Back pain

[Itsmeagain1]

Does anybody suffer from back and side pain it's like pluersy but it's not I so far due to osteoporosis fractured 2 vertibre I think this is 3rd the pain is excruciating and travels to my chest I cannot take ibrofren anymore due to it making my blood pressure spiking please help my doctor will just say take paracetimols and rest I've had enough it's been 2 weeks I feel sick my breathing is being affected even more and I've been struggling with that since I stopped smoking 6 months ago I'm getting no positivity for doing that and I'm getting so dispondant 😭

[Badbessie]

I have a number of pain related conditions which effects various areas of my chest. However to give advice you need a definitive reason for the pain. The best advice I can give is to go back to you Doctor to find out what is happening. I have severe osteoarthritis in my upper spine and treatment can be very complex. I know many smokers that would feel giving up smoking for six months a huge positive. Pain is very difficult to manage and control and from my own experiences know how low it can make you feel. Go back to your GP and ask for Futher help.

[Itsmeagain1 in reply to Badbessie]

Thankyou but it took him m 2 wedge fractures of my spine after I was told I've proberly worn my muscles out through hard breathing before he did a x-ray so not holding out on a lot of help from him I have brittle bone disease and a dowgers hump I wasn't even given a back brace with the last 2 fractures thankyou for you Ur reply but he will just want to offer me pain relief or anti depressants instead of them tying to mend it I'll make a appointment and let u know what he says

[Hidden]

If you’re convinced it’s a vertebral compression fracture, and you have a GP that you feel doesn’t take you seriously, wouldn’t presenting at A&E be an appropriate choice? To prove a fracture you’d need an x-ray in any event. The constant coughing could potentially make the situation worse if you’re correct, too.

On the smoking front, I was far, far worse chest wise after stopping than I had ever been whilst smoking. It took about 12 months for everything to properly settle down, and at 6 months I was still coughing up loads of awful tasting rubbish and getting breathless, even without an underlying respiratory problem. Keep at it, because for all it feels like you’re not getting anywhere, you are: you’re not actively making your lungs worse, for starters.

[Itsmeagain1 in reply to Hidden]

Believe it or not I haven't coughed and only brought up one little bit of gunk in 6 months so at least I'm not coughing yes I think a X ray will confirm what I think it is thankyou for your reply

[hypercat54]

Hi first thing i would do is join the quit smoking site on here. The majority have stopped and you will get support on there if not from your medical professionals. They are a great bunch and they helped me stop and stay stopped.

I stopped for 17 months but because of adverse side effects started again. My breathing was worse, I developed a very sweet tooth, and I had no energy and was constantly fatigued. I also discovered my thyroid was borderline underactive. Smoking can mask this and can cause it so keep a check on yours. Someone on the quit site made a very good point 'Do you expect to smoke for over 40 years and get off scot free'? Well no I guess. At some stage it becomes damage limitation.

Now I am not advocating in any way that you go back to smoking but I did. As a result I feel so much better. I am consciously choosing a shorter life with more quality than a longer one feeling lousy. I am very aware that it's much better to give up smoking than wait til it gives you up coz then you haven't got long left. I might change my mind in the future though.

People will probably come in here lambasting me for saying all this to you, but my choice and my life. I am just being totally honest with you even if it goes against the grain. Remember though that we are all different and you have to decide what works best for you.

[Itsmeagain1 in reply to hypercat54]

I understand everything u have said I do feel crap u name it I've had it since stopping smoking everyone says do the right thing but what is the right thing I don't know how I have stayed off of then to be honest but I'm hoping Dr pallov Shah from the royal Brompton is going to give me some percedeure spelt that wrong anyway I'm having breathing tests there in Oct then a CT scan then hopefully steam abilation but yes I bet if I started again I'd feel better

[hypercat54 in reply to Itsmeagain1]

Yes. It's seems to be completely out of order to acknowledge how stopping can make you feel so bad. Everyone said things to me like after a few months you will feel better yada yada, but 17 months later it was still as bad and getting even worse. No one ever acknowledges this can happen so I have obviously committed a faux pa and got slagged off something chronic by people.

Don't even consider going back to smoking though until you have given it another year or so like I did, as there is every chance you will start to feel better.

[Itsmeagain1 in reply to hypercat54]

Bless you I managed 3 and a half years last time when I first was told I had copd but then one stupid comment by copd nurse saying I'd progressed on but I'd already done the damage was enough for me to say that's it over 3 years not smoking still progressed on I went to the shop and started again people should understand it's not for them to say stop smoking it's the individuals choice I keep on getting told it's because my lungs are clearing out which is making my lungs worse I've cleared jack out I'm not coughing so hmmmn let's see what this lung specialist comes back with I'd like some good news take care

[knitter]

I suffered two compression fractures in my spine, and broken rib because of osteoporosis.

But the pain has faded now, unless I do too much, then it eases when I stop.

I would certainly contact your GP and tell them your symptoms as soon as you can, as it’s the Bank Holiday weekend coming up.

Please ring them today , take care .

[Itsmeagain1 in reply to knitter]

Thankyou

[bwp91]

I’ve had 6 compression fractures in my spine. It is important to find out just what’s happened by x-ray but it’s rare to get the affective treatment of filling in with a sort of cement (I can’t remember what that’s called). Fraid the acute pain usually lasts about 6 weeks during which you need to rest quite a lot as best you can but also move gently e.g. manage a gentle walk. Usually paracetamol and ibro help but your GP should provide something stronger if not. Then it’s a case of gradually exercising to help the strained muscles, not sitting too much etc. I’ve found Alexander Technique exercises help a lot but the Royal Osteoporosis Society have really good ones described in a free pamphlet and the BLF ones I do in exercise class are good too. You just have to avoid twisting, bouncing and bending down e.g. don’t try to touch your toes or bend over to weed if you garden . It’s a bugger to live with, affecting your shape (and so how you dress), you daren’t lift heavy things and of course it affects your breathing. But once you’re over the worst I’ve found life is still good as long as I keep busy and active. I hope it’ll be the same for you once you’re over this horrid bit. BTW I have bronchiectasis.

[Itsmeagain1 in reply to bwp91]

Oh bless you don't we all seem to suffer not just at with one thing either I'm actually feeling sick as I also have constant burping good thing I live on my own but my poor stomach I can't be sick my breathings bad now I can't be throwing up why cant it settle too be honest I have no faith in my doctor we clash I was on anti inflammatory tablets which was helping heaps last time but he says I can't take anymore as it was taking my blood pressure up can't win can u I'll phone him in a bit but I can't get around there and I bet he doesn't come here

[Mavary]

Well I think your Dr should be sending you for an x Ray. I’ve got three back fractures. The first one I saw the Dr and they gave me painkillers. It didn’t go so I went to a Chiropractor. That was a few years ago. 2 years ago I was given steroids for pneumonia and Aspergillosis. The steroid led to another fracture in my back. My Dr sent me for physio. They first sent me for an X Ray and then told me I had two fractures. The physio sent me for a dexa scan and it was minus five point five which I believe is quite bad. Anyway two years this coming Christmas I had yet another vertebrae go. I was then in hospital for twelve days. Coming out the 21st of December. Nearly in for Christmas. I had to lift a kettle to prove I could come home. I had a job on but I made myself do it. I had a job to even walk.

So in your case I would ask to have an X Ray.

Good luck as I can imagine the pain you are in.

[Itsmeagain1 in reply to Mavary]

Thankyou for reply well I asked for a call from doctor just got a call from nurse said keep taking paracetimols and hot and cold therepy spelt that wrong anyway that was it she signed off with take care nothing else u can do hmmmmm guess I'm not getting a X ray

[Mavary in reply to Itsmeagain1]

I would ring again and insist on talking to a Dr. I would say you’ve already go two fractures in your back and feel this is possibly another. Could you please have an X Ray to confirm or discount it. I know they’re trying to keep us away from Drs or hospitals but it’s ridiculous when you are so much in pain.

Like I say I’ve got three fractures in my back so know what the pain is like. You’ve had two so you also know.

Let me know how you get on.

Don’t take No for an answer. X

[Itsmeagain1 in reply to Mavary]

I'll ring again thankyou for understands it's a pity they don't 😭