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

Pavlov, brilliant day out! So pleased. What's a good cart? Sounds Charlie n the chocolate factory-ish!
Gaba made me walk into things (shouldn't have driven and minimised amount of driving) and ami made me unable to use my Iphone calendar diary. Bizarre observation, I know... but I've 17 independent clients a week - so it's kinda important to daily functioning. Not to mentioning the need to look up and put in medical appointments. Using paper and own would have been worse - wouldn't have remembered where I'd put it! Lol

Maizie, I haven't had that particular joy (tummy stuff) BUT it does make sense that it'd make back pain worse - when in pain we tend to tense our muscles. This would aggravate things - in my completely layman-unmedical opinion.

Orange Is The New Black, Season Two is nearly here!!!!

pavlov I went there. Few years ago.awesome place. I didn't get a gold cart, though!!

All the talk about gabapentin and other drug side effects has got me thinking. I'm sooo used to being wooly headed I don't even notice anymore. But I'm not like that at all in RL. So yet another loss. My tummy troubles are med related. Codeine = constipation which leads to lactulose which = wind . More loveliness...

Yesterday I managed an entire day without codeine or tramadol. No idea why. Today I'm struggling already which is odd because they are short acting drugs and shouldn't make any difference day to day.ball most strange.

wondering, 17clients! You are so busy. Please don't say it's drugs affecting my use of phone calendar, I've told everyone that mine is unreliable and please double check dates with me. So it seems that's me, too.

All most strange, not ball.

hey, that's good you had a lower meds day- we never get to know why most of the time, as we are all doing lots of stuff to make it go better, throwing lots of mud at the wall and some stuck. I find it has been days when i've been busy with stuff that used my brain that i have managed with less- like uni days but not consistent, sometimes the horrible chairs cause me more pain! I put everything in my phone diary to try to not forget things

I am new to this but wonder if I can get some help until I can see the GP. Yesterday morning I bent down to straighten the shower mat and there was a sort of electric shock spasm in my back. I have been in agony ever since. I have taken ibuprofen and paracetamol and tried a cold pack and a hot water bottle and a shiatsu massage cushion but it is still bad (slightly better since yesterday). When I try to walk it is at it its worst. It is low down towards the base of my spine but above my bum.
I am 70 and overweight. Please help if possible. TIA

Greylady - I was told that heat and cold packs can help the initial injury, keep rotating (or just use heat if you don't want to do cold packs like me). If you can get someone to pop out to the pharamcy they could pick up some cocodamol, it's 8mg over the counter so not too strong but will make you a little woozy in a nice way. Keep up the ibuprofen but if the GP says you need to keep on taking it or another anti inflammatory then ask for something to protect your stomach as these drugs cause problems leading to ulcers long term. Keep rested too, gentle movement and gentle stretching, stop if it hurts, be even more careful when taking pain killers as they mask the pain telling you to stop.

I'd expect your GP to look at your pain relief and if you take codeine you may need something for the constipation - lactulose is a good one. The GP may ask you to wait to see if it improves but they may even send you to physio. If you get pains down your legs - sciatica then mention it. My first slipped disc was similar - I bent down to pick up a pencil and something went in my back and I could hardly move. That disc healed with just physio very quickly, but I was 16 at the time.

If you get worried give NHS direct a call, it is 111? Or your GP number as there will be an out of hours number on their answer message. If you have any numbness down below or sudden incontinence then get to A&E - this is very rare and caused by very very large slipped discs so it's unlikely.

And if the spasm is really painful you can ask for something to relieve that - diazepam is the usual drug of choice. Don't be afraid to ask for it, most of the drugs I'm taking (and referrals) I have asked for after seeing it mentioned online, by friends etc.

All of the above plus rest. Proper lying down rest. Sitting might make it worse. I find lying nearly flat with a pillow under my knees very comfortable as it eases pressure off the lower spine. Good advice from queen. If the pain worsens get onto ooh service and ask for diazepam. It eases spasms well. At helps you to care less about the pain...

Right, kids are eating their lunch now. DH is in bed after getting up early again with the kids - these drugs and perhaps the cold I have are making me sleep so much. I'm a avoiding diazepam at night as it adds to it and I think I read it makes quality of sleep worse. I also had one experience taking it at night where I woke in a lot of pain - I must have slept in a funny position and aided by the diazepam relaxing the muscles suffered awful spasm - ended up crying in church.

Ok back after failed negotiation with DD2 - she's now in bed as it's almost nap time anyway. She wanted yoghurt but hadn't eaten her sandwich (half sandwich as I got sick of the waste).

I don't know which drug to blame but I am fuzzy headed a lot, even after twelve hours sleep. I find the amiltriptiline most difficult the following day, I must try taking it earlier but always forget. A friend said 6:30pm max or she'd feel like this. But with the kids I just don't get a moment to think. I've taken amiltripiline since last summer with just a short break so don't think it's a case of getting used to it. I hate it but can't sleep without it. I'm like a zombie all day, not knowing what to say to people. Gabapentin didn't make me sleepy at all, just have me pain in my jaw and feet.

Codeine after the initial fuzziness is fine and tramadol even at 200mg SR twice a day didn't have any impact, even on pain. But I guess having kids and their constant noise and demands mean I often forget what I'm meant to be doing. I didn't appreciate how easy life was pre kids. They make such a mess which I'm not meant to clean up. In fact I've been wondering whether to move in with my Dad instead of staying here to recover from the op.

Bought some new garden furniture, cheap but the most comfy I could find. Much better than the wooden folding chairs which were dangerous for the kids. Visited a friend and the kids wrecked their flat :( The host is already offering to come help look after the kids and another offered via DH to come over, although he's a vicar and I'm feeling unchurchy due to the back stuff and I'm not chatty due to the fuzzy brain. I like being in on my own!

I'm thinking about going to Ikea. Is that madness for a bank holiday? I want to buy the toy kitchen with DD1's bday money to put in the playhouse - they need to bloody use this playhouse so I can be left alone to rest in my fuzzy brained zombie state in my new comfy garden chairs.

Thank you all very much. Dh has some co codamol so I will try that. I have been doing heat and cold but prefer the heat.good tip about lying down rather than sitting. I bet that is why it felt better this morning then worse again after I had been sitting for a while. Are the rubbing gels any use instead of oral anti inflammatories? I really hope this is temporary. Thank you all.

I don't honestly think the gels will do much good but I guess you can try. You can take 600mgs ibuprofen x3/day, with food or milk. It's often, though a good idea to combine the meds rather than take huge doses of something. But you have only just hurt your back so heat, rest and a lot of drugs are a good idea. Try calling GP tomorrow for stronger cocodamol because 8mgs is a pretty small dose. GP will prescribe 30mgs with500mgs paracetamol.

queen I'm sending sympathies to you. I'd say accept all the help you can possibly get whether it's given freely or paid for. I do hope you get some help when you finally see the consultant. I'm not surprised you aren't feeling churchy. Having said that I know church goers can rally round and help in times of need so I hope that is the case for you.

Just had inlaws to lunch. Exhausted. DH bought terrible food from Waitrose that managed to combine being both hugely fattening and disgusting.

And no, don't go to Ikea! friends went last week and when they got to the tills the queues were so long they left and so did loads of other people. Sounds like Hell. Give the dc a blanket to make a tent .

I did make it to ikea and I hurt!!!

Dodgy trolley and lift heavy stuff. Oh and then building it all. The kids are happy and even DH was impressed even if he hated going. We paid at the self service tils so super quick.

So we have a toy kitchen, a TV stand we have turned into a table and two stools. Also have solar powered fairy lights and picture frames. Need to paint the interior too - asking my sister for help as she is an artist after all.

Lucky children! Let's hope they play in there as desired.

Been out for dinner so have the Cricket Bat Syndrome. And ate too much.

oh no what was the waitrose food that was horrid?
greylady hope u feel better soon, my mum likes the gels as an addition to all the rest of things
doc can also do codeine in 15's, good for adapting up and down
hugs to all

grey sorry you are in so much pain there is great advice given, not sure I can add more than my sympathy and to re-iterate the importance of resting, resting, resting, gentle movement, resting, resting etc.

matilda I find the slow release tramadol takes a day to leave the system, so if I don't take it tomorrow I won't find the pain increases hugely until the afternoon/evening, but the following day I am floored, so be careful tomorrow in case you find a big increase in pain. I hope you don't. I don't get it myself as I thought they were not ones to build up in the system, but, the half life is 7 days so guess it does to some extent. Have you had much chance to try out your lovely new outdoor furniture? Hope you are not too bad after your meal out.

I need to add an item for our 'design' list ladies. I need a crutch or walking stick that is suitable for the beach, glam, but practical - so it needs to be waterproof, and have a flat base of some kind so it doesn't sink into wet sand, or seaweed, and so it can work well on pebbles. I had awful trouble today on the beach as I couldn't walk on the sand without the crutch, as it was pebbly and uneven, but the crutch kept sinking! A sort of reverse of a walking pole I guess. Maybe it even exists.

queen you also have my utter sympathy with managing your back and leg pain with young children. I hope you get some respite from it. I am back to work tomorrow after a lovely weekend, leaving DH to clean up the 'art project' from the front room as I couldn't get down to clean it up. It's glittery, so at least a little pretty DS wanted to make me something special, and didn't take no for an answer while I cleaned the kitchen after dinner. Oh dear I smile, but really, our place is utter utter chaos as I can't manage children, housework, me. I am sure they have only just gone back to school after a bloody long break, and now they are off again an they are not tidy children.

yes- second tht about young kids, love to bits but deff can make for an achey day picking things up and cleaning after them. have one tomorrow as dh is filming all day. Not used to a second day with them on my own but actually looking forward to it as today was again typing in the cafe from 12-7pm, so now feeling it a bit, anyone else get this pernicious bum ache late at night- never used to, just recently, may be the sitting all that time. they filled my hottie again- i asked for a "grannie special' to go with my cappucino, they are lovely in there and i hope thy think i am an ok customer as i dont cause much bother, tapping away, sipping away and chatting just a bit too much but hey! 0-1050 words in 7 hrs.
got home in time to see ds and dd a bit and then watch a shameless episode upstairs lying down nibbling wotsits- sheer indulgence!
did story fir dd (ds was in toilet) and then cuddle before bed and it was such a lovely cuddle i think i will remember it when she is all grown up, and till i'm old, she was fairly wrapped round me like a tree! they were babbling they're own lingo together again today, and ds is saying no and want a bit more
hope you aall are having lovely slumbers x

I meant to add to the gapapentin discussion - I'm suffering with a dry mouth really badly at night. All the other medicines have this as a side effective but it has been worse when restarting. Although I have a bad cold as well - always something to muddy the waters, last time I started gabapentin I came off amiltriptiline and Tramadol, Tramadol probably causing most of the withdrawal symptoms. I think my head is even worse too, finding the right words as someone mentioned and spelling is worse than normal. The dry mouth kept me up in the night so I'm exhausted, full of a cold and feel horrible as I'm not coping well with my highly strung four yr old. She bought a magazine with pink lip gloss and it was all gone after ten minutes, I was dreading finding it smeared all over the wall or furniture.

I did nip into the drs to fill in the physio referral, it's to a private practice (same as last referral which was sent at the same app as the MRI refusal, it was very quick) and should've been faxed over today so hope that is booked in next week.

Yes, I get the dry mouth, too. I keep a bottle of water by the bed and take a swig if it wakes me up.its sad but these drugs do all have significant side effects. I think I've just got used to them tbh. It's only since we've been discussing them I've really thought, oh yes, I do get all that. The words thing is probably the most annoying. I do it even when I'm aware of it but can't seem to prevent it.

I hope the weather improves soon. Young children need to be outdoors as much as possible. I used to get mine eating outdoors as soon as it was possible...less mess for me to clear up .

I get the dry mouth too- mostly since ami and gaba started, but I think i'm used to something sismilar as i never got enought to drink in years of hot kitchens- it doesnt bother me at night.
I am putting on weight the last 2 weeks- more rapidly than the 2 previous. Trying to read about whether this is the gabapentin and how to combat it as i really dont want to gain any more and really need to get back down to 9. I am not eating like a saint but i think it hasnt been anough to cause so much so quickly. thing is alot of factors at play as i am getting bloating all the time when i eat. think i will get the blood test done and go back to avoiding wheat as it did cause me weight gain in the past. I have always had a sweet tooth but I do crave sugary things alot and avoiding wheat also helps me stay away from most things like that.
I know i look okay, but i dont feel like me.
I am really angry that i got given the wrong advice about exercise as having so many weeks away from it is making starting a routine again very difficult. And feel deflated about it as so much time has been lost.
I wonder if i might titate the gabapentin down a bit and see if i can manage slightly more aches but might lessen the weight gain- there are alot of stories on the net of people that have put on 3/4 stones and i really do not want that as an added problem.
sorry to vent and moan, plenty of virtual all round of course
how are you today graylady ? hope the bits of advice helped and it is easing off.
I think the age kids you have may be similar to me queen, mine are 2 and 4 and feeding them is a mystery mission- i just dont know what theyblike any more! he was already picky from about 3 (and has asd, extra food issues around texture), but now she has gone picky too. I need some ideas to try new meals maybe.
I braved softplay today, it was fine until they both ran in 2 directions at the end and I ended up picking ds up by his leg. then we had to get a bit of shopping as bread and milk were run out so all in all felt very strained when we got home and had to resort to a second dihydracodeine dose ehan i am trying to stick to one/none a day, oh well!
awful rain in peckham- how was everywhere else? hope you have had good pain days x

Queen, there are mouthwashs & gels etc. that can help with dry mouth symptoms - biotene do a good mouthwash, & I think there's a gel called bioxtra? There are also pastilles but I forget the name.

I had a weird bout of dry mouth problems last year, pre-back issues & so not meds.-related. Seemed to be connected to swollen salivary glands, so I had various tests for sjogrens (as already have autoimmune hypothyroidism). Anyway, it all cleared up as mysteriously as it came, but I found all the above really useful. My GP prescribed a couple of things & I ordered the mouthwash I think on Amazon.

Why did you have to remind me of wotsits, maizie? Have been eating lower carb diet & have lost 3-4lb - so about half of the half stone I'd put on. But now want wotsits more than anything in the world.

Lots of pain here, having sat through 2 sodding hours of "Godzilla", which my boys were desperate to see. It was about an hour and a half too long, in my view. Had to go out & walk around half way through, & managed to lose my ticket, so thought I was going to be stranded & not able to get back to the boys! Fortunately they took pity on me & let me back in. Evidently not quite with it myself.

Very glad we decided not to go away this week as there's no way in hell I could have done a 4/5 hour car journey. Shame about the weather though.

Hope you had a good meal out yesterday, matilda. Was sniggering at your description of food your DH bought to feed the ILs. Hope everyone else is okay & has a good evening.

oh yes for outdoors as much as possible with the children. Although DS is going through a temper tantrum phase and is not being a lovely calm chilled out child after a day out. Or a day in....

I had a low pain day today it lasts. Is it a coincidence we have had a couple of lovely warm days? I did also take more painkillers over the weekend, which was a day longer than normal, so one more day of not reducing painkillers before back to work. Only had to take 50mg tramadol SR, and the usual paracetemol and naproxen. Not feeling too awful this evening, not needing to top up with codeine. One more day at work then a long weekend with Thursday and Friday off. Woohoo!

Hope very one is feeling ok at the moment. maizie are you done with your typing up now? Hope not too long to go now til you can properly relax.

loon x-posts, saw you are have lots of pain hope it eases. I am due to take DD to see Malificent on Thursday, so we shall see how I get on with the sitting down then.

I don't like wotsits. Actually, my appetite has reduced a lot again, and I am right off most sweet things. I think it might be the tramadol, although I had put it down to amy last time, I think I had also increased tramadol use then, as I am now losing weight again I sort of feel hungry but not, if that makes sense, hunger pangs, but no appetite. I am ensuring I eat, but the weight I put on when i went through the phase of wanting jelly sweets is coming off. The only thing I have changed is a regular return to tramadol, every day regardless of pain, to try and establish some consistency in my painkilling regime, instead of see-sawing and firefighting the pain. Part of my 'zen' approach!

I actually did think for a short while that I was pg, as I put on a little weight which is not usual for me, some of my clothes started to feel too tight and was craving sweet food. On top of that, I had a couple of days of ultra ultra, can't-keep-my-eyes-open tiredness, and have had really, really sore, slightly fuller breasts. Not normal pg symptoms for me personally, as both times I threw up almost immediately, with DS I threw up within days of conceiving (honestly, like 10 days max) and had no cravings, or horrendous tiredness, but I thought maybe each pg is different and there were lots of pg signs! I did two pg tests I was so worried. but then, the cravings disappeared, the weight has dropped and I have just got my period very heavy which is unusual for me, but I am towards the end of my contraceptive implant so think it might be messing up hormones up a little. I am so pleased I am not. Then I felt bad for being pleased, because what if I was? I didn't want to be, but then, I almost didn't want to not be. Bodyclock ticking? DS going to school? It was a strange feeling, especially taking the pg test, not sure whether to wish I was or wasn't pg! not wanting to be was stronger for sure, but definitely a little 'oh' when I didn't get a line followed by relief.

that is great pav, really hope it lasts for you. And you have been doing more the last few days not less havent you? when was it warm? been a bit chilly here yesterday and - oh cant remember past that, do you have an inkling why ds is being a bit tricky? some reason, something happening or not happening? how old is he- is it the teen? sorry cant recall your ages/ kids.
oh how i wish i was done- no joy! need to finish the essay- about to do a bit now, then after uni tomorrow and then thursday have to do a write up of a theoretical experiment-"how we would do it but leaving decription for someone else to carry it out". have to choose between effects of-a) caffeine on learning nouns, b) type of programme to advert recall in the middle of the programme, c) relaxation classses on stress in the workplace. hedging towards c, but am gonna read up on "real research" first. thought i had today but dh had to film and hadnt told me until last week- he gave me an out but I didnt want to say no as he has quite little things that take him out of the house and i have always had alot so it seemed unfair- and i can do it, just bit more back against the wall.
annoying- have run out of the pill and need to get it refilled but have to have my bp done first, arghh! i have perfect bp always, sometimes low even - almost always it is about 115 over 65. only went up in labour with ds when i had pre-eclampsia. I may try to get it 1st thing. if i miss a it of uni it wont be awful- course overview, what next yr will be lik end then... DRINKS!