Do any of you feel like giving up, I suffer from depression and anxiety, as well as my back pain which is just wearing me down. I take zomorph slow release 60g morning and night, and a lot of the time I take 120mg more than prescribed. I am going to see a surgeon in a couple of weeks but I feel like everyone thinks I am making it up.
I had an extract from a hospital letter please comment
Hi,
Sorry I can't help you with your specific issues of your back. I guess you can make up your mind about surgery after you have had the consultations with the specialists.
however a couple of thoughts. It may be worth asking whether you can go to a pain clinic if you aren't already. Also there will be a link between pain and your depression/anxiety. Have you had counselling for that? Does your pain medication have an impact on your mental wellbeing?
All the best
Hello Rod I remember your post from going on to lighter work duties. . I can't read the extract from your letter but something does worry me.
You say you have been prescibed 60x twice a day and you are taking double that amount. Is your GP aware of this? Dosages of any sytong drugs are measured for a very good reason and to self medicate as much as this can be dangerous.
Yes most of us on this forum have had enough in one way or another but with the right help and support you will get through this.
Depression and anxiety can go hand in hand with chronic pain as ou can see no end. Never ever give up.
You will find what you CAN do not what you can't and you musst try and focus on that. Never look back at what you used to do. That is in the past and that's whener it is best left. Past.
Tell your GP what you have told us.
And there is always someone here to listen of you want. I just wish we all had the magic answers.
Hugs
Pat x
Tell me about it, especially now that winter is here, but hey ' there are people out there worse off, so we must try to plod on the best we can, I wish you well, and let it out on here it might help a little, best A lex
Hi Ron-S, I'm in a very similar place as u r with ur back pain problems, anxiety,depression & i also av panic attacks. There are a lot of days were I feel that i just can not cope with the intensity of the pain im having anymore, i feel like people are hearing what im saying, but there just don't get how much pain im in, & there don't realize that im not coping very well with it on my own.It wasn't until l went to a pain clinic that i learn' t to cope with the pain better, even though i still loose it abit & want the world to stop so I can get off,then when I calm my self down i cope much better, although the pain is there all the time. One thing i do want to say is I take Zomorph slow release 100mg twice daily + oramorph for break though pain +Ibuprofen Gel 10%w/w & im still in great pain with my lower back, I don't think the pain will ever go away properly, so now Im doing my best to try & learn to live with it. Please, please go to ur doctor & av a good chat with him/her, but please stop taking more tablets then u should as this could be damaging other organs that u don't no about which could be very dangerous for you. please let us all no how u get on. Good luck. Gentle hugs x.
Hi,
I have been thinking of suicide of late. There is nothing much to stick around for. With several medical complaints ruining my life and doctors not acknowledging the problem but saying in my medical notes it is a delusion where does that leave me? Well someone can have mental health issues and physical ones too. The medical people are letting me down and have been treating me like rubbish. I am stuck in every which way you can think of. I have put on masses of weight from small amounts of medication for one complaint. I bought rope to hang myself and I can't get that right as it is not long enough. Never ending. Death is just an end of consciousness.
Offered you a virtual cuppa amd bix some months ago. You never did answer. So I ate the bix.
Have you tried the forumon depresssion? They have some good folk on there who understand and may help. Tell your GP what you have said here. If he doesn't listen change to another.
There is help out there but you have to meet it half way and not dismiss any ofers out of hand.
Virtual cuppa still on offer anytime you want
Pat x
Take Pat up on her so so kind offer, I think i have been in your situation myself and its people that take the time to listen change your life for the good, so good luck
I don't think so as far as the medics are concerned if you have mental health problems they won't listen about anything that is physical specially if they can't see it. They tell me that tests will show things up, what a joke. The tests don't. all in all, the medics are kidding themselves and fobbing me off as a cost cutting exercise, what else.
Our GP listens then refers were needed. Obviously pain clinic where they have an excellent team from surgeon to psychiatrist. They deal with the NH as well as the body.
Do you have a diagnosis? Lucky if you do. Very few patients at pain clinic ever get a diagnosis and that is no ones fault. The injury has long gone leaving the pain behind.
David's body is now so broken there's hardly any bit not affected but he figts on. MH is dealt with by our local CPN who knows CP and depression can be strong bedfellows. But she never gives up.
As i said - try and meet the medics and us half way. Think of something nice you enjoy.
x
Maybe you are taking too much stuff. Get back with your doctor and be sure to pray. I know that always does the job.
Hi.
I am one week post op for a discectomy. It was on the L5/S1. I had nerve root blockage which didn't work,so surgery was the next step. I too was on Zomorph. 100mg daily. Along with Baclofen,tramadol,Amitriptyline and co-codomol. Obviously taking all that medication creates different problems however it did ease the pain slightly. I had chronic leg pain all the way from my right buttocks to my right foot.it was horrible. I had this pain for over a year. After many consultation meetings with doctors and surgeons,it was decided the best case was to operate. My disc had prolapsed onto my nerve which was been crushed,hence the chronic pain. Anyway as I said at the beginning of the post. I have had the op and the leg pain is gone. I have slight pain in my back but that's only because of where the operation was. I would recommend it because I am much more Mobile and am sleeping a lot better.
I hope you get sorted because I sympathise greatly with you. It is a dibilatating pain and it's all you can focus on.
Best of luck pal
Doesn't sound like a lot of pain relief. Would have thought to have seen a muscle relaxant there too like diazepam or one of that group.
It's getting harder to get referred to a consultant now and harder to get the consultant to offer a scan, MRI or X-rays. Let alone anything else, it is my understanding that they are working on some kind of financial assistance for this.
I like you had spinal surgery but lower down but many years ago. Mine is now in my neck where I have three bulging discs. The pain clinic has offered CBT which I've already done and some physio and to reduce my painkillers. Physio Feb 2016. I can no longer work and bed bound mostly for the comfort of my neck!
Good luck Patrick
Hi Rod-S
Your hospital letter acknowledges your diagnoses and the problems you still have. I would say they definitely don't think you're "making it all up".
The irritations and impingements on your nerves and nerve root alone should give you enough ammunition to ask for better pain management strategies and medication.
Ask the surgeon all you can in the time you're with him/her. Take questions written down so you don't forget them!
As others have said, you're not on much medication so ask for a complete review of the situation and more meds accordingly from your GP.
Unfortunately, sometimes we have to take control of our own care but it may not always be a bad thing as we know what we want & need but you must stop taking the extra Zomorph otherwise they may not trust you to enough to prescribe other meds.
All the best.
RayJayC
Thanks every one for the advice and kind words. my doctor does not seem to care, I hope the surgeon can help, I have seen occupational health at work and she said that the surgeon is the best person to see to get pain management etc. still off work and they may finish me on health grounds.
Anyone had deep nerve root block injections?
Anyone had hand therapy for Chronic repetitive strain injury of the wrists? 
Had to finish Work
