Back to Back Trouble. The Back Pain Support Thread.

[Matildathecat]

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
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2049637-Back-Again-Back-Pain-Support-Thread?msgid=47419209#47419209

And some other useful links and info:

www.patient.co.uk/health/cauda-equina-syndrome-leaflet

We have done the hard work for you and learned about effective drug combining. Using NSAIDs, a stomach protector, paracetamol with or without codeine (it enhances the codeine), nerve pain meds such as gabapentin and/or amytriptiline can all be more effective than simply taking huge doses of opiates. Of course most people won't need all of this but for severe prolonged back injuries this is helpful to know.

Heat, gentle exercise, TENs, medication patches, diazepam and accupuncture, we've tried them all.

So if you are suffering come and join us, were a social lot.

Hello girls, just catching up after a tricky day. Very stressful morning. Have had some of the worst pain ever this evening despite half an hour listening to my Pain Mindfulness app for half an hour on the floor...sorry Jon Kabat Zan, didn't really help. Had more drugs than I care to remember including a very rare Nd tiny dose of diazepam. Sorry to say I've resorted to alcohol.

Denial, so sad you are having such a tough time. What do you do? Surely your managers have a duty to make sure your work is covered if you are sick (which you are). Please take time to look after yourself.

Pavlov, so many wise words as ever.xx

Queen, did you hear back re the surgery? I hope the consultation gives you some answers.mat least of your bladder problems are not disc related that is good news. I'm quite used to my weird bladder. Tbh a lot of women with dc have some kind of bladder issues. So long as they aren't CES related then all good really. Well not good but you know..

Tough, again sorry you are suffering. Yes it was Mr S. Since the appt was booked through the private clinic I don't think he has any say in the charging, though of course I might be being naive! If it gets the report written I'm past caring. Join the fb group for the full horror of today. It puts my current pain into context.

Underwear, yes. I have some highly unattractive support pants from Matalan (cheap) which give tummy and low back support. They are good but for some reason rarely wear them. Heat patches a bit sickly in hot weather though did use for magical evening at Hampton Court classical concert on Saturday.

Ok,, too much. Sorry to anyone I've missed. Maizie, you ok? Let's all pray for a better day tomorrow.

Last word I promise, NO picking up big strong toddlers!! Hugs, kisses and smarties but no carrying. It's heartbreaking but seriously damaging. Must weigh as much as a sack of potatoes and nobody would expect us to carry that.

Hello all, sorry to hear you had a rotten dat Matilda, hope today is better.

End of the work day in my time zone ... Been a long one, had to drive so no pregalbin :( have managed, but was terrified that someone would be nice to me and I would cry.

Looked at your surgery times with some envy Pavlov, wondering if I need to be more assertive, but then presumably there is some kind of triage and there are people struggling more than me, or perhaps are just more able to pay:(, it is such a complex system here

Not much else really, have booked some physio...

Does anyone have experience of acupuncture...? Someone in my team keeps raving about it but at 75 bucks a go I'd like opinions from people with disc issues...

I had acupuncture once but did not enjoy it. After I had a massage which felt fantastic during it but the next day I was in so much pain. A sports massage is probably a good and more proven way to get a bit of relief, especially if the muscles are tensed up. Diazepam is also fab for tight muscles!

I had acupuncture once but did not enjoy it. After I had a massage which felt fantastic during it but the next day I was in so much pain. A sports massage is probably a good and more proven way to get a bit of relief, especially if the muscles are tensed up. Diazepam is also fab for tight muscles!

Thanks, helpful feedback

Thanks, helpful feedback.

I've heard that acupuncture is all about who does it. Some GPS and physios etc have been on short courses so are qualified but not experts. I've had some of this and it didn't help at all.

But, if you go to a proper wise old Vhinese practitioner, apparently it's a very different thing and can be wonderful. Note, I haven't done this! Have also had recommended to have Chinese herbs burned on my back. Didn't fancy it.

That's the correct arrangement. Love the dresses. Did you buy them all?

Just been refused pip after reconsideration. I give up. I feel like giving up on everything at the minute

Oh msdj, sorry you're feeling so bad. That is shit news about PIP. I'm not the person to give any useful advice about that, I'm afraid - haven't been through that; but I'm sure someone else will be along soon.

Have you got someone with you? Are any of the kids at home? You need someone to take care of you right now. Don't give up. How is the pain? Is it reasonably under control right now?

The nerve pain is under control with Gabapentin but am taking 9x300mg a day so that's a lot. But the back pain has never been under control. That gets me down a lot. I can't do anything without severe pain

Thank you for replying though Loon. I didn't want help. Just needed to rant x

I'm not surprised you feel down, msdj - that kind of unrelenting pain is grim.

Sorry MSDJ. Can you appeal? Or was that appealing again? Have you any new evidence something has changed?

I did the wrong thing by writing everything myself. I didn't know that I should have gone to the cab. They said that I can appeal so I will go to the cab. Nothing changed other than the more tablets and treatment that I have had. But everyone says that the cab words things differently or better than I can anyway

The annoying thing is that I was one point off getting it

msdj you can formally appeal now, it's more robust and less arbitrary than the Consideration process, and if possible see if you can access some support with the appeals process, like a disability action group or cab. I can possible help guide you s little remotely by pm/email, or try at least, if you need an extra pair of eyes on it. I'm like a dog with a bone when I want to be

Talking of which, got the nod for injection although only the caudal injection. Really bloody infuriating appointment where I was pretty much told that not letting go of surgical hope was contributing to pain, and that the pain is due to nerves malfunctioning, not the disc or vertebral slip! Got the whole 'if I did an Mir on a cross section of population many would have similar structural issues so it's not necessary thowe issues causing the pain' hollow wheeled out. And also that spinal fusion only works well on instability not for pain. Argh! Read my notes properly! 'well yes but the 'step' in your vertebral positioning is grade 1 so not significant'. Then looks at the flexion x Ray which clearly shows the vertebra touching when j bend and says 'i am not convinced it's causing psin, but, er, we need the surgeons opinion on this. I am not sure whether it's significantmy moved, I'm like the gp, my understanding is limited' ffs! So upshot is after trying to suggest I am depressed and telling me I need to carry on living (which I'm doing) he has suggested the following actions:
Chase Neuro for opinion on new Mri and surgical decision ( didn't bother telling him I'm going elsewhere for second opinion)
Caudal injection
Try 10mg nortriptyline at night weekends only
Try new medication - tapentadin? After injection
Try tens machine. Funded by me
Acupuncture. Funded by me
Massage. Funded by me.

As Dh said, mostly fucking useless and really patronising but least I got the injection.

X posts, how annoying msdj! Yes the wording is key. But how shit they could not just usr common sense when there is one point in it? Grr on your behalf.

msdj, definitely appeal. If you pm me your email I will send you my form to look at. Although I've yet to hear she did say it was one of the best completed forms she'd seen. I'm happy to share with you.

pavlov, the words arse and elbow spring to mind. But to that seems to be happening quite a lot lately to all of us. Pm me if you like and I will send you my TENs machine. I don't like it much tbh. It's worth a go though. If you adore it you might be a candidate for a spinal stimulator.

Going out but chins up, girls. Things can only get better. Surely?

Don't know how you managed to keep your temper there, pavlov. The whole "we're a bit stuck here so maybe it's time to suggest the patient is depressed" line makes me more fucking angry than anything else.

Fortunately I've only had it from bastard physio. so far - but the joke was that in the first appointment he went on about what a positive attitude I had & how important this was. Then when I went back & explained that pain had worsened dramatically with his exercises, he suddenly switched to the line that state of mind is the most important thing with backs, & if I was negative about my exercise regime then that was probably why the pain was worse.

Why can't these people just acknowledge that they don't know exactly what's causing the pain, but that doesn't mean there isn't a specific cause. And if your man couldn't interpret your x-ray confidently, he'd have been better to keep his mouth shut about whether or not the vertebral slip could cause pain.

What about your two bulges, anyway? Yes, we know there are asymptomatic bulges, but I doubt very much there are many people hopping & skipping around with two big, central prolapses. FFS. Glad you've got something out of the appointment, anyway - but the sooner you see your second surgeon the better.

I bought a tens too, matilda, but stopped using it. It certainly distracted me from leg pain while sitting, but only by covering it up with unpleasant prickling & pulsating sensations. And it's fuck all use when you're standing up / out & about / trying to actually DO things, which is when pain is often worse anyway.