Chronic Lower Back Pain and Pain in Legs

Hello Bumble 1989

Welcome to this forum. There may not be anyone with the same conditions as you but we do all try to support each other. No 2 people even with the same conditions are ever the same. It affects eack of us differently.

There should be some older posts for you to have a read through if you trype one of your words in.

Te site is fairly quiet at the moment - people just trying to cope as best they can with the hols.

Feel free to rant any time - usually someone around.

Pat x

I found that there are a lot more drug that are effective for nerve pain than opium based pain meds. have you tried any for neuropathic pain? You do have to build up and they are a bit mind binding at times but they can be effective when used along side opiates.

Thank you Pat, I just wondered if there was anyone about with similar problems, I just dont know what to do for the best. But Dan has said about other types of medication that i could discuss with the doctor maybe a nerve aid will do me better? I just dont know what to sugest I have never really had any problems before like this. The only other strong medication I know is Morphine but im sure there is 100s of others. Its just frustrating at the minute because nothing seems to be helping. Thank You for your replies guys much apriciated

Hello

I understand you are having disk problems in the spine and you are twenty five years old. You have various appointments with Specialists and have had pysio and will visit you GP tomorrow. Your has given you a reduced dose of medication for nerve pain such as Amytryptalene for example and this has not had any effect, although you should have needed to take these for at least four weeks.

Your pain medications for example Tramadol is now a CAT B medication for severe to moderate pain, and have had MRI SCAN . and you suffer a rash possibly from one of the medications you are taking.

What gets me is the damage you have received how did all this happen, were you heavy lifting from an early age as disk damage in a young person is not that usual and I can understand the pain will be severe.

Generally speaking the spine in a young person does not fully mature until about your twenty seventh year and during this growth period you can suffer damage that may not fully recover as the spine is still soft

One thing they may do is send you to a pain clinic and make you aware of different ways of living with constant pain. Also they will introduce you to TENS and Relaxation Techniques.

There are operations that can be undertaken, although they may prefer not to proceed at this time because of your age

With regard to medication you may find they will introduce you to mix and match with different types and groups of painkiller, They will also treat your sciatic nerve with a nurological medication that main us as a antidepressant, You will need to take your medications over long periods and it may also take some time to find ones that will suit

I have conditions that effect spine and been taking a wide spectrum of medications for over twenty years although I have managed not to damage a disk. You will need to be able to give pain medications a chance and you will possibly be asked to take an Opiate, a standard painkiller, such as Paracetamol and a NSID to reduce swelling. The Amytryptalene will suppress nerve damage pain such as Sciatica. There are also several types of injection that will ease joint function.

Good Luck

BOB

ps excuse spelling it is getting late LOL

Hey mate, I'm a 26 year old male with chronic low back pain and stiffness. So consider me a good comparison. A skiing accident at 18 set mine off. Just want to give you what I've learnt to save you mental anguish and anxiety in looking for a solution. Firstly, chronic pain is in my opinion one of the worst conditions you can live with, so you are right to bring it up. Secondly, there is no current cure that works over a short term horizon. That's why there are all these forums full of desperate people taking about which medications have failed them. All there exists at the moment i pain management courses. Surgery can make pain worse so though a quick fix may be tempting, I strongly suggest seeking a conservative approach first. If you did something to your back to make either stiff or misaligned etc then I recommend seeing an osteopath. Mine has helped me improve steadily over last few years though I still have pain when sitting and carrying things. Do this ASAP as the longer your body is in a chronic pain state the more it neurologically rewires and learns that this is normal, hence harder to unwind. So seek out an osteopath now. In fact, some of them are just useless, private message me and I can recommend one. Happy to talk further as well mate

Thank you guys, Bob you sound like a doctor you know alot! All your comments have been great to read and gave abit of understanding as i dont really know whats going on with me, I thought my problem would have recovered by now the doctors say its normally a couple of weeks but its now turned into months and still no better. I have been lifting heavy objects for 10 years now working in a warehouse selling Tiles, Radiators and Boilers all lifting on my own with no help and started getting the pain last July. I have been a very hard worker for 10 years so maybe over done it and been silly? I will have a good chat with the doctor tomorrow they seem to just want to get rid of ya at my doctors and I have a appointment with specialist next week so hopefully find out more then. Are you guys still got injuries?

SEARSON'S REMEDIAL hot & cold Gel pack try online.

Hello Bumble

No I am not a Doctor,just wore the teashirt for so long now

Good Luck for today

BOB

If I had one wish, it would be to stop doctors saying that stupid old - you have the back of a 50, 60, 70 year old! Plenty on this site would love the back of a fifty year old but besides that, it's a complete nonsense. From an early adult age, spines deteriorate. People with drastic scans never feel a twinge of pain and vice versa. One thing I'm sure of, once a doctor starts tutting over a scan, you feel worse! You tense up, the muscles tighten and hurt more. GPs should never interpret scans, you need a spine expert, a pain expert or a neurology expert. Ask for a referral to a pain clinic. Your pain is likely to be chronic now and there are lots of things you can try, acupuncture, massage, tens unit, lidocaine patches, Alexander Technique, relaxation, surgery as a last resort perhaps? Some people on here are drug free, still in pain but drug free. Managing the pain is the key. Good luck, be strong.

When you see the specialist, don't expect to hear all you need to know, but do think out in advance what you want to ask. Good luck.

Hello Bumble 1989, I'm sorry to hear you have this chronic pain in your back. I can recommend that you give Bowen Technique a try. It worked for me and is a painless light touch therapy which often gives amazing results. Practitioners can be found in Yellow Pages. For pain relief you might consider DMSO (dimethylsulphoxide). This is a natural product derived from wood pulp and can be rubbed into the affected area. It reduces both inflammation and pain without side effects. You can buy it at very reasonable cost from Amazon along with books about it and how to use it. It cured me of carpal tunnel syndrome and I wouldn't be without it. I wonder if you have vitamin D deficiency which can result in aches and pains as well as skeletal problems? It should be possible to get tested for this if you haven't already done so. Most people in the northern hemisphere don't get enough sunshine between October to April and many are deficient in this essential substance. I take vitamin D3 2000 I.U. daily at this time of the year until the warmer weather arrives and I am out in the sun again. I also find magnesium oil sprayed onto painful areas seems to lessen muscle spasm. You can find it in health food stores like Holland & Barrett or online. I hope this helps you.

From what you say this is an industrial injury sustained at work from heavy lifting without equipment and proper training and as such you might be eligible for compensation. You could make enquiries about this.

Wishing you well, pain free and happy again soon.

MrsSAG

I'm use to pain I've got tattoos lol chroinc pain is never like having tattoos try having it 24/7 and taking cocktail of painkillers

Don't send me a pm never asked for one not opened it anyhow

I found it funny "I can take pain I've had tattoos "

I have lower back problems budging discs from the L5 down I also have pains down my right leg.

Ask your GP to do a referral letter to the pain clinic I have spine blocks for the pain and have had radio frequency for the pain in the leg.

Try not to put on weight and keep moving this will help

Young male. Chronic lower back pain.

If you haven't been referred to a rheumatologist to rule out ankylosing spondylitis, then ask your GP about that. Pain killers don't do a lot for it - you need antiinflammatory treatment as its a kind of inflammatory spinal condition.

I have had a year of hell with the same sort of thing but I am older - 47. I thankfully have a great GP who referred me for an MRI and a slipped disc was seen. The pain is TERRIBLE and has reduced me to taking antidepressants as I have got as low as I thought I could go. I am now having a discectomy in a few months following a nerve block injection that has had some effect in easing the pain but is not always long lasting - in my case it took 4 weeks to start working and has started to wear off after about 2 months so now I have been given the option of an operation. My GP has arranged for me to have this done via patient choice at The Spire hospital in Buckinghamshire (I had the nerve block injection there) and it is great there. I have found that the only thing that ever really controls my pain is Oramorph which is a liquid form of morphine and believe me I have tried all the drugs that have been mentioned on here. Some people have terrible side effects with some of these (especially Amitriptyline) it depends on each person with medication as we all react differently and you must remember that any opiate is addictive but with this type of extreme pain it over-rules the addictive downside, as I for one could not function without it as the pain had me unable to move, sleep or function in any way. So give Oramorph a try and discuss patient choice with your GP and do your research on a hospital that can deal with your particular needs and ask for a referral to that hospital as the waiting list on the NHS are a joke. If I had been relying on the NHS I would still have been waiting for my first appointment with a consultant nearly a year since this all started. Good luck - I hope I have been of some help and believe me I completely understand your pain and predicament.

Ask about using ibuprofen gel or diclofenac gel - its still an NSAID, but because you don't take it orally, it doesn't go through your stomach, and you tend not to get the same kind of side effects from it.

i just read your comment and thought have you tried MST continous as your doctor about these as my hubby is on these with alot of back pain and it helps him alot

You could try gabapentin or pregabalin for nerve pain, both are anti epileptic meds that are also used for pain. Also McTimoney Chiropractor and acupuncture have helped me.

Really feel for you..My back pain started when i was 11yrs old Doctor told me it was an old man's complaint & couldnt do owt about it..ha. I have had no end of treatment including none medical nothing worked. Had fusion of the bone Operation when i was 24 .. still had bad pain went for 2nd opinoin,,was told it was osteoarthritis & nothing could be done about it.. so once again ive had no end of medical & none medical treatments..including morphine. Osteoarthritis cannot be cured so we have to look for things to do or take just to ease it a little & this can be difficult..but the one thing ive found for me, just for a fast relief is a hot water bottle ( but not always nr one).. Massages are great too..but can be costly so look around & i am 55yrs.. so all i can say is please try try has much as you can to look & try for pain relief dont cope with it. Oh and i bet like me you look as fit has a fiddle??

ThemaCare (Boots/Superdrug) do a wrap for the lower back..These are ok too..but try to get these when on offer:

Take care & good luck...