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

Perhaps referral to a chronic pain clinic would be helpful Joyful.

I failed to get the electric heat pad I wanted - as I was very unwell with a fluey cold and couldn't get out. I have a chesty cough which is literally a pain in the bum - especially as the day goes on!

Are there any exercises to loosen up the nerves in the bum? My hip and leg pain has been aggravated by the coughing. Went for an active rest as soon as I got ds off to school today (as I sometimes do) and fell asleep - waking at mid day. At least my back(and leg and cough) is lovely and calm- I don't think it is awake yet! Just as well it was the one and only day this week when there are no appointments!!

magso I think they might still have a couple in my local Lidl. Do you want me to check and get it for you, I can post it to you?

Pavlov, that is very kind. I will try another branch as I have to near another one tomorrow. I have a microwaveable heat cushion so that will keep me going. I have been using the stick on patches for work. I am still experimenting - do you put the patch over the painful area (hip/bum) or the bach where the troubled spine joints are (L2-S)? I have tried both and am not sure which works best.

Magso, I usually put my heat patch quite centrally over my lumber spine and it works well. If I use a hot water bottle I think I tend to put it wherever hurts most which is usually my buttock. Nobel prize nomination for whoever invented the heat patch.

Hi everyone, I am not too good today, I know the physio worked hard yesterday snd I had lots of prodding in my bum cheek, but today I hurt more than I did yesterday, could this be a result of yesterday. I have also done more today as had things to do.i keep getting pins and needles when ihave sat then get up in my foot, not sure if that goodor bad, I also cant understand why the nerve pain is a dull ache on the outside my ankle, pain behind my knee and then in my top thigh, it isnt affecting the whole leg, why just different points. Can you drink when you take amitriptyline, I havent yet.I can with pparas and naproxen, also can you take amitriptyline and diazapan together or does it have to be obe or other.

Thanks Matilda, that is what I have felt is helping most.
I don't think you are supposed to drink with amitriptyline but I have been known to do so - very moderately (a very small glass of wine) without ill effect. I guess it could be dose dependent- I am only on a very low dose.
My old chiropractor used to massage through to the nerve ion my bum and it always made the pain worse especially the next day. Its jolly painful isn't it? Hope yours settles down. Perhaps try a cool compress to reduce inflammation?-

Well the literature says to be careful about drinking with amytriptiline but I always have done if I want to. Alcohol will enhance the effects, though so will make you more sleepy. I take my amytriptiline at bedtime so can't say feeling sleepy then is a problem.

Yes to taking diazepam as well as amytriptiline, they are doing different jobs. I wouldn't recommend drinking then, though! I know we are all different but diazepam makes me very sleepy already.

The way that pain hits at different spots down the leg is weird but normal. For me fits buttock, upper thigh, shin, ankle then pins and needles in my foot. Sounds as if you need to avoid sitting. I hate sitting because it always exacerbates my pain. I'm best lying semi recumbent or standing. Annoying but true.

Thanks matilda, I am actually more comfortable sitting, its the walking and standing that seems to aggravate more.
My muscles in my bum cheek are very tight according to physio, she said that could be making my nerves worse, I hope they heal soon, my mri report only showed impingement of s1 nerve, docs said that was a good sign as wasn't showing it was compressed, and that everything else in my spine was ok, my l5 nerve was ok to. Can't understand why its taking so long, its12 weeks this weekend, but my back is alot better, more movement and hardly any pain, onlyif I do too much, just need nerve pain to go.
hope everyone has had a nice day.

Joyful, if the cocodamol and naproxen were helpful then there's no reason not to continue longer term if you are still in pain. Ditto tramadol if that was helpful. I do, of course see that your GP is being cautious but being in pain is awful. Being in pain with a baby must be grim. So I take back about saying your GP is an arse.

Pink, can you massage your buttock gently with you hand throughout the day and also apply lots of heats that might encourage those horrid tight muscles to relax.

Hardcore exercise, so go very gently...get a tennis ball and stand against a wall with the ball wedged behind the tight are then move around allowing the tennis ball to massage you. Nb if you hit a very tight spot it HURTS! This is,min small quantities, good and can release the spasm. Homemade deep tissue massage.

Matilda, glad you mentioned about tennis ball, my physio said something about that yesterday, now today hasn't been too bad, I haven't had an achey ankle today, only realised about 9pm tonight, I still have the pain behind my knee and in my thigh. I have been trying a bit of massage on my buttock, that does seem to help. She gave me some stretching exercises to glide the nerve or something. My told my boss today my progress as always keep them up to speed, all she said was woo hoo, whatever she meant I have no idea.
Last night I had the kids knocking 4 times in an hr, my dd was out with her dad. Tonight it wax twice, but told dd she couldn't go out as raining. Dh backto work tommorrow as start of his 4 on days, I dread those weekends as iknow I won't get a minutes peace.
Hows everyone doing.

Hi pink - a friend of mine had similar issues with all the neighbouring children coming round, to the point where she didn't have a minute to herself.

Some of the parents involved were really taking the piss, TBH - one set would send their little boy round, without checking if it was okay, just before they went out themselves! So my friend couldn't go anywhere or send him back home, as he would be going home to an empty house. She had to be firm in the end as she was essentially being used as unpaid childcare during weekends & school holidays.

I'm having such a shit time at the moment. Actually started crying while out on a walk yesterday because I was a) in so much pain & b) just pissed off with the whole thing. Luckily there were only cows there to witness this.

And it's my back, not my leg, causing the most problems. Leg pain is predictable & manageable ATM, & responds to co-codamol. The back feels like it's in spasm all over & doesn't respond to much except diazepam / alcohol / lying down. I think it may be my erector spinae muscles - the long vertical ones - that have become really taut as it feels like my spine is being pulled down when I'm standing upright / walking.

Wondering now if I should have had the microdiscectomy back in the Spring when I was at least a more obvious candidate for it with almost exclusively leg pain. The back pain has been building up over months now & I don't know how to put it right. It's as if my back has forgotten how to just be.

Well, enough moaning I think. Hope everyone else is okay. I've been reading your blog, pavlov - it's so well-written. Had stupidly not realized you'd written anything recently as I'd saved the site & it just kept showing the same entry from the Summer. Only just discovered that if I went to Home there was lots more stuff! Loved the piece on children & reading too.

Loon sending huge gentle hugs. Have you had massage? It really helps me when my upper back is all spasmy. I know exactly what you mean about diazepam, alcohol and lying down. All well and good but not conducive to actually getting anything down. Hope it improves soon. The surgery question is a nightmare...

Pink, can I suggest a sign on the door? 'Please don't ring the bell because Pink isn't well and in a lot of pain. If dd is free to play she will come and call. Thankyou'. And no offers of food. Everyone home for meal times and also set times like ok, you are welcome to come to play from 3-5 but after that I'm afraid you will have to go home. Boundaries. Boundaries.

Ar work being ok? And did you get anywhere with the ESA or Pip?

This is a fab thread .. will have to go back and read it all again.

Its great to know I am not alone ... and (sorry) that I could be a lot worse as so many of you are.

My story - massive (apparently) slipped disc on both sides 7 years ago which by the end left me unable to stand for more than a few seconds so after a year of that managed to get a discectomy (?) where they also did a laminectomy. Recovery slow and painful (as you know) and now 90% fit on a good day. I have occasional pain in my legs, lots in my hips and sometimes lower back and now my neck as I use it more than my back. I struggle to work part-time and to do silly things like cut my toenails .. the putting on tights fiasco should be on youtube lol. Bending over is out and even squatting is hard for more than seconds so I can (just) fill or empty the washing machine quickly.

I have paid for private physio many times as it feels great but only lasts for a few hours and sometimes leaves me so sore I wonder why I bothered so haven't been for a year or two.

Gp is no longer interested in my issues so don't even mention them but am being treated for depression and taking HRT (am 56). On bad days I take co-codomol (the juicy zombie ones) but alcohol is my main pain relief (weekends only) as I feel nothing if I get squiffy.

Thanks for listening, hope you all get some relief. Am learning loads here x

ps drives me mad when everyone asks "how is your back" I want to scream "stop asking, its not going anywhere" but I don't of course!

Hi matilda and loon. Got a day to myself as dh at work and dd school. Nice to have bit of quiet. Havent heard from esa or pip yet only to say they received my form. Work, well i am not sure what they are thinking, like i say i got told woohoo yesterday after keeping them updated, not sure what that meant. I havent heard from the ta job i went for, so presume not succesful. Not sure if it was physio monday but last two days my leg has felt bit better, dont want to jinx it though, it is 12 wks this weekend i did it. We have a big street fair in northampton during halfterm, loads of rides, we go every year, hope i can manage some rides what do you reckon. I am still very scared though all the time in case disc goes again, i remember the horrendous pain and the healing.

pink, I reckon no, no, no to rides. Glad things are still improving.

Hello ally, sorry you have been suffering for so long. I think from what I've heard that it's quite unusual for a back to be completely cured by surgery. So much else is going on. Do watch out for your neck, though. I've had a lot of benefit from Alexander Technique which might be useful for you. I also get a bit fed up with the 'how's your back?' Questions. I'm pretty sure that by now I have told everyone who needs to know that I am stuck with it and it's not going to improve. I know they mean well and just say 'still there, thanks' but no more. In fact I usually dodge questions at all unless it's a really concerned enquiry by someone I know. Anyway do keep posting, it's become a little quiet here lately. No niggles too small.

Might check out that AT thanks Matilda (how do you get that to go bold?)

On the positive side I found that keeping up the exercises is essential even when you can't be bothered and my physio has been helpful with specific exercises for specific pains

I also suffered nerve pain for years after surgery which was put down to "nerve memory" and this happens rarely now though a change in the weather affects me badly (or doing too much around the house - great excuse!)

All in all the surgery WAS successful its just that I had no idea my life would never return to normal ... not as bad as before op, just not 100% mobile (and I dread to think what old age will bring)

Here we go, the first knock at the door. Dd was eating tea, i said to the child not tonite as she has homework, i just got a blank stare from the girl. Only another two hrs til its dark.
On a seperate note is there anything you used to do that you dont do now because of your back.

Good question Pink .... lets see

paint my toenails
wear tights
clean the bath or the floors
lift anything much
am about to give up on holidays which involve lying on a sunbed too ouch!
oh and work full-time but don't care anymore about that

well hello:) complete newbie to the back pain thread, but not the pain haha.

Fibromyalgia sufferer here, with 32G boobs to make life more fun
Diagnosed officially last year but had all fibro symptoms since the age of 14.

Struggling to find a medication to help, for a long time I was only taking extra strength paracetamol, ibroprofen and using back supports, muscle gels and heat only myself to blame, two babies 368 days apart

since then I have been on amitrip and gabepentin...neither have been much help as I fear taking high enough doses as I am a single mum of two toddlers who needs to be on the ball 24/7.

can anyone calm my medication taking fears, especially with Gabepentin, which I am prescribed ATM, but the list of side effects has terrified me, especially the acne (adult acne sufferer, I'm so sexy ) and anxiety & depression (battled since I was 16, but I am 100% on top of it ATM)

Hello never sorry to hear about your pain. Re gabapentin, like all meds it really is a question of giving it a go. Remember the literature has to list these side effects ( rightly) but most people don't get most of them. I have been taking it for 2.5 years without any very significant problems other than very annoying forgetfulness and word searching. Because of this I am in the process of switching to pregablin which is a lot more expensive. It's too early to say whether there is any improvement ( not yet but hoping). When starting gabapentin I did suffer sleepiness etc and struggled to get to a therapeutic dose without being wiped out. I imagine feeling like that with young dc would be awful. I eventually got up to 600mg x 3/ day which was quite effective. I do think you would have to be prepared to increase the dose very slowly. These side effects do wear off. I don't think it increased anxiety or repression, rather makes me quite zen and accepting of things mostly. Acne...well as a life time sufferer I'm not certain because it comes and goes so on balance no worse than usual and currently very good.

I hope that helps but really my experiences are mine and yours are yours IYSWIM? If your GP thinks it's worth persevering and you have neuropathic pain then I'd say give it a go.

Have you tried codeine etc? Also good old mindfulness and pacing? Keep posting it nice to hear from newcomers.

Had the kids at the door again 20 mins after school, told them very politely to not keep knocking, if and when i let dd play out the front she can knock for you. I didnt see them again after that.
My ankle ache seems alot better these last few days, and behind my knee bit better.

Well done, pink - they'll get the message soon enough!

I've booked an appointment for tomorrow morning with a private physio who does deep tissue massage & various other things, so fingers crossed that gives some relief from whatever is going on in my back. Thanks for your kind words, matilda.

Still wondering why the back should flare so much now, when my leg isn't getting any worse & may possibly be getting a bit better (less pain below the knee). It's got worse since the boys went back to school, & all that's changed is that I've been doing quite a lot more back exercises / yoga stretches, & longer walks. Perhaps I've overdone it, & need to go back to shorter, more frequent walks, as I did when I was still needed for the school run.

Hi to ally & never. Can relate to the frustration with people asking how the back is, ally. I got lots of this from my MIL, in email form ("How's your back this week, Loon?") though only after I'd had my MRI result. Before that there were comments about how it couldn't be too bad as I could walk! I didn't want to be hunched over the laptop updating my MIL on that week's pain levels, so I said in the end that I'd let her know if anything changed. I prefer to save my computer time for MN & shopping.

I was on pregabalin for a while, never, & just built up very slowly to the required dose. It didn't make me too tired in the day after the first couple of days, but I did sleep very well at night. I came off it in the end as I had problems with a really dry mouth & huge clusters of mouth ulcers, but would go back on it if the nerve pain worsened.

Hope everyone has a good w/end. Are you still around, maiziemonkey? Hope things are going well.

Hiya Loon, thanks for thinking of me. Have just been really busy with nursery, school AND university starting around same time and getting my benefits sorted (or not as the case may be). ESA is sent, have to do PIP this weekend and they stopped the housing benefit due to me having a student loan. Can't remember what I posted last but had appt about spinal injections where they refused them and that has left me a bit miffed generally. Now waiting to see pain management- so that 8 month pathway detour was SO worthit! Coming up to my first anniversary of having pain every day, woo hoo .
on the bright side my ds is loving school, my dd is loving nursery and my dear friend that had left the country for a bit has just told me she is coming back soon, so i'm made up about that.
I have a premiere to go to at the end of November that my actress friend was in- looking forward to that although high strenth meds, alcohol and a sneaky heat patch a la stole will probably be involved.
loon i'm wondering about what you said about IBD, I looked up the markers and I said yes to about 4- but they have done a blood test. I feel drained and sometimes get inflammation in my feet, or ankle pain and a few places in my pelvis and it came on slowly , i was about 32 at onset of the spd being diagnosed and back pain strted same time. exercise usually improves my pain level and although i dont wake with pain in the night i do have to get up by about 7 ish as i start to ache in my hips. sometimes i take the pills and go back to bed!! if its a friday/weekend.
I am finding it really hard to budget my energy and pain- today I went out to take part in an experiment, then to a physio appt. afterwards i went in a few shops and just kept going when i should have gone home, so by the time i got home i was really in quite a bit of pain, took some co-dydramol and THEN did the hoovering!! idiot, then i was really fed-up, but dh was ill all day so he needed me to put the kids to bed when by that point i really neede a sit down. i just cannot relax if the house is a state, so I kept pushing and then felt bitter at him when he asked me to put them to bed - which is no way to be of course.
I need some more strategies.
Taking both kids to my mum's tomorrow so thatll b quite full on but my dad'll help alot and family luch with all 3 of my sisters on sunday! cool!
oh the shopping i got was dresses, to pick one for the premier, thimk i'm going with the emerald green strapless petal-shaped skirt, think a xmas inspired absinthe fairy! very flowy and shows off my tattoo on my shoulder . I have some silver semi-high heels it should go with.
sorry i have rattled on about myself, hello to all the newbies- you'll get use to my maisie-craziness. pavlov hope you and evryone else have good pain-free night tonight and a good day tomorrow- what is everyone else up to? I can vouch for pregablin to anyone here having issues with gabapentin, I think it is better so far, and i've switched a couple months ago.

Morning, i am not sure what has happened, i thought i would see how i am today without taking paras half hour before i get up. As its weekend and dont have to worry about school run. Well, i have been up half hour and i dont feel hardly any pain, certainly not enough for paras, in fact i feel like i have taken them. Thats strange, i havent woke up like this for months, makes me feel a bit worried, expecting it to kick in all the time. Any ideas why.
On a seperate note its raining here and am hoping the kids dont play out today, but have also told dd they aint playing here either. Mind you all she is doing is winding the puppy up. Even worse when all the other kids here. The other kids parents said to me when i mentioned about them knocking and when they play out at night in the dark, after 7pm, well we cant be doing with them going on so if they play out we dont hear it. What sort of parent does that. I make sure dd is in at 6pm now as starting to get dusky.
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