Does it ever end????
Well...I had an MRi done of my back last Monday----
Results showed:
Severe sciatica on left side
Bulging disc on right side
I have suffered for years and doctors I have seen have been literally dragging their feet! I can barely function the pain is so intense! My thighs stay cramped-cramps the size of basketballs it feels like---my back pain is constant---it radiates around my side and down my legs----not to gross anyone out but all this also has caused me bowel incontience....
My typical days are: I can barely get out of bed---I go to work---i come home and soak in Epsom Salt (the only relief I get) and I try and sleep. I have fallen so behind on my housework--my place is a disaster! Thank GOD I get no visitors! I have a car I need to work on, yardwork, but I can NOT do it til I get relief!
And Dear GOD!!! I refuse to take pain pills and muscle relaxers----I have heard too many horror stories.....I want the pain and dicomforts eradicated--not treated! I have a follow up with my primary doctor this Thursday.....
I'll be honest-----if the pain does NOT end soon------I can and will end it myself!
Replies
NO.,.not worth it.
I understand the pain. I also understand the Drs don't feel it. You must be your own best advocate. Tell the Drs. You are obviously not letting them know. Tell them exactly what you just said here.
The BM thing might be a good indicator...let them know.
I know it can be frustrating. Sometimes they have to eliminate one thing before moving to another. That can be extremely frustrating. Went through that myself about a year ago. Had 3 hospitalizations with 3 different treatments, 3 different results over 2 1/2 months...but, I survived.,,barely!!! Ended up with congestive heart failure and 24 hr dialysis, my family was called in to tell me Goodbye. But, God had other plans. I'm still here..,still fussing at you.
(((Slap over the head)))
If the Dr.s you are seeing won't do anything, find one who will. You shouldn't have to suffer like this. Tell your primary Dr. on Thursday that you need another referral to someone who's going to do something. Maybe you can get your primary to write a letter or something too. I pray you find the right Dr., and the right treatment to relieve your pain soon.
Have you tried accupuncture. I have read a report which found better results with accupuncture than standard orthopedic treatment. "A single-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of superficial acupuncture in the treatment of low back pain was carried out by comparing 8 patients treated by acupuncture with 9 patients treated by placebo. In all five measures of efficacy chosen for study the acupuncture group achieved better responses than the placebo group; four of the five inter-group differences were statistically significant. In addition, an overall mean for all five measures combined showed significant superiority of acupuncture over placebo." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2494194/ While not every study showed the same benefits, there is a significant body of literature indicating accupuncture does as well as conventional treatment.
I've had similar problems, NA, but I never stop. Can your Doctor prescribe you physical /occupational therapy... It has to start there, dear heart. I don't have the Crooked vertebrae but I do have the, jel leaking out and the pinching nerve.. I was in so much pain I wouldn't get out of bed either. And I worked as a tech in phy. Therapy in the 90's I should have known not to stop.
Therapists will give you a small list of exercises to do daily /nightly. DO THEM faithfully. It took me a year b4 I was back to normal. Ice and or heat, crotate each according to therapists, recommendations. Never stop. The moment you feel that pain on the side tgat leaks tge jel in your disc, grletvon that floor /carpet/rug. And begin those stretches. Ask the boss to allow you to stretch at your desk and ignore everyone else. Vthis is for your sanity and benefit ;not theirs..
Get an exercise rope and a set of rubber bands for exercising and use them. Ask therapy about tge stretching rope. They'll have one and tge rubber bands to show you what to but. Very cheap!
Best wishes and prayers to you. That crooked vertebrae shouldnt be causing all tgat. What you have is mainly from the disc /bulge. Text me after you've had ur Therapy
at (larry_guillot@yahoo.com) and we'll discuss the weeks to come. Prayers
I'm God's love
Here’s my advice..... I have had chronic kidney pain for years. I held off taking painkillers as long as I possibly could. I was miserable, angry & could not function.
I eventually broke down and asked my doctor for pain relief. The side effects overwhelmed the benefits of a few different meds that I tried. It took me a few years to find a medication that worked well for me.
Pain medication is not meant to completely manage your pain. It is meant to reduce your pain to a level that you can function at.
People expect too much from their medication and overuse it. And of course run into problems as a result.
Try the pain meds. Start with over the counter meds at the very least. If you aren’t already doing that. See what kind of treatment options are available.
I have arthritis in my lower spine and have been taking steroid shots into my spine for it. I find it very helpful.
If your doctor isn’t discussing what can be done to help see someone else. But don’t give up on yourself. Try everything that you possibly can. Heat, ice, Advil, acupuncture-if you can afford it.
There may not be a complete solution but you should be able to find some help. Big hugs Kelley
Back problems are some of the absolute worst pain I have ever experienced, and I'm sure it's been nothing like what you're describing. I'm so sorry to hear that you're in such pain and distress.
I also understand your frustrations with the doctors. That's really rough. It's okay to want a lasting solution and not just a band-aid. I hope they will discuss treatment options with you soon. You don't deserve to live with such excruciating pain all the time.
But please do not harm yourself. You are a light in this world, and I can see how much pain you must be going through, but please. Please try to fight through it and see what can be done! I care for you and I'm here for you if you need to vent about this. Please don't give up.
I have Sciatica, as well. I was in pain management for over 20 years. Pain meds and muscle relaxers are a band-aid, but sometimes they are necessary. I was in two bad car wrecks that pretty much ruined my neck and back, so I completely empathize with you. And yes, going to doctors is very frustrating. I went off of pain meds two years ago, cold turkey. A few weeks ago, I had surgery, which aggravated the back pain even more. I went back to a former pain management doctor and he told me that since I hadn't taken any narcotics or opiates for pain in the past two years, I was no longer considered a chronic pain patient. I sat there in disbelief. Just because we make a decision to not take pain meds does not mean we are not suffering from chronic pain. I am in constant pain. People don't understand unless they've been there. I've been to countless doctors over the years with my pain and a rare illness I have, which also causes severe pain. I was accused of being a drug addict, on multiple occasions, because one of my meds shows up as miniscule levels of PCP in my bloodstream. I always tell them they must have failed chemistry in college and need to look it up. When I was finally diagnosed with my illness, then docs had a better tendency to listen to me, but my chronic pain is still there. You can tell your docs how horrific it is until you're blue in the face, but if they don't listen, it's time to switch. I couldn't tell you how many doctors I've been to over the years, but I refuse to let them intimidate me and tell me that it's all in my head or it's not as bad as I think it is just because they say so. Keep going to the docs. Find one that has an excellent reputation and go see them. If they won't listen, then move on to the next. Sometimes it takes a long time to find a good doc, but they are out there. Don't let ANYONE tell you or convince you that there is nothing that they can do. And please, don't give up hope and end your life. I know how difficult it is, but nothing is worth giving up your precious life. As horrible as I feel, I still choose life. You will find someone to help. Just never stop looking. I will say a prayer for you and I hope it gets better.
Hello, I am going through the same thing right now,but it's on my left only. No incontinence though, which does tell them, the doctors it's more serious. They may even recommend surgery, and if you don't want that Physical therapy is great if you can get on traction machine. You should try to find something though to help get rid of inflammation. By now obviously your so tired of the pain, it's too bad you couldn't get off work for a bit as well. Don't give up too soon. There is relief. I am having a cortocosteroid injection on Wed. Doctors are really trying to keep people off the opioids anyways these days, it helped me get through the night though. Good luck and hang in there. I am in the pain with you right now.
Have you tried a round of steroids? That's what my doc has me on for my back pain. Physical therapy and massage therapy help as well. A good chiropractor works wonders but finding one who isn't a charlatan can be hard. Hang in there!