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

How is everyone?

I'm in agony again, the pain is all over my back again and is also in my chest, kind of around the rib cage not actually in the chest. Hoping I can tough it out for today and go to the doctor tomorrow. Afraid to take my painkillers too as they gave me nasty constipation pain yesterday.

Lozwil I imagine you will need a GP referral to a back specialist or neurosurgeon in order to get the MRI referral. I'm just astonished it hasn't happened already. Can you have a phone appointment with your GP to get this in motion? Private healthcare can be really speedy, you could be seen and diagnosed within a week at some places. My SIL did this and had an injection very quickly which enabled he to keep going at work while her disc prolapse gradually recovered ( they almost always do in the end). But of course without a scan you don't actually know why you are in pain...I would be insisting on a referral ASAP. It may be worth asking friends and family if they have any recommendations or calling the insurance company to find out where they will want you to go.

Natsku, definitely go back to your GP. Pain which is all over or spreading around does tend to be muscular but painful as hell nonetheless. If you meds are making you constipated do ask a pharmacist for advice. A good slug of lactulose at bedtime sorts me out.

Hope everyone else is ok? Beautiful spring day here and trying to find the get up and go to do just that.

Took a few doses of DD's lactulose last night which finally helped, def going to take some today as well. Am pretty sure its muscular although I looked at my doctor's notes and she wrote something about the Lasègue's sign but can't understand exactly what she wrote (my Finnish isn't so good and medical Finnish is even worse)

Lowzil phone the insurers and ask them for their registered neurosurgeons in your area. Google, chose the one you want to see - they are likely to be based at private hospitals so google those too to get the right combi. Check their availability and then phone your GP. Tell your GP you wish to see x privately and ask them for a referral letter. They may make a charge. Phone the insurers for the authorisation code then make your appointment. The neurosurgeon will make the mri scan and follow up apt. Good luck.

I've been a bit achy the last Cpl of weeks although nothing so bad that a Cpl of low dose cocodamol haven't sufficed. But disappointing because my gradual incremental improvements halted.

Good yesterday and today though and I'm going to venture into the garden soon just to see what a little kneeling and weeding is like.

Hope u r all having a good day, well went to gp's again found blood in my urine again so maybe back pain isn't sciatica maybe it's kidney related but they still won't refer me they want to wait till I have had a pelvic scan I have found a clinic nr me that does upright mri's so am tempted to get that done to rule out anything serious (looking at threads on here found the lady who's hip pain turned out to be a tumor)

Hope you can get a scan soon lozwil, that's bad that they don't want to refer you yet when there's blood in the urine. I had horrid back pain with blood in the urine a few years ago and they did a CT scan the same day as they say that is urgent.

I've got an emergency doctor appointment at 7pm, which is a bit rubbish as x-ray won't be open so all they can do is poke and prod me again but hopefully they can prescribe something else that'll work better as the codeine is not working on the pain any more.

If you are paying privately I don't think the gp can refuse to refer you.

Natsku hope the appointment goes ok, I thought that but the dr I saw is the rubbish one she thinks I am depressed and anxious rather than anything else, I am fed up and probably a bit depressed but it's because I am in pain not the other way round. I had a lovely life before all this and want it back as soon as possible but have booked to see a physio privately next week so hopefully he can shed some light on things and if needed order the scans I need.

Appointment wasn't much good, have to go back in the morning for x-rays and wasted an hour and a half lying down in agony in the health centre just to be told 'well walking is the best thing for your back' - all very well and good telling me that walking is good but that's not much help if I'm in too much pain to walk.

lozwil Do you have pain in your kidney area? One of them or both? Twice I've had back pain related to my kidney, once with an enlarged kidney, and once with a kidney infection (I think, at least there was some kind of infection as my lymph nodes were enlarged, so much so they thought I had a tumour to begin with) and both times the pain was much worse when lying on my back - is it worse if you lie down?

Lozwil, I'm fuming for you. A kidney infection generally causes loin pain not buttock pain that radiates to the ankle. Can I suggest you call back and say that whilst you welcome the investigation of the haematuria you insist on utilising your private health care for the urgent investigation of your severe sciatic pain which has lasted for weeks/ months and causing you huge pain and distress.

If you speak to the receptionist and ask to have a GP call you the same day I would be surprised if this doesn't happen. As BB suggests above find out what your insurers suggest re where you go.

If you get no joy make an instant complaint to the practice manager. Be insistent that you wish to access your own medical insurance and it is impacting on your ability to work.

Crying never hurts, either. Sad but true. Good luck.

Lowzil. Thank you for your concern about my kidneys however I am also concerned about my back/sciatica and would like this resolved please. My health insurance will cover it and I would like you to write me a referral to x at y hospital. In fact I've made the apt so would like the letter by Friday. Thanks so much. I can't believe they will refuse. If they do I'd change doctors.

Thank you all I am rubbish with being assertive and I am ashamed to say that I have tried tears it got me a four week fit note and not much else. I am seeing physio next week who can refer for scans etc so think I might have better luck with someone who is a bit more knowledgeable about backs because it doesn't seem like GP'S are much good in this area anyway must dash ds 5 is making a mess with his brekkie and I am not much use of 4 hours sleep.

Hope you all have a good day x

Had my x rays, no problems there so its definitely muscle spasms like I thought but they couldn't give me a prescription because apparently they can't prescribe tramadol from the emergency part of the health centre which is just ridiculous so I've got to hope this gets better quickly or cough up for a private doctor as I won't be able to get a GP appointment until after Easter.

Natsku, are you able to have a few days of rest with as much heat as possible to soothe those spasming muscles? I find lying with my hot water bottle more help than most drugs TBH. Could you get a phone appointment with the doctor even? If I'm in a really bad spasm situation the diazepam is the best solution. 2-5 mgs three times a day for three days usually helps a lot.

I can get a video appointment with a private doctor but not a phone one with a GP, they only seem to do those for follow ups for tests. I do have something similar to diazepam though (oxazepam), maybe that works in a similar way.

They gave me a muscle relaxant injection and an anti-inflammatory injection this morning and they did wonders so I've walked lots today which has hopefully helped, but I can take some days to rest if I need to thankfully.

See how you go then. Our mantra on here is rest, potter, rest.

Cheers, I'm just taking it day by day right now and hoping for the best.

Therma wraps work best for me. They are about £5.50 for two - not cheap but the fact that they are flat and you get the lovely warmth all the time is just the ticket. Just don't know why supermarkets and pharmacies keep them on the bot tom shelf. Perhaps they like to watch us trying to bend over to get them !

Perhaps they like to watch us trying to bend over to get them!

They're really expensive here, more like 15 euros for 2, but I think I'll have to buy a pack to see how much they help.

I am so angry. I managed to get a phone appointment but it was with the doctor that everyone hates and now I found out why as she, clearly without bothering to look at my notes, told me she won't prescribe the tramadol because I am "too young and young people don't need strong medicines, they need to just cope with pain". I'm going to make an official complaint against her as it really upset me and set off an anxiety attack.

Thankfully I got another emergency appointment this evening with a doctor who does not age discriminate (and I'm not even that young, I'm 29) who said that the other doctor was very wrong to say that and he was actually helpful and seemed to know a lot more about back pain than the other doctors I saw (who all looked like they just got out of Uni!). He also doesn't think my issue is muscle spasms as my symptoms don't quite fit that, and thinks instead there might be an issue with my spine that was too small for the x-ray to pick up so if my back isn't better in a few weeks time I'm to go back and possibly be referred for an MRI.

Did you get better pain relief though?

Yeah I got the tramal prescription and he told me specific stretches to try. He did also suggest physiotherapy but I can't afford that.

I hope it's OK to post on here...I don't have a chronically painful back problem but I have been suffering with back pain for around 4 or 5 months now. It basically stiffens up painfully when I've been in one position for too long, I struggle to roll over at night and if I'm stood up for too long it's painful. Exercise is fine though.

We are lucky enough to have drop in physio clinics here so I got referred from one of those for weekly physio. I've been told it's a problem with my facet joints and was wondering if anyone else has suffered with this and has managed to resolve it? I've been doing the physio faithfully for 6 weeks or so now and it's only slightly better. I also do pilates once a week.

Any tips would be gratefully received.

I can't help but I do find aches and pains are generally better if I go easy on the wheat. If I have wine three nights in a row (say a Cpl of glasses) that buggers me up too.

I do gentle core exercises daily and am conscious of my core throughout the day. If my back starts aching core positioning makes a big difference. Also properly fitted orthotics have helped with my overall alignment. God it's boring though. I've had little back problems for years and that really sorted me out. Just starting Pilates again proper after fracturing a vertebrae in Jan. I have osteoporosis too and am trying to do everything to keep fit and well.

With good wishes to all.

I have been referred to a neurosurgeon as my neurologist thinks surgery is the only answer now.

My problems are chiefly the c8 junction and my ulnar nerve has neuropathy. C5-c6 and c7 have degenerative changes.

I have weakness but no pain in left arm from elbow with the two little fingers feeling slightly numb. I drop change, keys and break zips. I can't carry anything heavy or bulky without dropping it.

My right side is a bit stronger but is growing weaker. I have slight numbness in my little finger and cramping pain from neck to upper arm. I also get pain right down to my toes - a sort of burning - and slight numbness down my right side. My right leg feels heavy and crampy too.

So, my question is, has anyone had cervical fusion here? All I can see are horror stories on the Internet. What's the recovery like? And will I be able to.go back to my old.job ? I work in a supermarket and the work is either heavy or repetitive