Hi have to ask has anyone got any good results without surgery?
Have had MRI
Physio sent letter to doctor to get neurology tests (3 month wait for appointment)
My doctors have been useless. Ibuprofen is all i have been left with to cope with the pain and the nerve damage.
Very dissapointed with the care from the NHS
Bee
Hello Bee,
I have prolapsed discs in the same area and have made the decision not to go down the surgery route.
I did lots of research and then had a very frank discussion with my GP who was excellent.
My view is that there are no guarantees with surgery.
When it comes to pain management, you are entitled to live as pain free as possible.
If anti-inflammatory meds are used then a stomach protector should also be prescribed.
If it were me, I would see another GP if you are not getting effective treatment from the one you are seeing. Consider raising your concerns with the practice manager or even changing surgeries.
I would ask to be referred to your local pain clinic. These have people who are highly skilled in helping you to manage living with chronic pain.
Don't forget the mental health side as well. There are well established links between chronic pain and depression.
In my view, spending time researching information about your condition is time well spent. The next time you see your Doctor, you can ask them for what you want and why. That may make it harder for them to refuse.
Good luck.
Best wishes,
Dave
I have found relief from epidural injections and from a compounded pain cream that includes ketamine, lidocaine and an nsaid. Rest helps, ice and heat, gentle stretching. Sometimes with a disk, the surrounding muscles get extremely tight, so massage might help. All of my cervical and lumbar disks are prolapsed and some thoracic. I wouldn't have surgery unless I was in jeopardy of loosing my ability to walk; I've had friends whose conditions were made worse after surgery and it's so risky.
Perhaps you can get Physical Therapy for a month or two and include ultrasound, electrical stimulation, along with the usual modalities.
The pain will subside and then come back. Please try to take care of yourself and take drugs if you need them and can get them. There is no reason to suffer uneccesarily.
Hi i am struggling to get a doctors appointment that will help let alone pain management. If i didn't have the trapped nerves i would be fine. The nerves cause me constant pain in my legs and feet which then makes it hard to walk. I am currently waiting 3 months for a neuroligist appointment because apparantly my disk is only slightly trapping the nerves and i should not be in this state. I went to physio to start with treatment and they refused to treat me until i have seen a neuroligist they were the ones who told the doctor to refur me because he had refused to do anything elseuntil i had done 6 weeks physio x
Im in your boat also with prolapsed discs have been for many years i was sent once for Radiofrequency injection which burns the nerve endings that was because of very severe sciatica which made me bed ridden for 3 months. It was a marvelous outcome and to this very day years on i never suffered sciatica again. Its fairly severe procedure but so worth it the probe has to touch the offending nerve end and burn it so you can imagine its not wee buns. Im waiting on further injections of a different sort ive been referred but there is a waiting list. My lower back is worse in bed trying to turn over and first thing getting up in morning until ive loosened up somewhat by trying to be as mobile as i can be. Other than that i get prescribed Solpodol 500x30gms i dont think they do much pain relief so i only take them now and again. Im just holding out for these injections to hurry up and that they will be the answer as i do not want surgery either. I was told once from the hospital doctor were going to operate but said the scar tissue would leave me in pain afterwards so the injections would be a better option.
Hi Sorry to hear you are in the same boat. I have just been called by my physio who has told me that 3 months is to long to wait to see Neurology so if i cant get my appointment moved then i need to go to A&E and tell them my symptoms are getting worse. Have not been able to leave the house on my own since Feb and they want me to wait until september to get any help. My doctors have been useless told me until i had done 6 weeks physio they would not even consider sending me to Neurology. Gave me gabapentine 300mg per day then up it to 600mg after a week. When i needed more tablets i couldnt get an appointment for 4 weeks and they wouldn't up the dose without seeing me so i came off them and have had no help since. I am disgusted that this is how anybody is treated. Real had enough now. Can't do anything.
I don't want surgery have heard that it never fix's the problem just causes more down the line. Will go try and call Neurology again.
Let you know when i hear some good news lol
Ask your GP for Naproxen which is an anti-inflammatry but you do need something to protect your stomach as the first reply highlighted, such as Omeprazole. Never have ibuprofen or stronger anti-inflammatries on an empty stomach.
Light stretching will help, such as stretching for the hamstrings and glutes. Try to stay active, so even walking amount will help. Hot water bottles are helpful too.
Ask for a referal to a pain clinic.
I've found with my referals, not just back related ones, need pushing, if you don't hear back within a reasonable time frame then call whoever made the referal to chase it up or if the referal has gone through to the new place then call them and ask if they have received the referal and say you are in pain and could they make the appointment whilst you are on the phone.
I have 2 bulging discs l3/4 l4/5 and discitation all lumbar with an annular tear and had zero treatment or concern yet bowels don't work lm numb in saddle area totally and sciatica but l'd rather go to my dogs vets for treatment than nhs, they have ruined my life with their ignorance and neglect for 12 years now l've lost independence driving licence and having to get an adapted new home whenever that happens, l was also left to walk on fractured legs for 18 months l found out when l had to go to private ortho as 3Nhs Fife orthos dismissed me without examination as told malingering even when no pulse foot ice cold and grey Gp sent me home. My ankle was dislocted Aug 2015 left facing backwards for almost 3 hours then marked up for surgery next day as had 3 displaced fractures in tibia and a dislocated spiral fracture in fibula but different ortho came in next day never looked at me sent me get a plaster on and was made to walk on these injuries the next day on a non weight bearing cast the plaster guy said no way walk on it!. The ortho didn't report my injuries he only reported a wee fracture in fibula n went to Australia 4 weeks later. I went to physio as foot leg huge purple going blue numb burning pain ice cold no movement etc. They wrote in my notes she has significant mental issues as thinks her ankle was dislocated but it wasn't???? I have all my records xrays AnE reports all showing my injuries yet 2 other orthos still didn't believed me and wrote l was exaggerating the pain. The private ortho wanted to put screws plates in leg bones n fix joint in nhs Lothian but too risky as l now have CRPS and still in moon boot and crutches and pain 24/7 and spreading and no one will help me not even the pain team as think its all in my head???? Anyway this has turned into a rant.... Sorry guess what lm trying to say is don't give up, l changed Gp practice got in touch with patient services advice etc. After 12 years l got appt with rhuematology in May who told me all my pain and symptoms has been CRPS since a car crash in 2001, due to being dismissed by specialists as l was supposed to have a mental disorder this disease has spread n now disabled. Saw psychologist who again asked Gp to get me help as deteriorating fast and l have never had mental health disorders wrote that l am so determined and resilient she had to stop my appts as l have nothing wrong mentally but her bosses were involved to get referrred hence rheumatologist. Anyway.... I always think of it was the doctors sister or Dad would they treat them the same and lm sure it's discrimination not to treat a patient even if have mental illness it's against human rights. So i.ll go to B&Q if anything else breaks n fix myself up, my bones are crumbling n spread to organs body wide too, no treatment no cure and most docs specialist never heard of it and even when pain team knew l had it they still refused to treat me so it's spread. God help anyone who does have a mental health as the NHS thinks it's ok not to operate, do investigations or even respect and take you seriously. I'm a qualified sports development officer and physio with diploma anatomy n physiology so l will be getting lawyers involved as it's beyond comprehension what is written in GP notes and hospital records e.g gastroenterologist referral to gynae wrote "takes what she says with a pinch of salt" and attached to a 3 page scan showing solid masses and complex cysts etc etc. I pray that no one else has been through the mental torment and unnecessary suffering due to nhs ignorance, negligence and discrimination. I really wish you all the best and never give up, the NHS is getting away with so much as no one is aware mistakes been made or negligence etc as we trust them they only do what's best for us....... I can assure you that is sadly not the case anymore. They wrecked me of my confidence n l believed them until my leg nerves didn't lift up my foot n l stood on it dislocating and busted it up. I knew something not right so got all my records and now when l'm able l do more editing and sort reports highlighting errors so can get them to patient services and then lawyers. While there is life there is hope and hopelessness is just a feeling....not a fact! God Bless, Deb.
Hi Deb I'm Chris.I have read what happened to you in complete horror and amazement. Last year I fell through a floorboard .I had small fracture .damaged both shoulders .That was September last year.I started work November and February this year I had to leave my job.Mir scan showed I have damaged 3 discs in my Lumber Spine and I have Nerve root impingment on multiple levels.You know what your talking about.I to got sent to Physio for my shoulder which scan showed I have Bursitus in both.I had injection in both as my Dr put half in both shoulders as i was in so much pain and had difficulty moving them.It helped but only couple of months.I went Physio last week he wouldn't touch my back as i had nerve root impingement and Surgeon could only tell him.I told him I wasn't seeing Surgeon .I was seeing MSK Team in couple of weeks.As I was in so much pain with shoulders and back I must of held my self stiffly so my neck keeps going in spasm according to my Gp. I have pain from my neck down my spine numbness bottom of spine.I also have developed Sciatica on my left.My Gp has given me sick note 2months as in so much pain.I also have to have Assessment from UC.From your Knoledge what treatment do u think MSK Team will offer me ??? Physio said it should be Spine specialist or Ortho Surgeon.I am scared if this is offered .My Physio said don't opt for Open Surgery under any circumstances.Is he right??My Gp originally said thers different surgeries he said they could do minimal ok where they look at nerves which are impinged.I am scared.
Nhs is abysmal, would they treat their son or mum the way they do us pain sufferers. I can't believe how many of us are just dismissed and forgotten about if we don't stick up for ourselves it shouldn't be such a struggle to get treated especially as life's already a struggle. Hope you get something sorted, God Bless, Deb.
IS there an alternative to morphine
I suffer with chronic pain due to a degenerative disease of my lumbar spine.
Symptoms of headache
Back pain driving me crazy 
