The Back Pain Emporium is Open For Business. Browsers Welcome. Thread 7

[MatildaTheCat]

For anyone experiencing back pain it can be a terrifying 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 , 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

Previous thread for anyone interested

Hi everyone, how are you all doing, I have an interview for a reception jib at work on Tuesday so fingers crossed.
Also my back pain is back again too the point I am having problems going from sitting ti standing and I can't lay flat on my back in bed, my last shift at work was Monday so am racking my brains as to what I have done to triggerI again.
Am I ok to start with naproxen and diazapan again ad I have a stock of those plus cocodamols from the last time. Do I need to let the doc know again.

Matilda what was the thing with the gorilla I keep trying to remind myself but cant seem to find where you wrote it.

Just popped on to see how you all are. I don't think I've ever had to scroll so far down General Health to find the thread. The shopping and backs must be on a back burner tonight.

I hope you are all well.

We are good this end. DS is making until 5 or 6am most nights now (whoop whoop!) and I'm mostly pain free, though a little achey tonight, I don't feel I have anything to complain about (apart from my lovely hubby, who is mostly wonderful but does he ever listen to what I say - nope )

I hope you all have a good week x

Ok, will do my best to bump up the thread then. Hello all, how is everyone?

We have had a lovely weekend celebrating mine and DD2's birthdays on Saturday with a very long day at the rugby Sevens where she played, and then we watched hours of great games and drank and ate and had lots of fun... but 10+ hours sitting in hard plastic chairs in the stadium meant a less than fantastic back yesterday and today. Fortunately had physio appt booked for this morning so she has helped a lot with a good deep massage/manioulation.

We are off to Thailand tomorrow (yay! - although from here it is a bit like going to France, so please don't hate me) but I can't take most meds with me as was a bit blasé about doctors notes, and apparently I cannot take diazepam/any form of codeine/any other opiates into the country. So it's diclofenac SR and a prayer if anything flares up for the next few days. Matilda, you did get all your meds checked and a dr note for your trip, didn't you?

Ok, it's bed time here in Asia, so good night all, and hoping for a low pain day for everyone.

Yes, I have a very clear doctors letter, prescription and new, labelled meds. Think that covers it.

I had a hideous day yesterday after a theatre trip on Friday . Better today and trying to Pace as much as possible so as to be in good shape for Thursday. Have never, ever planned so hard for a holiday! Will, no doubt have to weed some stuff out when my case won't close.

Brit, have a fab hols. You can post and make us jealous!

For Pink and anyone else who hasn't seen it before. We all have to take good care of our gorillas.

Acquiring a disability is a bit like getting home to find there's a gorilla in your house. You contact the approved and official channels to get rid of infestations of wild animals (in this case, the NHS) and they umm and aah and suck air in through their teeth before saying something roughly equivalent to "what you've got 'ere, mate, is a gorilla, and there ain't really a lot what we can do about them, see..." before sending you back home to the gorilla's waiting arms.

The gorilla in your house will cause problems in every part of your life. Your spouse may decide that (s)he can't deal with the gorilla, and leave. Your boss may get upset that you've brought the gorilla to work with you and it's disrupting your colleagues, who don't know how to deal with gorillas. You're arriving for work wearing a suit the gorilla has slept on. Some days you don't turn up at all because at the last minute, the gorilla has decided to barricade you into the bathroom or sit on you so you can't get out of bed. Your friends will get cheesed off because when you see them - which isn't often, because they don't want to come to your house for fear of the gorilla and the gorilla won't always let you out - your only topic of conversation is this darn gorilla and the devastation it is causing.

There are three major approaches to the gorilla in your house.

One is to ignore it and hope it goes away. This is unlikely to work. A 300-lb gorilla will sleep where he likes, and if that's on top of you, it will have an effect on you.

Another is to try and force the gorilla out, wrestling constantly with it, spending all your time fighting it. This is often a losing battle. Some choose to give all their money to people who will come and wave crystals at the gorilla, from a safe distance of course. This also tends to be a losing battle. However, every so often, one in a hundred gorillas will get bored and wander off. The crystal-wavers and gorilla-wrestlers will claim victory, and tell the media that it's a massive breakthrough in gorilla-control, and that the 99 other gorilla-wrestlers just aren't doing it right due to sloppy thinking or lack of committment. The 99 other gorilla-wrestlers won't have the time or energy to argue.

I have known people spend the best years of their life and tens of thousands of pounds trying to force their gorillas to go away. The tragedy is that even if it does wander off for a while, they won't get their pre-gorilla lives back. They'll be older, skint, exhausted, and constantly afraid that the gorilla may well come back.

The third way to deal with the gorilla in your house is to accept it, tame it, and make it part of your life. Figure out a way to calm your gorilla down. Teach it how to sit still until you are able to take it places with you without it making a scene. Find out how to equip your home with gorilla-friendly furnishings and appliances. Negotiate with your boss about ways to accomodate, or even make use of, your gorilla. Meet other people who live with gorillas and enjoy having something in common, and share gorilla-taming tips.

People get really upset about this and throw around accusations of "giving up" and "not even trying". They even suggest that you enjoy having a gorilla around because of the attention it gets you (while ignoring the massive pile of steaming gorilla-turds in your bedroom every morning and night, not to mention your weekly bill for bananas). The best way to deal with these people is to smile and remind yourself that one day, they too may have a gorilla in their house.

Thankyou matilda, the gorilla thing is definitely true. I have been back on the naproxen again, my back is bad at the disv site again but dont have the keg pain so not sure if that good or bad. Can anyone tell me what I should di to prevent it getting worse.
I will let you know how the reception interview goes tomorrow, its a bit strange when I wirk there and they know me but suppose its rules and regs.
if you had a severe bulging disc before is it likely that the same will happen again or could it be minor and you prevent it before it gets bad.
does it always cause the horrendous sciatic pain that I had the last time.

Pink, remember they are interviewing you for a completely different role so be ready for the kind of questions you might face. Dealing with members of the public, dealing with difficult or irate clients, difficult situations (? Cancelled appointments, drs running late, complaints about care), pressure when busy etc, etc. I'm sure you have plenty of practice of all the above . Also some good reasons why you wish to change. Nb do NOT say because of your back, they don't need reminding of this.

Re your back worsening, hmm. Sounds dodgy to me. Your back is speaking to you so try to listen. Does lying down help you? Avoiding whatever sets it off and taking meds might calm things down. The leg pain certainly could return so acting now is important.

Will keep fingers crossed for you on all counts.

Have a fab time Brit!
Sorry for your horrid day Matilda
Best of luck Pink
Hi Cold!
Waves at everyone else!

Did that cover it?

Matilda thankyou for the wise words again. As you all know I am a care assistant, which I have say has become harder since I returned as we have got busier but with no extra staff, and I know the reception job as more sit down but I am worried I may get bored as not enough to keep me busy.
I am really after a ta job at a school but they are few and far between.
We got our new car today, 5 weeks after the accident in our old car, luckily we had hire car all that time through insurance.
Dh parents have now got carers going in everyday morning and night so that maytake pressure of us a bit. But it hasn't yet, but only been 3 weeks so far.
Matilda when do you go away, have a lovely time.

Yay! Another 2lb off!
By the time you come back Matilda you will hardly recognise me!

We'll done Berrie! I got derailed by Apple hot cross buns in Waitrose . Very yummy, though.

Pink, how was your interview. Do hope it went well and your back is holding up.

Had a day of pottering and getting ready. Never in my life has so much planning and preparation gone into one holiday. Nails lady cancelled me this morning but can fit me in tomorrow so panic averted. Ds2 has a birthday while we are away so have sorted that plus sils 50th while we are staying there. You see? Lists, lists, lists. Finally had my dental implant finished today so yay! No more ugly gap or ugly false tooth. Never mind the credit card . I thought it would only be a quick thing to screw it into place. How my heart sank when, after about twenty minutes of prodding about with various instruments he said 'pass the scalpel, please' . Still it's all done and I'm glad.

Bleurgh! Don't envy you that. DH had an implant at the very front. For reasons I can't remember he couldn't wear a false one so had a gap for months and months. Very off putting!
Hope things went well Pink
Wonder what Brit is doing now?
You must be so excited Matilda I hope that you have the most wonderful time and the gorilla is kept happy with sandcastle building and ice creams.
Off to get some paracetamol as the ironing has done for my back this morning. Though I hear that it isn't going to work at all. I beg to differ!

Just popping in to wish every one a good Easter, and easy travelling for those on the move.
I am buried in lists too. We are only going to France, but I am chief packer and have piles arranged around the bedroom ready! Dh-who has the better back, will be chief car loader tonight, perhaps with a bit of help from me and even Ds - who is strong and healthy but doesn't really quite get gravity yet. We will go as soon as ds gets home from school tomorrow. We have quite a tight schedule to catch our tunnel train so I hope the roads will not be too busy.
Hope the implant settles easily Matilda, and you have a lovely holiday - and Brit too.
Well done Berrie at keeping up the weight loss! Fingers crossed for you Pink - both for your back and the interview. Coldcottage hope the low pain days and sleeping past the small hours continues.

Hi Maggiso
Have a lovely holiday! Have a croissant or three for me!
Don't worry - I will pay you all back in the summer with tales of my glamorous camping trips!

Thanks Berrie! Glamorous camping sounds good.

I was going to ask what everyone thought about the paracetamol article but I see Berrie beat me to it .. I think they help.

Am out of touch but hope everyone is ok waving

After feeling ill on the tramadol (with setraline) now the co-codamol also make me ill ... hubby had to stop the car so I could barf it all up. This leaves me with no painkillers whilst still on the setraline unless you ladies have a clue?

Sorry don't know and Matilda has left the country!
Have you spoken to the GP about it? The pharmacist might know better.
I only know that you can't take SSRI's with Naproxen.
Hope you feel better soon.

Matilda has left us! Where is she? Was going to see GP and ask him but of course its Easter so have to wait till Tuesday then everyone will want him ... lets hope I don't need anything more than paracetamol till then

Might try pharmacist .. they are at least open! Good idea Berrie ta have to use the bunnies before they go!

Are you feeling any better Ally?
Was this week's the season's finale of Walking Dead?
I was properly shocked!
Enjoying a bit of seasonal Jesus Christ Superstar this morning much to the rest of the family's disgust!

Matilda is in Malaysia I think or somewhere else?
Brit is in Thailand.
I might go to Devon in the summer holidays!

wow at other people's hols ... we were thinking Yorkshire!

Neck a bit better thanks Berrie but she doesn't half give me a right bashing in the "deep" massage .. and now I have no idea what drugs to take .. chemist was too busy to ask

I think that was the finale yes ... I knew they would end up having to take over "Pleasantville" ... no way that place was going to last ... I like Machone (or whatever her name is) with the sword ... and Carol .. great tough gals

Hello everyone , I'm still able to pop in, though times will be a bit random. I'm in Singapore visiting db and family. All jolly lovely and glad of the aircon.

Back was tolerable through the journey but is very unhappy today.mive been diligent and done heaps of exercises but drugs the only way to go. Hate to feel even more doped up with jet lag. Can't think straight.

So try but I'm a bit stumped if naproxen, codeine and tramadol are all off the agenda. Having said that I had some really nasty turns on tramadol but then went back and tolerated it. Suspect GP won't prescribe diazepam or oromorph unless pain is very severe. A pharmacist might have better ideas.

Anyone got lovely plans for the weekend? I'm hoping to lie down but a round of events has bed scheduled so might be tricky. Hey ho.

Thanks Matilda you are better than my gp or pharmacist - sorry for rubbish typing but using wee tablet

Now back on real computer can say .. had a wee spasm yesterday so tried 1 co-codamol with 1 para and got same effect as 2 co-codamol ... no barfing so far and still sore today so praying this combo works as God knows when I will see GP now with hols, etc ... I agree he is unlikely to let me have anything else though diazepam would be nice for emergencies (like now!)

Glad you made it in one piece Matilda .. you are brave, I would not attempt a longer flight these days ... the 4 hour trip to Malta was the last longer one .. sticking to Spain ... or UK lol

Happy Easter everyone!