Chronic back

[Slotmachine33]

Hello I've just joined the site and just to say hello 👋 x

[Bananas5]

Hello

Are you going to tell us any more about yourself? I notice nothing on your profile either

x

[Slotmachine33 in reply to Bananas5]

Hi yes I'm just learning how to use the site ,I've had lower back pain for 6 months which is probably not long compared to a lot of other people but feel like 6 years to me, I just was looking for somewhere to talk about it and to people who might be in the position, had a run of bad luck since December I fell and broke my shoulder and had to have a complete shoulder replacement then about 5 and half months after that I woke up one morning and could hardly walk ,cut a long story short I was told it was all muscle from not moving and staying in one position for too long after my operation, but now had xrays and been told its arthritis and degeneration and muscle , I've been referred msk and been given physio but it's the pain needs to get under control its getting me down as a lot of painkillers I can't take as I have a stomach condition they also started me on calcium tablets which made me sick , and all the exercises I do I end up pulling more muscles and more pain so very miserable at the moment .

[elaine2447 in reply to Slotmachine33]

I am very sorry to hear this. I am just over a decade over than you and I fractured my spine about six years ago but have coped fine with it and even had a parathyroidectomy in March 2020 so thought my life was going to start over. However, getting to you and your stiffness. Coincidentally, but i think not, nor does the consultant, I was quite active and in May 2021 i had the first covid vax and was fine that day, just walked home the two miles which is nothing to me. However, the next morning I could not move and could barely get out of bed and that is how i have been now for the last 17 months. I am under a consultant and had peripheral neuropathy confirmed which is hell and gets worse by the week. The thing that puzzles me after doing so much DIY all my life (my husband died when my daughter was 3), now just the slightest little thing i do seems to upset all my muscles. Yesterday I noticed the plug hole i the downstairs basin has a build up of limescale and so i was using a scouring pad on it. This morning, my wrists , arms and even under my armpits and top of my ribs are sore.]

The problem with having fractures, like your shoulder, it seems that osteoarthritis sits in the system just waiting to home in on any fractures. Cocodomol do not agree with me so I only take one which barely does anything. I have been offered gabapentin or pregabalin but i do not fancy either, firstly i am sure they would upset my stomach, the are originally intended for epilepsy and addictive and taken long term can cause osteoporosis, which i have quite severely. Sorry not to be of any help but to let you know you are not alone. I am not a tearful person but this morning the pain really got to me and had a good sob.

[Slotmachine33 in reply to elaine2447]

Hello Elaine thanks for your reply and so sorry to hear all what's happened to you, for a minute all what you said could have been me ! I'm more or less the same I was only turning a tap off a few days ago but coughed at the same time and it felt like I had broke a rib indee my chest , to say I was fed up is an under statement I couldn't believe it, I was just getting g on with my physio and that happened bit that happens all the time I feel like I can't win and never going to get better, I was like you very active before I broke my shoulder but this year has been horrible and looks like another Christmas not being able to do much, but my ribs are getting better now but still a bit painful but not as much as my back,I've just got back from a walk just around the block a couple of times and now I'm sitting with a heat pad on my back because walking starts the pain worse but I know it's because I don't do it enough but can only do what we can, also when you have have been doing all what we've been told and the pain s still there makes you want to give up and think what's the point, I take paracetamol and ibuprofen I won't take anything else medication scares me and what I did try made me ill so I stick to them, but it does make us feel better when you know your not the only one I just pray It will go the way it came out the blue ,I say to people I will have to go round wrapped in bubble wrap lol thank you again for sharing your story with me and and just hope you will get some relief soon ,I'm also having therapy for the mental side of chronic pain but not finding it helpful ,all the best to you x

[elaine2447]

Oh dear we sound like a pair of old crocks. I was walking fine until this struck me and just doing a few metres sets my lumbar and thoracic spine off and all around the front of me like a tight band. I live on heatpads, the microwaveable wrap around types so have one around the front and one around the back. I look like a tellytubby. Paracetomol do absolutely nothing for me and ibruprofen would upset my stomach. I did try the coated version Flarin but they were pretty useless.

I am of looking a PEMF mats as someone i write to on the osteoporosis section has one and is getting on okay with it. When i was on the chat line to the company this morning they felt the 2 gauze would not be powerful enough and suggested the stronger version but too expensive for me at the moment newmedltd.co.uk/products/bi... The one i would have been interested in is this one but they only guarantee for 1 year newmedltd.co.uk/products/om...

[Slotmachine33 in reply to elaine2447]

We certainly do haha well I look like the grinch where my shoulders have rolled over and my stomach sticks out that's what I look like, oh yes they are expensive even the cheaper one especially if you paid that money and it didn't work , but as I keep getting told we have to be positive which isn't easy is it but we have to try something, well I'm still sitting with my heat pad tablets haven't done much this time after walking but I think it's because I haven't done any excersises for a couple of days because of my ribs hurting, can't win, do you sleep OK Elaine that's probably the only time I'm not in pain x

[Cosy_toes]

hey, welcome. I’m fairly new too. Struggling with lower back slipped disc pain, UTI sufferings which are causing me to have terrible depression where I’m considering ending my life. The pain is unbearable so I can relate but I suspect im a lot younger than you. Welcome to the group

[Slotmachine33 in reply to Cosy_toes]

Hello cosy toes thank you for message, I'm really sorry for the way your feeling I understand unbearable pain and not being able to cope especially when it's constantly, do you get any relief cosy with your pain are you on medication, have you seen anyone about the depression doctor or online ,I'm just about to start some therapy for depression but I don't how it will go because it's on the phone and can't sit for too long in one place because the pain gets worse then I won't be able to carry on talking, but we have to keep trying I think and not give up ,but do understand the pain and depression one on there own is enough but pain and depression is just horrible I know how your feeling and I hope you can get some relief soon, take care cosy you can message anytime if you want to talk x

[Cosy_toes]

I would love to talk now if that’s ok? I’m incredibly depressed and lonely because of pain. I get some relief occasionally but recently, the pain feel relentless. Now I’m confused as to what is worse - pain or depression.

I’m on pregabalin, oxycodone and paracetamol for my pain. NHS Pain management? Still waiting

How are you doing lately?

[Cosy_toes]

p.s. with regards to getting help for depression that has hit a brick wall as I’m scared out of my soul. I have a young child whom is currently with my mother, and the NHS want ALL my details about my child for ‘safeguarding’. I’m scared witless of social services becoming involved and the focus on my child rather than getting me better. I am very scared and a lone at the moment and I’m 37.

[Slotmachine33 in reply to Cosy_toes]

Sorry only just see your other message, well I'm not surprised your scared at all won't help your depression will ot because just giving you more to worry about, but I think when children are involved I think that's what they have to do because the same happened to a friend of mine but they just have to make sure I think but that doesn't help you does it, try not to worry about social services concerning your child you have done nothing wrong and your child is with your mum being looked after they can't do anything about that its questions they have to ask please try not to worry you will make yourself feel more worse than you already do , if you ever feel so bad you can go to AE they can get you the right help for depression x

[Slotmachine33]

Yeah that's fine , no I don't know either I think there just as bad as one another both relentless, I'm taking ibuprofen and paracetamol I tried some others in the beginning but had to stop them ,they all upset my stomach or make me feel ill, I started taking amtitriptyline and was doing OK for about 2 weeks then I started to feel absolutely terrible so I rung my doctors and they said stop them I felt bad enough without any extra symptoms to put up with, but at the moment I have bad days with the pain and not so bad and some days I just can't do anything with the pain, but the pain is all day from the time I get up ,but I was also referred to the msk people which has just given me physio to do which puts me in more pain ,can't win x

[Cosy_toes]

thank you for your kind words.

I wish there was an off button for pain - for all of us

I don’t know what will kill me first, tue reason for the pain or the depression

[Slotmachine33 in reply to Cosy_toes]

I know its relentless but I'm sure the way your feeling will start to ease and you will cope better , I keep saying why haven't they got a tablet yet that take the pain away not one that takes the edge off one to take it away, its been lovely to talk to you cosy its good to speak to someone who feels the same and knows exactly how your feeling it does help you sometimes don't think its helping but it does in the long run, I'm now going to attempt a shower without making my back worse lol I hope the rest of your evening can be slightly better for talking and if you want to message me even if it's during the night I can read it in the morning x

[Slotmachine33 in reply to Cosy_toes]

Hello I'm not sure if you received my last message about an hour ago I think I may have sent it to myself by mistake lol just didn't want you to think I didn't reply x