Frustrated with lack of help for really bad back

[Anon778833]

I’ve had a really bad back since 2015. The GP seems unwilling to do anything other than prescribe cocodamol. And this doesn’t fix anything but their attitude seems to be that it’s my responsibility to go away and fix my back, alone with stretching exercises. This is not possible! I get woken up every night with back pain and the GP has now refused to renew my prescription for the cocodamol. I was taking 4 tablets a day, so certainly not overdosing. They also refuse to do anything else either, though . So I’m in constant pAin and nobody wants to help.

in 2019, I paid to see a private spinal surgeon in desperation and he said that there is a problem with 3 of the discs that have worn away in my lower back. Apparently, my hypermobility also doesn’t help because it makes me more prone to injury.

I’ve been back and forth to physio and last time, the physio talked me out of having a MRI because he says it ‘might make me worry’. I’m now back to waiting to see the physio again and have had radio silence since May.

im a massage therapist and I have not been able to go back to my job because of this.

Does anyone else have any experience of this? Please don’t reply if you’re going to be nasty. I am at the end of my tether. I am terrified what my life will be like with this back at the age of 70 if I’m only 42 now…

You poor thing. I have a partial disc and the only thing that helps me is regularly swimming and keeping as much movement going as possible

If it gets really bad I see a private oesteopath. He has done untrasound massage acupuncture and clicking my back. He also taught me good floor stretches to do when I feel twinges.

I rarely use pain killers but I tend to use volterol and ice pack if it gets a flare up.

Back pain is awful but the worse thing you can do is be immobile

(Not saying you are btw)

Thank you. Yes, the worst time is when I’m asleep. Walking does help. Perhaps I should try swimming. It helps to know that there is a solution without pain killers.

I’m sorry it sicks. I suffered a disc prolapse some years ago and had severe back pain. GP was sympathetic but like you other than meds and physio which I accessed through work ( and couldn’t really do much) they had very little to offer. I also saw a surgeon and was offered surgery which unfortunately was a bad mistake. I was left with permanent nerve damage and pain.

I attended a pain management course, had multiple injections with little effect and have very slowly got back on track with a combination of meds, Pilates, swimming, walking and resting. I’m lucky that it’s all I have to do mostly as my family have grown up and I was medically retired.

I find tons of cushions and sometimes a lumber support belt and heat all help.

I wish you luck. Apparently it does very eventually settle. Actually massage helps too! It’s all about finding a balance and really sticking to it. Or that’s me anyway.

Swimming is amazing but avoid breaststroke. Back and front crawl is best.

What would you like them to do that they aren't? Be a broken record on that.

Seriously - strengthen your core!! My DF has 2 fractured vertebrae which he has had for around 60+ yrs. the fragments move and rest on his sciatic nerve. He has avoided surgery for years by keeping fit. The last physio he had was a former physio to the royal northern ballet. She taught him Pilates and strengthened his core - his back at the age of 78 is the best it's been in about 40yrs!. Knowing this and having birthed 9 children myself I have almost cured my own bad back that was 3 yrs ago before the birth of my last child waking me at night and leaving me unable to turn over in bed with out considerable pain and needing help.

Just to add Df has degenerated discs as do I!

I suggest you insist on having the MRI scan to show exactly what the problems are with your back. If you can afford to, go for a private scan.
I had physio and it was of no help at all. It was only via the scan which showed the problem and physio would not have helped at all.
I had pieces of disc in the sciatic nerve and the pain was unbearable.
I had a microdisectomy performed by a Neurosurgoen in the midst of Covid.
See a different GP and get your pain under control. Then start the process of getting an MRI. I wish you all the best.
ps A heat pad like a mini electric blanket might help soothe your pain.

Am I right in thinking you haven't had an MRI at all? Even after seeing the private surgeon?? How does he know the exact problem?

Physios fobbed me off saying I had tight muscles, and when I finally had an MRI years later, a chronic inflammatory disease was diagnosed!

Get another GP opinion and referral for a scan.

PS - and the physio made it worse!

My core is fine. I do Pilates. Was a keen dancer until my late teens and also a gym addict. Until 2015 :(

Yes. I think you’re right but everyone is hell bent on me NOT having a scan.

Thank you so much for all the messages. Perhaps I will have to get a private scan. As things stand this isn’t going to get resolved is it?

I do sometimes use an electric blanket which really helps and takes the stiffness out.

Keep trying OP. It was the physio that got fed up with me mentioning it and she referred me. Try another GP.

Thank you ☺️

When I had sciatica back in 2018, I arranged and paid for a private scan. Dr wanted to try physiotherapy first but there was a long nhs wait and we had a trip planned and wanted to check it was nothing more serious than sciatica. I just needed to be referred by a medical professional (my osteopath did it) and I had the open mri days later.

Do insist on the mri, whatever it takes to get it, as if you know the damage is there, it's unhelpful, at best, to not find out more about where it is and how severe it is.

Meantime, could you persuade your gp to to prescribe a low dose of amitriptyline to help with pain management, particularly St night?

Can you afford to get an MRI privately? I’ve done that twice for back / shoulder issues. I think it was a few hundred quid each time. I did need a referral from my physio though.

Change gps?

You have been treated badly OP. Look up the NICE guidelines.

I hurt my back (again) in JULY 2018 and it is still painful now.

I had physio at the GP then went back and forth A few times but in January 2019 he prescribe amytriplyline and ordered an mri. Amitriptuline keeps me Sane- i take 20mg at night, sleep log a baby and pretty much pain free except a flare up for which I top up with cocodamol. A flare up
Means I struggle all day and get home and lie on the sofa with a hot water bottle and feel miserable.

The MRI was negative and I was then refered to pain clinic and had a pain management course and harassed them enough to try injection that didn't work over two years during covid) Pain clinic also have prescribers that review medication. She also said I could se a MSK specialist physio at the hospital.

Now I feel that I need another MRI I will pay for it but in the mean time I have seen t when chiropractors. As a result of my low back pain my spine had seized and the chiro has helped with mobility stiffness and pain.

I'm 42 so I get it. Pilates made mine worse. A long foam roller and some you tube clips has really helped in the last few weeks. Mines about 4ft long and solid smooth foam. Other fitness ones are ridged and they are more intense! Hasfit low back video is stretches that are good for anti stiffness.

Definitely get a second opinion and insist on a scan. How can they know what the problem is without one??

I was fobbed off by a senior physiotherapist for my terrible persistent back pain and was basically told my posture was bad and to go away. I sought a second opinion and was diagnosed with Addison’s disease which is very rare but can often cause back pain and muscle issues. I made a formal complaint against the physio. They are too quick to just dismiss pain.

Get a second opinion.

In the meantime, if you haven't already tried it, go for acupuncture.

My GP kept fobbing me off with exercises that weren't helping. Tried acupuncture on the recommendation of a friend, and I was like a new person in 4 sessions. Now I'm pain free enough to do exercises to help my back,

Have you tried a tens machine? Will not be the answer but might help until someone actually listens to you.

Push for a scan or go private

I had back pain gradually gettin worse u till it was everyday plus numbness and tingling in legs and feet for ages before I managed to get an mri turned out to be a bulging disc fobbed off with some physio but pushed for more and ended up getting steroid ( I think and possibly some nerve blocking element ?) injections over the course of a couple of years . At the point they said I couldn’t have any more luckily things seemed to have improved and have been basically ok for the last couple years

recently have had the odd “ flare up “ of pain which has lasted a few days at a time and it scares me that it will get as bad as it was and nowhere to really go with it this time . I was so depressed been in pain every single day for months and months on end so sorry am rambling I just want to say I understand . It’s awful and I wish they did more for back pain

I've had back pain for about the same amount of time, after birth of second baby. I've definitely felt that most Drs don't believe there is much to be done for most back pain. I've had physio on NHS which helped a bit. I'm now in US and had an xray which showed I have some kind of arthritic condition... can't remember the name. Dr said MrI wasn't really worth it and advised the usual... pain killers, exercise, physio... so I get ýour frustration. I do wonder though if they tend to fob women off more than men.

Mine is also much worse at night. I have found propping myself up in bed with pillows so I'm not lying flat really reduces the pain. If it's v bad I alternate ibuprofen and paracetamol every 4 to 6 hours over 2 days really helps.

And I know I definitely need to work on exercise as it's helped in the past..