I'm assuming I am not the only one on here to suffer with back pain/problems.
I have suffered everyday with lower back pain for about 12 years now (I'm 36). Some days it is only slight, other days I struggle to get out of bed and get going.
I have, in this time only been 2 or 3 times to the doctors, had bloods and xrays which have shown nothing wrong.
The doctor said it is just degenerative. I feel like I am being 'fobbed' off.
Last Monday I was sweeping my patio and nearly ended up on the floor as my back just 'went'. I carried on through the day, cafefully as didn't want to sit and it seize up. Though the night i had the most excruciating pain everytime I tried to move or turn over, the OH even had to help me out of bed in the morning. I had to take a couple of days off work and take it steady. Through the week it eased and I went back to work over the weekend.
Then yesterday morning I was empting my mop bucket and it 'went' agian, leaving me on the floor in the water I'd spilt after dropping the bucket. I was on the floor for about 15mins on my hands and knees before I could get up.
I rang the docs and got an appointment for later on at 3pm. The pain was alot worse than the week before, could hardly walk, sit or stand. O/h came home from work and drove me to the docs. Doc asked me how I'd done it, I told him and also told him about last weeks episode. He asked where the pain was, (lower back, bum and both legs) but did not examine me. Told me to buy some ibuprofen, asked if I worked, I replyed yes, he wrote me a week sick note and told me it was 'just one of those things'
O/H and my Dad couldnt believe he did not examine my back, well neither could I.
In the night it took me 40mins to get out of bed and get to the loo and back into bed (and no the loo is not at the bottom of the garden, just across the landing), it was like I was paralised from the waist down with most excruciating pain.
I'm now sat surfing the net with daytime tv playing away, I keep getting up to have a walk around so i don't seize up.
In pain, p***ed off, bored and d**n right fed up :'( >:( :(
I think the best advice someone gave me was to go to see an osteopath. Ive had back painnow for 20 years, and its the only thing that keeps me completely mobile. I see her about 4-5 times per year and she is worth her wight in gold.
I am afriad doctors really dont do anything for back pain. the only thing I find the doctors useful for is a supply of stronger pain killers that tide me over for the couple of days or so I have to wait to see the osteopath when my back gets really bad.
I have a very high pain threashold so I know when I need to see the osteopath i should be bedridden by other peoples pain standards, and frequently get asked how im still moving by the osteo. I count myself lucky in thta respect.
Write a letter of complaint to the practice manager, if this does not bring a good result, either change your doctor or better still go to another practice. But don't except the diagnosis till you have exhausted all routes. Doctors are not infalable, they can get it wrong.
For out of hours pain you may have a walk in service at your local hospital.
For years I went to my docs with pains in my stomach ( at least that's what I thought they where ::) To be told its was stress ??? Only going to the hospital clinic one night. Was taken in straight away with chronic gall stones. Operation followed shortly after.
Brown owl is right doctors don't do back pain very well. My GP referred me for physio about 15 years ago. I enquired about acupuncture & was assessed. I had a course of treatment & was pain free for 2 years. I then had another bout & was reading a book about illnesses that effect women & came across fibromyalgia. I felt as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I had more acupuncture but privately. It was wonderful pain relief. If I start coughing I need the chiropractor because my spine is out of alignment, if I wake early feeling anxious I have the needles. With my chiropractor you know within a couple of treatments if it's going to work.
Good luck, I hope you get it sorted & soon. I would start looking at what you can do for yourself.
I have always been a terrible sceptic about osteopaths. Very occasionally I have sudden back pain, usually as the result of doing something stupid like lifting a large roll of fencing last year (I'll be 70 in a couple of years).
Because I was due for a long plane flight that time, and a week resting in pain did not help, I panicked and asked a friend to recommend an osteopath after all.
The osteopath was magic! Didn't seem to do much, and I remained sceptical, but two visits cured me.
OK, it might have got better in that time anyway, but one conversation melted my scepticism away. I apologised for a rumbling tummy, saying it was supper time. She said not to worry, all her patients rumbled when she dealt with a set of (?muscles?nerves?) that deal with digestion as well as with whatever else she was doing.
At another point, I was surprised to realise that the pain has crossed my back to the other side all of a sudden. Yes, she said, she had transferred it and would finally get rid of it.
So give a good, patient osteopath a try!
I can recommend Oste's they are deffo worth their money, I was speaking with my parents the weekend about doctors and we all agreed what a waste of space they are, they said when you get older they just fob you off or look in their magic doctor book, whats that all about, I can read up on your symptoms in fact I might start up a surgery on here. ::)
I went to an Osteopath years ago and it did help, years before that I had a stomach operation and did break wind a lot after the operation, well one day the oste was giving me a good going over and I was trying my hardest to keep it in, I had controlled myself in the previous months but he just hit some weak spots and out it come, proper loud an all, sorry about that mate I said, I suppose that happens quite a lot, he just looked at me straight in the face and with no emotion and said, no sir you are the first, well f##k me I nearly died of embarrassment. :-[ :-[ :-[
Can I please give a word of caution against osteopaths and chiropractors? Eventually, their repeated manipulations can do damage to the bones and cartilage being manipulated.
If you can find someone who offers the Alexander Technique, they achieve results with less active interventions.
I've had back problems for years with 3 slipped disks in the lumbar region and a dodgy sacrum. They were "jumped on" for years by a series of osteos and chiropractors but I ended up with almost constant pain in the end from trapped sciatic nerves. Alexander techniques helped for ages but it was a downhill slope and I started having severe mobility problems.
Eventually I found a specialist back clinic and had x-rays, scans, neural functions tests, mobility tests, blood tests - the works. They confirmed the 3 slipped disks and offered epidural cortisone infiltrations. They've been brilliant.
5 yrs later I developed problems in the cervical spine from arthritic bits pinching nerves to my arms, shoulders and ribs and they gave me more infiltrations. They work too though I do have to listen to my body and stop when I feel an ache coming on.
I can now walk, dance, ski and garden with relative ease though digging beds and trimming hedges now has to be done by OH – under supervision!
My back clinic is in Brussels but there must be some specialists in the UK that can be consulted so complain, politely but firmly, to your practice manager and get yourself referred for examinations by people who know about backs.
Yes I agree, don't neglect it, find a different practitioner.
My sister in law had a back problem similar to yours, it was a slipped disk it turns out but the damage was so great that it started to press on the spinal cord. They had to operate (after telling her too, take some ibuprofene and bed rest) and fuse two vertebrae, now she limps permanently.
An osteopath can do a lot of good, try and find someone reputable by word of mouth. It certainly works if you are "stuck" - I had a wry neck fixed like that, the moment they fix it is very painful but the relief is instantaneous and long lasting.
Quote from: lisaparkin on June 21, 2011, 11:08:47
The doctor said it is just degenerative. I feel like I am being 'fobbed' off.
I think the answer is yes! if it is degenerative, you need to see a specialist.
I've suffered back pain since my teens, got worse after I slipped a disk, and worse again when I knocked my sacrum out the 2nd time, I also get sciatica amongst other things.
I think you should see someone else about your back pain, it all varies from patient to patient and specialist to specialist. I've seen many osteos and chiropractors over the years, and a lot of them do jump in and can make things worse, but the good ones, go in gently, don't manipulate the area where the most intense pain is. It's a matter of finding someone who works for you. I've found physio's to be a waste of space, friends swear by the Alexander technique, Pilates etc. I think you will find your own way.
My good osteo is a genius, and I still travel up to london to see him on a semi regular basis, he's kept me propped up for years, and I now ski, do yoga, can garden most of the time, some jobs are too hard for me, but I'm lucky my OH helps me out.
Hope the pain eases soon for you
I was fobbed off for years as well until my private health care at work paid for an MRI scan when my back 'went' in the office and i could not physically get of the chair. I got a diagnosis of drying disks in the spine and NHS doc made an appointment for me to see a physio 10 sessions with her could not walk after each session but gradually the benifit lasted longer and longer over about 6 months i was better than i had been for a long time. Then they said my back was up to a special pain management course (5 sessions on how to move without damanging your back) lots of exercises and stretches which i do every morning.
I also found the only think that worked for my pain was 'Tylex' the branded version of Co-codamol 30/500 - codeine phosphate, paracetamol. One knocks the pain into touch 2 on a bad day. Last doc refused to give me a perscription for tylex and gave me a weeks worth of co-codamol cheap unbraded one it did nothing for the pain and i was back in worse pain 4 days later.
So my advice is to go back and ask for a Physio referal and ask about pain management classes i would also push for a MRI scan as this has been going on for so long and when you get an appointment do not see the same doctor see the head of the practice. Until you know what the problem is with your back i would not recomend you see an osteopath or chiropractor as you might not need them.
My last bit of advice for keeping your sanity is to avoid day time TV either listen to what was bbc radio 7 now bbc radio 4 extra or watch some stuff online or get some dvds sent to you i use love film and i do recommend them :)
http://www.lovefilm.com/rhernbg7y/visitor/sign_up_1.html
Hugs xx
Read up on the nhs constitution and take a look at the nhs choices website. You can stand up for your rights better when you know what they are.
Go back to doctor and ask to be referred to a specialist and a scan. At your age nothing should be naturally degenerating.. If the doctor won't cooperate write a complaint to your local PCT and again ask to see a specialist.
Good luck
Thank you all for all your advice and words of wisdom ;D ;D
I think firstly I will look at the nhs choices website and then ask for a second opinion from another doctor and see what they have to say.
Ideally I would like an mri scan (hmmm 'like' is possibly not the right word but you all know what I mean)
Still can't do much at all, though I am steadily pottering around the house a little more, I'm not one to sit and do nothing....drives me insane.
The kids bought O/H '24 season 8' for Fathers Day and he is a couple of episodes ahead of me so I'm going to catch up with those. I love 'Loose Women' at 12.30 but the rest of daytime Tv is rubbish. Also my daugher has lent me a book, 'Hunger Games', hopefully it'll be a bit better day
Thank you all again ;D
I think docs always fob you off. We had one with a little triangular corner cabinet and he always used to say take and aspirin and come back if it does not go away. I used to imagine he had a little shrine in the cupboard and when you went lit a candle and prayed you did not actually come back.
My advice is to keep going back. As SMP1704 says nothing should be degenerating at your age. My daughter has had problems with her shoulder since she was a child and they kept fobbing me off and now aged 30 they say she should have been doing special exercises all her life and it should have been picked up 28 years ago. She had to build up her core strength and has special chairs for work and driving to support her back.
Do not take no for an answer.
I do not want to seem flippant but are you lifting correctly. Those of us who went through the mini skirt era had to learn to bend down without showing our knicks, but this was very good for the spine. I see some of the youngsters on site digging and can feel the pain for them.
I would go back to your DR and demand a referral to a pain clinic, if I had to I would lie and say something like... I was frying food when this happened and that is dangerous, I need to see a specialist.. really lay it on the line that this is dangerous and he has to put in the referall as a major accident could happen if he does not, he would be responsible if there was a bad incident and he ignored your request. I might even suggest you put it in writing so he has to keep it in your file. If you are adamant enough he will refer you.
The other thing to do, next time it happens call ambulance, refuse to weight bear, they would have to take you to ER, there they would follow up with tests etc..do it..
If you are pinching a nerve in your spine, you could be in danger.
Don`t be fobbed off,actually above is likely and the ambulance thing works.
XX Jeannine
So sorry your back is so bad. i can sympathise as I have a back condition along with Fibro and arthritis. i have very bad issues with food intolerance (seems like wheat and gluten) and chronic fatique which sounds like ME. Am being nagged at the moment to get some more tests done at the doctors and to persue getting some help to get me back to work. You get so tired of keep fighting and end up giving up. That is the wrong thing to do.... as Jeannie says you have to fight and fight to your right to get a correct diagnoses and treatment as you have worked for it it is your right (am going to keep telling myself the same thing).
Good luck with the doctors and insist you get an MRI.
Lindax
I was born with a condition called scolliosis, which is an abnormal curvature of the spine. I found the only way I could alleviate the problem was by walking. Not a gentle stroll but by what they now call Power Walking.
So sorry to hear of your back pain - it can make life really miserable.
I was unfortunate enough to break my back twice - but fortunate enough to have a daughter who is an osteopath! I don't know what I would do without her.
A good osteopath will, if he/she thinks it necessary, refer you for x-rays, scans and other tests - (often through your GP) - before commencing treatment.
I hope you find the help you need very soon.
I've had a grumbling back that goes from time to time but my goodness you poor folk :o
my back is an annoyance but my sympathies are with you :-*
I went back to the doctors yesterday and saw another doctor.....funny how 2 different docs can say totally different things!!!!!! ??? ???
The one I saw yesterday repeatedly 'told me off' for NOT ringing 999 when my back 'went'!!! He said if it happens again do not hesitate to ring an ambulance!!
He examined my back!!
Asked me lots of questions about pain, movement etc.
I asked for an MRI Scan but he told me he could'nt send me for one and that he would have to refer me first, but before he does that he's sending me for an X-ray (going today).
He has also given me a 2 week sick note......never thought I would say 'I am missing work and wanna go back'
Pleased you are having more success. I think when you go with a look in your eye which means you will not take no for an answer they do a better job.
been away, and catching up with old threads, and I'm pleased to hear you got a 2nd oppinion. Hope things are looking up for you now :)
Update.......Back is lots better than it was. X-ray results are finally at the doctors, but, receptionist can't tell me anything over the phone and I can't get appointment til 18th July :o :o
good to hear things are better, even if you have to wait for an appointment! ::)