Back pain anyone?

[sam_naylor]

Not sure how much longer I can put up with this pain, it's constant all day every day & I'm not convinced it's related to endo as everyone I've spoken to thinks back pain & endo aren't related!! I don't wanna rely on painkillers several times a day to help me, I have quite a strong pain threshold and so far so good without medication.

[claires]

Hi sorry to hear you're suffering. I have a bad back from an accident years ago but it definitely is worse at certain times of the month, if the endo is bad so is my back so I do think the endo aggravates it I do rely on painkillers when at it's worse or just wouldn't get any sleep.

[batty]

I have endo in the bowel and my back pain is made worse when the bowel is in spasm.

[Tiggie]

Hi, I get lower back pain a lot. It seems to go through my tummy into my back. It's throughout the month, not just when my period is due. It's like a more intense period type pain mainly but at times it can feel just like the pain you get in your back at the start of labour. That's the only way I can describe it x

[sam_naylor in reply to Tiggie]

Mine is exactly like that!! Its soo bloody painful at times. Sometimes I can't sleep because I can't get comfortable with the pain, doesn't matter if I'm sitting, lying/standing the pain is extremely intense.

[Tiggie]

I do take pain relief, I take slow realising morphine but I have oramorph for when it really kicks in. However in the last 6 months or so even that only lasted about an hour or two if it gets really bad, so my doctor gave me sleeping tablets, only to take on the really bad nights, due to being on morphine too. I use a hot water bottle pretty much every day. You need to try and get on top of the pain. I know taking medication isn't ideal, particularly on a long term basis. However you can't keep going on like that day to day and you need sleep. Omg I sound like my mum haha. Sorry :-). You're not alone, I know it doesn't make it any easier but, at least you know it does give you pain in your back. I felt like I was going mad to begin with, as I was told endo couldn't do that by one GP but then another told me it can.

[eckythump]

Hi Sam. I get lower back ache and my legs ache too. I have endo in the bowel so the pain increases during bowel movement. I also think I have a high pain threshold but I take slow release ibruprofen and paracetomol when I feel the pain start. This is to make my life more comfortable otherwise all I think about is the pain. I don't like to take meds either but being stubborn doesn't help. At least I get a decent nights sleep and I only take meds short term during period. I agree with Tiggie a hot water bottle defo helps! X

[sam_naylor in reply to eckythump]

I have a hot water bottle. &that really helped after my lap! My back doesn't hurt more when emptying my bowel just that in itself hurts me. I'm thinking maybe I should start taking pain relief, I havedone in the past, especially when I'm in work at night it's at its worst then. X

[sparkleghost]

Hi Sam,

I suffer from back pain almost constantly, from what I've read I think it is caused by the endo in my Pouch of Douglas.

If you want to avoid taking painkillers all the time, I find using heat to be really helpful - try taking a hot bath with Epsom salts (really good for muscular aches) daily. Thermacare heated back belts are a godsend for bad days. You could also try using an infra red lamp, or using deep heat or Voltarol (topical diclofenac - technically pain relief but I find it doesn't make me feel drowsy or sick as tablets sometimes do).

Hope this helps lovely x

[sam_naylor in reply to sparkleghost]

Thank you! Funnily enough I have endo in my pouch of douglas. Its just constant pain. & I have days where I'm thinking 'I just cannot cope anymore'. I know this is a crude question but does it also hurt you when opening your bowels? My consultant didn't tell me where else I have endo & where my adhesions are just that I have it in other places. She's quite useless if I'm honest. What have you been offered for having endo there? Thanks x

[sparkleghost]

It does often, but not always. It is usually more painful if I am feeling constipated (which is also often!) and if I find it hard to go it's not unusual for me to bleed either. I also have IBS and I'm convinced the two go hand in hand as I always get a flare up when my period is due! To be honest my consultant was not much good either - I was not told what stage of endo I have, just that there is a lot of it. I know I have it in my Pouch of Douglas and that I have a patch just over my bladder as I was told that for this reason they couldn't ablate or excise it - there would have been a risk of perforating my bladder which could have been life threatening. It didn't strike me until later that this shouldn't have stopped them ablating/excising the other areas! I know I had a lot of adhesions which they did seperate, but not where they were situated. I was offered oestrogen patches, the mirena coil and "rolling over" the pill (i.e. taking the pill for three months straight before taking a break), but I'd already done my research about treatments before going in and asked her outright for Pro Stap injections, which I then took as a 7 month course. I will be completely honest with you, I continued to have back pain throughout the treatment. It wasn't as bad as it normally gets especially around my period, but it didn't go away. It was a relief to get a break from my periods and the cramps though and I also know it improved my fertility as I was briefly pregnant in the months after taking the injections before sadly miscarrying. From what I have read and understand your best bet is to have them excise it from your POD completely. Sorry I can't be of more help! Things like the Pro Stap and Mirena coil do help some ladies. Have a good read and do a lot of research before picking something to see if it sounds like it will suit you. I have always reacted really badly to the pill and progesterone supplements (no pain relief, weight gain, broke out in spots and made me an emotional wreck!) so I was wary about the coil and taking any more pills for that reason, but some girls swear by them. Look into different kinds of pain relief too. I know you would rather avoid it but if you can find a dosage of something that suits you (dulls the pain without knocking you out!) I am sure it would really improve your quality of life - nobody deserves to be in pain all the time like you are! On really bad days I take 30mg of codeine with 250mg naproxen. Makes me a bit dozy but fine otherwise and really helps with my pain. Sorry for the huge message, hope some of it helps! X

[sam_naylor in reply to sparkleghost]

You have helped indeed. They have only offered me rolling over the pill, the coil, the injections or removing the lining of my womb. None of which I want to go for really as heard a lot of bad things about them. I'm already on the pill and have been for 6yrs. Never 'rolled over' my pill though. So giving that a try for a few months. I have a variety of symptoms. Its crude but it hurts to pass wind fgs. That's totally not normal. I hate it. & today is just one of those bad days with it where I'm emotional. Lol. I do have zappain & diclofenac atm from my lap. I was also given naproxen but I couldn't sleep on it &thats not an option for me with 2 young children to get up with & work to go to. I just don't understand why they can't give me an operation to just get rid of it!? They've not offered me this. X

[lillyflower]

Hi, I get back ache and do rely on codeine when it's bad but I got an electric heat pad, it's the best thing ever! It stays hot unlike my hotwaterbottle and I sit it against my sofa and lean on it all night! There's 3 heat settings as I do over heat sometimes and a timer incase I fall asleep. It's about A4 size so wraps around the whole of the bottom of my back and when my thighs ache I put it accross them tooor accross my tummy. Now it's colder it's even nicer as just feels so nice to snuggle against it! Other than that hot baths are only time I get relief but I can't stay in there all night! Lol x just to add if you think about getting one the magnetic type said not to be used for endometriosis.

[melodyxo]

I get back pain also, feels like period pain in my back! Just tend to use heat and find that walking helps? I try to avoid pain killers they all make me feel like a space cadet.. my pain threshold is getting pretty sturdy!! Just recovering from laproscopy now, all endo and cysts removed and everything else "unstuck".. i've been high on constant pain killers for the last 4 days, so will be interesting to see how much pain i'm in when i'm fully recovered. Had the mirena inserted at the same time.. keeping everything crossed that I don't go crazy on this one.. Just trying to avoid having a period at all costs! Which pill are you on? x

[sam_naylor in reply to melodyxo]

I find walking doesn't help my back at all, don't suppose my job helps being a carer in a care home. I'm on microgynon and have been for 6.5yrs now, im gonna use my hot water bottle tonight, sometimes I honestly feel like my backs gonna break in half!! Its ridiculously painful. Nobody understands though do they, and I feel like if I say something they all thing I'm moaning about it.

[melodyxo]

Most people have said that.. I think I'm just odd! I work in a stray dogs home and as a dog walker.. so have to walk whether I like it or not lol! Must be painful with all of the bending and lifting as a carer! Ah that's the first pill I was on, found it good but got migranes with it! Not many understand, and yeah I try to avoid saying anything too but sometimes you just need to have a rant! Hope you manage to get some pain relief!! x

[sam_naylor in reply to melodyxo]

Thanks very much! Yeah Microgynon suits me, have no problems on it. X