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

Helloooo I unfortunately qualify for this thread :(
Really glad I found it though as feel like I'm the only one.

So I'm 38 and have been suffering with sciatica in my right leg for 11 years this year. have tried a multitude of painkillers and am now taking dihidrocodeine/paracetamol/gabapentin.
Also am taking diazepam/fluoxetine and propranolol for anxiety after a traumatic event that happened two years ago and to top it off I have health anxiety :(

Two weeks ago I had the same horrible sensation in my left buttock and shooting down my leg, severe pain and doctor upped my gabapentin ( I've only been on it for a month anyway )
Fed up of pain/exhaustion and would love to have one day pain free. I can't remember life before this!
I have a 13 yr old ds with aspergers and a 5 yr old dd with asthma.
Both are demanding in different ways but a total joy :)

Anyway sorry for the essay, I'm a sahm, was working nights mainly but could not cope with the pain as was on my feet constantly.
Lovely to be with people who understand...

Same Imnot although it's early days for me yet.

I saw the chiropractor yesterday and I don't know what to think. My back did feel better yesterday but today has been awful. It's definitely hard school chairs that excacerbate it but so painful.

I feel low with it. Feel like my life is going to be stiff and sore and awkward and painful and expensive.

Sorry so many of us are all in pain! I am lucky in that I don't have a job to worry about ...but 4 little ones (2 with special needs) so "resting" isn't ever an option

Hello all, and welcome to newcomers. MissRabit, has your sciatica never been investigated or treated? Garden, are you feeling better since the school holidays started?nif so, take heart and rest, rest, rest. Almost all acute backs do get better with rest and simple painkillers. And if school chairs are definitely making you worse then that is something you can get addressed fairly easily I would hope.

Been to the cinema this afternoon so could be in for a bad day tomorrow but hey, I don't care.

Hi Matilda :)
No I've been referred to muscular skeletal clinic and am waiting for appointment.
Doctors don't seem to take it seriously, I have all the markers for fibromyalgia but my doctor doesn't believe it exists! Another time he said " walk through the pain " and " if you didn't take the painkillers you would be no different "

So I try and see another doctor who is newer and understands me better ( the other one is very old school )

Am considering osteo/acupuncture...
Can't really afford it but will find the money and am willing to try anything.
This pain is horrific and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
I'm so sorry there are so many of us

Garden if you think it is the hard chairs, making your back worse, could you use a seat pad. If that does help, could you ask your employer for a comfortable chair although you might need advise from a physio or OT? Could your chiropractor advise?

I'm so shocked that GPS will prescribe such strong meds for so long without referring for diagnosis or treatment. Let's hope the muscular skeletal team will take things more seriously.

I thought employers had to provide a suitable chair these days? The last 3 jobs I had (not working now) went to great lengths and expense to get me a chair which suited but they were all private companies with money to spend. If not cushions (or even a rolled up towel) might help a wee bit.

Sciatica for 11 years and no further investigation? Why am I even surprised!

Rabbit there is a GP like that in our surgery and everyone avoids her "no not Dr useless please, anyone else available?" haha. I only see her for one thing and its horrible for both of us so feels like revenge

Hi all, I don't think the gabapentin are doing anything at all apart from making me feel more tired, is there a connection?
My lovely old doctor retired last year so have been trying to find another in out surgery who is as nice and the one I try to see is really nice though extremely young and I don't know if that affects his judgement of me!

I'm constantly clock watching for my next tablets and it's like being a drug addict I suppose :(
I look well and I suppose it's very much a hidden illness.

My knee has been really bad over the last day and night and I've made myself have a lie down today, something that's happening a lot.

I hate it! My ds noticed I've let the house go a bit, am extremely house proud but lately I cannot keep up.
And I'm sick of people saying " oh so now dd is at school you can get a little job " I wish

Gabapentin does make you sleepy although theoretically this wears off. Pregablin has been a better option for me, better pain relief at a lower dose. It's miles more expensive so generally GPS try gabapentin first. What dose are you taking? Sadly housework takes a massive hit for most of us. It feels incredibly indulgent to have a cleaner when not working but worth considering. I have a lightweight Dyson for giving the downstairs floors a quick clean but that's about it.

It's all very difficult. Have you all read the Spoon Theory? It's just a way of explaining about how you need to ration your limited resources of energy and strength. V useful for all chronic conditions like cfs, fibromyalgia and chronic pain.

Lol Missrabbit then we are all druggies here. You are correct it is a hidden thing and people say "you look fine" grrrrrr. Sometimes I'd like to smack em Yes obviously I don't work and don't do housework because I am lazy .... I wonder if that's what they are thinking? Most sympathy I ever got was for conjunctivitis which doesn't hurt in the least.

Thank you both for your messages, I will look into the spoon.

Think I need to change my mindset that for now I cannot do what I used to and that's what's hard to accept I suppose.

I've started to listen to my body and rest when I can though strangely I always feel either guilty or cross with myself and think of all the things I could have got done as half the time I wake up feeling worse.

Need a new mattress I know that much! Ds has a fabulous one so that's where I tend to nap when he's at school ( he would kill me if he knew ) haha.

I rang my chemist yesterday and spoke to the lovely pharmacist and he said that gabapentin can take up to 6-8 weeks to get in my system.
I was prescribed 1 tablet 3 times a day around a month ago and then the doctor advised me to double it over a 3 day period only last week when this flare up happened so I suppose I've got to give it a chance.

Has anyone here tried acupuncture or similar?

My dm had this years ago and apparantely 3 trips for acupuncture got rid of it but at this minute I find that hard to believe. I'm a very optimistic person generally though that may not come across here as when it comes to pain I cannot see a day when it's gone as much as I would love to.
Anyway sorry for such long post, I'm so glad I found this thread and think it helps to get it all out, a bit like therapy I suppose, hope everyone is having a good day. It's cold and windy here in Liverpool ( yesterday was fabulous ) and haven't got any plans for weekend which I'm glad of, had loads going on lately and it will be nice to just relax and dp can take over with the dc and give me a little break.
Both break up from school today, the big one for 2 weeks and the little one for 1 week. Should be fun .....

Yes I've had acupuntucture .. it did help for a bit but like the physio wears off pretty quick (for me). Us chronic pain peeps get little respite sadly. Alcohol is still my fave drug so will be having a couple of vodkas tonight for a break from pain yay!

I know its hard to get used to needing help to do stuff but its happened so many times for me (flat out needing help getting dressed blah blah) that you do eventually give in to it and ask.

If you get a new mattress make sure its one you can exchange as you might not get it right first time (I didn't) and obviously try it out as long as you need in the shop even if you feel daft!

God, yes, a decent mattress is worth every single penny. Mine is too hard so we have a really thick topper which is sooo comfy. A bit hot but hey.

I think the thing with acupuncture is that there is a lot of difference depending on who does it. I've had some without a lot of benefit but all from physios who had had some basic training. I've heard of others going to Chinese doctors who live and breathe acupuncture and it's a whole different ball game. I've tried TENs and don't like it much. A spinal Cord Stimulator works In a similar way.

Re gabapentin, no wonder you feel sleepy! Doubling the dose so fast is bound to make your drowsy. I was advised to up from 300mgs x3/day to 600 and it took me months. Instead of doubling the dose I started taking it 4x a day, then 5 until I was ready for 6 which was double. In the end I switched to pregablin anyway. Beware of weight gain, these drugs seem to make you crave carbs...

I decided to take Tramadol today instead of cocodamol and blimey, I'm so sleepy. Just shows that even after years the stuff can affect you in different ways on any given day.

Funny you should say that Matilda- I'm constantly starving and really can't afford to put weight on, I'm a size 16-18 and am joining slimming world this week ( again ) and another thing sorry if too much info but my boobs have gone enormous!! Must be the gabapentin

Just popped in to say hello because this thread helped me so much a few months ago.

For the lady whose GP won't refer, mine initially refused too. I went back a week later and said very quietly. "You refused to refer last week and I have been thinking about it. You wanted to sign me off for four weeks and I declined. I work full time and society expects me to work until I am 67. It is better for my health,y family and the NHS if everything possible is done to keep me working so I can continue to pay tax and contribute to the NHS.". She got a referral form, albeit reluctantly, and said it wasn't personal. If she hadn't I'd have asked her to specifically note her refusal in my records but it didn't come to that.

I fractured my L1 badly in Jamuary. Have some degenerated discs lower down. Seem to have recovered well - so there are some good news stories. It will always need managing. I find gentle Pilates very helpful and understanding how posture and stretching relieves pressure at various points of the spine.i

That's such a cheering read, BB. Always good to hear from people who are recovering. Note, not recovered because frankly, most back problems are waiting in the wings to make an appearance if we neglect the self care. I love Pilates, too.

My dh has hurt his foot. He thinks it's a sprain, I suspect gout, but oh my days, the yelps and groans of pain. Now, I'm not one to enjoy seeing someone suffer but it doesn't hurt ( haha) to let his have a reminder that I've had severe and constant pain for four years . And will he take my advice? Seemingly only at 3am when crawling with pain. He then took 2 cocodamol. Has insisted on going off to play golf so am expecting a proper Daily Mail Sad Face all evening.

Not too much wrong with him then Matilda .

We saw my stepfather last weekend who told us his back had "gone" a few weeks before, but he carried on painting the shed and cutting the hedge and had a warm bath, painkillers and some linament later. No comprehension that when my back has "gone" I've barely been able to put one foot in front of the other or move at all.

I know it's about management from here on in and accept that. Am just relieved that I'm where I am 11 weeks in and not where I could have been. I talked to my physio/pilates instructor yesterday about getting back to work and almost forcing normality. She did say that I was very supple before I did it and that I was inherently very physically strong which I something none of us have real control over. Add my strong will in, oft referred to as stubborness and I suppose it contributes. I am aware, however, that it could fall apart in a heartbeat but am doing everything I can to prevent that. She also told me losing a stone would also help . Know too that I'm very lucky to have a desk job. I could nit have recovered and had only two weeks off if I was a hospital Dr or nurse, on my feet all day in a shop or working on a checkout. I look at the ladies in Sainsburys now and think what a hard physical Jo it is.

Does anyone happen to know if bisphosphonates cause bone pain for 12/24 hrs, 12/24 hours after the weekly tablet. My weak spots do seem to tell me they ate being bombarded the next day. Am seeing the rheumatologist in a Cpl of weeks and might find out more then.

For a bit of fun, here's my new gardening aid. I really never thought I'd have to stoop so low before my 80s. Excuse pun. It's fab though - also for skirtings and low cupboards. It's also good for sitting on and clipping

Hi all

I have a history of lower back problems (L4/5) dating back 15 years, but 6 months ago managed to get a slipped disc much higher up (T7). After a very painful 3-4 months it finally started to get better, only to be replaced by bad leg pain on the same side. The original T7 pain has now returned too (joy!) and I am running out of ideas....have seen an osteo twice now who seems convinced that he can sort me out 'in about 4 sessions' but as things seem to be going from bad to worse I am yet to be convinced.

I would love to talk to anyone out there who has sustained a similar injury and come out the other side - did osteo / anything else help you or was it just a matter of suffering over a long period and being patient?

It really is starting to get me down - I can't stay upright for more than 10 minutes without the pain kicking in.....big hugs to fellow sufferers out there :(

I'm here, hello everyone. I've made a and I'm working my way through this thread.
This morning I was feeling but this evening I'm feeling .
I'm joining from another thread about my DH's back and knee pain and I'm so pleased to be in the company of others that understand.

Hi new people .. sorry you have to be here!

My history is a few months of sciatica due to slipped disc both sides L4/5 which didn't resolve so had to have the op 8 years ago. On a good day I am 80% but there are lots of days which don't get there. Did you have an mri wandering? I know they like to leave back issues to resolve but you seem to have been suffering for a long time with no results. This is how I was pre-op but so much better now. I was seeing a chiropracter and like your osteo he was getting nowhere fast.

Hi ally - yes, had an MRI in Jan which showed the T7 slipped disc. I'm seeing the osteo tomorrow, and am very tempted to ask him again if he really sees this treatment having any significant effect - surely I should be seeing some improvement by now? Sorry to hear that you're still suffering - I guess it's all relative at the end of the day and you just have to remind yourself how much worse it used to be...

I think it's perfectly OK to ask about timescales from the osteo, though if he said 3-4 sessions I guess I'd give it that long unless it was making me worse in which case I'd be having serious doubts. I wonder if the pain and altered posture from the T7 injury has caused the original disc to flare up again. Altered posture has a lot to answer for. Have you tried the AT exercise above? It's helpful at realigning the spine.

Other than that and all the usual self care perhaps time is the biggest cure of all. My db has had several disc prolapses at various levels and gradually they all got more or less better without having any intervention.

Thanks Matilda - I will certainly look into AT as something else to try. Your diagnosis was spot on - the osteo confirmed that the leg pain was coming from my original L4/5 bulging disc rather than the recent one! Will update tomorrow after next appointment...