Back pain: I'm desperate to hear some success stories

2012/12/03 10:29:00

bitflipper

I injured my back last June, lifting equipment after a gig. It's been a nuisance ever since, but a week ago it took a turn for the worse. The pain is excruciating. There is no position that doesn't hurt. Going on four days now with almost no sleep. Doc gave me Percocet on Friday, which dulls the pain for a little while, but I only have enough to last through tomorrow. After that, I don't know what I'll do.

I'm supposed to be getting an MRI, but I don't know when. They just said "don't call us, we'll call you". Fingers crossed it'll be today that they call. "Managed" health care, you know.

Meanwhile, I need to hear some success stories. Tell me you've been through this and got better. Tell me you didn't become a codeine addict in the process. Tell me there's an end game that doesn't involve a high bridge or firearms. (J/K, at least for now.) Please, no gloating from those living in Canada, France, Great Britain, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Japan, Cuba or anywhere else in the civilized world where health care and bankruptcy aren't part of the same program.

2012/12/03 10:41:13

The Maillard Reaction

Hi Bit,
Sorry to hear about your pain.

I've been doing leg lifts, squats, and lots of leg stretching but it isn't effective at counter acting sitting at a computer.
So, I hike and ride a bicycle a bit too.

I was limping a bit too much this fall because of an ankle injury coupled with a lifelong leg length discrepancy and it finally tweaked my back and it seemed like it would never go away.

I finally figured out I had to ignore my ankle pain (which really took a suck it up)... restore my stride (the one with the 2 length legs) and get my back, back happy.

It worked.

In general I am strong like ox, but I've gotten stiffer and stiffer in between exertion sessions and that makes it seem more difficult.

I don't have any actual advice because of the obvious fact that it's your back... but I am here to tell you that you can make it better once the first steps are managed carefully with your doctor.

Did I mention I was once smashed to smithereens by a Ford Van? My skull, neck, and back have been tender ever since. :-)

I avoid pain meds etc and just try to stay healthy by working and playing.

I hope you find some relief.

all the best,
mike

2012/12/03 10:43:03

jamesg1213

My daughter suffers with a bad back from time to time; she's been horse-riding since a very early age and has developed very strong back muscles, but they can lock-up with no warning.

Two things give her instant relief - the local chiropractor and occasional acupuncture.

2012/12/03 10:45:52

Bub

It's so odd to hear bad stories about health care.

I've never had any problem getting in to a doctor for an x-ray, mri, ultrasound or anything like that.

Actually, I've had the opposite experience. I was forced to go right away and was not allowed to leave.

My left leg was swollen, still is, been going on 2 ~ 3 years. The doctor thought it was a blood clot and sent me to the hospital immediately. They said if they found anything I would not be allowed to leave. I even argued with them and told them they'd have to call the police to keep me there and said they would if they had to.

From the time I made the appointment for the doc to the time he scheduled me for the ultrasound and was released from the hospital ... 4 hours, maybe?

Maybe I got spoiled living in Iowa. It really was a great place to live.

As for the back pain, I've suffered with it since I was a kid and have just become used to the pain. I'm dead set against taking pain pills, antibiotics, or any meds unless I'm down flat on my back. I had a bicycle accident when I was 14 and screwed my back up. Couldn't walk for a couple weeks, and still can't stand up straight because of the pain.

Hope everything turns out well for you. Hopefully it's just a pinched nerve somewhere and it will work it's way out. I've done that a few times too.

2012/12/03 10:52:17

The Maillard Reaction

Iowa is the birth place of my favorite branch of Chiropractic Medicine.

http://www.palmer.edu/

Don't ask me how I know. :-)

2012/12/03 10:57:04

Starise

I have been there Bit. I posted here not long ago about a similar problem. I feel for ya, its no fun at all.

In my case It was early in the morning before my muscles got into shape and I was throwing a metal antennae mast away. I must have just turned the wrong way and been holding it wrong when I turned to throw it. I felt something pop in my back and for two weeks after that I was practically an invalid.

My problem was around the L4,L5 region of my back. The pain was constant and severe, to the point that if I tried to walk even a short distance I almost couldn't bear it. I literally had to crawl to the bathroom for awhile and needed to shave laying on the floor looking at a hand mirror. Standing was next to impossible. For a week after that I mostly limped on one leg for no more than 15 or 20 feet before even that was unbearable.

Heres the good news- if your problem is a ruptured or split disk the problem will improve over time naturally. What commonly happens is the "jelly" in the disk squashes out or the disk becomes compacted or wedged the wrong way allowing the nerves in the back to be pinched. The disks themselves will regenerate and heal. This is what happened to me and after about three weeks things started to heal and get back to normal. No doc or chiropractor really helped. It was all my body healing itself. They can re-align your spine though and hopefully that will happen.

If you have someone that can bring you food and have no need to go anywhere I would stay off of it as much as possible until they can see you. My injury was also one of those things that re occurs every so often. I was determined not to let them cut me unless it was the very last resort. The docs see so many patients that I think they sometimes jump right to a cookie cutter diagnosis like back surgery. The percentages of long term success with back surgey are not all that great overall.

I remember those nights of constant pain and not sleeping all too well. No matter which way you turn the pain is still there. Things will get better bit but the wait to heal can be rough.

I am now completely ok and I thought I would need a wheelchair the rest of my life.

2012/12/03 11:07:23

jbow

You don't become an addict if you take opiates for pain. You may become dependent but you wont all of a sudden become someone who uses more and more like an addict. You need to talk to the doctor and get more meds to carrry you through until you get the MRI and then get on a better med. I would not, personaly, opt for surgery. There is a Canadian based forum for those of us with chronic pain. http://chronicpainsite.com/mb/ good people and good advice.

For me, I find that vicoprofen workd better than percocet and I am more comfortable with long term ibuprofen use than with long term APAP use. There is also Roxycodone, it is percocet without the tylenol. It is IR (immediate release). If you stay with oxycdone you'll want to talk to the Dr about oxycontin and roxies, for breakthrough pain. Personally, and with some others I have talked to, I prefer just to use the vicoprofen because I have bad days and better days... so I am not stuck with something that I have to stay with the same dose everyday and night.

I have been on time released opiates and they really work (if you have something for breakthrough pain... like vicoprofen). I have been on Avenza (ER mrphine 90mg a day), Duragesic (fentanyl 5ug per hour, patch delivery, not good if you are hairy and may come off if you sweat too much... can over relese if you get too hot) they do work though; Nucynta ER (works but I didn't like the side effects); Butrans patch (worthless waste of time). I am back on the vicoprofen x5 a day and Lyrica 50mg x2 a day. The Lyrica really helps with nerve pain but not with muscle pain. There is also gabapenten (sp?) it is kin to Lyrica. I got leg cramps from it. Lyrica, with some people makes the feet swell and in most people causes a little weight gain but some people take 600mg and more a day.
Cymbalta works great for nerve pain but I had a rare side effect that I didn't like... but it worked really well on the spine pain.
My pain gets worse if I exert myself too much (the next day can get out of control) also a low pressure weather system moving in makes me hurt more. So, on better days I take less so that on bad days I have extra.... but in 10 years I have never run out of my meds.
A pain management clinic will likely subject you to random pee tests so smoking pot is off limits unless it is legitimate in WA. Actually, if it is available there as medicine, it may work for you.

For me, for now.. I am staying with the Vicoprofen/Lyrica, I aslo take klonopin and fioricet in the afternoon around 3:00, it helps too. Fioricet is usually prescribed for headaches but is a general pain killer, I also have Cephadyn because the fioricet has caffiene but other wise they are the same except the cephadyn has 500mg of APAP while the fioricet has 325mg. I also have to take extra ibuprofen sometimes.... but it is what works for me.

I'll also tell you this. People who do not have chronic pain are not very sympathetic... but pain will rule and ruin your life if you don't get help. The doctors have the DEA looking over their shoulder so they have to put you through a few loops but you can get help and NO... you wont become an addict, unless you already are.

Just be honest with the doctors. They will help you and this is VERY important... if you don't like a doctor or if a doctor is not helping you... find a new doctor. No one cares about your health more than you do and ultimately it is YOU wh is responsible for getting the care you need.

I wish you well. Now I have to get ready to go to the dentist to get a crown.... ugh!

Julien

2012/12/03 11:12:24

digi2ns

After decades of fighting and 100s of meds,

The VA gave me a Tens Unit and my Physician has me on Medical Marihuana.

Nothing is a cure and all you can do is hope for something that will distract the mind and body from what is really going on until surgical procedures can help, ( but that usually creates MORE pain )

I refuse to destroy my liver any further with any type of drug they think will help when a natural herb and a little electricity makes it bearable. (Im tired of the annual liver biopsies that I have to have because of meds)

I wish you the best in finding what will help!!!

2012/12/03 11:44:56

henkejs

Sorry to hear about the back pain, Bit. I've been there, and I can tell you it can get better. For me, it took a regimen of medications to get past the worst spell and then a series of visits to a skilled physical therapist.

I've had chronic back issues, punctuated by occasional episodes of excruciating pain, for many years. But it has now been over 10 years (knock on wood) since my last bad episode. In the meantime, I've been doing a home exercise program that focuses on flexibility and strengthening core muscles. It takes about a half hour every other day. That's a lot of time and a lot of work, but for me it has meant no surgery and no drugs stronger than the occasional ibuprofen.

Of course, what worked for me won't necessarily work for someone else, but I wanted to let you know there can be light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck to you.

2012/12/03 11:51:30

Mooch4056

After the MRI they will see what is wrong and then fix it. Not only will they make the pain go way. But you will be in even better shape.

Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic man. Bitfllipper will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster.

Back pain: I'm desperate to hear some success stories

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