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

Thanks for all the ideas, we made the gas mask box, was thinking white socks, she has black lace uo shoes for school so thought they would be ok, have a little case she can use, to be honest it just about fits her teddy in when we go away.
Having checked the absence policy it does say that long term sick is after 4 wks, then they need to asses to see how they can accommodate you back or decide whether they think are fit to return or they can dismiss you if they feel you won't be able to return, that last one sounds a bit harsh.
My line manager is losing so many of her good hcas that I think she is worried that she won't have any left, hence her not letting me to to reception,but my arargument is that I am now contracted to 12 hrs in care and reception would be bank, I have reduced my contract from 24 to 12 and uf I want to earn bit more then I could always pick up a bank shift on reception.
Hada letter relating to the pip form, they said that werecoming out to see me at home, I said that I am not sure it is the right benefit for me so they put it on hold, I don't feel I need anything like that now as back to work soon, I thought it was for those that are unable to workdue to ill health, is this correct.
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Thanks for that shotgun - I've bookmarked that site to read more later

Hello shotgun, I'm very glad to have another word of support for AT,mits always quite hard to explain what it actually is, isn't it? I'm convinced they should teach it in schools.

pink, good, so you know that they haven't followed their own sickness policy which means you are in a good position to formally request a back to work Assessment with an OH doctor who should be sympathetic to your very reasonable requests. I'm sure your GP would also agree and quite likely write on your behalf. If you don't belong to a union, now would be a good time to sign up, look sheepish and request their assistance. It really helps to have a union rep on your side, if only to make sure that they follow the rules.

Re PIP, well, it's not for those who can't work ( that's ESA), but it is for disabled people and meant to assist with extra costs such as carers, taxis and whatever else makes your life easier. From what you say then, no, I wouldn't think you would qualify now because, yay, you are getting better! It's for long term or permanent conditions and designed to help people stay as independent as possible and if possible, work. It isn't means tested.If you have to reduce your hours or change job thre may be other benefits that would help (tax credits? Not really my area ).

Well i went back and saw yet another Dr yesterday, she has put me on Naproxen with the pill to stop you being sick. Still have the tramadol max dose.

I am on 500mg x 2 a day. She would refer me for pain management as i haven't tried different drugs yet. She wouldn't refer me for an MRI as I haven't seen the physio yet.

Yesterday i was in a huge amount of pain, I could have quite happily jumped off a bridge to get away from it. I am now getting shooting pains down my left leg, and have pins and needles in my feet (although that could well be a side effect from the naproxen)

Back to Dr who ordered my xray on Tuesday.

My xray showed degeneration of my lower spine, but Dr told me that was nothing to worry about (sounds pretty worrying to me!!)

I am sorry i have just made this post all about me, i promise when i am feeling less miserable i will stop being so selfish.

I don't think i have ever been in so much pain

Oh Tickle poor you. I worry about going on about it here as well. I know I'm new here too so it might not be for me to say but I suspect this is the place to have a good old moan. We all know what it is like and how it makes you feel.
Make sure that you tell GP about pin and needles on Tuesday (I'm sure you would)
I've no idea of your financial situation so forgive me if I speak out of turn but having had loads of NHS physio and then BUPA physio this week I think I would have paid for it had I known. (£35 a session at my place) It's not that the NHS physiotherapists were not good but time was short and it wasn't very private (curtained cubicles) That said - I was in a much worse pain state then and the exercises they gave me hurt too much and I tended not to do them so maybe my perspective is unsound.

From my experience only (there are far more knowledgeable people on here) it sounds like the GP is following a formula. Try the painkillers, then physio - heaven forbid they then have to resort to an actual referral and it stinks.
Press for a referral on Tuesday. ( again you might do this privately and within the week sometimes) If you wait for physio you could then wait months while they see if physio works for you and it might not!
Even when eventually referred the consultant took little notice of my story - it was the senior physio who did took his next follow up appointment who ordered the MRI and oh look! Great big emergency problem. Sorry - now I'm going on - but feeling so cross for you!

P.S. we are not well off by the way (just saying so that you can judge how valuable I deem paying for help when NHS is so slow at giving it.)
I started naproxen a few weeks ago. I would have said that it didn't make much difference but I forgot to have one on Thursday morning. By Thursday night it was worse and Friday started really bad but got better. Maybe it works really well! am almost tempted to forget one again just to see so I know I do remember that the meloxicam that I took last time which was a similar drug was very helpful

Tickle, sorry you're suffering so much. Don't know why your GP sent you for an x-ray - they don't show up anything discogenic / nerve root compression, so are not particularly useful for lower backs.

They can show degeneration to facet joints / arthritis in the lumbar spine, which may or may not be significant. It is true that everyone gets it to some extent as they age, but facet degeneration often goes hand in hand with disc degeneration. It really does sound like you need an MRI - all your symptoms are pointing to a disc problem & nerve impingement.

You could also have more drugs. A muscle relaxant can be very helpful with lower back pain - any degree of protective muscle spasm will increase your pain & possibly the pressure on the nerve. Some GPs are reluctant to prescribe them, though.

I'm not up to speed with the thread ATM so don't know all your back story, Tickle, but I had the same experience of originally being told I had to have physio before an MRI. Unfortunately the NHS physio made me worse, & my GP did then refer me for a scan.

I'm puzzled by the referring you for pain management bit. Your GP could give you more / a different combination of drugs without needing to send you to a pain clinic just yet. I'd have thought the priority would be finding out exactly what's going on first.

How's your pain today, matilda? Any sign that the new drug regime is helping? How much codeine do you take, out of interest? I find codeine weird - sometimes the strong stuff will kill pretty severe pain quite quickly, but at other times it doesn't even seem to touch it. I think I could do with some 15mg pills - I always feel reluctant to take the 30mg ones I have, & tend to leave it to late.

So pleased things are improving for you, pink. Sounds like you're going to need to be assertive with work, though. As you say, remembering how bad the pain was is quite important here - you don't want to go back to that!

I've had quite a good day, thanks for asking. It's so random,though. Very difficult to plan. I am taking two 30/500 cocodamol four times an day plus one 150mg slow release tramadol, 600 mg gabapentin three times a day, naproxen 500mgs twice and amytriptiline 20 mg at night. God, it's a lot of drugs. If I lie down I feel a bit drowsy sometimes but mostly able to function but my memory is poor.

tickle is there any way you could afford a private MRI? It's about £350 for a decent one. I did after three weeks of pure misery and then my GP sat up, apologised and treated me a bit more seriously. I am worried that doing physio will make you worse. The pins and needles are indicative of nerve impingement. Your level of pain is totally unacceptable and I hope your GP signs you off sick when you go. This is not right and your doctors are not taking this seriously.

Thank you all! Thank god for this thread! I can't afford a private MRI :(

I am possibly going to a and e today as pins and needles getting worse and leg keeps twitching. Weird and worrying :(

Keep in touch. Fingers crossed for you.

A+E is a good idea Tickle as you are getting pins and needles and are in lots of pain. Hope they can help.
I'm awaiting physio, but everything I do at the moment gets me worse, so I wonder if its best to do nothing new. At Pilates today (which I have been doing for well over a year) I struggled to keep up (every one else can change position so fast!). I have private medical insurance (via DHs work) but because I've had back trouble for years I don't think I can use it. I've been taking more painkillers in the late afternoon (earlier than I was taking them) in the hope of getting better sleep.

I thought that my DH's Bupa wouldn't cover me because my condition was preexisting but the type of policy he had did cover me. A quick phone call was all it took. I guess it depends on what kind of cover you have. It's worth checking.

Thanks Berrie I will look into it. Its a new lot so I think they may have taken on previously treated conditions and I had my chiropractor treatment (5 years ago) via medical insurance. I am a little worried because an Xray I had done by a chiropractor about 10 years ago showed a displaced vertebra (pushed forward)- possibly S1 or L5 (I don't remember)which might need different treatment to standard if its still a problem.( I slipped down iced up steps and banged my lower spine as I fell)

Hope everyone is having a comfortable day!
Could I ask. If the GP has signed me off for two weeks can I go back before that if I want?
Thanks

Berrie, my understanding is that you can't go back early, as your employers insurance covering you as an employee - for instance if you to be injured - could be invalidated.

Berrie you can call your GP and ask for a fitness to work note. They can amend your sick note if you want to go back earlier than originally thought.

I didn't go to a and e. I called my Dr instead to tell him about pins and needles. He agreed that it's going on too long and needs to be looked at so is referring me to a back specialist! Just waiting to see him now...

And just had a call from the physio, they have a cancellation for today at 1pm and do I want it? Hell to the yes!

Ah OK then thanks both.
I'll play it by ear then. I know that really I've got to give myself the best possible chance and having been desperate for advice would be stupid to then not take that advice. I feel really guilty though.

The guilt is shit Berrie but i always try and think what I would say to a friend if it were them, would I think they were guilty of anything? Would I bollocks.
You're too unwell to work at the moment so going back early May well hinder your recovery.

Berrie, the guilt is awful. But...it's also awful having a colleague working with you who really shouldn't be there. If you say it's two weeks then they can plan for that time. I honestly learned the hard way that the workplace world keeps spinning just fine without you. Sure it's a bit inconvenient but they will cope. You just need to concentrate on getting better.

Tickle good luck for physio and also for the spinal referral. Push for an MRI if you can because it's bound to be the first thing the consultant will want and thus create even more delays. Hope you are feeling a bit better than last week? Also watch out for any signs of saddle numbness or difficulties in the loo. Huge red flags and the pins and needles is a sign of nerve impingement.

Hope the physio and spinal referral go well Tickle.
Berrie sorry I did not know about the fitness to work note - I was quoting what DH had said to me when he no doubt knew (as did my GP) what I did not that I was not well enough to return to work!
Hows Pavlov doing, and everyone else -Loon, Pink Ally Matilda, Anna?

My Sacro-wedgy has arrived. I could not resist trying it out (although the bright pink is a bit lurid) and so far have no ill effects. Its a shaped rubbery wedge that you lie (or even sit) on to raise your sacrum slightly so you can relax muscle (piriformis etc). I will report back in a few days (i am not using its base yet as I am starting gently) if life doesn't get in the way (childs birthday party to sort).

Ooo! I think the lurid pink sounds nice! My DH says the same thing - he is also determined I don't go back too soon.
Glad things are moving on a bit quicker for you Tickle.
Thanks everyone for all the good wishes about the guilt. I have been sitting here writing instructions for the supply teacher and I will still do the planning and make resources. At least it stops me for now from trying to do something about the filth that has accumulated about our house this last month!
I used to have a fortnightly cleaner paid for me by a kindly relative after my back problems of 4 years ago. This year I told the kindly relative that I couldn't accept the help any longer as my back was all better and had been for a long time and I could do it myself.
Don't think for a moment I put my back out cleaning though!

I saw the physio who thinks that there is nothing wrong with my back and I just need to strengthen my muscles.

So I'm a fat fraud . It doesn't explain the pins and needles or numbness though?

Feel like shit now.

No no...there is something wrong with your back even if it's weak muscles that is wrong. Anyway the pins and needles is nerve related,
Don't worry - at least you have the referral. Don't let it put you off pushing for an MRI. I was told it was many different things before the MRI revealed the real situation.
Have they given you some stretches or exercises and do you think you will be able to do them?