Ambulance/A&E for back pain?

[Lovemusic33]

I’m in agony with lower back pain, I have tried paracetamol, ibuprofen, Amatripyline and even tramadol (last night) but nothings helping. I can hardly walk as the pain radiates down my right side and even across my stomach, moving my legs is painful.
i don’t know what else to try. I have managed to get myself downstairs and into the sofa, taken pain killers but am now crying in pain. I really don’t want to go to A&E, I have no one to drive me and am home alone with 2 DC’s who have some SEN’s but I can’t handle this pain. I’m not sure if it’s sciatica or if I have slipped a disk, I don’t know if it would warrant a ambulance? These no way I could drive to A&E and sit in a chair in a waiting room for hours.

Call 111 see what they say. They might be able to get you an out of hours Dr appointment rather than trying to sit in a&e. Hope it feels better soon back pain is the worst.

Definitely try 111. Here, the ambulance would probably take hours and then either leave you in the waiting room (you don’t get seen any quicker) or have to stay there with you until you’re seen (taking up resources) 111 should triage you and hopefully you can stay home and comfortable. Hate back pain it’s awful. Hope you’re on the mend soon.

Sending you huge amounts of sympathy. I had a trapped nerve in my back which went into spasm. It was worse pain than childbirth. My husband called 111 and they sent an ambulance car who gave me an injection of diazepam and a prescription for some strong drugs. There was no way I could move anywhere so it was by far the best solution. I hope you get sorted quickly x

Going by ambulance doesn't guarantee you won't be waiting on a chair in the waiting room.
Can you get someone to look after your kids before you seek help? Would your kids manage a prolonged wait in A&E?

Hi @Lovemusic33 I've been there so you have my utmost sympathy. It sounds like you have sciatica which is referred pain, usually down your legs, usually caused by a disc impinging on the sciatic nerve. There's lots of things that can make this happen but it's really painful. One of the things I found helpful was to lie on my back with my legs on the bed so your body forms a Z shape, it kind of stretches your back and relieves a bit of pressure.

Diazepam would be perfect, it does go into spasm, pretty sure it is a trapped nerve or slipped disk, I have had sciatica before (a long time ago) but it feels worse than that did. Any slight movement and my back spasms and radiates through my pelvis and down my leg. I really don’t want to have to go anywhere, A&E is my idea of hell especially if I’m stuck on a trolly for hours waiting.

i am waiting for a 111 call back from a nurse, apparently I should get a call in the next half an hour.

I can leave the kids for a short time if needed, they are teens but youngest severely autistic, eldest can look after her until I can get someone else if needed.

I wouldn't. I've had sciatic pain from a bulging disc and went to A&E because I was on the floor in so much pain and unable to move. Unless you're having issues with bladder or bowel control (cauda equina), there's nothing they can do. You're better off resting, getting a physio referral and getting some better pain relief and nerve blockers from the GP because it likely won't go away quickly, and pain control and physio/stretches are your best bet.

Are you able to go to the toilet ok? Really important that you get seen immediately if you can't.

I’m going to the loo ok (bladder and bowels working fine) but getting to loo is tricky.

i just want some pain relief because everything I have tried isn’t working.

Op sadly my dp had this and we ended up having to pay privately for an op as it was going to be a year on NHS and he could barley move.
A&E won't operate unless you lose control of your bowels/ bladder. It can correct itself though. Do not take codedine - it's not the right kind of pain killer and the constipation makes it worse.

A&E not appropriate for back pain or sciatica unless there are signs or symptoms of cauda equina syndrome.

Whatever pain relief they can give you in hospital is the same as you can get at home, except probably a longer wait if its a controlled drug that two nurses need to sign for, plus the food is worse and the TV expensive.

Are you able to afford to visit an osteopath or physiotherapist, they would be better than A&E?

Should say, usual provisios apply in that you have self diagnosed and nobody can properly assess over the Internet.

I'd have thought the ideal would be a home visit from a GP.

If no pain relief is working and it's getting worse then A and E is appropriate, Cauda Equina doesn't always present as loss of bladder /bowel control. It's important to rule that out. No one on MN can diagnose sciatica or 'just' back pain.

When my elderly mum hurt her back we called 111 and they sent out a GP to see her and prescribe painkillers - worth a try first.

I screamed for 24 hours even sticking stress thing for hand in my mouth just to get to the bathroom, muscle spasms back pain is agony. Eventually Dr came out diazepam for week and all my usual painkillers staggered. Took a good 10 days to wear off now I’m much better but ibuprofen is back permanently.I hope you get a home visit soon.

Thank you for your posts, 111 were useless, I got up earlier to do the DC’s lunch and almost passed out, felt really sick and dizzy, I haven’t been to the loo, been sleeping most of the day.

I can afford a osteopath if I can find one and if I can get too one. I will ring around tomorrow.

Try a physio rather than an osteopath. Hope you can find someone and it helps x