The Back Pain Emporium, Internet Shopping, Drugs and Dealing with Doctors. Thread 6.

[MatildaTheRedNosedReinCat]

For anyone experiencing back pain it can be a very scary time. What is wrong? Who can help? How long will this last? We,on this thread are here to support you;offer empathy and help to navigate the almost impossible task of getting a diagnosis and the right treatment.We are not doctors but people who have trodden this path slowly and painfully. We also chat a LOT and welcome all newcomers. It is strictly non competetive regarding pain and no niggle is too minor.

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. Not to mention the pain of dealing with claiming disablity benefits .

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,sometimes drink wine , 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 brew and say hello

This is our 6th thread, here is the 5th, which has links too the others:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/a2203923-Back-Pain-and-Internet-Shopping-Thread-Number-5

omg mulled I think we must be twins separated at birth ... I could have said all of that - low confidence, wonder what my lovely friends see in me, never answer the phone (real friends know to email). My family are/were all self-centred and full of misguided confidence and completely tactless and never able to make friends. I try so hard to be the opposite but don't always manage it and am paranoid about offending people yet oblivious when I do. Its exhausting. I also have a miserable face and suffered constant "cheer up" comments from total strangers when young (now am old bat no-one looks at me lol). Occasionally now I get "are you in pain" and I just say yes rather than "its just my face". If matilda says you are nice that's good enough for me!

Thank for all the good wishes you guys have been great! Its so great to be understood.

Bit my tongue in my sleep last night and woke up screaming and cursing and unbelievably hubby slept through it - wish I could sleep like that - he is unreal! Just tried snipping at the stitches - imagine trying to hold a struggling eel whilst you wave scissors at it - only managed to snip a bit off one of them. Best leave it now or will get in trouble with hubby .

Am wondering what a blended Chinese would be like? Or fish and chips? Already had the shep pie, etc - mince is the only protein I've had for weeks apart from a scrambled egg (not the same without the toast) but many thanks for the suggestions ladies.

Ally, ouch, that sounds awful. Did the hospital give you any idea on healing times? This seems so slow for you. If you are low on protein I would imagine that could affect your healing time. Maybe you really should be liquidising food. Or could you ask your GP to prescribe some protein shakes?

Well, momentous day for me, in a way. I've just returned from my GP with a supply of BuTrans patches. I am hoping so much that they will give me stable pain relief rather than all the swinging around I get. And possibly please god less bloody tablets to take. I've also put myself on a naproxen holiday. I'm never really sure how much difference they make and I was bruising very easily. Starting the patches is an odd feeling. I've been building up to it for a long time. I've delayed it because it is ramping up the scale of strong medication, yet at the moment I feel I can only concentrate on now, the short term and the near medium term. I can't predict my future but need my present life to be more enjoyable.

Am I alone in feeling very low over the Christmas holidays? These times of year seem to throw my pain and restrictions into very sharp focus and it just seems worse.

Nay Matilda - not alone.
I think that there is so much expectation around having a perfect Christmas that many of us feel low - whatever the cause of it being crapper than we wanted. Also the lack of usual routine is hard.
Good luck with the patches. I hope that they prove to be a perfect solution for you.
Ally - I reckon blended fish and chips is worth a shot!
I have marked 12 assessments and it has taken me 2 hours and forty minutes so far. Only 17 to go...then everything else!

Thanks for caring matilda - I am guessing you were a nurse? I'd say doctor as you are so knowledgeable but never met such a nice one of them

Foolishly had a look with google at recovery times and found out I am the luckiest person alive - could hardly find a soul with as little taken off as me but eventually found a site which did answer a few questions - pain still present 1-2 months in but less painkillers, numbness rarely permanent which was by far the nicest thing I read. Other sites too scary for words and life expectancy stats eek! Consultant kinda lied to me saying recovery for op 2 was same as op 1 (2 weeks) then when he saw me after 2 weeks said "going well for early days or recovery" hmmm. You know what its like though - they tell you 50 things, you remember half of them and forget half the questions you had prepared. Or maybe that's just me. Good luck with the patches!

Lol berrie I might go for it!

Try not to read that stuff Ally I know it's easy to say. My sister read loads of it and as far as she was concerned it was all over for her. I really believe that it caused her far more mental torture than was necessary. Especially as she is now entirely well!

Happy New Year everyone :)

I have scan read the last few posts. Ally how about bamboo shoots and water chestnuts, and special fried rice in LOADS of sweet and sour sauce to slip down? So pleased your recovery is going well.

Matilda You are not alone. Regarding Christmas I am basically Will Ferrell in Elf, however this year was tough not being able to do what I wanted - I think it's that there is huge pressure for everything to be perfect and there are umpteen things to do, so it feels worse than normal. So pleased you have got the right drugs - it seems we are all slowly moving forward one shuffle at a time...

I have lurked for a few days as I didn't want to derail the thread and wasn't sure what to say, but basically DP has been acting awfully since MIL left and it ended up with him behaving completely unreasonably, me calling him out on it calmly (for once! I was channelling a lot of mumsnet!) and him telling me he didn't care any more and I could leave if I wanted to. I went to a friend's and they were amazing but they are a joint friend and I still need a bit of help, e.g. can't drive, can't lift things, sometimes can't get up so tomorrow I'm going to my parents' house for a couple of nights. We will see what happens. The silver lining is that I need to register with my old family GP for more drugs and she is very good so hopefully I will get somewhere. I'm not as upset as I thought I would be, possibly because it has been hell living with him this week so it will be a relief to have some space.

The downside is that my parents hate the Internet. They are daily mail readers who view it with suspicion. I told them about this thread and they think you lot are out to corrupt me and make me paranoid so I anticipate lots of sneaky MNing!

Sorry Ally I misread your bit about being lucky as that you were having a good recovery week well, glad you were lucky and I agree with Berrie that you should stay away from the Internet unless it's a reputable site like us lot.

ins bloody dp I'm sending him rage vibes. what the hell is going through his silly male head???

for you

So sorry Ins I hope it all works out for you.

Jeez, Ins, what a start to the year. So sorry and hope your parents give you the support you need if not you know where we are.

Patch on and waiting...

What is your main worry in terms of how it might make you feel Mat?
Hope you are OK INS
What did you eat tonight Ally?

Oh ins so sorry to hear that - what a selfish bugger - hope a few days apart makes him come to his senses. Lol I am Elf too and really pissed off at missing so much this Xmas - roll on the next one - is it too soon to start a countdown?

berrie thanks for the sensible words (and also for sharing re your sister) - despite my miserable face I am a "glass half-full" person so have bounced back and still feeling soooo lucky - I think me and your sister were at the very good end of the stats - I am going to give my dentist a big hug as apparently this isn't picked up mostly until it has spread so tiny bit on tongue is small miracle yeehaa!

Well ladies after seeing what I saw yesterday online we got a Chinese and I managed to poke in some s&s prawns (cut up small), rice and sauce woohoo! It was fabby! All that's left now is toast and cereal and I will keep checking those but hope to achieve within days - huge boost of PMA here!

Hope the patch is working matilda - funny OH is suspicious of internet too - last night he was all "so who is this Matilda and Berrie, etc - how can you believe what they say - silly man!

Thanks everyone :) Had a really good night's sleep as I kicked DP out to the spare room as we have a memory foam mattress. Had lots of lovely dreams about the paperchase sale I am okay. DP sometimes get depressed and moody after a bad time with his mum but not like this before. I want to see understanding on his part that I am not his verbal punching bag when he is upset at someone else before I come back. I have lots going for me and our finances are seperate - in fact he has gone part time and I was meant to be supporting us (fortunate that we have no mortgage), so actually I am in a stronger position than him.

Pain has actually been a lot better as I've had a week of no travelling and my own bed (have a lot of overnights with work). Thanks to all for the gabapentin advice, they are brilliant! Don't quite take away the pins and needles in the same way but since I so far have no side effects (doing as Matilda? Suggested and building them up) they are a great improvement. I feel clear headed for the first time in ages, which I never thought I would value so much.

ally So pleased that you got your Chinese. Fingers crossed for cereal! How about dunking the toast in very runny yolk to soften it up? Sounds like you are at soft boiled egg stage now?

matilda do keep us updated on the patch progress. I have my fingers crossed for you.

Ins i am so sorry you're having such a rough time with DH. You sound lile you're dealing with it really well. Sending hugs.

I am now just waiting for my MRI but have been in agony since seeing consultant.
I'm on my period too and wonder if it's related, does anyone else's back pain get alot worse at that time of the month?
Managed to get hold of gp yesterday and get some diazepam.

I am now off to my nephews 2nd birthday lady fully drugged up so that will be fun! I think I should stay home really but I think DH would be upset if I didn't go...

help oh help
I was jsut washing up...i wasn't doing anythig and suddenly a hot spear of pain went up yes up my back.luckily i was washing a bowl as i needed to retch then i crawled to the sofa and had a fistful of pills. because it is going from mid back up breathing ws painful but i have stopped panicking and holding my breatn now. sorry for crap typing it hurts to move arms.
so questions - lanzoprazole ran out so stopped nanproxen before christmas. is there an over the counter alternative to lkanzoprozole or can i take nanproxen without until i get new prescription? does any one know about pain in upper back? am lower back specialist - no idea how to help myselt with this.
not looking forward to going to the loo scfreaming...

it is beacuse of the hours of marking hunched on bed yesterday...am utter fool. couldnt do downstairs because of children...

Morning all.

Patches...well as yet not much to report. The idea is that it very slowly dispenses the medication through the skin which, if it does what it says, means it could reduce it even stop all the opiods and also reduce the swings in pain we all get when due a dose. Let's hope so. It stays on for a week and I have started on a lowish dose to start with. Fingers very much crossed. I have also put myself on a naproxen holiday as I was bruising really easily so I was concerned about bleeding. Tbh I can't really tell the difference. It's so complicated when you have different kinds of pain and so many meds. Anyway, hopefully, if it works out I could be swallowing a lot less pills and have more even pain control.

Ally, I was a nurse a long time ago but then a midwife for a very long time so well guessed. Midwives see a lot of different things and I've always been interested in all stuff medical. A lot of it is also common sense . Glad you got the Chinese down. Progress indeed, time to get creative! Curry in a mild sauce might be doable? Hope the bad stitch is behaving. How is your back, or has the Tongue taken over?

Ins, have you changed your mind about going to your parents? I have to say that sometimes men can be bloody awful. Very occasionally my DH has gone through phases of being rude, grumpy and in communicative and I've been tempted to walk out for a bit. Christmas definitely does not help, I think so many people have a struggle with the fantasy of a perfect life, lack of routine, feeling broke and end of year life examination. Still no excuse, though and something that needs very thorough discussion if you are to stay together. If MIL is the catalyst that needs addressing big time. Glad the gabapentin has helped,though and the rest, too. The gabapentin helping would seem to indicate that there is a nerve problem somewhere. Let's hope Mr S can shed some light.

tickle, how long will you have to wait for the MRI? Hope it isn't too long. You've been suffering way too long. I can't see why your DH would be upset at you missing a two year olds birthday. Can't imagine the birthday child would care much. Stay hope and rest if you need to. Lots of people here have commented on pain being worse during their period. Maybe hormonal or muscular contraction? Anyway, rest up with a hottie if you can.

Hollie, how's the marking going? At least the dismal weather doesn't make one want to do anything else. Is your back holding up?

Waves to all and thinks about rereading the 40page pain report which arrived yesterday,full of problems, questions and a few inaccuracies meaning the legal case will probably drag on even longer. A marathon with no end.

berrie, cross posted. Will almost definitely be muscular spasm. Do you have any diazepam? Do take naproxen but with food. Heat,of course. If no better in an hour and you don't have diazepam, call ooh for a prescription. Relaxes the muscles much better than anything else IME. Hope you feel better soon.

Actually, berrie, I've just remembered your chest and arm pain. Did you get checked? I think you need to be seen and checked over properly. If you have any shortness of breath, chest pain etc call an ambulance. At the very least cal 111. Now.

No diazepam sadly. Its easing now a bit - have got floaty tramadol legs.

I guess I can say goodbye to marking the last two groups today which isn't good.
DH isn't happy. He is going abroad in a fortnight for two weeks to be with his sister who has a stage 4 brain tumor. He still talks about the time (20 years ago) I rang him at his hotel in Texas sobbing because my back had gone and needed help.

Crossed again...getting better honestly...look can even do capital letters now!

I really think it is a muscle spasm it felt just like it...the chest and arm pain didn't come back after that night.

Back has taken a back seat (thank god!) Matilda but am going back to AT guy next week and try and get back to being more mindful - hopefully not back to square one but actually think I've done quite well - god how many "backs" were in that sentence yikes!

Ins soft boiled egg and dippy toast sounds fabby - am definitely having that for brekkie tomorrow - genius idea and now wondering why I didn't think of it

Oh Berrie I'm sure we all feel your pain on that one - spasms are the worst! I only ever had the one and screamed and swore so much getting back to bed I thought the neighbours might call the police - poor hubby was terrified! GP won't give me more diazepam (clearly I look like a potential junkie!) but will ask for more tramadol as that would help a bit and I like to be prepared in case it ever happens again. Hope it keeps easing off!

Thanks Matilda and Ally. Sorry for the mad panic.
I am much more comfortable now and have managed a cup of tea spilling a lot down my neck! DD has gone and found me a bottle with a lid under her bed which was full of old coagulated milk. She has given me some water and says she has washed it really well. I have thanked her and shoved it down the side of the sofa
I will have to try moving soon...
My lovely friend is coming tonight for his Christmas visit. I don't think we will have to cancel now though it will all be up to DH again.
Ally I am glad that you are managing some tasty things now.