hardly at all in the last couple of years, apart from London (off work for two weeks after as the car journey back fucked me up big style). We tend to be much more last minute, but this year, I have already booked our August holiday, which includes going to a festival and staying in a yurt! If I am in pain, then fuck it, out comes the hardcore painkillers, but I am bloody well doing it. Then in September I am going to see Massive Attack and Frank Turner in london for a weekend foodie festival, and we are staying in a hotel. That's going to hurt my back, but again, fuck it. I am going to live my life. I am sure that after the festival I may be saying something different

denial I am going camping too, we are usual spontaneous, will say 'lets go this weekend' but we have to be so much more organised now, so going away for one night to celebrate DHs birthday, then if we get on ok with that, for DDs birthday, and then for my birthday. We tend to stay in Cornwall or Devon though to avoid any car journeys as I can't bear them. Have not seen my nephew who is almost 2 now as he lives in Durham and I can't drive up that far. But, for my birthday, we might venture to Wales (probably literally inside the boundaries I expect!).

DH is sweet. He says that for his birthday he would like a super comfy back friendly air mattress for our camping trip so we can go camping. nice eh?

I have had a horrible day. Work was fine, but back pain has been horrendous. 100mg slow release tramadol, tbh, barely touched it, just put me in a bubble where I felt more able to tolerate the pain, but didn't lessen it really. (obv took usual paracetamol etc too). And, DS was hard work, and, well so glad the day is over. Today I just wanted the world to stop. Now my muscles spasm, are are solid up my spine, tramadol is wearing off and I am feeling tetchy, in bed. And I feel bad as DS and have had a bad evening, first time ever that we have not been able to just fix things (he has some sensory issues, so it seems, that bother him than at other times, today he was bad, and I feel bad for him).

Sounds like yesterday caught up with you pavlov. Hope it's a bit better tomorrow.

I love Fitflops, too. Live in them all summer. Have two pairs bought in Singapore earlier this year. One plain bronze the other beady tassels, slightly glam for evenings?

Do fit flops help back pain? Is it worth investing in any?

Does anyone wear a back brace/support? Any recommendations? I bought a sacroiliac belt but it didn't say where to put it and how tight so that was a waste of £40

msdj check YouTube for how to wear your belt. It will probably be there. I had a Velcro one which was good but I lost it. Must get another, it was quite comforting. Cheap.

Fitflops are comfy, nice spongy sole. Maybe not for everyone so try first. Must be real ones, though. Fakes will be no good IMO.

Off to bed. Nighty night.x

Sorry you've had a shit day too, pavlov, & that your DS is having a bad evening. I always felt that about tramadol when I took it - & my pain wasn't as bad then - that it kind of made me feel detached from the pain rather than removing it. And stopped me sleeping. Do you combine it with codeine too? Sorry, can't remember who's on what!

Your Summer plans sound fun. The point about staying close to home & avoiding long car journeys has made me think we should do more trips nearby. Sounds a bit dim but I never really thought of that - there are loads of places that are just that bit far for a day trip but would be great to stay at for a weekend or so. The boys certainly wouldn't mind if we avoided long journeys.

We can actually get to Europe without loads of driving from here via the Hull ferry port. Stayed near Bruges for a few days last Summer & it was way less driving than going down to Gloucestershire!

Worth trying fitflops before buying, msdj, if you can - sizing varies & I size down in the sandals. Can't wear their boots sadly as they're too shallow for my toes (big toes are arthritic & bend upwards like bananas!).

I think you're only supposed to wear them for a couple of hours at a time at first to get used to them. They can make your legs ache a bit but I've certainly not seen any sign that they make my nerve pain worse - though to be fair, it's only heels that seem actively to make my back / leg pain worse. I go for the fitflops more for my toes, which can be very painful in thin, flexible soled shoes.

For msdj there are lots of these on YouTube, hopefully this is similar to yours, if not just goggle YouTube sacroiliac belts.

looks quite easy when you know how

The most effective day to day treatment of chronic back (or any) pain is Far Infrared. I have just bought some pads for knee, neck and back and 30 minutes attached to one of these gives 6 hours relief. Far Infrared heats the cells deep into the body stimulating the production of Nitric Oxide which in turn stimulates the communication and interaction of the cells of the body. this leads to better blood flow better cell regeneration and especially managing pain (naturally)

vingetun, I'm not doubting the relief you feel and i don't want be rude but I get increasingly irritated by "try this expensive gadget /herb /potion my nans grans sister swears by". You can spend an astonishing amount of money on chronic back pain. my personal system is only to try things that are solid evidence based, cheapish and accessible locally. I'm current self paying for Pilates based physio from a trained physio at my local surgery.this had helped me in the past which makes the fifty quid a week seem worth it. time will tell.

Pavlov sorry you are in so much pain and lost and loon and everyone else. I had a piece of good news today. I have a pain clinic appointment for next week and work have finally finally ordered my "special" chair to mimic my work set up at home. I'm hoping this will make an enormous difference.

just logged on after two weeks off with current episode. 256 e mails waiting. going to be a crap week. just realised though I had booked Friday off and the week after parental leave for half term so I just have to do my best to fire fight for four days.

vingtetun, how come in the spamming messages you've been sending me you say you're the owner of a business selling these Infrared thingies, but in your post above you neglect to mention this? I've reported your latest message, btw, as breaching private messaging protocol. We're not here to be unwitting recipients of your advertising, thanks very much.

vingetun, no thank you and I also have reported you

OK fair enough, I have been shopped. I will stick to marketing infra red pads using "above board" means and you can feel most pleased with yourselves for having "uncovered me". In the meantime the misery your back pain is giving you will continue.

And if you have the time to moan about your condition and snake oil salesmen like me you probably also have the time then to look up these technologies on the internet. Try also looking up how nanotechnologies will stop the aging process and remove illnesses such as cancer.

You might even come to the conclusion that maybe technology will indeed have the answers to some of your problems.

I think you misread the title of the thread "support". I don't find your tone remotely supportive so kindly suggest that you go away and leave us to moan in peace

In the meantime the misery your back pain is giving you will continue

Oh well, at least it won't be compounded by the misery of having given money to a dodgy cleaning products salesman.

That's good news about the pain clinic & chair, denial! Hope work's not too grim.

If you want sympathy and support I am sure you have an infrastructure of family and friends who will give it (with meaning). if you want to get rid of the problem then contact me.

Think I'll be opting for the sympathy and support.

And yes, heat does help. We've worked that out already.

Off to physio now.