Pain at work

[Hells83bells]

Hi everyone. I've just come home from work because I'm in so much pain. Currently waiting for a lap which will be in feb. I find the pain is worse sitting down and when I need to go the toilet. I think it might be as my bowel contracts it is giving me excruiating pain and stabbing pain upside me. Since coming home and going to the toilet I feel a lot less in pain. But I can't really sit in the toilet at work for an hour crying until the pain goes. It's not even that I'm constipated. I wondering whether to go back to the doctors because I can't carry on like this. But I'm not sure they can do anything. I've got metaphanic acid and lap in the pipeline.

Has anyone got a tips about pain management? Or anything that might make sitting at work less painful ( tried a cushion doesn't help). Has anyone been signed off from work pending their op?

I feel such a mess! Like I've been kicked in the lady garden, keep bleeding, can't sit down and can't even go to the toilet without crying. Booooo x

[angelyn]

Definitely go back to your gp. Mefemenic acid didn't do shit for my pain-and yours sounds worse!

I was on codeine until after my lap but had to go back to gp and now I'm on tramadol.

Life feels like living when your pain is being managed. If you can take someone with you who has seen you in pain this will help. It gave my GP an objective opinion about the amount of pain I was in.

Go to gp - demand stronger painkillers so that you can continue to work. If he doesn't want to do that then he should sign you off until your lap.

*hugs*

[Katie888]

Hey, I really feel for you with this. I really didn't want to be off sick after starting a new job in feb. I've been signed off work for the last 4 months due to severe pain from endo, I was diagnosed with it in jan and had a lap to remove some it at the same time. I felt better for the first couple of months and then the pain started coming back around my periods and then all the time around 4 months ago. I'm still off work and in a lot of pain been on prostap injections for 3 months but booking a second lap to see what's going on again in a month or so. It's really hard admitting you have to have time off work but I have to keep listening to my family and friends and telling myself 6 months or so is nothing in the great scheme of my life! I didn't plan on it being this long and I have to be honest it's a lot harder being off sick for this long than you think it will be but you have to look after yourself. If you decide that you need some time off I would strongly advise trying to maintain some kind of routine whilst you're off sick though because for the first 2 months I was just bed-bound and it can really affect your mental health and make you feel so down, so maybe try to move downstairs/around the house and get out for fresh air every day. My specialist said try and think of one thing that makes you happy every day, even if it's reading a book you've always wanted to read or having a hot bath. Also if you try to go out for lunch or see a friend for a couple of hours recognise how you feel and what your body can handle and that way you can try to decide if you're ready to go back. I find that I'll do something for a couple of hours now and my body hurts and is exhausted afterwards and I know I'm not ready to be able to sit for long periods or concentrate on work without feeling horrendous for a couple of days after. Try to stay positive even though it is a shit situation! Update us how it's going xxx

[Katie888]

Ps totally agree with angelyn above men acid is just for bad period pains - tramadol is much stronger but try not to use too much. I was put on 8 a day when I was first off sick and it meant I was pretty much bed-bound it made me so tired and knocked me out pretty much!

I found a combo of tramadol and naproxen works well because tramadol is pain killer and naproxen is a really good anti-inflammatory like ibroufen on crack!

X

[Hidden]

I've been put on Duloxetine and Cerazette which really seems to be helping with the pain (alongside paracetamol, ibuprofen etc) as well as my bladder. At work I would use a TENS unit, I found it really helpful. It does't completely take away the pain but it takes the edge off of it. I also use a hot water bottle too to try and reduce any pain. Have you tried asking your work for an assessment to see if they can get you a different chair or set your desk up to help you be more comfortable?

I've been off of work since the beginning of November, it's not great for me mentally or money wise, but at least I'm not walking around too much or causing more pain. I was going to go back to work soon but after having my lap confirmed for the end of the month I think I'm going to be off until I have recovered.

Try to see if you have any stronger painkillers like Tramadol or Codeine, just be careful as some employers are a bit funny with you working on certain medication.

I hope you feel better soon xx

[Hells83bells in reply to Hidden]

Thank u for all your replies. I'm going to copy your message pink pixie and see if the doctors can give me the meds you suggested x

[Hidden in reply to Hells83bells]

I hope they give you something helpful! Have the tried you on Naproxen? It's like a stronger version of ibuprofen. Some doctors aren't too happy to give out Tramadol as it's pretty strong and can be addictive, I only take it when the pain is too bad. Hopefully they'll let you try it until your operation. Cerazette is a contraceptive pill which has really helped calm my ovaries down, but it did take about 2/3 months to start working. Duloxetine is really good not just for the pain but also to help with any low moods etc a lot of the tablets I'm trying now are more for depression, but when taken in low doses they help with pain.

I hope the doctors give you something that will help you x

[Hells83bells]

Hi everyone thought is give you an update. Went to doctors today and he was honest and said that he was stuck what to do with me because it's the operation I needed. He said he could give me codeine and said to take it easy. Said he would sign me off until my operation if still in pain. Got home took the tablet and within half hour had the worst upper stomach pain and was violently sick. Called NHS direct and they said sounds like a allergic reaction and they called ambulance. They came out did obs and confirmed it was a allergic reaction. So back to square one again. I've got to go back to the doctors again tomorrow to get a new pain relief feeling fed up now.

[Hells83bells]

Thank u for all your support everyone. I've come off the pill to try for a baby but starting to wonder if all this is worth it?! Hopefully he will give me something stronger. There's no way I can take codene again the stomach pain was so unbarable and projectile vomiting. I read on the packet about vomiting and also not take if you have gallstones. I had my gallbladder removed so maybe it causes same effect if u don't have one anymore?! That doctor will be sick of me! X

[Hells83bells]

Just back from the doctors. He was very supportive and gave me another tablet to try. He was a bit lost as what to do with me until my lap. He said to rest, take the new meds and signed me off for two weeks. Most people would be over the moon but I'm ridden with guilt about the work I'm leaving behind

[DSan]

Hi, don't worry about work, your health comes first and you can't work effectively anyway if you're in this much pain. I spent nearly 3months off work last year before I had a lap in September after my first failed ivf cycle. The only thing that helped me was to change my diet as the painkillers just weren't working. Have you looked at the endo diet? Come September I was actually feeling better than I had done for years. Good luck and hope you feel better soon xx