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

I'm ok thanks Berrie had my first tramadol of the day and dh let me have a lovely lie in.
I do feel bad, he must be so so sick of me

so yesterday inexperienced my first back pain. i am 30.

i was loading the dishwasher. i git an intense pain in my lower back right side if my spine.

it caused me to scream. become breathless, dizzy. everything looked grey and i went pale. i almost lost control of my bowels and felt naseous. ive never cried so much.

How do i look after myself? am taking ibuprofen. its all i have in!

filo, ouch sounds like a terrible spasm. Is your back still locked up? If so call ooh dr and get diazepam. If in agony it's ok to call, honestly. Without wishing to get personal, are your bowel and bladder function normal now? If not, in any way you need to go to A&E because it's a huge red flag for causa equina syndrome. I will do a link for you to read up.

Please get help and if you can lie down as much as possible. It helps me to have a couple of pillows wedged under my knees because it relieves pressure on your lower spine.

cada equina and other disc related info

Hope that helps. Keep posting if you need any support.

Sorry should add that if it's not bad enough to call dr you can do the following: rest as much as possible. Take full dose of paracetamol and full dose of ibuprofen in staggered doses which is completely ok to do. If someone can get to the pharmacy get a paracetamol/codeine mix. Use heat or ice depending which helps most. Always heat for me. Move around gently then rest again.

Se GP tomorrow for stronger drugs. As before if your back is in spasm you need diazepam as well as codeine etc as it will help release the muscles.

Poor you.

thanks. it was bad enough for the first 15 minutes to call an ambulance but DP didnt think there would be much they could do (he has back issues too.) so i rested for a bit thrn walked around to free it up. its sore now but manageable. i think if it happens again i would seek the doctor.

i was quite scared

Ally Noooo not high heeled but a very very slight wedge at the back...thought they would be fine but felt they tipped me forward a bit. I know what you mean about worrying about not working. I think I would be an utter nutter unless I went to work.
Tickle I worry about DH too. But I'm sure yours is not sick of you. It's the situation that is tough.
Coldcottage your situation sounds horrendous. Well done for all you've managed. Good luck with the op. Mine eventually gave me a pain free life back once I'd recovered.
Filo Ouch! Laundry and sudden incapacity go hand in hand for me. I once was carrying a basket of wet washing round the front of our flats to the line at the back. The front door was next to a busy road with traffic lights and lots of people queuing there. My back went and I had to abandon the basket and crawl back up the steps with everyone watching. Very embarrassing! Poor you. Agree with all Matilda says. Hope you feel better soon.

Hi to all the newcomers - though sorry to hear so many more tales of suffering & poor care.

Cold - it's just typical that your symptoms should improve a bit when you're booked in for the op! This is the kind of thing that makes it so hard, isn't it. I know I can forget how bad it gets in a short time - like the mind blocks out the memory of severe pain. And then when it flares again you think "Oh yes, it really was bloody terrible!".

Great to hear from you, maizie. Sounds like things have been pretty hectic. I find it really hard to pace myself too, even though I don't have as many commitments as you. I'm struggling to get the balance right ATM & this relatively new back pain is making me miserable.

Saw a private physio on Saturday. She seemed pretty good but didn't do an upper back deep tissue massage after all. She said she will do that if I want, but is convinced that the problems are coming from my underlying disc issue. I already knew my pelvis was rotated to the left, but she said it's also about an inch higher at the left & tilts forwards too, leaving me with quite an exaggerated lumbar curve - which is why, according to her, extension exercises don't seem to suit me very much. She kept telling me I was doing all the right things, but not sure how encouraging that is when I keep getting worse.

She did quite a bit of manipulation & I do feel slightly straighter. My leg pain is still reasonably calm but my back spasms are dreadful. I can actually see the erector spinae muscles standing out almost like ropes to either side of my spine. Not sure how to switch the bastards off, though. Have taken some diazepam the last few days but it's not doing much at the very low dose I prefer. I think alcohol may be more effective, but it makes me flush quite badly (rosacea) so I have to go very easy with that if I don't want a burning red face to add to my woes!

Have emailed DH some links about how to do a good back massage & hoping I can train him up to be my personal masseur. He has tried to massage me before & I fear he's not a natural but I'm sure it's worth persevering!

Do you feel you're getting some longer term benefit from your Alexander technique lessons, matilda? There don't seem to be any teachers in my area, or that's something I'd consider trying. The constructive rest is wonderful, though. My overactive back muscles seem to switch off then.

thanks matilda and loon

went to the drs and voiced my concerns, butvbI was basically told, like it or lump it until you are back at the consultant (10 weeks)

tonight is the first night on them so wish me luck.
been very bad today, the pressure in my back is nearly unbearable and I can't lie down flat to relieve it as it spasms.... yippeeeee
I'm playing 'don't move an inch as its now bareable'.

Better get my book out then

I'm currently having a switch of meds to try to get the optimum levels of pain relief whilst remaining sober and functioning. I'm switching from gabapentin to pregablin in order to try to remember my own name a little more clearly. Who knows if this will work?

My next step I think will be BuTrans patches...it's quite a big step up the analgesia ladder, I think and I am nervous. Any experiences?

Hows everyone, I still had no leg pain this morning, but may have done ti much today as got a knotty pain at top of thigh again, mind you I haven't stopped today, school run, puppy to vets for 2nd jabs and chipping, baking, cooking roast dinner, cleaning, and all the other household chores. I feel like I need to rest it now. Docs tomorrow as note runs out, I am dreading going back to work in case it starts it all off again, hoping I can get bit longer, mind you my gp is brilliant, he knows my job, and has always said thathe won't let me back til I am better plus bit longer. He keeps saying to me that it is quite serious and to remember how much pain I was in at the beginning. I know not everyone hasa gp like that. Hope everyone is keeping ok and not in too much pain.
on a much happier note my younger sister is getting married next july and has asked me to be matron of honour, and my dd to be bridesmaid, so thatis somethingto look forward to.

pink
oh how exciting! dress shopping to look forward too.

So took the step and started gabepentin.
I seen no difference yet in pain today but hoping it picks up later in the week?
otherwise I will be back at the drs...again...4th time in 6 weeks.
They are sick of the sight of me by now but I'm not sitting in pain because they can't get me out quick enough.

never, I think it does take a while for the gabapentin to build up in your system and also because you need to start on a very small dose and increase very gradually it really will take time. You can't rush the building up too much or it will make you feel giddy and odd. After about a month or so you can evaluate but by then, of course you will have forgotten what the pain was like[ grin].

pink that all sounds so good and yes to lovely wedding planning and frock buying. Truly something to look forward to. I suggest that quite soon you have a formal meeting with work and get an assessment done as to what you can and can't do. Modified duties. Any chance of a desk or non physical job for a while? All worth asking.

Matilda, is the pregabalin giving you the same level of pain relief as the gabapentin? Re. butrans patches, there was someone on here who used them, I'm sure - was it Queen? Hope the gabapentin helps you, never.

Great news about your sister, pink. I felt exhausted just reading the list of stuff you did yesterday. Remember not to overdo it on the good days, won't you? So easy to fall into a boom & bust scenario.

Off to the hairdresser now for the delights of bending backwards over a sink & inane conversation. My usual hairdresser has left & I don't know where she's gone, so I'm going to someone who's only done it once. She once cut my boys' hair, too, & while I'm sure it's not easy chatting with young boys you don't know, it's the first time I've ever heard an adult resort to "what's your favourite colour?" as a conversation starter.

Hello
Am going to have to go back to GP - as suggested days ago but I was in denial
I just need some advice re. Bupa referral if anyone knows.
Will the GP refer me to the local Bupa hospital for an MRI with whichever consultant practices there or do I get a choice of consultant? If I do get a choice how do I find out about them?
Thanks

Berrie, I don't have private healthcare but many friends do. It usually works that your GP will refer to a consultant at the private hospital. The consultant can then order investigations and review, all of which is usually a little ( a lot), Faster than the dear old nhs. Do you have an actual bupa hospital? Our local private hospitals are all owned by some healthcare company and you just tell them which insurer you are using. I would suggest either googling the available consultants ( spinal neurosurgeons probably) and choose. Or better ask around for someone good. They do vary. Your GP might have someone he refers to regularly.

I think,also, it's a good idea to call bupa and ask them.

Hoe you get somewhere and also some decent analgesia. Good luck.

Loon, agree with hairdressing misery. Maybe she just couldn't face hearing about anyone else's holidays. It may not be too early to ask you about your Christmas plans. Re pregablin, I've only just got it up to three times a day and have dropped the gabapentin so effectively I'm now on a half dose until I get the pregablin built up. I only changed in the hope of being less forgetful and useless. If there isn't any difference I will switch back because pregablin is stupid expensive and I disapprove. Gabapentin was working quite well as a nerve analgesic.

Thanks
Actually no - it probably is just a general private hospital.
DH unearthed the Tramadol stash for me at 3am so will hopefully be able to get out of bed at some point! I'm going to ring work and tell them I won't be in this week. Time to give in.

Sorry there are so many people with severe back problems at present!
Hope the pregabagen works well for you Matilda. Scary swopping over. That antigravity chair you enviously linked to looked heavenly - and massage as well. I wish!

Cold you are right to be proud of yourself. Hope the op (if still needed)goes well.

Loon my husband is definitely not a natural at massage either, but emailed instructions might appeal to him! Hope it works!

Filo I hope you are recovering, or have got medical help if not. I have ceased up many times - although it is usually my mid/upper back which locks, which is not quite as painful, although it can still leave me in tears and barely able to move. I once locked up having just got in the car, which was outside a police station on a short term parking spot. I could not get out or reach to put on my seat belt. In the end a nice officer came along and handed me my seat belt, and I drove gingerly to my chiropractor!

Berrie our local private hospital has all sorts of specialists visiting (on different days). They probably have a website to look at the different specialists available. A friend of mine (with private medical insurance) had a huge disc prolapse and got it all operated on and physio all very quickly. She is doing very well now, and was doing very well (but carefully of course) less than a year after her injury. When we meet up - I am always the one struggling! Your GP may have a preference.

Talking of shopping I ordered a few things from Amazon - one of which was Sarah Key's 'New Back in Action' book. I have long since mislaid her back bible and the block I used years ago - it must be here somewhere. Any way does anyone else use a back block to stretch their lower back? There is a helpful section of exercises - which I've not had time to read fully ( I already do most of them).
The other thing I bought was a back brace (with pockets for a microwave heat pad) - which I wore to do some decoration (staining a very sun bleached window)- which because I have been very unwell for some years is much overdue. I still have loads to do - but I think winter will stop me getting very far> Nothing like your busy day Pink!

Hi magso, I do the back block exercises. Never bought the proper block, though - after measuring several books (think I found the exact measurements on one of her websites) I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I now stick an old family heirloom Bible under my bum to do it!

It's one of the most helpful exercises I've done. Can occasionally make my pelvis feel a bit sore, but at times the effect has been quite dramatic & noticeable - eg. not being able to bend beyond the knee before my back block sessions, & then being able to get down to the ankle immediately afterwards. It also gives some relief from my current mid to upper back spasms.

Having said that, I obviously haven't had long term improvement & I've been doing this for months; & my consultant has said categorically that my L5/S1 disc is totally dehydrated & can't be regenerated. I hope that using the back block might possibly help to keep the other discs hydrated, though - Sarah Key claims it's something to do with pressure changes - & that it can stretch soft tissue in the problem area, relax hip muscles & so on.

I've also very recently bought one of those back wraps with m/wave heat pad - a Hotties one - & have been wearing it when out walking. I think it helps prevent the lower muscles from tightening, though not my upper back ones, obviously. I do find it feels a bit heavy when I'm wearing it, though - how about you?

Well, I take back what I said about the hairdresser, because she really made me laugh this morning with tales of her driving tests & local gossip. She made a pretty good job of my hair too, but walking back in driving rain with hood up means it's totally flat now!

Ooo Magso Which Sarah Keys book shall I buy? The Bible or the one you just bought?

Hi Loon! Thanks for replying. My back wrap is only an inexpensive one. Its quite stiff which I guess helps and is supposed to have magnets and red tourmaline embedded in it for warmth, rather than intended for warm pad additions. Without my microwave pads its not too heavy, but not warm either - although it keeps you snug like wearing a life jacket is warm IYKWIM. Its very heavy with heat pads added - and looks rather comic - but inside its fine. I might try some smaller heat pads to improve function and appearance.
Sounds like it is worth using an improvised back block (I had one decades back so can remember its approximate size- dh has some thick books that might do) on a day to day basis in the hope of improvement. Its supposed to be used as part of an exercise plan, with lots of sit ups, but I am too stiff (and weak) to do sit ups properly. What is a reverse curl - any one know? I do pilates once a week, but at a low level. I think my back muscles are reasonable but tummy useless!

Oh I think I might know what a reverse curl is Magso as it nearly killed me lol ... tried a local gym and that was one of her suggestions ... you do it lying on your stomach and bend backwards (if you can) ... sort of opposite to a sit up I think .. I was crippled for days after and I only did one so be careful if you are going for it

My goodness but that Tramadol sounds scary and fairly sure with my migraines and depression I couldn't get it anyway ... I will stick with my co-codamol as they make me a zombie which can be nice I won't lie

What're the back block exercises? Never come across those. I've just done a rehab Pilates class plus a very, very short swim and a very long jacuzzi. Nice but now lying on bed in time honoured fashion.

Fuming because at last I have received my measly ill health retirement back payments and they look as if they've put me on an emergency tax code because a huge chunk of money ( relatively) was deducted. Each letter I get seems to reduce the actual payment I will get each month. I hate all the phone call, letter writing and hassle.

Magso I wouldn't risk emailing my DH about massage. I fear he might interpret it as some form of sexting and come rushing home . No, pay a professional. Far safer .

I bought a new support belt last week. Must be in the air. Very good and strong and weirdly cheap off amazon. But it's really quite bulky so feels a bit visible under clothes. Or I look fat. So vainly not really using it much. But my beloved heat patches are back in full use now the weather is cooler. Oh how I adore them...

I don't bother with the reverse curl-ups, magso - I do yoga curl-ups (feet on chair, only head & shoulders off floor) & Sarah Key's leg crossing exercise instead as abdominal strengtheners.

Her account of reverse curl-ups is that you lie on the floor, hands behind head & knees bent towards chest; & then instead of taking your head & shoulders off the floor as in a traditional curl-up, you move your bum up off the floor in the direction of your head, & then move back to the knees-bent-up-to-chest position. There are probably illustrations on her website that explain better, but that's roughly it. It's not meant to be a big movement.

When I first bought her book & tried this I couldn't seem to curl my back enough to really get the movement going without swinging my legs quite a bit & it didn't feel very controlled: in the end I just gave up on them. The main exercises of hers that I do do, other than the back block, are the knees rocking to chest (do this one a lot) & segmental bridging (only once or twice a day, not at all if I'm really sore).

allythat sounds like an extension exercise you describe like a cobra for example. Death to anyone with a lumber disc problem. Absolutely terrible exercise.

Tramadol, well you love it or hate it, I guess. I quite like to switch between cocodamol and tramadol just because I feel it keeps them both fresh iykwim? But no tramadol in the evening because it messes up my sleep and gives me weird psychedelic dreams. I'm too old for that.