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Out of bed for another day on the water, in the RIB, so out of bed early. I just read your problem. Very, very nasty.
These people achieve amazing results here in NL. Worth a visit or second opinion.
https://www.maartenskliniek.nl/english/
Menno
Morn all
So I have probs with my lower back
Wear and tear, too much rugby as a lad etc
What's done is done
The discs are spewing the liquid out and therefore the nerve is enormously painful
My back muscles in layman terms can all join hands and tie up to try and protect itself - this causes me to in effect lock up meaning bending and movement without any pain is impossible
How bad is it?
When it goes I'm an invalid
Have to literally roll onto the floor to get out of bed
Can't toilet myself for a two etc
Can't get in and out of a car
If I can stand - then the screams and pain scared the feck out of who is around
I was referred and had a steroid injection about 11 weeks ago
The result was astounding
Going from hippo to gazelle in 48 hours
Felt 20 years younger but it's now worn off
Following twinges and pulls I was finally crippled whilst here in Dublin on Thursday night and Friday morn with it
Much to my friends amusement yet concern
My back up plan is diazepam (spelling?)
2mg tablets that once taken unlock and relax the muscles returning me to my normal self
Yesterday I took approx 7 of them from 4.30 am through to about 9am to sort it
The result was I could walk about again after a while and be ok
My query is as follows
The docs aren't over the moon at me taking them
Yes I know they are addictive
But these events aren't regular and I don't take the pills each day
Plus they are 2mg
If they were 5mg or 10mg I'd only probs have to take one or two pills following a maths equation thus meaning I'd have a better fall back supply
I'm back to England this morn from Dublin with zero medication left and a bank hop weekend in front of me
Meaning I cannot see my gp and if it goes its accident and emergency
That's cure not prevention
But no drop in centre quack knows my history either and they'll try to fob me with Iain killers that don't work
What to do?
Long term there is word of burning out the nerves bit lord knows how long and no position to go private
Things like acupuncture and blokes who stretch backs etc don't work
Any ideas or should I just call 999 and let them scrape me up off the floor next time?
Out of bed for another day on the water, in the RIB, so out of bed early. I just read your problem. Very, very nasty.
These people achieve amazing results here in NL. Worth a visit or second opinion.
https://www.maartenskliniek.nl/english/
Menno
Last edited by thieuster; 29th April 2017 at 07:22.
The more mature mountain bikers I hang around with that have similar issues swear by Pilates to help suppleness and strength to minimise lock up (one has crumbling that would make me retire the wheels but he's still more hardcore than me).
For analgesic talk to your pharmacist (the local GP and or CCG website should have the list of those open across bank holiday / out of hours). There should be an out of hours GP service or failing that 111 rather than 999 as first port of call.
No answer for the more urgent need.
The nerve burning via BUPA was a waste of time for my colleague. His body, after short term pain relief, rerouted the pain, and he is almost back to pre-surgery pain.
Logically, tablets until it gets too bad for tablets, then more invasive surgery.
Ibuprofen reduces inflammation - that's about as good as you are going to get for now, I think.
Long term back sufferer here... So more a long term view rather than what you need right now.. If things are bad I would be on the phone to NHS Direct today..
Had the injections, late last year, and as someone pointed out the pain seems to have re-routed.. Gone from lower back pain to referred pain in the sciatic nerve...
I have a reserve of the following for when things get bad, which seem to work:-
Omeprazole - Settle the stomach for taking Anti-Inflammatories.
Naproxen - Anti-Inflammatory
Solpadol - Pain Killer
Diazepam - still have some of this to be used as a muscle relaxant when needed.
The latest, and seems to be the greatest - Amitriptyline..
Amitriptyline is an anti-depressant. The doctor and physio recommended this as a replacement to Diazepam, as if used in lower doses it effectively turns the volume down on the nerves. It is used to manage referred (ghost) pain and regularly prescribed, apparently, to amputees that are suffering with ghost pains in amputated limbs..
There is one massive downside to it, as I have found - waking up in the morning (dosage taken before bed only).. It really is bloody hard work at times to get up and I have got nowhere near the dose the doctor has recommended (20mg vs 50mg). How anyone taking the dosage recommended for depression (150mg) copes I have no idea..
At present with a mix of anti-inflammatories, pain killers, and the Amitriptyline I have a relatively pain free life now.. I lead a very busy life and seem to now have any pain/flare-up well under control...
^^^^mwy1964 - you've literally written the post I was going to write!
I find Naproxen to be a wonder drug but can bung you up and you'll need Omeprazole for stomach discomfort and reflux but I've taken that for a sensitive stomach lining for 20 years anyway.
Also, my brother has problems that sound incredibly similar to yours OP. When it's really bad he looks deformed as his body is resisting the paid and gets all twisted up. When it's like this he takes 10mg diazapan like sweets but long term they haven't been remotely addictive as he only takes them when needs must so I wouldn't worry about that too much.
I really hope you find a cocktail soon that gives you relief and confidence.
Originally Posted by blackal
Allergic to them and all of their family
I went 7 years undiagnosed properly on the NHS (they only do something if a limb is hanging off). In the period I'd tried every form of massage chiropractor stretch etc etc at the cost of thousands and thousands. Finally I was referred to a rheumatologist privately and he did every test in the book and got the results back while I was in the room. I went from nearly crying with pain just walking from the car park to the office to 3 Diclofenac tablets a day to now only when it flares up again. Im not suggesting for a moment that this would work for you but I'd urge you to see someone privately (nothing against your current GP) yes the initial diagnosis would be expensive but once your properly diagonised there is nothing to stop you going back onto the NHS for treatment. Hope you feel better soon.
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I was on tramadol for 4 years, and all other cocktails of drugs to ease the pain,had an operation fusing the x2 knackered discs to the discs above and below, long story short I wish I would of had it done sooner, life is so much better and I'm fitter and stronger than ever, wished I would have pushed for the operation sooner, hope you find relief soon there is no pain like it and I can't believe I suffered as long as I did without using anti depression tablets, it is torture!
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Then, it would seem you are at the mercy of the gods - over the weekend? I doubt if NHS24 will do much this weekend
Al
Is it your sciatic nerve that's affected?
I was in a right state with my back, even from the age of 14 I was at docs with my nerve trapped. I got to the point a few years ago I couldn't operate, lost all the muscle in my left leg and arse cheek, lost the motor action of my foot etc. My disc had prolapsed back then and I'd just lived with it and the stuff that came out had all calcified around my nerve.
Finally managed to get an operation after numerous MRI scans, physio and root block injections (all done nothing for me)
The doctors said I probably wouldn't fair well after the op and didn't exactly paint a great picture BUT my nerve pain was gone after 22 years of having it! I managed to get my leg working again by purposely pushing off more while walking. Couldn't believe it.
Sadly just before Xmas I started feeling that nerve pain occasionally and it's on it's way back now, I'm assuming some more of the disc has made contact with it.
My advice is push for an operation, I'll happily go for another operation tomorrow and I'm a wuss with injections etc.
I'd got to the point I was on so many pain killers it was crazy, codiene, tramadol, oramorph, and morphine capsules. Then I was having to take laxatives because of them. I remember the nurses in the hospital being shocked how much I was taking. The syringe driver after the op had less morphine over a 6 hour period than I was necking before I got out of bed! And there was people in the ward throwing their guts up on just that amount! Amazing how your body gets a tolerance to it. Mind you I'm sure all the drugs I was taking stopped my general anaesthetic working. I remember the lady saying count down from ten and after about 30 secs I was like... am I supposed to be asleep? haha. Bit scary then as they clamped some mask on me and asked me to take deep breaths, my chest was just heaving in and out and still took a while of that with them panicking about the room!
Its horrible isn't it! A mate of mine was always very dismissive of my situation and recently his back has gone and he's trapped a nerve. Knows what it's all about now!
Good luck!
Get down the A&E if your in too much pain they may give you an injection if you play your face enough.
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I wouldn't worry overly about addiction to Diazepam. I've been on them for 40 years and more as a muscle relaxant. 4mg twice a day. It used to be 2mg but it was doubled thirty years ago. It's only the reflexive action of taking them when I sit edge of the bed each morning, and again with my evening meal that means I take them. On the odd occasion I do forget the stiffness reminds me an hour later.
And you can't really overdose on them either. They'd just give you a very good night's sleep, other medical issues notwithstanding.
I'm going to guess that's not going to calm him down about becoming addicted to them!
Ha. I did think of that as I typed. My Consultant has agreed I'm not addicted...
My wife has suffered with Spondylosis for 28 years.
She wore a back brace that had no effect. She had spinal injections, only allowed twice and lasted a few months each time. Pain came back.
Four of her discs have degenerated badly, putting pressure on her lumbar nerves, and often her legs give way.
She also has extreme arthritis in both hips, and they are beginning to close which pushes her joints apart causing more pain.
She takes diazepam, paracetamol and ibuprofen, and anti-inflammatory drugs.
None have any great or lasting effect.
She has asked about surgery, but she is apparently too young at 56. I have an old school pal who has been in a wheelchair for the last 8 years with the exact same thing as my wife, he is unable to walk at all but has been deemed too young for new hips.
How mad is that?
Well I blew through my last couple of diazepam this morn and flew back from Dublin
It was uncomfortable at best and it's all unlocked again
That's the prob
You'd not know there was an issue now
That's the prob
Folk think you're fine
I'm sat with my feet up on the chair no issues at all as I type
I need that security blanket and cantbachieve it
A frank chat with my doc though in return I have a review on a Sunday in May to see my consultant
Diazapam is prescription only in the UK?
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
I know it doesn't help you know, but if it's as bad as described and your medication is legitimately prescribed, why have you run out? If I'm going away, doctors closing for holidays, running short if tablets I make damn sure I've got some more and never run empty. What went wrong here?
Figure that out and don't do it again.
Been there got the scar. Was bent sideways for 9 months after my back went. Had the injection washout 3 months in that helped. But ultimately had to decide at around 9 months to have an op or I was told the sciatic nerve would have taken too much damage. The dodgy outcome would have been a loss in control of my ankle so I was told. But luckily all was well. So had a L4/5 discectomy and touch wood has been fine since. Best thing I did. You have my deepest sympathy having been there and knowing how debilitating it is.
Yes, it's a fairly strong opioid/tranquilliser. Trade named is Valium.
and absolutely wonderful it is too.
edit: CBD oil is a pretty good relaxant as well.
My wife was prescribed Tramadol, and if I thought she talked a load of c**p before, you should have heard her after two of those tablets...
She refuses to take it again.
I've never had nerve pains in my back, but had some strained muscles that have required relaxants. I've had some tizanidine which has worked wonders especially coupled with codeine. I think tizanidine would be a bit "lighter" than diazepam, so maybe worth asking your doc about.
Last edited by Possu; 30th April 2017 at 07:16.
OTC wise ibuprofen plus which contains codiene is probably your best option for the pain but it's not a muscle relaxant.
Touch wood I have been free of back trouble but both my shoulders are shot and now addicted to tramadol so be careful with what your doc hands out, last two big appointments with the doctor has had them just tell me to up the dosage.
Not going to go off topic but just be careful as it has affected my life, and for the record it's not a case of getting a high it purely the utterly horrendous withdrawals from the stuff, I had happily for 2-3 years only medicated 1-3 times a week as needed so I could work or at least sleep more then 4 hours to find now the days when I don't take the medication are worse then the pain I was taking them for!
There's a veritable army of us on here!
I'm early stages with the MRI showing a protusion between 3 & 4. It's cripplingly painful down my left leg only, and only when sitting or lying down. Sleeping is a problem therefore. Daytime, I'm fine!
Cocodamol did nothing at all. Amitryptline help me sleep but not for long and current Tramadol not much better (these are all nighttime only). Waited 4 weeks for an appointment letter via NHS and the initial appointment is the end of July, so gonna have to dig deep and go private.
Apparently the protusion is mild so every sympathy for anyone with moderate or severe!!
I'm allergic to all pain killers except paracetamol based ;-)
NSAID's? Co-Codamal is a paracetamol/codiene mix so a possible option depending on your allergy.
I know where you are coming from, I only took Tramadol for a short space of time but when I stopped the withdrawal was horrendous!
Just glad your out of pain mate, get onto them tomorrow and just keep banging doors down till it's resolved, the thing is when your not in pain it's easy to forget and move on, that is until the next time, get it sorted mate as a matter of urgency.
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Another approach is trying Venlafaxine. It is actually an antidepressant, but the increase of seretonin, have a positive effect on nerve pains.
Regards
Martin
Increase your fluid intake (preferably water of course) to at the very least 4litres a day, you may already be doing this but if not then you will be happily surprised at how super hydration helps joint pain.
Good luck and watch out for your stomach all those nsaid's can mess you up pretty badly.
Joe
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I take this for my Mental Health issues.
For my back pain which I have had for years, I take Naproxen 500mg they work wonders, but by the GP only.
Thankfully it is not possible to 'try' industrial strength drugs in the UK without a prescription or a 'dealer'.....
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
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