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.

Done! Wow! I hurt! I have been stubborn and refused to use my stick, you know what it's like, millions of people from school etc being there. And, my back felt good, but, as I ran around after a million children, it started to seize up, and now, well, all I can say is I am medicating with wine

it was so lovely though, lots of children running about, weather was glorious, take away pizza delivered to the park for us all which went down a treat, and a very tired, happy girl.

Hope you are all doing well tonight, not too much pain going on, or a chance to rest, sorry for posting memememe will be back to normal tomorrow :)

Ah, sounds lovely and lots of precious memories created. Worth a bit of pain.

I'm trying to sort books for my upcoming holiday. Kindle recommendations welcome...

matilda I hope so. DD has a lovely, lovely group of friends, and she is a very lucky girl, I am pleased with how she is developing although a bit moody when tired into a bigger girl. The only sad it was that I spent the evening sharing with everyone, and as she was at school, I hardly spent any time with her, as she was off playing all evening! But, that's what happens when they grow older. I said to a friend, it will be worth any payback I will be having now in the coming days for being a 'normal' person for a change, even if some of it was pretend.

I will ask DH for a recommendation or two for the kindle, he reads loads. Do any of you listen to audio books? DH tries to get me into this as he listens to loads, and he downloaded loads for me to listen to when I had surgery and I tried, but kept falling asleep

yay for a lovely party :) Happy Birthday miniPavlov. Matilda what kind of things do you like? I've gone mad for Liane Moriarty recently really excellent stories. Not too deep but engrossing. One of hers got me through injection day. Not a great day here. Pain ok real life issues not. Onwards and upwards. Review with GP tomorrow re "the depression", back to work Thursday.

Loon / Matilda, I think we use up so much energy and will power just doing "normal" things that we have no reserves for family crisis, lifes general shitty stuff. Its crap. I have no wisdom.

Whoever was worried about hydrotherapy go for it! My swims keep me sane but I so wish the pool wasn't so damned cold. It makes the getting started bit even harder. 23 lengths today fuelled by pure fury

Have you been over to Books, matilda? There are lots of threads about holiday reading recommendations.

I've read a couple of things recommended there recently: really enjoyed Longbourn by Jo Baker - it's a sort of retelling of the events of Pride & Prejudice from the angle of the servants. Well, it focusses more on their lives, but the events run concurrently. Also started the first of the Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard & am getting quite engrossed in that, despite not liking most of the adult characters!

Sounds like you had a lovely time earlier, pavlov. Is it your DD's birthday? Hope you're not suffering too much.

It was good to have a moan earlier - writing it down has made me feel better. I don't need to see that much of my dad, matilda, & generally contact is superficial & on his terms, which I don't mind too much. He's just being particularly unpleasant & difficult about a forthcoming family event, & having to deal with him & his demands seems to sap the joy out of everything.

That's impressive with the swimming, denial! Sorry you're dealing with crap too. I think you've got it there about there being nothing left in the energy banks.

denial I agree re crisis. I don't do crisis. I expect there are some crisis I may well need to be involved in/should already be, but, I bury my head in the sand. I can't do it. Well done on the swimming btw! that's fucking amazing. love that the anger keeps it going, got to channel it. I need to try going back, but it's tough to do. I have so much pent up energy/frustrations that need to come out. I used to be such an active person, right down to fidgeting watching the tv, i don't even do that is why i am putting on weight for the first time ever ever

loon yes, my baby girl is 8. 8 ! she is growing so fast, but yet is still my little girl, it's a strange age, I want it to slow down. I can see why people have more babies. I don't think I can do that, physically, or mentally it won't be good for me. But, I am also not sure I want them to grow up so quickly and not have babies around. Luckily I have a few friends with babies so can work it out

Hey Pavlov, my girl is 8 in a couple of weeks too. It's school holidays here so we decided to have a bit of declutter, two bin bags worth of pink and princess! She thinks its all too babyish thank Christ she wants to replace all with scary stuff. I have a three year old too, but wondering about a third child. I am in no mental or physical state a the moment, but at 34 am scared of closing the door. Whole other thread perhaps. And on weight... Am 11 kilos up since this injury.... So depressing

Denial ...depression is a shit isn't it? Need to lie down for my back and be out and about for my depression! I don't do crisis either, we had a couple f bad days, not even crisis and I m all over the shop. But it changes today. Daughter has a play date and being 8 I don't actually need to get involved ... Time to get some stuff done

hiya gals, just a quick hi and goodbye, i'll post more tomorrow.
Have ben looking after the kids for couple days as dh's sister died - he travelled up a few hours before she passed. Very sad for his mum, we will go visit in a week or two and the funeral will be about a month away. We stayed with them last xmas and she showered both of mine with pressies and attention, very sad they won't remember her but they were good memories. I feel I don't know what is right thing to do or say for dh but he says he just wants alot of hugs at the mo and talking through what happened.
Did 20mins on static bike today and abot 30mins on weight machines-arm and chest ones,just 5ish mins each as I am a wuss - felt almost painfree for about an hour after. But had to take codeine twive today as was looking after kids until early eve as dh had tooth out today. I am taking an attitude on it that this week,next,until back to normal a bit might need to take more, but can reduce again once physio and exercise starts to work more. hope you are alhaving low-pain sleepy slumbers.
light I have L4/5 like you(but only "slight bulge") which only recently went chronic so I can only second others on here that work is not priority over your onoing health and I wish I had been more careful/stopped work earlier etc when things were still "on" and "off" rather than just all the time.
It has occurred to me that the actual bulge may have happened any time in last six years when I first complained of back ache to doc when pg with 1st- it was dull and gradual,not sudden.It could have happened during my labour with second as I would have put pressure on it when pushing??-matilda your expert opinion needed- I do remember I had a sudden onset of backpain during that labour that would not ease wit =the epidural,it felt like muscular,like a really bad cramp,ilay on my side for most of the labour,think it eased eventually-bit of a blur now!

maizie Oh I am so so sorry to hear that. I also can only post quickly, but wanted to give you my sympathies and some big hugs to you all. What a shit time

So sorry to hear that, maizie, & my sympathies to your DH & MIL too.

Sounds like you're doing well with the exercise - take it easy, though, won't you? I think it's hard to know exactly when a prolapse started. I guess there must be a slow process of degeneration in the disc first that allows the nucleus to squidge around more & push into the outer layers. Then I suppose there's a point where the outer layers give, & some of the inner material bulges out.

Back pain in labour could be so many things, couldn't it? I had quite severe low back pain, but "twin 1" as he was then called was pushing right up against my spine, so not surprising. Yes, matilda will probably know more about this!

Hope you all get lots of support & comfort from friends & family in the next few days & weeks.

Oh maizie, I am so sorry.

maizie, so sorry for that sad news. Hugs to you and your family. You're right, it's nice that there are lots of happy memories to cherish.

I think it's very hard to pinpoint a moment when a disc goes. Apparently 50% of middle aged people have bulging discs, most totally asymptomatic. We are the unlucky few. I don't know if there are any studies around back injuries in labour. Tbh most women are preoccupied with other pains during and after labour. In the longer term, I'm not sure. However, it makes absolute sense that pregnant women will be at significant risk of this kind of injury for lots of reasons that I'm too lazy to type.

Will post more on fb but spent al long time with consultant neurosurgeon yesterday and some interesting views.

Trying to psyche myself for a pedicure. Should be nice but hate the sitting. Do want pretty toes for hols, though. Feet not looking pretty currently so off I must go.

Final shameful fess, tonight I'm having a spray tan!!! Girl comes round with tent and spray gun and paints me. I'm as white as snow, or rather even, blueish so getting the holiday colour sorted in advance has to make sense! See, I said it was shameful .

haha, matilda the"too lazy to type" reasons made me reallchuckle. thanks for all your kind words- I haven't had to help someone close tme deal with mourning so i'll have to feel my way, just trying to be more calm and understanding and give him balance of space and hugs.
oh dear, I am middle-aged aren't I, shit!

haha, matilda the"too lazy to type" reasons made me reallchuckle. thanks for all your kind words- I haven't had to help someone close tme deal with mourning so i'll have to feel my way, just trying to be more calm and understanding and give him balance of space and hugs.
oh dear, I am middle-aged aren't I, shit!

can nice pedicurists ever do it with you standing? maybe impossible

Maizie very sorry to Hear about your sil.

I'm off on my hols tomorrow so might be quieter than usual which you will be pleased to hear. Wish me luck for the much longer than planned journey. I think the meds will be truly tested. Just hope I'm fine for the actual holiday, I really need it.

Adios!

Have a lovely time, matilda! Sending good wishes for an easy journey & lots of low-pain days in the sun.

Happy hols Matilda. How are you holding up maizie?

went to pilates yesterday and deff felt better than usual this am. took thing 1 and 2 to Coram's field's near king's x to meet up with some kids and they had a great day playing on thslides, big sand-pit etc AND I didnt need to take my big-guns codeine until about 3pm, so much better than usual. coffee was very good from the cafe and treated myself to crepe which I would share with the kids but they left it all for me! haha
what is everyone up to thisweekend?
have wonderful hols matilda

Enjoy your hols matilda. Have a great sunny time and hope the journey is not too traumatic, and the sun is worth it :)