how do people cope trying to sleep with chronic back pain

[000222365]

[Poppy_Ann]

i have had back pain since 1978 when i was involved in a accident whilst in the army since then several different doctors have said the problem is caused by several different causes i don't think i have ever had two doctors give the same reason all i know is that it only gets worse as the years have gone by now i can hardly walk due to the pain for around 90% of the time and for around 10% i can not even get out of bed, i informed the army as my pension is linked to how bad my condition affects me and they just write back and say they have not been able to get evidence to prove how bad my back is so will not give an increase when i asked my doctor how can i get evidence he just said there is no way for me to get any as it is not possibly to measure how much pain i am in, I am taking 9 different types of pain medication every day and i am still in pain most of the time walking or standing up causes my back to go into spasm which causes me to drop to the ground no matter where i am all i can do is keep taking the medication and just try to manage, if i need to go out for any reason i just take 3 or 4 extra lots of morphine and try to make sure i am back home near my bed for when it runs out as i know that all the pain i would normally have had hits me all in one it is like charging up a battery then using the power all at once, trying to show DSS how bad i am is not possible, the goverment does not care about you once you get to the point you cannot work the only way i can get the pain to ease is to lay down on my side which i do and then read as i cannot lay on my back or it causes more pain.

sorry to bring such a bad view of having back pain to you but all i can say is do as much as you can to keep mobile as that does ease the pain a little and also helps stop it getting any worse.

regards Poppy Ann.

[Mistee in reply to Poppy_Ann]

Surely an MRI would give some kind of supporting evidance to your claim?? That said, my GP and my pain specialist nurse keep passing the buck to one another cod neither of them wanted to pay for my scan. Luckily (!?!) As well asy back pain I've also had problems with bladder retention and was referred to a urologist who sent me for an urgent MRI. I've just opened a letter from him to say there was no sign of anything causing the retention but the scan showes disc protrusion so I need to see my gp for a referral to a specialist. Prior to the scan I'd had x-rays which apparently showed disc degeneration and osteophytes but apparently nothing to suggest there was a protrusion so if you haven't had one yet, I would def recommend kicking up a fuss until you get one.

As for sleeping and comfort, memory foam mattresses and lots of pillows coupled with amtriptyline...

[Poppy_Ann in reply to Mistee]

when i first came out of the army i had a mri and was told that my back was broke in three places and they showed me the mri but when i went for one last year they just told me that there is nothing that shows up i asked about my last mri and they told me they had destroyed my records i think that now they are just trying to limit how much they do especially as you get older. all i get from my doctor is there is nothing he can do except for give me more pills which i hate taking but i cannot manage without them at the moment i am taking 9 different types of pain killers over the years i have tried anything they have offered but when they wanted to operate on my back to fuse 5 of my vertebra together i said no as at the time they told me that for every one they do there is a 10% chance of crippling me so with needing 5 done it would have been a 50/50 chance i would never walk again. i take Amtriptyline at night time 100 mg each night or i would not get any sleep.

[Bananas5 in reply to Poppy_Ann]

Hello Poppy Ann

As the wife on an ex serviceman in receipt of a War pension do you want to sen me a message? may be able to help you sort out pensions etc.

Pat x

[haribo36]

When my pain is really bad I go to bed with my heat bags and sometimes an electric heat pad on all night.If I wake up then I can switch it back on again.The anti-depressant I take before going to bed helps me to sleep xxx

[Hidden]

Hello Poppy

So sorry that you cannot get any relief for your condition, may I suggest that initially arrange to see a Pain Clinic, they will assist you in pain control and try and work out what is wrong and if they can sort out your problems. They may have some way of referring you to different Departments in the NHS.

I do not know if you are at the moment been treated by the Military, I would imagine at the moment it will be the NHS is now treating you at this time

With regard to getting sleep, an adjustable bed with a memory foam mattress may be a good way forward, they will allow you to adjust your sleeping position, they are expensive, although well worth the money.

Generally it may also be a good idea to ask the GP to have a referral with an Occupational Therapist, if you have not seen one yet. They can assist in easing all activities in the home, they will also assist in the bedroom, also bathroom and kitchen. If you have stairs a stair lift may be a good idea.

If you are being blocked by the army a second opinion may be required, I suppose it may be private.

The Pain Clinic may also be able to help in providing a diagnosis and prognosis, If you have not tried that pathway it could be the best way forward.

Please remember I am not a Doctor or Specialist, I feel no one should suffer undue pain, this should be controlled as best as humanly as possible

Good luck you know where we are if you need further support

BOB .

[Hidden]

Meditation helps me rest my body and brain if sleep is not happening

[beauty96]

Hi and I struggle as I cannot have any medication cos of allergies. I also have not seen a consultant since 1982 cos my GP's keep saying no as I can't have any medication they think I don't care. Well I found one and he is accepting self referred patients and it will cost me £180. My neck is twisting on the cervical and thoracic, my spine is twisting and so are my knees, ankles and feet. I can't add much to what you have written but not thought of reading on my side. Will give it a try. Next week I have a hospital appointment and can't have hospital transport cos I receive mobility money BUT my husband is too ill and gets transport cos of being too ill to drive. £70 return by taxi? [I accept I have to pay for the private appointment]

[earthwitch]

I don't. It drives me bonkers. On a good night I get about four or five hours before I wake in pain (usually when I go to try and turn over). On a bad night I,m still trying to get comfortable 3 hours after going to bed. My solution now is to "programme" that middle of the night waking by having a drink before bed so I need a toilet trip. That gets me up and moving before my back totally seizes up. If I really can't get to sleep or get comfortable after an hour, then I get up and rest in my recliner for an hour or two before trying bed again. I also have at least 6 available pillows, so I can swap them around, put one between my legs or under my knees, put a thick one by my side to either support my back or rest my arm on (if lying on my side) and have a variety of thicknesses available for under my head to make sure my neck is in the right position. I also have a few low dose diazepam on hand (2mg tablets, of which I take one or two) to help relax me enough to get to sleep if I haven't slept well for a few days. I would only resort to those at most once a month though as I'm too scared of ending up habituated to them and needing far higher doses regularly. I frequently end up going to work on 3 hours sleep. not much fun, but somehow I cope.

[lewis08 in reply to earthwitch]

Wish i could even get three hours sleep..i do all this with my pillows...that just makes it difficult getting back to sleep..too much pain and other probs..my docs are useless.waiting next week for two appts then pain clinic..after that changing doctor's after a decade...docs are human and do misdiagnose...to my own personel self thats happened plenty...5-6hrs sleep then i would be much more able to function..atm im a liability...so need help...money would be useful to go private...no money so have to suffer...trust me ive tried to make them listen...they just dont give a damn..

[frame1]

Hi sorry to hear you are having such a bad time.

I use combination of pillows between knees flat folded towel under pillow and extra pillow for head as I need to change position often. I also use a tens machine but find the pads get stuck to bedding and even get shocks if I move too much as cables can come lose/stick but I need to wear it through the night to get benefit. This means I use a lot of pads/expence but it does help. Some nights I am just too sore to move into a better position and need help from my partner but get up after two hours as he also needs sleep due to work commitments so it's a mixture and after a few nights of really poor sleep I reluctantly have power nap at tea time but set my alarm so I don't sleep for two long if I do manage to drop off. So there is no one cure fits all and a lot of trial and error so good luck and if you can't manage long term see your GP or pain clinic for help.

Sleep deprivation is real torture so don't suffer alone! We are all here for you.

Best wishes

Frame

[vivikin]

what medication are you on? and do you have a diagnosis? I take several pills one of which is amytriptiline which sends me to sleep x

[Manny86]

Hey sorry to hear that I feel ur pain I had a spinal fusion 1/17/07 l4/l5/S I was born with spina bifida which my parents I guess didn't know but my life has been very hard ever since surgery there's so many other things wrong after it I go days with out sleeping pain 24/7 but if there's one thing I do is fight thru it never give up or let anything take you down coping with pain is very hard but there's really nothing to change it I would never get another surgery ever I wish you best of luck find a good pain management dr hopefully you can feel better

[louiseamos]

Don't..or dropped up on sleeping meds