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

inselaffe in my very limited applicable only to me experience - this is worse than childbirth

magso hope the clinic goes well tomorrow and thanks to both for the hydration tips and ideas

pavlov I like your posts, obviously reading about your pain is not great but it's so much better to say it than bottle it up and I like learning about others' christmas traditions.
Please do mention the numb bits. My Drs told me to straight to A&E if there was any trouble passing water or with bowel movements and numb bits sound a bit frightening to be honest.

Matilda so happy you made both balls. Are there photos to ohhh over?

Freedom your mum sounds fantastic, can you share her out a bit do you think? I could quite enjoy having someone brush my hair for me. YY to worse than childbirth, last Christmas was way WAY worse than having my boys. Mainly because it went on for weeks and there was no lovely baby at the end of it all. I did think gas and air would have been nice for those moments where there was no option but to move though.

Pavlov I'm gutted you are broken but glad you are going to just rest now until you have your operation. Time to sit back and just concentrate on being better, I know you have a wonderful job but you are no use to anyone if you break permanently, mend yourself properly then get back to being marvelous. Eldest Bil, not the one in hospital, has had two back operations and gone back to being fine and active (skiing etc). Fingers crossed for you. Do keep a watch on yourself though if you are buzzing on tramadol, I know it can, in exceptional circumstances, lead to serotonin syndrome which is more common in anti depressants.

I've had a very busy weekend so slapped another butrans patch on last night because I just couldn't cope without it. I put it on the back of my neck because I haven't had one there ever before but it is itching madly now. Hopefully tolerate it until I can get to the pharmacy tomorrow and stock up on coedine tomorrow.

We put our tree up a couple of days ago because the lovely man we get them from only has about 10 and they go really quick. I reclined on the sofa and my three lovely boys got the stand from the shed, put it up, got out the decorations and lights and put it all up with no help or interference. Looks like an explosion in a primary school because they used all their school made decorations from over the years and an awful lot of tinsel but I'm not going to change it because it's theirs perfectly and chaotically and it makes me smile .

freedom If this is worse than childbirth, then score! I was really hoping this is as bad as it gets Your Mum sounds amazing, like the best possible medicine.

Pavlov please see a doctor - when I went to the GP after I asked for advice last time she was only concerned if I did have numb lady bits. As I didn't she wasn't bothered... I think she would have been very bothered about you. I also like reading your posts and I think you can definitely blame it on the Tramadol... I have noticed I talk a lot at peak painkiller time and part of me is watching myself in horrified fascination particularly in serious business meetings.

magso If you have a pop-up keyboard when you go to enter text then in the bottom corner (either left or right) should be something that looks like .?123 and if you click on it there should be an * option? Sometimes there is a second page of symbols that you have to click to from the .!?123 setting but we don't have an iPad any more so I can't check how to do it (or maybe I am mixing up Android and Apple).

I hope your clinic appointment goes well too - I will be thinking of you. I have just printed out pictures of the car and will massively over egg the pudding. I have heard they can do immediate referrals but am not holding my breath - my hospital gets abysmal reviews on the NHS website and anecdotally from friends. All the more frustrating when I have received good care when living in other areas of the country.

Matilda Hopefully the bad recovery is alcohol rather than back-based... not that I think it makes much difference except one can be fixed easily with takeaways and orange juice and the other not so much if only.

Had a slow start but a busy day today - went to a wedding fair to find a photographer, then to Costco for some bits and pieces that ended up being far too much (problem with Tramadol - poor impulse control), then to IKEA for the £2 poinsettias. I bought five and they are lovely. I will see if I can post a picture below because I am well chuffed - made a beautiful Christmas decoration for zero effort.

Hopefully this works! Three poinsettias £6 total in a £7 IKEA pot.

Totally worse than childbirth, mine went the week after I had DS so was clear in my mind.

Pavlov I hope you are listening to all the good advice. If you are like me I find it easier to give than take but please try we care about you.

Freedom hope you are getting some improvement. I hope tomorrow goes well xx

Insel are you getting married to your German?

The thing about childbirth is that it isn't constant. You get time between contractions and during the contractions you do something- breathing, rocking, groaning.

If one was to suffer a week, month, year rest of your life bastard of a contraction and you had to wait six months for an epidural, there would be an outcry.

And no baby at the end. Massive respect to you girls with babies. Hard beyond belief.

I have my 'family' tree in the kitchen topped by DS2's fairy made in nursery. He's doing his masters now . Lots of happy memory decorations on that tree.(real) In the sitting room I have a modern artificial tree. Will attempt pics one day"

Nighty night.

freedom I am Next June, so I'm currently extremely grateful that I bought a dress that fitted me rather than one I needed to exercise into as my 3x a week gym sessions have been non-existent since August.

Did you move together from the UK or meet in Germany? We often have the discussion about whether it's better to move or stay (I work for a company with a large branch in Germany so could transfer reasonably easily). At the moment we always end up deciding to stay.

Insel how lovely! resists urge to squealon about German/British weddings

Ok. Can't resist - HOORAH! Bloody love weddings. Will have to pm you

LOSTY Your tree sounds magical. We've not really considered Christmas at all yet. But DHs family are quite easy to buy for - family day out - job done.

Congratulations inselaffe (see I have found the star on my Ipad at last! Thanks! Matilda hopefully you are feeling less delicate now(we'll probably asleep)
Pavlov is the numbness continuous ie not recovering when you rest or move around? If it is I think you should contact your surgeon, just in case. So sorry your back has ceased, but glad you have decided to not struggle into work.
Freedom your Mum sounds lovely and wonderful to have her there.
We have not put our tree up yet as ds was away at respite for part of the weekend and he will want to help. Maybe tomorrow! You have all been very industrious. Poinsettias look lovely So far I have put up an illuminated star, and a nativity scene that frankly looks rather lost amongst all the clutter! In some ways I am in no hurry to put up decorations because ds gets so over excited and starts searching for presents, making a huge mess in his rummages. I lived in Switzerland for a couple of years in my early adult life and like the tradition of making biscuits as gifts, which we haven't done yet. My broken wrist - or more specifically the splint on it make that tricky.

Like my new name?

DH has the bug that the children have had, DD still has it, horrid cough keeping her up all night, and DH has gone back to bed, which he doesn't normally ever do due to sickness, after a bad night with a hacking cough, has a bit of a temperature. Nurse Pavlov has given him lovely painkillers. Apparantly codeine helps dry coughs out, although not sure if his has started to be productive, DD sounds like a barking seal. I am waiting for it.

matilda have you recovered from the balls? Impresed you did both and managed to dance a little, lovely that you were able to have a little bit of 'normal' for a change. Love the sheepskin purchases and that you put one in bed

losty I love the sound of your tree, it's exactly how I want ours to look, although, I am not sure I am going to let an 8 and 5 year old completely loose on it, mainly as they won't reach the top without pulling it over Love that matilda has her DS's dec from nursery on it too! I think I have had seratonin syndrome. I once cut through a modified release tramadol tablet as it was 100mg and I was trying to reduce the amount I was taking and only wanted 50mg. I had been splitting my capsules, which are, of course, individual balls of MR tramadol. Didn't consider for a moment how a tablet works. About 30 mins later I found myself pacing up and down, rocking, and my arms and legs were doing this weird twitching, I had an impossible to stop urge to stretch my arms and legs and my body just would not stop moving. Heart was pounding like a race horse, I think partly the meds and partly that I started to panic. I didn't know what the fuck was going on until I posted on MN, and googled and they said it was because I had cut through the MR layers. I then panicked even more 1) was I going to die and 2) how stupid if I went to hospital and didn't die, hcp would never give me tramadol again due to cutting them up! I decided to wait and see what happened, on the basis people dying appeared to be quite rare, and it was a relatively low dose, but for about 4 hours I was moving about with restless arms, legs and head, DH was not supportive, he couldn't stop laughing the fucker. Since then, I have been very aware of too much seretonin and always check with the doc or my pharmacist friend if I am adding diazepam or other similar meds to the mix.

ins I love the poinsettias, I should get round to buying one myself. I am more impressed that you went to Ikea and only came out with those and a pot though

mags I don't have decorations up yet either, some advent calendars out, but that's it for now. I find putting them up too long means it all gets a bit tired looking by Christmas Day. With the biscuits, I was thinking of making some for Christmas presents, but, how long with they keep for? I was going to make them the weekend before Christmas, or maybe on the monday, because then I need to get them to the people I am making them for, but will they go stale by Christmas? They could always open them early when we are there, and scoff them before Christmas.

Numbness originally only came about if I had been sat for a while, in both lady bits and butt area (not bowels or bladder, it's more external than that, skin/muscle area), or if I walked for too long/did too much, so by the end of most days I will find myself more numb but it has eased with rest. But over the last few days I have found that it's there permanently, although activity or sitting will increase the numb sensation. It's not completely numb, it's tingly numb if that makes sense, and the level of tingling and the level of numbness alters as it gets worse through the day. Tips of toes are permanently numb on right foot. I'll mention it to doc today when I telephone for sick note, and do what matilda has suggested, if he is concerned, ask if he(she) can contact Mr S for me for advice. I'll for MRI if needed, but I won't have surgery here, I'll wait for Mr S to give his opinion if an MRi is required, once he has seen the result.

I am a bit nervous about a) builder coming for tools and b) carpet man coming. How mad is that? I deal with people all the time, yet when it comes to things in my home, I always leave DH to deal with it, ask questions, etc. I don't enjoy it, other than to say hello, make a cuppa for them, then I disappear while DH does the formal stuff. Every time I hear a van pull up I am thinking I should go wake DH up

Oh God, am thick this morning. Just read that wondering who mulledwinemincepies was & why pavlov was at their house feeding drugs to their DH. Arrgghh.

No decorations up here yet either - next w/end, I think. DH much better at doing the decorations than me, but the boys can do a lot to help too. Our tree decorations are a v. mixed bunch - have some of my childhood ones that I inherited from mum, & they always go on. Love the sound of yours, losty.

School carol service in local church tonight. Some okay chairs, some rubbish ones - luckily the better ones are near the back, & as we don't go really early & queue outside in the cold, those will be the ones we get! Will be covered in heat pads, that's for sure.

There was a small ice-rink in our town (not real, I don't think) last w/end when lights went on, & I did feel a bit sad that I'd be too scared to do it now. Used to love skating, roller-skating & ice-skating, when i was younger. The boys weren't keen, anyway. But I worry I'm turning into my mum! She had back problems & wouldn't skate or go on scary fairground rides, etc. etc., & I was adamant I wouldn't be like this in my '40s. But I am! And roller-coasters etc. make me physically sick nowadays, so even without the back I wouldn't be doing that.

Well, copied your sensation testing strategy yesterday, pavlov. Got DH to poke my legs with a skewer (he was scared to use a paring knife), but I don't seem to have any loss of sensation. Bad news - think DH is a closet sadist. Had an okay w/end pain-wise, though left leg pain & tingling keeps coming on. Lots of muscle tension after watching Homeland last night, but nobody else to blame for that!

Glad your mum's there, Freedom - she sounds fab.

loon

had the convo with Gp. A&E for me. She says the numbness is concerning, and she is not an expert to be able to reassure me that this can wait until January. She said it may be so, but, the symptoms are 'significant' and that I need to be re-scanned to get an up to date picture with which an accurate decision can be made. She says she can refer herself, but getting hold of neurosurgeon is almost impossible, will take a long time and she admitted, being there on her own she is absolutely snowed under, so A&E will be quicker. She did say they might not be happy with me presenting there if she can refer, but tough. That bit makes me nervous as I don't want to be made to feel daft for going. I said to her that I have considered A&E but felt it might be being dramatic as I am walking, albeit badly, and my bladder/bowels are fine, and she said that I am anything but dramatic and this needs an expert opinion. She has asked me to let her know how it goes, call her on Wednesday when she is next in. Plus sick note for a week, she wanted two, but I want to try to get in for next week if I am able so agreed to play it by ear.

Loon bad luck re the closet sadist discovery . Love all the festive chat. I am very limited until I have a work top, hob, unpacked kitchen and a huge clean up.

Does anyone else live in an area where total twats people park in the disabled bays if they just feel like it? This, for me is < ironically> at the gym. I am sick of complaining. Last week I parked right across the back of two culprits. I informed reception and went to physio . One of the feckers had one of the blue badge holders you can buy on Amazon so must make a habit of it .

Pavlov Rest'!!

Ins and Freedom I have a lovely German SIL She lives near mulledwinepavlov.

Pav, quick one, on the NHNN website there is a designated number for gps to call. It might be worth trying?

oh, I remember you linking to that. I'll get her to call that while I am at A&E. And will take it with me. Do you think I should take the letter from Mr S with me to hospital, or will they have that on file already? I am going soon, floor fitters are here right now. Once done DH will take me up.

Definitely take the letter. Hope you don't have to wait too long. I have got through to Mr S's secretary on the phone so that might be worth doing just to tell them what's going on. There must be a doctor who takes GP calls to advise.

Sorry, meant, of course to say good luck and keep us posted . Take your own drugs. They will probably offer you a paracetamol if you're lucky.

Ah Pavlov, how frustrating and annoying, although Monday lunchtime probably a good one for not having a long wait in A&E. It's the sensible course of action but I know you'd rather not. Good luck. I am at loon too though!

I'll try and take a picture of the tree later when the lights are on, there's hardly any green showing! I guess that's what you get with three children who have gone through primary school though, on the plus side I need never buy decorations again. Went into town to talk to my lovely pharmacist, she looked at my skin and said 'no more patches' but she won't sell me any codeine until I've been to see a doctor. Going to go to bed now in a sulk because DS3 has two friends over after school so I need to get rid of the burning/itching/PAIN in my right leg so I can be a lovely mummy later. I've taken an antihistamine in the hope that it gets rid of some of the itching. I've got to say my new bird feeder is working though, I've got about 10 million small birds in my garden at the moment. No multiple bull finch sightings though .

Matilda people are awful for it on the school run. One of the bloody teachers routinely parks not actually in the disabled bay but behind it so she is close to the nursery and no one can block her in and the husband of another one parks in the other bay. I park in between them with much wafting of my blue badge and evil looks which gets me precisely no where. Tossers.

Ins your poinsettias look glorious, I was nearly tempted to get myself some in Tesco because yours looked so good but I remembered that I kill every single plant I get in days and that never looks very festive.

DH is not impressed with my new name. ok. Hold on, as I am telling him what I am writing, he has said he is not impressed with any of our names. Fucking cheek. He says they have not been given enough thought and given the amount of chemicals we have running around our bodies we surely can be more imaginative. He has just given us -D.

How Very Rude. I need to put an 's' on mine then perhaps it will pass his inspiration levels. Not that he can give me any suggestions on how to make mine better. He says it has to be related to either a cat or pavlov, but can't appear to help.

Good luck Pavlov
I have a German SIL too!
Lidl have poinsettias with gold glitter on. Once upon a time I would have thought that terribly vulgar but get one every year now.

Am having a crippity crap day today. Don't like to talk about it when you all have so much disabling pain but I'm feeling sorry for myself. I've got some bits and pieces to get for DC for Christmas but I can't go out...or rather I have twice got as far as the roundabouts and come home. I talk about it as my agoraphobia but think it's more general anxiety as I am not actually scared of the outside. I think the weeks that I had off work and on the sofa recently have made it worse.
Sorry to go on but it is making me cry today.

Good luck mulledwine. I am relieved you are getting it checked out.
I get numbness in my saddle area from sitting (especially when squashed in on the train) but (importantly) it recovers once I lie down or get up and move around. My new Togu airgo cushion has arrived and I think it will help with that particular problem (we have some long car journeys coming up) Ds thinks it looks rude, as it has an air pad for each buttock so it is bum print shaped. It can be folded over to fit in a shopping bag, so I might try it for commuting. It a bit like sitting on a lilo!