A moan about back pain

[AnonButRegular]

Do t want to clog up the back pain thread by whinging but my back pain is really getting me down

My Gp has signed me off of work for another week - next week will be my third week off.

I'm like an 80 year old and I'm only 35. When I wake up I can barely move, when I sit down for more than half an hour I can't stand up straight. My legs hurt, my hips hurt and my lower back hurts. I've got odd sensations in my legs and feet.

If I walk around too much everything from the waist down hurts. The most comfortable position is half lying down on my left side, the side with least pain at the moment.

I can't lift or carry anything, can't bend, sometimes even a full kettle is too heavy and causes pain in my lower back.

I'm having physio, have been given tramadol, solpadol and 7 diazepam tablets. Physio said to keep moving, Dr said to rest. So I'm doing a bit of both.

Physio said it's a problem with the discs - they've flattened out and aren't cushioning the vertebrae as they should be.

I'm bored, sore and have had enough

Sounds more like a disc prolapse and since your physio doesn't have X-ray eyes you'll need an MRI. Unless you have private health care you will need to badger very persistently to get one, though. Any urinary symptoms get to A&E. Please do join the back thread (unless you reLly don't want to). There are many others on very similar situations but we exchange a lot of info and support.

Th odd sensations are nerve related. In addition to your meds you can have NSAIDs with a stomach protector and if proven nerve pain meds like gabapentin and amytriptiline are very effective but do come with side effects ( though these pass).

Hi Matilda, thank for the reply

I have asked for an MRI but physio said no point as it will not change the management of the problem.

Go can't refer for MRI, it has to go through the musculoskeletal team.

No bladder or bowel problems thank goodness but any sign of these and I will be straight to A&E.

Just a bit confused about resting or keeping active? Should I rest a little more when it flares up and keep mobile when it settles?

physio and policies like this really piss me off. They don't have x Ray eyes. I don't want to alarm you but it's worth looking up inflammatory back pain and at least getting it ruled out. The flag for me is morning and after rest stiffness.

nass.co.uk/NASS/en/about-as/getting-my-diagnosis/inflammatory-arthritis/

and the only thing clogging up the back pain thread is our codeine habits or massive shopping deliveries

Denialandpanic - I've just had a quick google and those symptoms seem to fit. Bugger. Thanks so much for mentioning that, I'll look into it further and take the info to my Gp.

hopefully nothing, in some ways there are more treatments than mechanical back pain......key is to catch it early which we are not that good at. Good luck

..

Our motto is rest, potter, rest. I really regret not resting much, much more when my disc first went. The medical advice is to move as much as possible but frankly most of us on here wish we'd rested much more. Not bed rest, of course, but a lot of lying with pillows under the knees. Not much fun and the meds can make you very sleepy but the chance of a first episode settling are good so grab the chance and watch a few box sets .

Btw, I couldn't stand not knowing why I was in total agony and paid for a private MRI. It was a relief in a way to know there was something real wrong.

Worth considering.

Matilda can I ask how much the MRI cost? If I can't get an MRI through the GP I'll seriously consider going privately if I can afford it somehow.

I'm trying rest, potter, rest, but it's so hard to get up. It takes so much effort and it's wearing me out. Strangely I've discovered that spreading my legs (!) gives some relief

I'm planning a very easy weekend, nothing in particular to do so will potter around at home and rest on the sofa as much as I can.

This company do loads of MRIs and I've been able to get them done at short notice. It's also possible to negotiate a little.

www.inhealthgroup.com/services/mri-scan

You might need a GP referral, I'm not certain but this shouldn't be a problem if they aren't paying for it.

Hope that helps.

Ps I had a cheaper one done in London but be careful about this because the rally cheap places are using old and outdated equipment, hence the price.

I really really feel for you. It wears you down :(

I've got 2 damaged discs and they irritate and inflame my sciatic nerve.
Over the years the level of constant numbness I feel down my left side has got worse and it's now making me shaky. I can't feel the back of my thigh and my reflex now mostly doesn't work (which is funny when I forget to mention it to a Dr) but I've had enough of trying to prevent/protect it from going off - I can walk around in a bubble then slightly move to reach something and it goes :( or when I'm feeling fine, I can heavily exercise and not aggravate it. It makes little sense.

Yes to the MRI - for too long I was fobbed off with sciatica being my diagnosis. Yes I do have it but the cause of it was never an issue for the GP's until I changed surgeries.
After I had mine the consultant told me it was my discs and was more than likely caused by an epidural I'd had when I was 17 as it was the same 2 discs where they tried to insert it into.

I was always advised to try and keep active as much as possible when I had an attack as lying still will make it worse, even just some small movements every 30 mins while you are laid up, nothing too heavy.

I really hope that you get some relief soon.