Back Pain and Internet Shopping. Thread Number 5.

[PavlovtheCat]

Those who have long term back problems know that the best way to help manage back pain is to internet shop for shoes, bags, and back support devices. Those who are new to back pain, these are important lessons to learn.

And here within this thread is where you will learn those lessons.

You will also find other helpful advice on pain management, different treatment options from hydrotherapy and physio to surgery, experiences of others navigating the big and scary medical world, both private and NHS (and abroad from the UK) too, as well as issues around work, being a parent while managing pain and disability, and the impact on the relationships around us.

Between us all, we have a huge wealth of knowledge and experience, and more than the practical advice, the jargon and information, we know what back pain is like, how much is affects everything around us, and sometimes, all we need is to have people listen who Get It.

We talk painkillers regularly, have hot water bottles and wheat bags galore, and hold hands a lot. It's potentially all very Unmumsnetty as we do actually show some lovin' from time to time, although we Never Ever call each other hun.

If you have advice, need advice, need a hand to hold, want to do some shopping, then come in. We are friendly. We talk a lot. Come in, have a and say hello

You will see just how much we do talk if you read our previous threads (where you may glean lots of answers about pain relief, surgery etc, best winter boots etc):
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2049637-Back-Again-Back-Pain-Support-Thread
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

Berrie are you somewhere gorgeous? Love the idea of village life but it would need to be a big village with a Waitrose nearby .

Sorry to all I haven't spoken to but special hello to vanilla avd welcome back. Sounds as if you are slowly mending.

Is nobody else plagued with the evil typing glitch on this thread? It's driving me .

oh your extension sounds amazing I often surprise myself with how much of my planning to do things in life is based around my back pain - the kitchen is to some extent but limited in what we could do with the budget we had, however, it was my back problem that motivated us in part to have it ripped out and started again as I simply could not use it at all, so now I can at least do some cooking or prepping on my better days. DH is a chef so that was the other motivator, he has not really good good food for a long time at home as he cannot bear to cook in it, and as the main cook in the family that has been a real problem. Now he will enjoy it again, and I can help.

re docs/hospital - I won't drive, DH will need to because 1) I have taken far too many painkillers to feel comfortable about that and b) the pain in my leg will probably be problematic. I hope they don't keep me in, I don't think they can do anything about it right now, other than give me better pain relief, I don't want any surgical route expired as I have my planned surgery in January. I don't have CES symptoms, I think it's largely muscle spasms causing the pain and so some simple diazepam will sort it out I hope. I think the problem that has led to him considering hospital is I had mentioned to the call handler that I had some abdominal pain - I think it's referred pain because when the pain in my back increases in waves, so does the abdominal pain. It feels linked. The call handler who spoke to me before referring me said the advise was to avoid NSAID meds and not to eat, due to abdominal pain! although my appetite is low, I did fancy the leftover curry in the fridge, so i ignored that advice. And, well, already taken two Naproxen so that's too bad

I have taken 150mg SR tramadol this morning + 50mg normal release tramadol (and the usual paracetamol etc). I have taken another 50mg tramadol at 2pm with the usual. Should I take any codeine as I would normally or wait to see what they say at the docs? I should be ok to take 30mg of codeine right? I wonder if 60mg might be too much given how much tramadol I have taken.

And, importantly, can I go to the docs in my jimjam bottoms? they are tasteful M&S ones in black with soft pink/grey roses on, cuffed at the bottom? I don't want to wear boots as I can't bend down to put them on easily, or take them off, but it's cold out, can I get away with flip-flops?

I often get a glitch if on the iPad. I will sometimes post a long post (are they ever short? and it will stick on a word and not move, then I can't do anything and if I leave it, after a while it just kicks me out of MN and closes safari. Is that the same as you?

have you checked all your apps are closed? Do you know how to do that? I expect you do, but if you don't - double tap the round 'standby' button on the front, whatever it's called, it will bring up all the open apps, swipe each app upwards to close it. If you have too many, it slows it down. I told my friend about this, she never knew, and had like 40 apps open!

you are right matilda about calming down about new stuff going on, I personally don't think it's anything urgent, that can't wait until January, although this morning I was worried, and very upset (and in huge pain). I mainly need the diazepam, and got to jump through hoops for it. I have once been prescribed it over the phone, but that's because the doc had a prolapsed disc himself, asked me lots about it and said he felt I was genuine enough to not haul me out to OOH. Not surprised this doc would not do that.

Wear what you like love - you are allowed!

Sorry to disappoint but not very Midsomer Murdery round here!
It is a village but a very large one (spreading estates) and enclosed by the motorway, and industrial estates. I would love to live in a more traditional village but we are all quite settled here and I reluctantly gave up on that dream for now. (DH never wanted to leave) There were fields to the west of us where we walk the dog. There is an application to build 900 houses on them which the local council refused but the government overturned the decision. We are lucky where we are as although we are on the edge of a very ordinary estate, we look out on trees to the back and the side and are barely overlooked. They are full of birds and I get a great deal of pleasure watching them.

We'll be down your way in a couple of weeks Matilda. My brother lives near Richmond Park. I shall look out for french doors in lofts now and will imagine that the glamorous l woman lying on the sofa that I can see through the window is you!

Ooo husband is a chef. Go on what does he make you for a treat?

Can I join the unhappy gang of agony? Just admitted defeat and swallowed oromorph. pavlov my routine meds are now a mix of tramadol 150sr plus a 60 cocodamol so you have plenty of scope. That's in addition to naproxen and gabapentin . What a situation, I have literally no idea how to break the cycle unless I give up everything .

Berrie come and see me! I need cheering up.xx

Best treat thAt I'm looking forward to him making again is lemon drizzle cake. He loves making sushi although I don't like it. He likes making tempura and curry from scratch. His own personal treat though is probably steak flash fried ( he likes it bloody) with peppercorn or red wine sauce.

He can't make cheese sarnie. It is cheese sarnie with onion, tomato, chilli jam... Cheese on toast is fancy cheese with thinly sliced red onion or caramelised onion chutney, cracked pepper, drizzle of Worcestershire sauce, grilled til bubbly and crispy edges. Nothing is simple !

Waiting in car for diazepam prescription. Gp not allowed to give me more than 14 tablets, wouldn't let him print then he got told off my nurse because he had tried to do 28. Strange. It's not like 28 x 2mg will be a much more useful to someone who was abusing it than 14. The nurse told him to do 10 tablets and he wAs like 'not enough she needs more to get her through to Monday'.

Honey (am I allowed to say that[hmmm]) you are in the club whether you want to be or not!
Sorry for your rotten afternoon.
Hope you are feeling a bit better now and have a comfortable night.

Have any of you met any Mumsnetters before? I did once!

berrie I have met matilda a few times, and stayed with her in London when I went to see the consultant. She is as lovely in person as she is on here. I have met some other MNers in the past, local ones, for coffee and for cocktails (not back thread peeps).

I have take diazepam. And a glass of bubbly which we were going to drink last night and I couldn't due to pain and needing to take painkillers that I had wanted to avoid. I am now going to take codeine, and go to bed. I will post for a bit, maybe, until I goof. I am going to do some internet shopping too. Which is a dangerous thing to do when on painkillers and laying in bed.

I feel a little better already for the diazepam, just can't get the shaking feeling of it all being so fucking shit. tomorrow is another day and hopefully a better one. I suspect work might be out of the question monday as this acute pain lasts for longer than a couple of days. But maybe I will be lucky and tomorrow will see me back to my normal pain levels controllable by normal pain relief.

Doc said tomorrow take SR tramadol as normal, then instead of topping up with tramadol, top up with 60mg codeine through the day as I find it works better with acute pain. He also said, I suspect unofficially that the max dose for tramadol is 400mg but an ortho doc or neuro doc might argue that you could go a little higher not sure I would ever be brave enough to take that much

oh and here on our back thread, we can say hunny, and we can give hugs, and say fluffy things. The MN police seem to let us be with that

matilda sorry to hear the oramorph has to come out , hope that eases a little my lovely.

Laughing at the cheese sandwich!
Can he watch things like Masterchef? I know I can't watch teachery things.
Have a good sleep Pav

Pavlov, I am surprised your go doesn't prescribe more than 14 diazapan at a time, mine prescribes 28 at 5mg atime, I did query that as have it on repeat, but he said that he knows that have back probd and he knows that they work. When I was in a and e they would only prescribe me 4 tablets.
I am at work tomorrow, when I left Thursday I wad down for a late, 2 til 8 tomorrow, my friend text and said looks like I am on an early, 8 til 2, why didn't manager have decency to ring and let me know. If friend hadn't told me I would of gone in at 2, then they would of been short in the morning.

Arghhhhhh! I'm itching . That's the oromorph.

Pavlov sleep well. I am hoping that we both wake up to a better pain day. I have noticed that sometimes a truly dire day is followed by a tolerable one.

and this is probably the wrong thread but last night at book club, I was forced into a position where I has to tell my very opinionated SIL that we would like just this once, to have Christmas lunch at home, just us as opposed to 15 people. I also offered to have the DPIL. An for all the rest of the family to come for the evening. Anyhow, she was massively passively aggressively rude to me. Then left and everyone was embarrassed and mortified for me . That really got my gorilla fucking riled .

The ipad problem is I believe, a mn thing. V.v irritating. This post has taken 30 minutes to type. It is only this thread

I'm surprised too that you can't get more diazepam at a time, pavlov. My GP's not as generous as pink's with it but I do have 20 x 2mg on repeat.

Your SIL sound like a PITA, Matilda. I hope your gorilla expressed some of his annoyance to her.

Hope everyone sleeps well & has a better day tomorrow. I've had nerve-type bum & left leg pain all week that doesn't seem to shift with co-codamol. Not as bad as you guys though - no bad muscle spasms ATM. Just annoyed with myself for telling the consultant that the leg pain had been a lot better - but it was fucking true then!

Sorry there is a lot of pain at the moment (though there is always pain). Thinking of you all gentle hugs.

Do you usually host the 15 Matilda ? How rude.
I've been fielding Christmas relative problems this weekend too but mine come from having divorced parents and siblings who live far away. Someone always feels left out and I feel fed up having to host three different events every time. I put little notes each year on the new calender for things I have to remember about what goes wrong at Christmas with suggestions for how to deal with it but they never work!

Might it help if we started a new thread with less posts on it?

Hello! Well it's a bit of a crap Sunday here in that leg and bum nerve pain have caused me to wake up shouting. I'm in a tolerable position now but actually afraid that I've only 50mg tramadol left. DH is going to make some begging calls later. .GP tomorrow. PIL have left - super grateful for their help but did feel a bit pushed out as stuck in bedroom whilst they get on with life in my house with DD and DH. Haven't left house in a week and ahhalf so unsure how I'll get to .GP.

V.jealous at chef husband - DH does his best but dinner last week was a slice if cake. And he made a sandwich for the nanny to bring up whilst he's at work but then forgot- ate it himself.

Looking forward to watching the rest of war and peace with audrey hepburn later.have a good Sunday everyone.

i asked my gp once for 5mg diazepam, as i usually take 4mg, so 14 never lasts long, and he looked at me like i had asked for some crack cocaine . he said if you need 4mg, just take two tablets and then get more. mine is in repeat though. it just does make sense if you need 3 x tablet x 3 days, thats 18 tablets if i take two lots of 2mg. so 14 x 5mg or 20 x 2mg is much more useful. as it happens, i rarely take them for more than 2 days, but you are meant to do the full 3 days for maximum effect on muscles.

i feel much better this morning, having just got up and made a coffee, first lie in for longer than i remember, can't recall last time i woke up with bright blue through the skylights not black or murky grey/blue.

So not great, but better. made two cups of coffee and struggled to carry them into the front room. Walking like a robot and can't bend, but am straighter, and can walk without crying. I am going to take the diazepam again today. GP suggested replacing the additional tramadol through the day with codeine instead so gonna try that. Problem with sleeping in, is no painkillers yet!

DH just said 'why don't you lay on sofa, don't go back to bed, the children need to see you'. Makes it sounds like I am always in bed and neglect them! DS is in the bath with DH, and DD is on his phone playing a game and she barely managed to say hi, don't think they are feeling neglected by me right now! And, the front room is an absolute hellhole, covered with toys and boxes from DSs birthday as yesterday I couldn't sort it, and stuff from it being our 'kitchen' for several weeks, and nor did DH (can't remember what he did, or what his reason for not doing it was, sympathy pain maybe?!) and I can't do it today so I have just not gone in there

Don't know if DH is going to manage to do a coat of paint today, he didn't get the stuff he needed yesterday. Somehow he managed to blame that on me going to the docs, but that didn't happen until 5pm!

Hope you are all managing ok, and pain levels are as low as they can be.

freedom don't be too jealous as having a chef husband, he is not always cooking up a storm! He often can't be bothered to cook at home, for example, last night we had M&S lasagne, garlic bread and salad! I guess it's like being married to a builder.

matilda your SIL is an cow. Clearly no fucking idea. Why do some people insist on christmas being the same every year? why can't she do it? we are having the whole christmas period just us, with friends dipping in and out and vice versa, but the day itself just us, first time for years that we have not gone to stay somewhere with the ILs (brothers, their wives, children, MIL). I mean it's always nice, but a bit overloaded and always the same (DH and his brothers get pissed most of the time either there or in the pub while I look after the children). This time, we might do a Boxing day lunch or tea for some friends and their children as we have a new kitchen to do it in, but not sure yet. But, if someone told me I had to do it, or made me feel bad about not doing it I would be so cross. It's not meant to be a right, its meant to be nice.

I'm twitching again. Will call GP tomorrow and ask for 2mg diazepam. What is the dose for the three day thing? I've only got 5mg and it sends me to sleep.

Re Christmas we were doing some complicated thing with brunch here, dinner at SIL and cheese etc at the other SIL. My DH just announced that for once he would like a quiet one. The stupid thing is that we are all (20 of us) going for a huge lunch on the Sunday before so absolutely no need for another huge family meal. Said SIL also has huge form for throwing enormous tantrums on Christmas Day. Get the picture?

oh how complicated matilda. Ross's DB has form for wanting his own way. he tends to get it to some extent. I used to get on quite well with him, until one time he was staying with us before we all went to christmas in a farmhouse, DS was 2 weeks old and he was angry that I didn't want him and DH going shopping for electrical things 2 hours before we were leaving for our christmas get together (and meeting more family at the airport on route), when things were not ready (house was a real mess). He lost it, and while I was in bed, feeding DS, he went nuts at me, swore, shouted, and would not leave the bedroom when I asked. DH in the end had to go to airport to get family and bring them back to ours before we could leave. BIL tidied up, offered me a coffee, tried to make things better, and eventually he apologised, but it soured our relationship. Things are now amicable with us, but it damaged our relationship beyond repair that he wanted his own way so badly he was prepared to shout at a new mother with her newborn on her breast, in her bedroom. He continues to chuck his toys out the pram when he wants his own way and can be really quite nasty when he wants to be, in particular, or, only, it seems, around Christmas time! strange that christmas can bring out that side of people.

the three day thing for diazepam is: 2/5mg (depending on the dose you are on) diazepam x 3 times a day for 3 days max. then 7 day break before the next lot if needed. Or, another chat with GP if it hasn't worked. Sarah Keys physiotherapist recommends that 5mg is the optimum dose, she says you need enough for it to make you woozy.

back feels much better in terms of muscle spasms, but lots of pain in legs and feet and aware that I am full of drugs so I would be annoyed if the pain had not subsided somewhat. Shame that super strong painkillers simply don't stop the pain,just eases it. And some of the pain still there in the back is transferring into the groin/abdomen - a stinging pain that catches my breath.

Work tomorrow, yet again i find myself worried about how I will be in the morning. DH appears to just be presuming I am going. But, really, I am close to just chucking in the towel until surgery. Only thing keeping me thinking I should go in, I am am halfway through arranging where my clients are going in my absence in January, almost there, and I have some important child protection and other notes to write up before I go off. I have worked hard to plan this absence in January properly, as I have had time to do it. But, right now, I just can't keep going like this.