Working seems to be my life

[WorkingIsNotALife]

I am 21 years old and female. I have a career as a client support assistant for an IT company and I absolutely love my job. I couldn't ask for a more under standing company either. The only problem is I have a prolapse disc between L5-S1 so really low down on my back. I take a ridiculous amount of medication each day- around 30 pills at minimum! I struggle with migraines as well you see. Not only that but they don't really do much I still end up going back to the doctors each month complaining of further pain in other parts of my body.... I'm sure they think I'm lying! I'm stuck with what to do.... I absolutely love my job but I end up so tired at the end of the day I'm in bed by the time I get home! That's no way to live life. I end up with depression so much and you know every dr says do excercise... Well I have about 20 stretches and things I do religiously on a daily basis yet I still end up in spasms and agonising pain. I have had injections and they ended up worse due to the bruising that was caused in the process. I've lost feeling down my legs and have pins and needles pretty constantly now. I'm pretty sure at 21 you are supposed to go out and enjoy your life and there's me almost wishing mine away. Any advice or guidance, even questions I can ask my dr or consultant would be greatly appreciated.

[Hidden]

You most definitely need better pain management as you are way too young to be in this way

[Hidden]

Do you in the UK, I;m guessing you are telling the Dr you can manage work but have no energy left to do live a little

[WorkingIsNotALife in reply to Hidden]

Yes I live in surrey. And I have told my DR a million times they just don't seem to care. I'm at the point where I take a ridiculous amount of medication and they just chuck more at me each time I go. Pain management aren't much better they just say use a tens machine but there's only so much that does until it actually hurts too. I feel stuck at the moment.

[Sazntef]

Ask about your local pain clinic, great to help you for your life around the pain. Try a TENS doesn't work for everyone but helps many greatly, your doctor may be able to help with a loaner to try. Look into local hydrotherapy, better way to do your stretches whilst supported by the warm water. Look into Alexander Technique teachers in the area, help you reduce the pain greatly with simple lessons (I was cynical about this one but it had helped the most). The stretches may be doing more harm than good, stretching a muscle stuck in spasm will make it worse. Dial back so you're only starting to activate the muscle hold for ten count and relax. You can build up from there and not push into the pain. Look into aromatherapy massage. Another one that your gp may be able to help with for NHS in local area.

Keep trying. I've been doing this for 16 years through pain and still in full time work. I just couldn't bare to give up the work, my company is also really understanding and help with work station.

Sarah

Xx

[Danslatete]

I had surgery at your age. It is most likely to injure your back between 18-22 and then in your 40's, later due to wear and tear earlier to over rotation or extension type injury. Do try a tens machine, I found it helped and when I was able to reduce the medications I slept better and was able to cope better with the difficulties I had. I also was desperate and I tried many alternative treatments along side what my GP was doing! I still have accupuncture 20 odd years later but now it's in the NHS at pain clinic. I would suggest that you keep a diary of symptoms, see a neurologist, get refered to a pain management clinic so that they can look at your meds and give you a mix that's most effective for you. No point in taking something that's not working especially if it's causing things like rebound migraines.

I hope you get sorted out soon. I know how demoralising it is to live with debilitating pain.

I had prolapse l4/5 l5/S1 operated on twice and still suffer the after effects now. I was 20 on the first op and 21 on the second.

[johnsmith]

You need to see an Ergonomic specialist for an ergonomic assessment of your workplace. Ergonomics is the study of the work environment and how the work environment if wrongly designed leaves to ill health.

You need to see an Alexander Teacher for advice and help with muscle control and posture. This could make a lot of difference to the pain and discomfort you experience.

Hope this helps.