I agree with you bob.. I don't take much more than you do. I have a lot of respect for all here. They are great teachers as well!
Have a great day!!!!!!!

Hi, love your Avi, we used to have a Boston. They are the best dogs :)

Sorry you are hurting, are you on OTC by choice or is this your body rejecting medications.

We do have to do things like meditation, deep breathing, distractions, stretches, hot baths, cold and hot treatments, some use TENS units, etc. There are many natural treatments to help.

It amazes me, the people here who deal with such enormous pain and can continue functioning at such high levels. I also salute them.

Wishing you well. Hugs-RJ

Hi hun!! I love your avi too!! I agree with the fact that these puppies are sweet!! I am also sorry you are hurting hun. I ended up taking so much ibuprofen (more than 800 mg three times a day) that I hurt my kidneys so I went to something stronger for my pain eventually. Through the events of this past year I have been deeply humbled by meeting some very strong wise beautiful people here who battle adversity with a smile every day. Granted everyone has good and bad days but it's nice to battle alongside someone who gets it!!

Much love, hugs, and God Bless you hun!!!!! (((((((((((((( )))))))))))))))

BOB,

First, pain is pain is pain is pain.
I once thought, "if only this pain would subside, I could get thru this day." Guess what? It did subside. After about 20 minutes, I really noticed a different spot that was hurting pretty bad. Took Aleve. That subsided. Another 20 minutes and don't you know it - DARN - another different spot was hurting.

We each carry the pain that we can carry. Some get a hangnail and run to the ER. Others have compound fractures and want to just finish this one chore before going to the hospital.

Low back pain is, in my not so humble opinion, the WORST.
You can not bend around that area to "protect" it.
You MUST use those muscles to stand, sit, and breathe.
And just when it pain peaks, you gotta go to the bathroom and poop. Like your body has it in for you some days.

Admire all you want. We admire anyone else with courage to admit they have pain and willingness to honor others with kind words like yours.

Sorry that you had to find us.
Welcome to the group.
You will find many good suggestions here. And a few of us are just a little nuts so you'll get a laugh or two (which releases endorphins and eases pain -- except it uses those lower back muscles too - sorry could not resist. I am one of the nuts!)

Sunny

so sorry bob u r only able to take the ibuprofren . i dont no how i would get thru just a regular day without my prescription regimen , a great pain doc and just a very close few who love me . i m far from one of the extraordinary . just an average girl who believes god will make it somehow better if i hang in .. prayers to u .. warmly , starsunshine

Im not happy all the time just try my hardest to be its not easy but i want to live thats all

hi bob, so nice to see you...im sorry pain has brought you here but i think you are in the right place for support...i like what everyone has said already and i think sunnybunn hit it on the head

i battle low back pain everyday from the moment my eyes open til the moment they close for the night...coming here helps me cope...i have recently found when i ingest marijuana it helps tremendously

i know its not for everyone, i just wish i could help everybody...i never thought id have chronic pain, now its just a slap in the face, it hurts...gotta keep a smile on my face someway somehow (((hugs))) welcome aboard

Hi Bob, I'm sorry your in so much pain. RJ gave you some great ideas. In You Tube you will find many videos for meditation, guided imagery, self hypnosis for pain and many more. I have had many back surgeries yet last night I moved the wrong way and really pulled a muscle in my lower left back. I forgot how painful a badly pulled muscle is. One thing I found that works really well is a pain cream by Tylenol. I have it it's inside I'm outside. & to lazy to go in & check but I believe it's called Tylenol targeted pain relief. It does not have Tylenol in it but as soon as you put it on you instantly feel relief I use it on my knees a lot. It does have a strong menthol smell other than that I highly recommend it. Also if you have a natural health food store near you a fantastic homeopathic cream is Arnica Montana this also works really well and it does not have any smell. I hope your pain eases soon please keep us updated in how your doing.

Hugs & God Bless
Lisa

Hi bob....I don't know why you cannot take other prescribed meds...even me the alcoholic needs them....I take vicodin for knee pain and almost any pain is helped....ah back pain is no fun buddy....so see if a 10s unit will help...my mom is using one of them and it helps her....

Hi bob, and welcome. Sure sorry you have a reason to come here, but you've found the right place for support.

Just curious, what's the reason that you can't take anything but ibuprofen? Most of us here have a list of things we can't take, but to exclude all but one really sucks. I'm glad you have ibuprofen. Pain just really sucks, doesn't it?

Could you need a new and more firm mattress?

I had back pain after surgery several years ago. After a few weeks,
very powerful pills didn't stop it. I went to an "alternative" chiropractor,
not about crunching, etc and the pen-like device helped me, immediately. I sometime have low back pain, just for a few seconds
when trying to sleep (I'm looking for a new mattress) and it puts
a fear in me, just from remembering how horrible it was.

Hope you're able to get some relief, soon.

I am far from happy but it's my life and it is what it is have you ever tryed gabapentian for the pain or zanaflex for spasms that works really good

Hi, Bob... nice to meet you... sorry you have the need to search out help for pain, but glad you found us here!

I'm a fellow back-pain victim... among other things... (and a fellow New Englander, BTW...) I was put through the wringer by a couple of my first PM Docs trying to find a pain med that would help my pain and not inflict such horrid side-effects... after running the gamut of NSAIDs and synthetic pain meds they finally tried opioids and I've been taking them and they've been helping me to be able to live my life for many years...

Believe me, I am in no way happy living in pain... and you'll discover that I bitch, piss, and moan plenty about it here... not to mention the time I spend spiraling down into the deep dark pit when the depression gets the upper hand, as it does every so often...

But the point and the goal and the hope, at least for me, is to just keep living... sometimes it's day to day... sometimes minute to minute... or even moment to moment... THOSE are the times I especially need my family here... it never ceases to amaze me... no matter what everyone here is dealing with in their own lives, it seems there's never a shortage of support to share with whomever needs it.

Hope to get to know you better from your posts as time goes on... in the meantime, I'm sending a "welcome basket" of good thoughts, well wishes, positive energies, and hopes for low pain and high spirits!

Peace,
Dave