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

Hurrah you made it Matilda!
Today we have spent the morning cleaning all those little places that I miss with general day to day stuff. OK not all the places just lots of them. We made the children join in then had to go back and do it properly! Then we took the dog for a walk dragging the miserable moaning children after us.
After that I baked a cake ready for dd and ds if he wants to to Easterify and I have popped a pavlova in the oven for tomorrow when we are going to my Mum's for lunch. One of my brothers and family will be there too which will be nice. It was supposed to be a rhubarb pavlova but there was no rhubarb which everyone but me will be relieved about. I did nearly make a lemon curd for it but opted for a pack of strawberries instead which seemed like a good idea until I had 4 egg yolks left over after making the meringue. Any ideas?
Tonight we will have the customary Saturday fajitas and then we might watch a film once we have packed the children off to bed. DH bought himself a new sound box for the TV yesterday when I made the mistake of not going into the boring hifi type shop with him. Made me feel less bad about the new bedding I bought a few weeks ago then hid in the wardrobe because I felt so guilty!
Ally Glad that you managed to keep the painkillers down. I think it is entirely reasonable to ask the GP for a small stash for emergencies. I still can't help half looking for my stash that I dropped around the rock pools in St Ives 7 years ago every time we go! That trip was the one that finally finished me off!
Oh ! Breaking news! I have reserved a caravan around the area that I was advised to on here! Yippee! Trouble is...the beaches appear to be off limits for dogs from May so not sure whether to take him of not...

Berrie, I'm exhausted after reading about your industrious day. I would have had the rhubarb pavlova, I love rhubarb.

If the area is close to the ones mentioned then dogs are allowed on the estuary beach which is glorious although a slight performance to reach although the dog manages it straight down the perpendicular path. It's literally one of my fav places on the planets each year I insist we have a portable BBQ and have hot dogs. It's fab .

Happy Easter to everyone. We are going to a champagne brunch at a poncy hotel followed by swimming in the poncy pools sleeping it off and snoring. It will be nice because DH is re-meeting an old college friend who lives here. Said friend had a massive career change and now works in a field closely related to us lot. Its a bit awkward because it's a field I have very little time for. Subject to avoid if possible. Think I will say I'm on holiday from any medical stuff then slip to the loo and take powerful drugs.

Planets??? I'm not that keen on long distance travel...

planets!

Berrie I love caravans but can't convince hubby to give them a go ... all that neatness packed up ... like airline meals (which I also like) .. yes I am strange!

Hope you have a great day Matilda The site is about 20 minutes away from your estuary. I'm undecided... the dog has ruined a lot of holidays but I live in hope that he will one day turn into a more sensible dog. I guess it depends on whether it will be too hot in May to leave him in the car for a bit while we go on the beach...
I really want a caravan of my own Ally but DH prefers the tent. I do like the tent but not the 4 hours it takes to set up and take down camp. We have a fair bit of kit for a family fortnight! Not great in the rain either. On the other hand campsites for tents can be much nicer and more rural than for caravans.

Hope you've all had lovely Easter weekends. Sadly I was working Fri & Mon, but DP was off with the kids, and will be for the next two weeks! Lucky beggar. That easy life of a teacher. ;)

So.... I go back to see the surgeon on Thursday. It's a different surgeon, and different hospital, to my previous two surgeries. I am seeing the Clinical Lead for Neurosurgery in Scotland - apparently 'because of my history'. I can only hope the solution is not more surgery, and that there's something else which can be done to help with the pain and numbness.

I assume there will be an MRI and a chat. Not sure what else.... It's a 45 mile trip each way, so I'm hoping it's a meaningful consultation. Or else I will weep. Also, surgery would be most inconvenient. We'd have to cancel our holiday for one!!

Anyway, hope you're all feeling a bit more positive than I am today. Onwards and upwards!!

Sorry you are fed up Caspar.
Good luck with the surgeon. What are you hoping he or she will say?

Sorry, Berrie. How are you?

I'm hoping he says 'oh yes - give it another couple of months and all will be right as rain. This is all normal!' However, I suspect it won't go like that. I swing between them telling me this is it, and live with these symptoms, and telling me I need yet more surgery and it will all be fixed! Can't second guess it, though. The waiting is the worst part....

I'm OK thanks. Nit combing this morning again They were massive on DD this time so she must have had them a while. She rarely gets them - it's usually DS. We will both have some solution too when it arrives with the shopping.
I guess you might be told any of those things. I'm afraid I have no wise words I guess it's a waiting game.
Keep in touch and let us know how you get on.

Ally How are you getting on? Any better? What can we watch now Walking Dead is done?

Thanks for asking Berrie you are such a sweetie!

My back has been really acting up so rushed up to Asda first thing (before 9am!) in case I couldn't go later as its been stiffening up during the day. Still think its the physio as any other thoughts will send me crazy. Seeing gp today so will discuss painkiller problems.

I am loving the Following (also gory), Stalker is not bad and of course the Vampire Diaries and Originals for vampire gore. On a different level the Face-Australia I find funny as Naomi Campbell is such a b i t c h ... I'm sure she is acting but the trantrums are hilarious. Also (to my shame) watching the Batchelor ... cheesy but I'm hooked! Thank goodness as I am stuck in my recliner most days lately so need stuff to watch.

Ooo a bit there to go at! Thanks.
Hope the GP is helpful.
Having combed us both- I have just been picking huge nits STILL in DD's hair. Wish the nit solution would hurry up and arrive. I feel faintly sick!

Rather lovely here in The East. Pain no worse than usual so that's good if you can call that good

ewww nits ... horrible hope you get rid of the wee blighters soon!

Looks lovely Matilda and glad to hear pain no worse (geez the things we celebrate lol!)

Sigh Matilda - am torn between envious feelings and happiness for you. You deserve it.
I have just been in the front garden and am now scratched, hot and my back hurts. I have sensibly given up and DH is not going to be pleased that that was before I had quite finished tidying up! We have a large back garden that I gave up on long ago but I have been able to keep the smaller front garden going these past few years. I am not feeling so confident since my relapse in the autumn but need to keep telling myself that was because I fell...
I hadn't touched it since last year so it is going to take a bit if effort to get it ready. Last year I experimented with dahlias and they were fab. I have managed to save 4 tubers but the mice nibbled the rest and they don't seem to be sprouting.

I think it is time for a cup of tea. While I am up I must throw away the Easter cake for I have just scoffed a huge slice - I knew that I shouldn't but I just could not stop myself. DH only eats the chocolate from the top and the children have too many eggs to care...it's got to go hasn't it?
I have decided not to weigh in this week. I have been bad and I don't wish to know what the damage is in case it puts me off dieting at all. Trouble is - I need to actually now be GOOD!The downside of being on a diet (OK another downside) is not being able to buy clothes since they won't fit by the summer This even though I have fluctuated between the same dress sizes all my adult life and the chances of me ever being properly slim are minuscule! Anyway I have remedied this by buying homeware. I have washed the posh bedding that I bought and hid in the wardrobe out of shame and even ironed it. I suspect that this will be the one and only time I iron it so intend to enjoy it! I can't put it on yet as the bed has only been changed a few days and that is a WASTE! I have also bought some nice plates. DH didn't like them but there was 20% off this weekend so I bought them anyway! What does he know!
Did someone mention a cup of tea?
Apologies for my verbal incontinence - very dull!

Berrie, I love biting new homeward, too. If I was super wealthy I'd have fresh and good bedding every single day. Am currently propped up in very comfy bed overlooking the sea. Bedding is all white, something not possible at home due to ill trained animals jumping up with muddy feet.

Am having a great time. Bit quiet now as all the adults have gone to play golf. Later I have booked a hot stone massage in retaliation. Back is holding it's own. Despite more sitting than usual but I guess less by way of everyday strains of bending to pick things up after everyone so it balances itself out a bit.

Should get up for breakfast but enjoying the moment too much. Hotel breakfast is overrated IMO, a bowl of cereal around 11 is my ideal. Still, won't be wasteful and will force the goodies down.

Hope everyone is ok.

Jeez, just reread that first sentence. It should read buying new home wear. I don't like biting new homeward, I don't think.

Just swam in a tropical rainstorm. Then the sun reappeared and all back to sunshine. Just like England . Massage next. Busy girl.

Ahhhhh you conjure a pretty picture Matilda
Swimming in the rain. Couldn't tell you when I've done it but I know what it feels like.

Hi again - back from lovely Easter holiday and back not feeling too bad today, although it has been sore for the past couple of days. Did as physio instructed and shoved two of those pillows behind my back for the (albeit short) flights, which did improve posture/inflight comfort but I think neglecting all of my Pilates and core improving exercise for 8 days didn't help. Anyway, had a nice time and now need to re-engage with proper self care in terms of exercise and eating healthily as, unlike Matilda, I was ALL OVER the hotel breakfast buffet...

So, how is everyone? Casper, how did your meeting go with the surgeon? Very much hoping it was positive. Did he say/do anything that helped?
Matilda, the beach looks really lovely, and am so glad you are enjoying yourself. Hope you are booking further massages for rehabilitative (sp?) purposes and enjoying the swimming. Really wish I liked swimming more, as living in a warmer climate means more opportunity, but I just can't find that happy meditative place that people seem to reach ploughing up and down a pool.
Ally, very sorry to hear that your back is worse at the moment. How long after the physio is it bad for? Was GP helpful in balancing the painkillers?
Berrie, I love reading your posts! You have here a fellow Rhubarb Appreciater, who would have had seconds of your most delicious-sounding pavlova were she to have been offered. I had rhubarb growing in my garden which I miss terribly here, as it's almost impossible to get and then costs about £10 a stalk (I'm only slightly exaggerating) so we have a glorious rhubarb crumble about once a year and then I try not to think about it.
Pav, don't know if you are reading, but thinking of you.
Apologies as I know I haven't asked after everyone, can't scroll back enough to check on previous posts...

Good morning everyone! (Or whatever time of day it is for those in warmer places)
Casper How did you get on?
Ally What did the GP say?
Brit Glad you are back and have had a lovely time. I too have a rhubarb plant in my forgotten back garden. I planted it because my gunnera was not thriving and I used to ban my mother from picking it to eat as it was supposed to be ornamental. After I moved the gunnera it began to thrive and is now enormous but whatever happened to the rhubarb? I shall go outside in a bit and search through the nettles, brambles and general undergrowth and see if I can see it. It was never very happy there. I could move it to the raised vegetable beds I made DH put in the middle of the lawn for me last year. I planted lots of lovely stuff which we didn't eat after I saw the dog raising his leg on them Funnily enough the salad bed survived the winter and is lush with new rocket and other unidentified leaves but I still can't bring myself to harvest it. DH reckons it would be fine

Last night we were supposed to be having friends round but one of them was sick so we rearranged. I still had to cook the curried lamb joint and we had a very merry time, sitting at the set table instead of in front of the TV eating it and partaking of the wine we had bought too...bit too much wine though because when DH gently took the piss out of me for leaving last year's blackberry canes sticking 8 foot out of the recycling bin - I cried because I had been it quite a bit of pain having sawed through them, dragged them to the drive then clipped off all the side branches so they'd actually go in the bin at all - all after my back was telling me to stop and that boo hoo - I really like doing the front garden but poor me - don't know if I can any more. It was all very wine fueled and ridiculous so I had some more wine. Oh dear oh dear - once I went to bed - head spinny, feeling sick, indigestion, headache. Don't feel too great this morning either.

I really need to be doing some core strength exercises. I was offered a class when my physio stopped but they didn't contact me in the end and I didn't chase it as I don't think I could make myself go due to agoraphobic issues. Any ideas where I could find some exercises to do - that I could do properly without advice?

I have cleared around the rhubarb a bit anyway in your honour Brit
These bits fell off should I post them to you ?

Berrie, I'm with your DH - all that nitrogen in the dog's pee will have done wonders for the greens... just give them a very good wash! Rhubarb seems to be fairly indestructible IME, but mine was in a fairly open spot in a raised bed. Having a big missing garden moment now. I have a small balcony here with 7 pots on, which do look pretty, but it's not the same as a beautiful English garden in May.... How does your back stand up to gardening generally - it sounds like you do quite a bit? (sawing through canes notwithstanding ).

How odd...three pictures?