new here and stuck

[domkiv]

Hello Everyone

I've come to feeling stuck. I have had persistent back, joint pain and headaches over 15 years it has affected my quality of life as birthday and special occasions have been spent grinning-grimacing through the pain! I've had mixed experiences with doctors and have lost faith to a certain extent with them. I have been sent to physios, a couple of whom have been patronising asking me to show exercises they have set, whilst having their back turned to me printing out more exercises! I've had a doctor say to me 'you don't help yourself, you don't excericise' whilst not having asked me in the first place if I did do exercise! I had an MRI 5 years ago which showed an L5 disc problem and schmolles nodes. Recently I have had shooting pains in my hips. On recommedation of the occ. health doctor I asked recently to have another scan (I would like to see if there any changes in my back) and this was brushed off. I asked can I see a specialist, to which the reply was 'What do you mean a specialist' the physios are who you need to see- they are specialists' I was upset and in the end just thought 'whatever'. After brushing of my request to see a specialist she told me to do my exercises...without asking me if I had been doing exercises! As it happens I've been trying to sort out my back pain by going to the gym but injured myself after an exercise and was left on/off without feeling in my leg for a month and a half. I go swimming but this often ends up once a week because I have to get someone to look after my daughter and it depends on how inflamed I am as to how much good it does me. I went to a pilates class which was a big mistake I had to have time off work after each session because of increased pain. I've also tried belly dancing without success as it gave me a lot of pain afterwards-(I know this was because /i hadn't warmed up enough though), I tried tai chi and got knee pain. I have privately paid for physio and osteopath sessions but can't afford to keep doing this. Im seriously considering hading in my notice at work because being a library assistant it is semi manual work and it doesn't help I get stiffer throughout the day. Im not really sure what to do..., what I can ask for from the doctor-I don't think they realise just how disabling back pain can be or just how much it affects quality of life and added complication is that I have had gastritus three times and was recommended no to take NSAIDS-though this recent visit I was precribed naproxen albeit with omeprazole (to help withstomach acid). What has others' experiences who have back pain been like in regards to doctors?

[Hidden]

Hi love really feel for you I too have suffered with severe backache for 14 years it as got that bad that I can't walk far I need a chair I had my first mri scan last week, waiting for results I have got a,tens machine and voltrol gel and pain comes through that even bin on morphine you need to see a different doc especially, with having hip trouble now there could be something else going off I'm in severe pain all time so I do understand take care always here to chat if you need me hugs jill xx

[domkiv in reply to Hidden]

Hello chatterbox69 thanks for you reply. At the doctors practice where I am you can never get to see a regular doctor so you see a different doctor each time (it has 13280 patients). For one of the good doctors you have to wait a couple of months. I think I may just have to resort to going to the private phyiso down the road, and getting some advise from him. He has written to the doctors on my behalf, for me before. I might also change doctors practise-I have been looking just can't decide which one yet as they are all oversubscribed. I hope you can get some answers from your MRI scan. Pain is less intense today thank goodness. I'm always here to chat too Dom xx

[lyzzie in reply to domkiv]

Hi Domkiv,

reading your message I realise how lucky I am with my surgery. I always see the same doctor unless he's off and I'm desparate. I've been seeing him for over twenty years so he knows me very well and my situation and has seen me through a lot including bereavement.A good doctor is vital, I think you should look into changing surgerys if you can find one you like. I thought that GP Practices could send you to a private Physio. on the NHS? I know mine did but I found that the physio actually made the pain worse, had to stop hydrotherapy for the same reason. So, first step? find a doctor that cares!. hope you feel more positive soon. Lyzzie.

[Marylyn]

Ask your dr for vitamin B12 serum & active,folate,ferritin,iron,vitamin D ,MMA.All your joint pain,IBS numbness can be vitamin deficiency.The anti acid meds are only going to drop your vitb12 more.check b12 awareness.org for facts.you may need to see a holistic dr as I saw 15 Drs with no diagnosis.

[domkiv in reply to Marylyn]

Hello Marylyn thanks for your reply -I've taken note and will look at that website. I was prescribed some iron tablets as they noticed my iron was low.

[Marylyn in reply to domkiv]

The fact your iron is low could be because of low B12.drs keep giving iron which doesn't stop you from being anaemic.

[Bananas5]

Regarding your job - the Law says your employer must make 'reasonable adjustments' for you. I don't know what they would be as a library assistant but speak with them. Local authority?

Ask your GP for a referral to the pain clinic.

[domkiv in reply to Bananas5]

Hello Paton- thanks for the comments I've seen the occupational health doctor and she gave reccomendations but it is difficult to put into practice as I often work with just my supervisor and she has two damaged discs in her back! I will have a talk with her though.

I was reffered to a pain clinic before but it never actually happened in the end because after the initial appointment I never heard back from them and when I rang them up to check what was happening the girl at the other end of the line said 'don't call us, we will call you' and they never did. I was quite low then so didn't go back to the gp about it, but I think I might suggest it at my next appointment

[domkiv in reply to Bananas5]

regarding my reply below forgot to say my local authority is croydon..

[bettyfl]

It sounds like you are in another country besides United States. I have had several back issues and therapy did not help. I go to a doctor who does spinal epidurals, burns the nerves if it it that. He sends me for an MRI if something new is happening. He also offers Botox for migraines. If you can mention these things maybe you can get someone to help. I see a different dr in another state for my Pudendal Neuralgia.

[domkiv in reply to bettyfl]

Hello bettfl yes, I'm from England. What you have said is interesting they have just sent me to physio s who don't actually manipulate you but give you exercises. your doctor seems very helpful!

[bettyfl in reply to domkiv]

I am sorry to hear that the only thing they do is give you exercises. I had that happen to me one time and I never went back.

I have had women's physical therapy and it is manipulation, not just exercises. they helped me over time, but I am just as bad as ever now. I am seeing a new dr on Tues so I hope I get some good news.

I hope you get some good news too and some help. Chronic pain is horrible and a horrible way to live, but I take my good days and thank God for those even though I know there will be bad days.

thoughts and prayers for you.

[domkiv in reply to bettyfl]

Hello Bettyfl Thank you for your kind reply I hope it goes well for you at the doctors on Tuesday. I've started to rate in a diary the pain out of ten and today I have seen a decrease in pain

[bettyfl in reply to domkiv]

Hello Domkiv,

Thank you so much for replying to me and your encouragement for the dr. I think that is a great idea. A pain diary is a good way to know when and how much we hurt. I think I will use your idea also. I am happy to say my pain has come down today also.

[lowlife]

I think it's time you changed your docter as this one sounds as though she hasn't got a clue what's she's doing. I had no help from mine when my L5 vertabra fractured so I chose another docter at another surgery who listens to what I have to say and has done everything that I've asked her to do. With low back pain often causes refered pain into buttocks, hips, legs and sometimes feet. As for your job if it's possible to hang onto it then do because it's one big stressful fight to get any type of benifit nowadays but ask your boss to help you in trying to manage your job and your pain. Listen to your body and change position when needed. Walk, stand, sit, bend and stretch if needed to ease the pain. Try tens machine, hot and cold packs etc. Don't you ever wish that you could pass your pain to someone else for a day so they know how it feels then tell them to excercise. I think they will be shocked at the pain it causes. X

[domkiv in reply to lowlife]

Hello-thanks for the reply, Yes I think I may need to go to another doctors practice, the one I'm at now you can only see different doctors-the ones you like, you end up waiting a couple of months to see-it's oversubscribed I'm getting quite a lot of reffered pain in my feet now as well. I am a little overweight (size 14 in clothes) and it is frustrating that, thats all they see because I do exercise and my job is a quite a manual one (lifting, shifting going up and down stairs and standing quite a lot of the time-I find the standing seems to be the most problematic) I do wish as well sometimes that they could feel my pain but just for the day or that a rash would appear where the pain was and I could point to it and say here, look here it is! I think it's true what you say I need to listen to my body a bit more. I have a tens machine but have not used it yet as my husband tried it on himself and found it alarming but I will give it a go..X

[Sue-S]

Hi I have had general, undiagnosed, pain for years. Show some inflammation, a bit of wear and tear etc, but nothing specific. I then found out I was quite severely vitamin D deficient and have been treated for it (you need prescription meds not over the counter). Not a miracle cure but I definitely need a lot less painkillers now. Also try magnesium tabs, one at night, these are muscle relaxants and my frozen shoulder which I had for three years is 99% better. Some people are always prone to pain like us, but these two things have made a significant difference and you don't have to take heavy prescription drugs.

[emmy-lou in reply to Sue-S]

Potassium also helps to regulate the nervous system and can be taken in combination with magnesium. Magnesium oils can also be rubbed into the legs to help diminish cramps. Bit greasy though! Out of interest, which Vitamin D do you use? I bought mine as a one a day 10,000mcg.

[Sue-S in reply to emmy-lou]

Hi Initially I was on just over 3,000 international units (iu) from the doctor on prescription, but I am now on a maintenance dose of 1,000 iu which I get from Amazon. They are Valupac and cost about £1 for 60. This is what the doctor recommended.

[dugsey]

I am not a doctor, but I hink it is possible that you may have Fibromyalgia, I base this thought on my own experiences over the last 30 years. When I was forced to give up work by my disability, no longer had any headaches or migrains, did not cure the muscle and joint pains, but they were usually worse on a day after excercise. My experience is that exercise makes it worst. Go see a Fibro specialist usually also a arthritus specialist as well.