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[countrybumpkin]

I posted about 6 weeks ago that my lower back had siezed up twice in 10 days ( I have 3 herniated lumbar discs).  Although i got movement back it has left me with severe lower left back pain ( stabbing/burning ) and sciatic pain right down left leg to foot.

My gp has arranged an mri for 16 may as he thinks one of the discs has heriated big time.

He wanted me to start gabapentin for nerve pain but I chickened out 3 weeks ago.  This past week I have been housebound and cannot stand up and walk without evil pain in back and down leg.

The two painkillers I have ( dihyrodoceine and nefapam) are having no effect and the nefapam makes me feel very peculiar with a racing heart).

I am due back at Gp tomorrow so will def start on the gabapentin and hope I can tolerate it.

so this is just a woe is me thread because I am really finding it hard to cope with this level of pain.

At this moment in time anyone with a hacksaw can have a go at repairing my spine!

[Ju Ju]

A virtual hug........ which less painful than a real one.  I hope you get some relief one way or another. Let us know how you get on.

[CLKD]

Why didn't you take what was recommended 

Chronic pain is tiring 

[Joyce]

I was given gabapentin for neuralgia a number of years ago, took it alongside amitriptyline. Main problem I had was I needed to write myself notes about stuff as I was constantly forgetting where I'd put things or totally forgetting to do important stuff. Good for the pain though. I can't take dihydrocodeine, messes with my stomach. Hope you get relief soon.

[Kate50]

Acupuncture?

[countrybumpkin]

I will now be taking whats offered but I have a real fear of anything medical including drugs, but there comes a point where the pain is worse than the mental fear
I have had acupuncture for this but no real help.
The offer was to try amiltriptyline or gabapentin so will discuss this with GP today.
I am not taking another nefopam tablet after last night - no pain relief but went from racing pounding heart to feeling very sick and wide awake and rushes of extreme body tingling until middle of the night when it wore off.  I was just thankful I didn't get the hallucinations and confusion and fainting that is also mentioned

[Kate50]

Weed?

[countrybumpkin]

You can legally buy medipen that is cannabis oil without the high but you have to smoke it like an e ccig.

I wish I hadn't gone to the chiropractor today as he has made me so much worse - I cannot stand up without agonising pain in my back/pelvis and down my leg. I can only hope it improves with time.

I will start the amitriptylene in the hope it will help me sleep if nothing else.

My scan can't come soon enough.

[CLKD]

What did the chiropractor do exactly  because any manipulation without full anaesthetic can cause paralysis and should not be undertaken without sight of recent X-rays!

Could you get Valium to ease the pain?  It is a relaxant after all.

When I had dental pain years ago I was suicidal, the pain probably wasn't too severe but not knowing how long it might last; nor how much pain relief was safe to take ; caused a lot of problems 

[countrybumpkin]

No he didn't do any manipulation at all, he did mobilsation which is very gentle and just like if we laid on the floor and rocked our legs up gently. I always stipulate no manipulation with any therapist after an osteopath cracked my neck years ago and I was later told by neurosurgeon that with the damage I had to my neck the osteo could have paralysed me.
I agree its the not knowing how long the pain is going to last that is so hard to bear, if someone said it will be like this for 2 days you could grit your teeth but the thought of indefinite

[Noodle]

Hi, I hope you find some relief soon.  A couple of things.......

I have had 3 ruptured lumbar discs over a span of many years. The recovery time from the first 2 lasted many years by themselves ( until the body eventually adsorbs the leaked material).   I was the girl with the bad back.  The last of the 3 happened in 2009 and was a huge rupture requiring an op. Luckily I had private medical insurance so I could get the op really quickly - important as if left too long, the op does nothing cos the nerves are f***ed.  My recovery from the 3rd and last, with the op, was way quicker than the previous, less severe 2.  Also, I know how ineffective codeine etc can be for this problem.

Two friends of mine, at separate times, were prescribed gaberpentine and only have fabulous things to say about it.  The worst affected, injury wise, says it's the only drug that is both effective and doesn't give her side effects.  The other, a chap, was stunned at how many general aches and pains he had been living with day to day.  The drug had taken these away as well as controlling his back pain - he said he felt like he could fly.

So don't be afraid to try it. I only know these two people who have be taken it and both of them got on really well with it.  Should I be unfortunate to have a fourth episode, I am going to request it.

Noodle.  x

[CLKD]

 

[countrybumpkin]

Thanks Noodle thats really helpful.  I would try anything at the moment as I am housebound and incapacitated because as soon as I stand up the pain in back/hip and down leg is pretty unbearable. Its 6 weeks since my back siezed up as in muscle spasm - the nerve pain started after the muscle spasm relented so I can move fine just in horrible pain.  last week I was still pottering around and managing to walk for about 10 mins before the pain kicked in but not this week.
I am waiting for my Gp to phone me today about some faster acting pain relief and I might ask if I can try the gabapentin as its faster acting than amitrip.
The pain certainly makes you lose weight as I have no appetite at all!

[CLKD]

I found amitrip as good as useless when prescribed for neuralgia.  My neighbour used Valium with success after 'slipping a disc' …….

One thought I had earlier - have you raised the height of your toilet seat, mobility shops sell special padded seats as it is advised that elderly people should use them to avoid sitting down suddenly and toppling over.  Might be worth seeing if that would ease pain …………. at least in the bathroom situation.

[countrybumpkin]

Sadly they won't give valium now other than for 2 weeks at tiny dose. Valium works wonders for muscle spasm but I tried it for this nerve pain and it did not help, that said just one tablet that I have spare from the ones given for my mri scan in 10 days time.

I have to at least try the amitrip but won't know for 3-4 weeks - thats if I can stand any side effects, I do not tolerate any drug 

Dr has given me tramadol to try as short acting but I think I have tried it in the past and it did not help for different pain but hey ho have to try everything on offer at least once!

Dr is taking this seriously as I have altered sensation around my back passage and bum area although no actual numbness - he told me to keep checking this area all weekend for feeling and if I develop any bowel/bladder problems or numbness to go straight to hospital.