Agonising back pain please help

[febbabies2023]

I am in SO much pain

I can't even lift the kettle without it hurting. If I stay absolutely still, it's a very dull ache.

But the second I move, roll over in bed, try to stand up, walk, anything, i am in so much pain

I'm not sure what's happened. I was fine yesterday, then all of a sudden, gone

Like my lower back has completely given way. I literally can't put any weight on it
And with a 3 year old and a 4 month old baby how am I meant to do that

Any ideas what can help or what to do
I've taken zapain which hasn't helped (just made me feel horrendous) and I've tried ibropofen

Please someone give me some good advice I am in AGONY

rest and painkillers. Carrying on will not make it better. Do you have any other symptoms like tingling or numbness anywhere ?
Are you breast feeding ?

How does anyone rest when they have two kids to look after that are still young?

Not breastfeeding no
My legs feel very heavy, and when lying down my right leg feels a little tingly but that's all

Also probably unrelated but I had pain in my left calf a couple of days ago that hurt to walk but that seems to have gone now
Unsure if it's related
Also had a headache the same day as the leg pain

Poor you, it really is absolute agony. When this happened to me I made a next day appointment with local physiotherapist (£40) who diagnosed a herniated disc, gave massage which relieved the pain a little and told me exercises to do, which helped a lot. I also phoned my doctor's surgery, got same day phone consultation and he prescribed naproxen over the phone. The painkiller worked just enough to keep me moving and able to do the exercises. Good luck.

Sounds like you need a doctor with the tingling legs and head.

Chiropractor. I’m sorry, I know what it’s like!

It's probably a bulging or herniated disc that's pressing on your spinal cord/sciatic nerve. (The tingly feeling down your right leg is a big clue)

Call the doctor and get painkillers and something for to get the muscles to relax around it. For me it was diazepam for the spasms, naproxen for the muscles and codeine and paracetamol for the pain. This time round I got amitriptyline instead of diazepam.

The NHS website has special exercise you can do to help get you sorted.

Osteopath or deep tissue massage or physio, not chiropractor. Keep up anti-inflammatories and pain killers, alternate ice and heat on it. Get a support belt or tie leggings or tights around your hips for support if you haven’t one. Sounds like you’ve twisted something and irritated or injured your sciatic nerve.

Thanks all

I'd rather go through labour again than be stuck here with this agonising pain. At least childbirth was over quicker!

Doctors are closed today so I'll have to wait until Monday to get anything prescribed

From your description it sounds like sciatica where a nerve is trapped. I have flare ups and I hate to say that only nerve painkillers help( Gabapentin) help but things like wriggling your pelvis and either heat or ice help sometimes
Have you got anyone who could come and help with DC until it settles?
It's very painful I know

Is there an urgent care facility near you or can you afford a private online GP appointment? You shouldnt have to be in thus much pain all weekend

@uncomfortablydumb53 yes my partner is with me and has taken them out so I can rest, I just feel so guilty that he's having to do everything! 3 year old is a bit of a handful too!

@SeaToSki not sure about urgent care I'll have a look (we're currently not staying at home) and yes we could afford a private appointment. Both of us have private healthcare too so I'll look into that thank you! Completely forgot about it

If your pain is localised don’t discount osteoporosis- it is rare but can present during pregnancy or after childbirth. Please don’t let anyone manipulate your back until this is ruled out. If it is a disc issue or sciatica you are likely to have pain down your leg.

If you get muscle relaxants, just make sure you try them out for the first time when someone adult is around to look after the dc. I had some once that made me act like I had drunk a bottle of vodka..I ended up switching to a half dose which worked much better for me.

Also, might be best to not just assume you only have back ache, if you can get an in person evaluation it would be very good to rule out other possibilities.

Do you have proper bladder and bowel control? Do you have a temperature, any rashes, if your dh holds a cold metal thing (like a spoon) to each foot, can you feel it similarly on both sides..then repeat at points up your leg. Do both hand have equal strength for pushing and pulling things… I know there are other things to check, but thats what come first to mind

I’d advise being seen by a healthcare professional to exclude cauda equina syndrome in light of your legs feeling very heavy (bilateral leg weakness is one of the symptoms). You can read about it here: https://patient.info/bones-joints-muscles/back-and-spine-pain/cauda-equina-syndrome Hopefully it isn’t and that you feel better fast! Back pain is miserable and I can’t imagine trying to cope with two tinies at the same time.

@febbabies2023
Aww Don't feel guilty You're in such pain which is not your fault
I'm sure if he was suffering, you would do the same for him

Private GP consultation; private physio both ASAP.

I find heat pads helpful, the ones like a belt. Plus naproxen (ask also for the tummy medicine), cocodamol alongside 30/500 might help although I don't find them great, and if it's nerve paid, and if Yr dh is available for the nights, 30mg Amitryptiline at about 7/8pm.

If you can't get hold of a GP before Monday then ibuprofen and cocodamol 8/500 with the heat pad.

Good luck - this too shall pass. I find the acute stage lasts for about 3/4 days with recovery taking 6-8 weeks after a flare up.

I've just booked a GP appointment for 8am tomorrow. In the meantime DP is going to see if he can get anything stronger than what I'm currently taking

@SeaToSki when I take zapain like I did this morning they make me feel the same. Almost drunk (apparently it's because my body metabolites the codeine quicker and essentially turns it into morphine someone told me!) so I will make sure DP is there for anything new I take
Bladder control all in tact. I couldn't push of pull anything at the moment to be honest the pain is too intense

God I feel so rubbish :(

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/back-pain/
Some good advice here.

If you're UK, online 111 can assess and try and find suitable services.

@uncomfortablydumb53 I know he doesn't mind, he really is an amazing dad and partner and he works so hard during the week that I feel awful that he's not having any kind of rest. I know it's not my fault but just feel rubbish :(

And yes am UK based

Sounds like a slipped disc with sciatica. This is agonising.

I went to a weekend GP. You need painkillers and rest plus Valium for the spasms. It doesn't go for a month or two so you need a doctor asap.

I've started to get pain now in my right leg even when I'm lying down and not doing anything
Should I be concerned about this or is it just normal for things like trapped nerve / sciatica etc?

Yes , that is completely normal for sciatica I'm afraid.
Mine would often travel from my buttock down the outside of my leg.. literal pita! You have my sympathies

Had cervical myelopathy being ‘popped’ under the MRI. Before being told while you wait ages on nhs. Operated on within days to Stop paralysis, apparently.

our CM founder have to wait 14 years to take him seriously, beg to think what use to go on, oh no the nhs physio told me I was getting over a virus in mid Jan 2023. I’ve listened to the hospital consultants who happily says it only happens to old people (as if it’s ok) - at 41, I menstruate still pal. I have come to the conclusion - nhs = means we only deal with emergencies. And that’s how we should think of our dear NHS only there when it’s an emergency. Treated like going nuts when a in depth internal scan showed a second problem of Fibroids going on.

Yes the NHS will not want to give you an MRI but you should have one and all the painkillers. I was quite young and not believed really that I had hurt myself so much. You will have to be very pushy