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

Morning ladies.

Thankyou all so much for your kind concern. I have looked back over the past few weeks and can see that I have somehow significantly increased my activity levels. Yesterday I was up and doing by 8.30 and didn't rest at all until about 2 for half an hour and then back to charging around (huh) sorting things out. We have decorating work going on plus I am desperate to get the kitchen finishes plus a ton of other things. So today is cancelled. I have a GP appointment but other than that will be living quietly and am having a lie in.

Sadly the patches are, well, patchy. I've had some low pain days but was actually quiet then due to feeling a bit crap. I am taking less codeine but am very far from off it and or all other meds. I will persevere, though. Sadly another issue is causing concern in the bathroom area . Having scarcely been going since patches stared I've been feeling increasingly bloated and noisy. Have upped lactulose and started movicol. This morning there is some unpleasant activity and let's just say it's a good day to be staying home, close to the loo. It really is one thing after another,isn't it?

Mags, did you not know that all annoying musical Christmas garments run out of battery three weeks after Christmas? Sadly the battery cannot be replaced.

Waves to all and wishing you low pain. Berrie has your back settled again? Do hope so. Pav, slow and steady. At least all the enforced rest has given you back a chance to heal well. I have to say that after my laminectomy the wound area was pretty sore for quite a while. Having bone cut hurts. It just does.. I hope you are accepting all offers of help. Are the children keeping the faith and letting you rest properly. It will seem a long time but they have always been very sweet with you so I'm sure they are now. Sitting by the sea sounds wonderful. With a coffee.

Matilda I hope you get pain free visits to the bathroom and much relief.

Another thank you for your post - very informative and always good to learn from others experience.

Gosh Eve how did you manage that?

Glad you finally got an answer Pavlov though sounds like you have been through hell. Also you sound too keen to get doing things - hope you are not rushing things!

Lol Berrie yes we have had snow but not lying much thank goodness as I get panicked about falling!

I feel for you Matilda - my bowels are a constant issue - hope you are sorted out soon.

Ah didn't know that Matilda! Will pass on that information to ds. He will be sad (goes to search out jingler). I cannot listen to music at present what I can hear sounds off key and tinny - just like my school orchestra when I was young and rather more enthusiastic than talented!! I am working through my list of chores slowly. I hope you are having a better day and are resting. Its hard living with unfinished decorating.
Eve I find transdermal magnesium helpful too - more for stiffness and breathing. I use Epsom salt baths or so called magnesium oil spray, but not heard of gel. The oil spray prickles horribly when very deficient (as I was at first use) so epsom salt baths are kinder at first. I have always felt rather alone with my back too, since my GPs in the early days (years ago) were not able to help, and I was desperate to avoid surgery. Its helpful to hear about a range of alternatives. It seems I haven't tried them all .
Pavlov by couple of weeks I did not mean the worst of the symptoms lasted that long - more that I had to take it gradually less easy over that time scale. I do hope you are starting to feel better, and that your wound (and that horrid CFS leak with its debilitating symptoms) starts to settle down. I do feel cross for you and others- and think patients are pushed out of hospital too soon in the UK - although I know you were desperate to get home to your family and bed.
Berrie how are you getting on - and everyone else?

mags I think I am over the worst of it, phew! I am more spinny and funny ears when I stand and the cracking headache is almost gone completely, just returns a little as my meds wear off. How are you feeling today? Not great if everything musical sounds like a child's orchestra

Biggest problem with being confined to bed, is that I have just spent far, far too much money online. I bought myself a beautiful dress, which is too small [boo] but am about to re-order it in the right size as it's lovely, bought myself some Fly London shoes, for work (and outside), that are not boots, but that I can still walk in, a work jacket (reduced from £70 to £20) so I can look smart in court when I return to work, some Converse hi-tops and some undies for DH, clothes for the children... all in Bargain Sales I might add, but really, really difficult to not browse sales.

matilda I hope you feel a little less 'loaded' this afternoon, morphine related meds are notorious for slowing it all down, added to that being slow in pace and not highly active, which our bodies need to get things moving, no wonder things just stop working. Are you drinking prune juice? I found it to be more effective than movicol personally.

anothereve I am interested in looking at complimentary medicine to run in conduction with what I have already, and have actually started taking a Vit B complex. I think getting a balance of mental wellbeing, conventional medication and other alternative therapy such as mindfulness, health supplements etc is the key, and unfortunately the combination varies for everyone. We are still on our quests to find our 'perfect balances', if there is such a thing, so if you wish to join us more regularly with your experiences then do come along.

ally did you have a good birthday? Were you able to eat cake?

Tomorrow, I am going out for lunch with DH. just for a short drive, take a sandwich and sit/stand by the sea, as I feel so much calmer when I am near it, and the air is full of salt which is good for healing.

Hi all
this is going to be a self obsessed rant and I apologise in advance but I've cried all over everyone today and I know you'll all understand.

My pain has been steadily getting worse and worse and yesterday I came home from work in so much pain I was hunched over the trolley in tesco almost unable to walk.

I work in a busy office and have coccydynia and a suspected bulging disc.

The coccydynia makes sitting agony, the pains in my legs and bum and lower back make standing agony. Now lying down has become agony.

I called my Dr today in tears begging for help so I can continue to work. I LOVE my job and have only been there 9 months, I don't want to fuck it up.

I spend all my time googling my symptoms and reading horror stories but my worst fear is (so stupid) they find no reason for the pain and I have to live like this forever.

I work, I come home and lie down and spend no time with my children. My husband does everything and we have no sex life at the moment. I feel like a failure but I know I'm not. I just want to get on with my life, I want to be able to walk to the loo without having to hold on to the wall.

I had to come home to work today as I kept crying. It just all feels so hopeless.

Dr has said he will put me on morphine if it's still as bad on Monday and I have an MRI on 1 Feb but every day that goes on I just feel more hopeless and more in pain.

I so needed to get that all out!

My bum hurts, I get muscle spasms in it and I am finding it hard to wee. I have no numbness in the saddle area though. Why can't I wee!?

I'm so so sorry for the me me me post, I just feel so utterly miserable

Tickle, trouble eeing with increase in pain is a Red Flag. Go to A&E. Preferably at a hospital with a neurosurgical unit.

Go this evening. Don't want to alarm you but the wee problems can be permenant if left untreated.

or even trouble weeing. Sorry, fat fingers

Is it a sign of cauda equina? I don't have numbness?
Thanks again..I don't know what to do now ; (

Yeah hospital for you, even if it's not, with this its better to be safe than sorry.

I called 111 and they said that an out of hours Dr will call me within an hour. They don't seem to be worried as I don't have issues with bowel. But now I'm really worried!

I have had trouble going for a wee for the last two weeks. I called 111 also and I spoke to a doctor who said that as I had recently started Pregabalin that was what was causing me problems. Still need to get it checked out but it could always be something not to worry about. Good luck

This explains cauda equina well. Not everyone has all the symptoms

Difficulty passing urine plus increased pain is worrying even if 111 don't think so.

Better safe than sorry. Sorry, though will stop bullying.you are able to make your own decisions

You weren't bullying at all Matilda! I obviously needed the push to go because I'm so used to them not doing anything.

Went to Out of hours dr, she did full examination, right leg has no reflexes and is much much weaker which explains the limping.

She did a rectal and anal tone is ok. She rang a and e and there is no spinal registrar there at night so I've been given a letter and they're expecting me at 9AM for an emergency scan.

Thank you so much for making me go

Tickle - Hope the Doctor has called by now and you feel a bit more confident about how to proceed. Sorry you have had such a crap day. We all know how miserable and scared you feel.
Pavlov I am so pleased things are easing a bit and Matilda though you are having a bad moment are you generally feeling that the patches are going to be a good thing in the long run or am I misreading?
Mags I do hope that your ears are better soon. I am a complete wuss with any ear or throat pain - I would rather have a (temporary) bad back!
I am good back wise thanks. I am always surprised nowadays by my back's ability to totally floor me and then recover. I am very fortunate.
I saw the GP at last about my agoraphobia last night. He was brilliant - not because he had anything new to tell me but just because he listened and asked pertinent questions. (I felt he was quite interested) He will refer me for CBT. He asked me what I had come there wanting and I told him that really I just wanted to tell someone as well as fearing that it is getting worse and not wanting it to progress. For me - it suits me- I don't want to go out and therefore I don't so I'm OK. At the same time as far as family life goes - it is becoming more of a problem. So...a positive step I think - not least because I won't have to worry about a therapist seeing me for AGES!

tickle oh well done your GP. It could have been easy to say 'no prob go away' or 'go now' and then they might have sent you home, as lots of people find if they present with potential red flags, with no MRI being ordered. So, this MRI is the best possible outcome, as you will find out immediately if there is anything that needs addressing right now, and it will be addressed.

In the mean time, rest as much as you can, take your painkillers, and try not to worry, before long you will have some answers. Remember hot water bottles are our friend too if you have one to hand, or a heat pad.

berrie and well done you for discussing your agoraphobia with the GP, that must have been difficult to do, and the first steps have been done, so be proud of that. Good to hear your GP was responsive too.

Thanks Pavlov I am desperately trying not to Google now cos I'm feeling pretty scared :(

Do not Google TickleMyTits

Dr Google is a well renound bastard, over exaggerates everything. If the emergency Dr and a&e thought it was that much of an emergency you'd be in a&e right now.

So for tonight, just try and rest up as much as you can

tickle don't google. Honestly. If I believed everything I googled, I should be dead by now

You have the best possible option here that I can see. If you were in A&E now, they would still have to make you wait til the morning for specialist to read the report, so there is nothing more you can do. IF, it's something like CES, they will address it immediately. If it's not, you will have the re-assurance asap of what's going on so you can make some action plans with your GP or the hospital whoever is best placed to do that.

And we are here, there is almost always someone around, sometimes even at night time if maisy ducks her head in (night owl).

In the mean time, shall I distract you a little with a picture of the shoes I bought myself this week? And the dress? (which doesn't bloody fit and so I need to get the other size, was going to get two sizes and take one back but DH persuaded me otherwise!)