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

Tbh codeine and tramadol are similar for me. Tramadol does a slow release which is quite good for a sustained pain relief.

Always take codeine with paracetamol ie cocodamol 30 as it greatly enhances the effects. Lactulose at night helps the constipation.

Sec my posts above re combining meds. For spasms try heat or diazepam. Honestly, combining meds is the way to go. I resisted amytriptiline but it's actually been a godsend at nights.

Buzzard PIP and Support group ESA are not means tested so worth applying. Can you appeal against the Blue Badge? Sounds like you might win if your ability to work is at stake.

It's all very hard sometimes. I'm a landlord, too. Last tenant left owing a months rent and lots of damage. New tenant hasn't paid her first months rent yet, a week overdue. it's a huge pain.

Hi, can I join? It's not actually me with back pain, it's my H. He had a slipped disk 7 years ago, and had a discectomy but had quite a lot of nerve damage so the op didn't help at all. After years trying out different things, we're slowly having to accept that he is not going to get any better. That's really hard when he's only 40 . Watching him crying with pain when it gets too much is awful and I'd give anything to make it go away.

lizzie sounds very similar to me. It's crap. Is he taking meds? And had second opinion? Any other treatment?

Huge sympathy to you both.

At the moment he's only taking paracetamol and ibuprofen and has a tens machine. Occasionally when it's really bad he'll have diazepam but he hates doing it so it's really a last resort. He has been through several meds, amitriptiline, nortriptiline, tramadol, pregabalin, several others I can't remember! He's had spinal injections and facet joint injections. Nothing has really made any difference, so he came off most of the meds. He has quite a high pressure job with lots of travelling so can't take anything that interferes with his ability to drive.

How long have you had it Matilda?

I'm wondering if long release pain patches like Butrans would be any good. Although they would certainly put most people 'out of it' for a few days while the body adjusts.

buzzard you can have suppository NSAIDS. I just remembered as I was wracking my brains for something that will help that is not via your stomach. My friend has back problems and alcohol problems and cannot take NSAIDS orally due to stomach problems, so she has volt oral suppositories. She swears by them as they also work quickly. Apparantly, suppositories are used a lot in Europe and USA but not for some reason here. She was recommended by her DP's relative who is a Dutch Doctor. Not sure if you can get them in the pharmacy but certainly you can get them from GP.

denial I have costochondrial pain. I googled it long before I had back trouble as I occasionally get a pain under my breath like something is ripping and I can breathe in deeply. It varies in severity, but never stays long enough to see a GP for. Like most of my 'symptoms' on their own, they are not very much at all and have never bothered the gp about them. It is only now that I am finding ALL my symptoms have sorted of merged into one huge problem, they have always been isolated, individual

matilda I personally suspect I have some kind of inflammatory arthritis, or some issue with my thyroid, I have so many of the symptoms. But who I am I to diagnose myself? no medical expert. I had mild concerns about my thyroid/pituity (sp) gland before back problems and had bloods done, they came back 'normal' and then my back went badly and from then on everything concentrated on my back pain, diagnosis, treatment. I expect there is something underlying that is possible not the cause of my back pain but is masking/making it worse, maybe linked, maybe not.

But, my gp, lovely that he is, is not great at doing everything quickly. Full bloods apparently had not included inflammatory marker check, and only one type of thyroid check but I was reasonably ok then. So he checked this (while I was feeling shit as it happened) separately, but he only checked CRP and not ESR. And, from my understanding from Mr Google, the range of 'normal' for both thyroid and CRP is blurred so I could be on the edge of either and it's the doctors call as to whether this is a problem or 'normal'. i don't know what the 'scores' were as the reception won't tell me. It doesn't matter anyway, no-one medically appears to think there is anything wrong that is not linked somehow to my back. All I know is I am fed up of being unwell, fed up of being in pain, fed up of fighting, fed up of not being me.

Work are being 'fine' so far. Boss is surprisingly nice, which bothers me. HR sent me a nice letter with some jobs being advertised and apologised for contacting me at home, and to call if I wanted to discuss/apply for any of the jobs. I don't, and know they have to let me know, but it wasn't just an impersonal letter. No contact from any of my team though. Clearly they couldn't give a flying fuck how I am. But that's ok, no reason why they would really, I am not exactly a 'team member' at the moment.

Two years now but no prospect of recovery. Two surgeries, all the stuff you mention above. I've had lots of injections some partially successful but never for long.

I'm afraid I use the meds. Life's too short for agony. Tbh I take stacks and mainly feel fairly ok as the woozy side effects do pass. Def combining drugs is better than taking one or two in isolation.

I have massively x-posted with everyone. I wrote that this afternoon, then battery ran out of charge, then I went out before sending it. So, I shall read all the newbie posts etc and repost with a less memememe post.

In fact. I am so gonna shut the fuck up about me for a while. It's so boring, depressing and self indulgent. And it's not me normally, I promise I am not a complainer normally. You are all so great letting me moan, and offering support, but I do bang on a bit don't I? so, I will write less paragraphs about my woes and spend more time talking about shoes and holidays and helping everyone else with their shit.

Well just to get the ball rolling I had some budget retail therapy to day and bought a tankini, hair bands and a beach bag.

I wanna go on holiday!

welcome all the newbies but also sorry you had to actually ever read a back pain thread Just picking up on buzzards comment anyone who ends up with more than two items on prescription a month would benefit from a pre payment card. I pay ten something a month (it's on ddebit I forget) and get between eight and ten items a month can't imagine paying for each of those

Yes, I've got the 'Frequent Flyer's' pre payment card, too. I'd be bankrupt.

I'm another one who takes all the meds.It's that or give up my job and stop functioning for my family. I do struggle with taking the opiate pain killers and driving and working. I've have felt much better in myself the last couple of weeks when I haven't had to drive or work much and took the pain relief I needed as needed. Back to work tomorrow though.. best keep buying those lotto tickets

Pavlov, you should be able to get your exact thyroid test scores - there's no reason at all for them not to tell you!

I get mine done when I can be arsed every year since I was diagnosed, & I always insist on being given my exact results, so I can see if there are any notable differences from last time. In the UK you'd generally expect to be tested for levels of free T3 (one form of thyroxine) & thryoid stimulating hormone (TSH) - the latter is pretty significant if you think you might be underactive, as it often goes really high before your actual thyroid levels start to drop (pituitary trying to push the thyroid to produce more thryoxine).

So if you've only had actual thyroxine levels tested it's not enough. Many people develop symptoms while they're still in the "normal" range.

Hi to everyone else! Had a lovely Easter here, but plans to get rid of excess 1/2 stone have been slightly derailed by too many gorgeous booja booja chocolates (& roast lamb & passionfruit trifle - not together!). Well done with the cooking for 17, matilda - don't think I've ever seen a 6kg joint of beef, let alone cooked one. Must have been impressive.

Have been walking with very little pain, which is amazing. Still can't stand still for more than a few minutes without the leg pain coming back; but certainly feeling there's no way I could consider surgery at the moment. Did 3 miles over rough ground, plenty of uphill stuff too, today - & felt only v. minor aching. So it would be crazy to go for a discectomy while things are like this, right?

Haven't taken anything but my diclofenac (& omeprazole) today either, & have only been averaging 1 dose of co-codamol (2x30mg) per day. Wondering if it's possible that it's healing by itself after nearly a year? Have a date in early May for a nerve block injection, anyway, so that's something to look forward to.

Actually, you should all get tested for underactive thyroids. If you have one (really quite common, esp. for women) & need thryoid supplementation you get free prescriptions for EVERYTHING! Has saved so much money since I had back troubles.

Lizzie, your husband could ask for a stronger anti inflammatory like e.g. naproxen / celebrex / Arcoxia. The rheumatologist described it to me like all the compounds work slightly different for everyone so it's worth shopping around for your best personal fit. a point for everyone long term nsaid use needs a stomach protector like omeprozole etc. I'm afraid these drugs breed a bit...one leads to another to another...

also take the paracetamol regularly (within the prescribed limits!!!!) and it works better.

loon and denial, I've pm'd you both.

He's had naproxen in the past but gets on better with slow-release ibuprofen. It's a bit of a struggle to get him to take them really, I think it's partly denial about it. He's otherwise fit and strong and healthy, so resents having to 'give in' to it. I think our gp was a bit rubbish about it really, it took about 5 years before he got referred to a pain clinic and I think by that stage he was just so fed up with doctors that he's largely given up on them.

leaping I would go with the rheumatologist.morning stiffness and pain that eases and returns when you stop moving is indicative of an inflammatory rather than mechanical issue.they will be Quick enough to pass you on to next specialty if it's not their area.

loon I was told 1-2 years natural recovery. Well done you for getting there!

The thyroid prescription thing is so weird. Makes no sense at all, does it?

thanks Matilda - I do the pain scoring a lot with DD2 (who has a lot of fainting related injuries), so I'll keep note of mine - stupidly it hadn't occurred to me to do that. Then with actual records of things, I have a starting point. Hopefully the MRI will show something which can be dealt with, or at least an explanation for.

I'm generally OK constipation-wise, provided I stick to a regular routine, and don't have a rubbish stressy day where I don't drink enough water, then decide to have a takeaway curry and too much wine, which I know will cause problems the next morning . I can usually avoid medication if I keep my fluid levels up, so that's something.

Will go and wrestle the hot water bottle off DD2, and see how much that helps.

I have a brilliant rheumatologist in mind denial if it comes to that - sadly he's private only these days, but it would be money well spent I reckon. As a family we've had mixed results with rheumatologists - they're a weird bunch, half of them don't talk to the other half because of a row about hypermobility diagnoses, and you need to know which side the one you're speaking to is on. Both DD1 and DD2 have the same thing, but have different diagnoses because of which hospitals they each went to. And I have to wait till DD3 is 13 before I can get her checked out as she'd have to go through a pediatrician who doesn't believe in either diagnosis on principle, and then to a completely different hospital where (allegedly) the initial diagnosis is scarily close to being Munchausens by Proxy on behalf of the parents .

Maybe my back/hip/pins and needles is just stress because of the medical profession .

Yes, the free prescriptions thing is a bit random. It applies to anyone with endocrine hormone deficiencies, I think. The reasoning must have been (I guess) that the thyroxine isn't a med., it's a replacement for a natural hormone, so it shouldn't be charged for like a med. But then it doesn't apply to people with cystic fibrosis, for instance, who need to take digestive hormones that their own bodies can't produce, & have to pay for them. And as to why it then covers all other meds. - who knows, but I'm not complaining!

Interesting about natural disc recovery happening in 1-2 years. My consultant said pretty much the opposite - that if it hasn't healed naturally in about 6 months, it probably won't. Odd. I know my mum had recurrent disc problems that definitely lasted longer than 6 months, but then made a full recovery in each case - she had injections but not surgery. Can't remember the details & sadly she's not around anymore to ask, but she was fully active & pretty much pain free back-wise for the last 5 years or so of her life. I think she had most problems between about 45 & 55.

Leaping, I'm really interested in your hypermobility and associated rheumatoid issues. I have some hyper mobile joints and also have been diagnosed with palindromic arthritis. I was investigated also for lupus (although that may be because we have family history of it, not sure). I think you are right to go the route of a rheumatologist, I hope you manage to get some answers.