Endless Back Stories. Support For Back Pain and Sciatica. Thread 8.

[MatildaTheCat]

Sadly there seems to continue to be a need for this thread as many of us continue to suffer from back related pain. There are many causes, the pain and misery is shared here and hopefully some comfort derived from knowing we are not alone. We are strictly non competetive and newcomers most welcome.

We can offer advice on medication and effective drug combining plus other methods of pain management.We have used different treatment options from hydrotherapy and physio to surgery. We can share our experiences of navigating the big and baffling medical world, both private and NHS 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. . We are not doctors just people who have trodden the painful path of obtaining a diagnosis and dealing with our conditions.

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.

If you have advice, need advice, need a hand to hold, want to do some shopping another skill obtained along the way , then come in. We are friendly. We talk a lot. Come in, have a and say hello

Our Last Thread

Cauda Equina Syndrome. A must read for severe acute pain with Red Flags. Please Read

Constructive Rest. A Simple Exercise Anyone Can Do

Beaufort someone I know fractured a bone in her lumbar spine and has osteoporosis. Her recovery has been gradual but a year on and she no longer needs pain medication to manage it.

Thanks Merde . And here's me hoping to be "better" in about eight weeks.

To be fair I have felt significantly better since yesterday. Getting up was easier yesterday and better today. Mobility is much improved but suspect other bruising and strains have started healing. I can now squat using my knees and feed the cat. Also managed to get dd to school this morning for the early run. Still very stiff but can see light at the end of the tunnel.

Hello
Just posted under a separate thread and then found this one.....

I went to see my GP yesterday about ongoing lower back pain as its getting progressively worse. She didn't examine me but had referred me and it is my choice who I see ; a chiropractor, osteopath or a physiotherapist. I'm not medical and wondered if anyone has experience and could advise me please?

Background: 38 years old, loads of exercise (running, HIIT, spinning, weights). I suspect it is the exercise which had caused it, indeed it's been noted by a personal trainer that my core is significantly weaker than the rest of my body, probably because of a traumatic c section and separated stomach muscles.

Could anyone help with the decision I must make ?
TIA

Hello Notnob, I replied on the other thread but welcome. You are in good company here.

Beaufort, great news that you are feeling a bit better. It makes sense that the bruising and strains from the fall are healing. Soon you will know what the actual fracture feels like and be able to adapt your life to accommodate it for a while.

Thank you for the welcome!

I'll have a dig around the thread and look for some experiences here.

notnob I'm not an expert like some of these ladies but since my osteoporosis was diagnosed I've been seeing a fab physio for 1:1 Pilates who has been working on my posture too and has made a huge difference with orthotics and core strength. I've had periodic lower back pain for years. It was actually much improved until last week - the day before I was ready to join the intermediate class. I've heard people say that osteos/chiros are great if you are sure there is no underlying damage but that's third hand although to me it is logical.

Thought I'd better join in this thread. Never had back trouble until late November when I was knocked off my bike on way to work. Numerous broken ribs and badly broken T12 and L1. L1 snapped clean through front to back. Luckily not paralysed.

Spent over 6 weeks lay flat on back in hospital over Xmas and New Year and only just got out. Have a body brace to wear for 6 weeks. Now starting to walk again, cant sit upright and spend my time lay on settee propped up. Same at night. Can't sleep with the pain.

I'm not taking meds as I was literally pumped with morphine over 120mg a day for weeks.

I'm in a lot of pain and can't walk far or stand for long. I won't take meds as anything opiate based causes severe hormone problems (I'm a bloke). I'm not even taking paracetamol. I have tried duloxetine and pregabalin for another chronic pain issue but those drugs side effects were worse.

I'm out of options for my original condition and now this has messed it up. It's likely I will be off work for 6 months as there is ligament damage and my skin feels numb along the lower spine.

Apparently the breaks were bad (I've seen the MRI and CT).

Main question, anyone fractured their back some years ago and still have back trouble. If so how do you manage the pain and work ? I'm a little too young for early retirement, need another 10 years.

Oh and how long until your spine didn't feel like glass ?

Welcome fuzz and notnob.

Personally I'd pick physio notnob though I have also had a good chiropracter. They can give you specific core exercises which is essential for back care.

Fuzz my back was numb to touch for months after surgery .. its just the body's defense mechanism so don't worry about that. Please take paracetamol ... we all do here even if we take nothing else. You are suffering when you don't have to. I'd have guessed you were a bloke by that alone lol. Walking and standing take a long time to return .. 3 months after surgery I struggled to go back to work part-time ... if you are fitter and younger it will be easier. I am 80% fit apparently so can do most things so there is light at the end (though sitting or standing for a long time are still painful). I've fallen and broken my ribs so I do know what that's like too (blooming painful!).

The docs opted for conservative treatment and not surgery. 6 weeks in bed vs a few days with surgery but the risks meant we opted for bed rest. I've lost a lot of muscle and look like a bag of bones.

The Fuzz, I had a colleague who fractured her spine after a parachute jump, so I presume it was a fairly severe break. She had six weeks in hospital. I'm not sure about after that but when I worked with her she had no back issues at all and was able to do a very active job and social life. I think you just have to accept that you are really very early into the recovery period at the moment.

I hear what you are saying about the pain and I think I've talked to you before? It doesn't make sense to be in severe pain, it's setting up for more chronic pain in the future and miserable anyway. How about paracetamol and an anti inflammatory taken at intervals? Anything is better than nothing. Your GP may have other ideas as well. Would you consider amitriptyine at night? It lets me sleep at least. Does heat help? I'm surgically attached to my hot water bottle.

I am off shortly on a long haul holiday so busy packing, it's a sad truth that I'm more concerned with taking all the right meds than any other item. Off to collect my bag of drugs later. A 17hour flight may require a good few doses.

Fuzz, my brother broke several thoracic vertebrae (amongst other bones, but not ribs) some years ago (cliff fall) and is now pretty active (he has young children so has to be!). His treatment sounded similar - complete bed rest for 6 weeks in hospital followed by wearing a body brace - which by the time he was allowed out of it he was thoroughly fed up of it!. He has made a good recovery. I do not know how long it took to be out of pain. It did take a while to get fit again, and he had trouble staying upright at first as the body takes a while to get used to being head up again after so many weeks laying flat. He does not mention it now- but it was about 20 years ago ( he was in his late teens at the time).
I agree with Matilda - you are early in your recovery. And do use regular paracetamol to help with pain. Are you having any follow up? Perhaps ask when you could start physiotherapy 9if not already - I seem to remember my brother only had physio in hospital) or when you can exspect to start building up your strength again and how long it may take.
Good luck Matilda, hope the weather and seats are kind to you!

No physio or anything at present. Another month away at earliest. Really bothered about my job and can't take the other pain killers like ami, pregablin etc as I have severe side effects. Paracetamol doesn't do anything for me.

The Fuzz, I know you have explored a lot of pain med options but it still may be worth asking your GP for any other options. Can you take anti inflammatory meds or even old fashioned aspirin? If you are lying in one position for large chunks of time it would be worth making a concerted effort to get up and move around frequently if you are allowed to do so. My pain is much better using a rest, potter, rest approach even when it is bad. Can you use heat? Also mindfulness techniques and distraction therapies. Not really what you want to hear but as you know there is no magic wand. Finally although you say opiates don't agree with you have you tried low dose? All meds have a balance of benefit vs side effects so it's a shame if there is really nothing you can tolerate.

Regarding work it's tricky. Have you read the sickness policy and had meetings with HR regarding your recovery? Is it the sort of job you might be able to modify in terms of hours and/ or tasks? Be very open to this. I, unfortunately did not manage to stay in work but did, in the end secure ill health retirement so do have an income, albeit less than my actual salary. First thing, though is to know the sickness policy and ensure your sickness is being managed correctly. If you are asked to attend meetings do consider taking a union rep or friend with you.

Look for apps by Jon Kabat Zinn the mindfulness guru if you are interested and also consider doing the Constructive rest on the OP if you are able to lie on the floor. Both help me.

Hello all, I hope you don't mind me joining and picking your brains.

I am 33 (almost 34) and 5 mnts ago I had a miscarrage at about 12 weeks, since then I have had pain in my left shoulder that has been put down to a trapped nerve and have been taking amitryptaline at night, in Dec my lower back started to hurt and this has spread to my left outer and rear thigh and on occasion my ankle I am awaiting a nerve conduction test to see if there is an issue there, my back pain is not constant but the thigh pain is although some days worse than others to the point where I struggle to walk.

My GP is just want g to give me pain meds and not look into things further I want to find out what it is so I can try and make it as good as it can be before I ttc.

Any ideas what it could be, and what I can do to get the GP to do something about it cos the pain means some days I struggle to get my ds to school and I am also worried something more serious is going on (I know this is irrational but fueled by dfil being diagnosed with cancer).

TIA x x x

I'm hobbling in for advice too!
I muddle along with SI and facet joint issues. After my last injections one of my legs was entirely numb and wouldnt hold me up so I spent a few extra hours on the day unit willing my leg awake.

I have had episodes of one sided bum numbness and leg numbness for a while now but since yesterday its really pronounced. All through the night as well as pain I was aware of my leg into the top of my foot feeling odd and numb.

At what point is this a bit of a worry? I'm seeing my osteo this afternoon, so I guess he will advise me. Next pain clinic appt, for a review with a nurse practitioner is in 2 weeks.

Hi new people!

Oops posted too soon

In my experience most GPs have a "wait and see" attitude as most things do resolve but given that this started 12 weeks ago I think you have waited long enough and should be offered an MRI though the nerve conduction thing (no idea what that is) might give some answers. We all know about nerve pain here (I am lucky that my op mostly got rid of this).

No-one seems to worry much about numbness (my left leg has never recovered fully) unless it affects your "saddle" area and gives you toilet issues. See what the osteo thinks ... my physio isn't worried.

thanks. Just something to put up with then maybe. hey ho.

Thanks, the nerve test is to see if they are working correctly cos of tingling I get in my arm and leg it sounds awful tbh they send electrical currents via needles in the nerves to see where it travels, the Dr said that even if it flags a problem and the nerves are sensitive they can't do anything about it but at least we know what it is. So much of dealing with back pain is a wait and see approach I don't think they realise that it means your life is on hold but just have to get on with it regardless. I'm off to get cake typing about that test has freaked me out again lol x

Ah right ... I have had nerve testing then (down below) ... it didn't hurt cos I didn't feel much ... dead nerves I guess (not back related).

Lozwil, that sounds worrying for you. Was it your GP who ordered the nerve tests? It could of course be two separate things. The leg and back stuff sounds very familiar to many of us here. A trapped nerve in the lumbar spine will cause all sorts of mischief down the legs and sometimes not that much or even any, pain in the back.

Kitten, sorry, I'm a bit thick confused has all the numbness come since the injections and were they recent? I think I've heard of this before. Maybe some of the anaesthetic has seeped into surrounding tissues/ nerves or similar? That's a guess obviously. I suspect that it will improve gradually. Nerve damage caused by long term entrapment or trauma from accidents not so much. Is it causing problems or just weird? I hope the pain has at least been helped.

I'm feeling a bit crap. On the other side of the world, have a cold,manful back pain partly due to crap bed and am bored. Also not sleeping well so please excuse typos and poor reading skills.

Hope you are all as well as can be expected.

Matilda hope u feel better soon, it is a bit scary it was a neurologist who suggested it and tbh typically it has started to settle so I have a feeling by the time I get my appointment it probably won't show anything

Another one hobbling in for some advice... hello all.

I've been suffering with terrible lower back pain for about 3 months, if not longer. It's getting worse and I'm now faced with the annoying prospect of Getting It Dealt With. I've found this process incredibly frustrating in the past, either by going to the GP and nothing much happening other than some useless physio, or by going privately to a chiropractor and finding myself several hundreds of pounds worse off and wondering whether it would have just got better on its own.

I'm wondering this time whether to just take the hit now and book myself in for a cortisone injection. I've had these in the past, twice for bursitis and once at the end of pregnancy when I was faced with early delivery of my twins - and my horrific carpal tunnel pain dissolved almost instantly. I therefore have very romantic views of how effective it can be!

Does anyone have any opinions/thoughts on doing this? I'm an impatient bugger and the thought of going to see someone early next week and getting an injection which will deliver months of pain relief is just far too attractive a proposition. I've found a clinic on Wimpole Street that will do consultation plus injection for £249 and I can imagine splurging that on just a few pointless osteo or physio appointments...

Um, I think it's a bit more complicated than just booking in for an injection if you don't have a clear diagnosis for what is actually causing your back pain TBH. If you have the funds could you arrange to see a spinal specialist and get an examination and an MRI? That you help decide what the problem is.

If you have a trapped nerve, I've from a bulging disc and have leg pain then an injection could be very helpful. Unfortunately back pain does not respond well to injections in the same situation. There are other injections in facet joint ones which can be helpful but honestly, I wouldn't just bowl up and ask for a doctor to have a guess as to what is wrong and give you an injection unless there was a significant chance of success. The last time I has a private injection it cost £910 and did precisely nothing. So £245 sounds suspiciously cheap ( is it under ct scan conditions?)

In your shoes I'd be looking for a diagnosis before the treatment. And also accept that unfortunately back pain can be very slow to clear up. If you've had twins have you had any advice on strengthening your core and lifting correctly?