Pain wont go away

[Pattie44]

Hi, I'm new to this but would appreciate any ideas in dealing with constant pain. I have lower back disc bulge for 3 years . It has caused me to walk with a bad limp and I have constant pain in leg and hip. I have been diagnosed with fybromylitis and arthritis. I have tried exercise, yoga, pilates, various types of healthy food diets. Perscription drugs make me feel ill so I take paracetamol, co codomol, ibruphen, over the counter painkillers at various time but truly nothing has made me feel any better, in fact I know I am getting worse. I feel the doctors has just resigned me to the "you will never get better - live with it" pile. Its very depressing as I just want to feel well and do things. Has any one had similar and now feel a bit better?

[Jonimo]

Hi Pattie,

My journey with chronic back pain began with a blown disc at sciatic nerve. Pain was intense to severe for years. I went from very physically active to barely able to sit at a desk for short periods.

Acupuncture helped provide temporary relief as did massage. Kinda messed up taking methadone for years in order to “function” - it resulted in a heart arrhythmia and a pacemaker implant. Finally off all meds now after 15 years - pain is quite tolerable and wonderful not to have all the horrible side-effects, especially suicidal thoughts.

You are well off avoiding the pharma stuff. Finding whatever exercise you can tolerate and sticking with it is really the best. Swimming and other aqua therapy is often the best option for us with bad discs. Movement fights depression better than any drug. And staying social. This site is filled with folks who have lots of experience and who care - great combo! You are leaps and bounds ahead of where I was at the start of persistent pain. Keep reaching forward as the past isn’t an option anymore. Treat yourself well and expect professionals to do so too. If one or ten can’t help keep seeking. True healing is a personal journey but having good pros can make a big difference. You got this!

[deejames]

I haven't managed to stay off the strong medication but it is a balance between being active and taking opiates or being totally inactive and the situation getting worse.

A Tens machine helps a lot particularly in the evening. I make sure I keep doing exercises specifically to keep my spine mobile ( or as much as it can be) and my core muscles very strong. I had years of limping which had a huge knock on effect just like you are experiencing. I woukd concentrate on finding out how you can improve your walking gait and general posture. A chiropractor or physio will be able to watch you move, sit, stand etc and see where the problem lie.

My son, who is very tall, was experiencing sore backs a lot of the time. He put it down to his height. My chiropractor saw him and showed him that he was bending with his knees pointing inward. The bad backs have disappeared.

Good luck with staying off opiates

Dee

[Alison2003]

Hi I had a disc bulges.over 8years ago and didn't think anything about it as there was no serious pain then 5year ago my leg started going into spasms and lower back pain began.saw consultant who virtually told me to loose weight and it was inoperable.sent me to a physio just to keep me quiet I think.found out from the physio there was a trapped nerve where the disc was.after several Mris and tablets to take for nerve pain I have now been diagnosed with early stage ms.keep on at the doctors.I left it too late thinking they knew best.hope it works out for you

[Pattie44]

Thank you Jonimo, Deejames and Alison2003 you have made me feel less alone in this. All good sound advice which I appreciate. Will keep up exercises and aim to walk without a cane. Take good care of yourselves too.

[betabyte]

I changed doctors from a spine specialist to a neurologist and expecting the neurologist to refill my morphine before I got to see him. Just the opposite happened ....he is taking me off and upped the milligrams of gabapentin..nerve pain medicine to 800 mg. I was taking percocet and morphine to deal with pain of leg and back and shoulder. It was only thing that is strong enough to mask pain and alleviate hurt in the body. Had one doctor say all that other junk they give you is sugar pills or salt pills and does no good. You can't exercise an injured back my friend.....it's going to exacerbate the pain level. Some say if you look at the narcotic meds it's going to addict you....if you're in true pain, it only goes to the pain and starts working on the pain. If in doubt...try for a week and get off it a week. A true addict cannot put it down.

[H-slinky]

Hi I also suffer with spondylitis in neck and back and I am on 19 pills a day. I use headspace meditation, they have a pain meditation section which is fantastic. I also go to the gym and walk on a treadmill and walk in the pool which is helping, I have joined slimming world and lost 2 stone so far . The pain has reduced slightly and I used to be on 23/24pills a day. Exercise and losing weight and positive thinking is key hope this helps xx

[BarbaraAnne5168]

Believe it or not, try a gluten-free diet! Researchers are finding that people with chronic pain are finding significant benefits from a gluten-free diet. It will take at least a month before you begin to see/feel relief.

Just remember though, you are detoxing your body of a lifetime of gluten, so be patient.

If you decide to give this a try, post you progress, if you don't mind?

[Bevoly in reply to BarbaraAnne5168]

So true but watch the sugar in the g.free foods

[Bevoly]

It's hard living with pain. Persistence I found helped me. I almost died with liver failure in 2016 taking a rheumatoid drug. I decided to loose weight, exercise and radically change my diet. 5 stones later I'm beginning to feel better. I get pain when I either forget to take my herbal drugs or if I eat processed foods or I don't exercise. That doesn't mean it works for everyone but my pain has reduced from around 80per cent to 20 p.cent my drugs have reduced from 14per day to 1. I've accepted that I will have to live with some form of pain all my life every day but 15per cent is much better than 80. I don't do as much physical stuff like I used to and do one thing at a time. E.g. if I Do the gardening..i don't t cook and clean. If I clean my fridge I don't cook. I reduced my hours at work from days to 4'. I still. have to change my job but I know if I can semi retire..work 3 days a week, go on a hot summer holiday once a year, go gym for regular steaming room and sauna for my bones, practice mindfulness meditation,take my alternative meds e.g. turmeric, cod liver oil and stick to my parliament diet..I'm fine. I hope you can find what I have but we have to be persistent..it's a lifetime change..I really wish you all the best and don't stop trying to heal yourself. The internet has a lot of info we can research on.. you can buy alternative drugs etched on Amazon and read what people think before you buy. Turmeric for me is wonderful but you need to do everything else to feel the benefits. Take care of yourself

[carol-1966]

I last year I had l5s1 fusion worst mistake of my life it’s now left my spine weak I have degenerated disc disease with multi level disc bulges being referred to pain clinic physio refuse to do anything due to high pain levels on multiple drugs including morphine tablets and oramorph drs says nothing on mri warrants emediate attention so I’m stuck with this all went well after the original surgery last year then 3 months later it started again it gets me down but hopefully pain clinic will help when I finally get the appointment through. Also since my op I’ve suffered terrible leg pain and cramps hip and buttocks pain can’t sleep on my back or turn over without being in agony if I sit to long I’m in pain if I do to much I’m in pain so I can’t win please keep on at your doctors I don’t want anyone else to suffer this pain good luck