hey guys, had it for about 6 months now, still in time frame to get it away. Got mri scan end of month but went to docs as was in agony and they gave me weak strength anti deppressants? Anyone ever had or heard of this? A cant get my head round how this helps my leg?

 

don't understand theat either mate, i've been a long term sufferer of it, leg pain down my right hand hamstring for about 4 years, i had an MRI after about 3 months and it showed up one slipped and one prolapsed disc around L5/S1 level, i was down for an op but didn't want to have discs shaved or fused so was put on hold 'pending recovery'... i still haven't had an op and still have the pain most of the time
best treatment i had for it was acupuncture.

 

i'm on the same tablets. there nerve blockers. supposed to allow you to sleep better. any other ways to get rid of this bloody constant pain would be greatly recieved.

 

Good to see some fellow cripples.

Know how you feel but if you're bad keep on at the doctor, they wouldn't listen to me and now I'm totally screwed physically, suffered sciatic pain for around 20 years. I've always coped with it but in recent years it's got a lot worse. Been on various pain killers for ages but I'm at the point now that they aren't touching the pain but I get to enjoy all the side effects.

My back is a total mess, also got prolapsed disc but by lunch time every day I'm bent over now and can't walk properly. My shoulders are pinned back, my lower back is an S shape, my torso (when looking down) is about 2" over to the left from centre.

I've had a root block done but that did bugger all, was supposed to see the surgeon again after 8 weeks but they never bloody contacted me. Now I'm virtually an invalid currently waiting for another surgery appointment and I'm not settling for less than disc shaving or partial removal

 

Anti depressants are common, for long term sufferers, been on them since 96.
There are a few reasons for this, 1 it will get you depressed being in constant pain, this will in turn cause your body to become stiff, a normal side effect, this will make your back worse, the 2nd reason is to counteract the 1st, the more relaxed your body is the better for your back.
I have 2 splits in my pelvis, 2 spinal compressions a fused vertabrae, and a split vertabrae which presses on my spinal chord, along with this I have 100% full time sacro illiac joint problems causing muscle spasm, which aggravates the back which causes more spasm etc, this is also helped by my left leg being 1" shorter than my right.
I take citalopram as a anti depressant/anti psychotic medication, my brain damage makes me hear voices telling me to kill people I don't like, amongst other things ha ha!!
I am on the arm patches, these are morphine patches, they make tramodol look like smarties in effectiveness.
I would second the advice above, make a fuss it's your pain, ask for a referral to the pain clinic at the hospital where you are, these pain specialist actually do know what they are doing pain wise, and worth their weight in gold.
I would also see a private physio, my NHS physio was useless but when I saw Marcus Webb from Hadley Wood Health Centre, it was like someone turned the pain off, for years, general arthritis, wear etc have now caught up so even worse than before hence the morphine patches.
In 45 years I've found the pain specialists the only ones to see re back pain if it doesn't heal after seeing GP, I'm off for my 6 monthly contrast dye scan in january for this very problem, just make a concerted effort to sort asap the longer it goes on the less chance of effective treatment.
My current wait is a ulnar nerve transposition, and knee ops as both knees having floating cartiledge that needs removing.
Hoping all the best for you, pain specialist would be my first demand from doc.
Have they done the rabbit/seagull and box test on you yet, or is the pain confined to just one place ?
tabetha

 

bloody hell. thought i'd got it rough. hope it works out for you.

 

thanks for replies, they aint done that test yet was referred to physio who sent me back to docs saying I had to go for scan as physio wasnt helping, that was 2 weeks ago, doc said ive referred you for scan but if pain gets worse come back, went back this week and was diff doctor he said I dont know why other doctor said tramodol I will put you on this mild anti depressant (amitriptyline) I shat a brick to say the most I couldnt understand it but glad its normal bit of a relief. Pain is down my full left leg right into foot, most of time its just my hamstring area but is extremely sore. Although tabetha must be in major distress with that list sorry to hear it mate! Same goes to you james sounds really nasty glad I aint at that stage like you guys Hope the pain goes away for all you guys or at least just becomes a niggle. Im 23 and said its rare for someone my age to get it? But ive had back problems since a crash I had in 2005. Since Ive had the sciatica ive been at them constantly, not giving them a second about it, I want it sorted out before, such as most of you guys, I have to put up with this for years to come. Bit worried about going for ops though never had one and always think the worst of things like that, thinking they will tell you odds of something else occuring and with my luck I would be the odd one it happened to Hopefully end of month I can start getting down to what exactly causing it after my scan and hopefully find a solution, as rs licker said, anything to get rid of this pain would be great appreciated.

 

Ami is more used to help you sleep, bet you have to take it at night ?, the only trouble with this is until used to it it makes you zombie like, in any meaningful dose.
Pain management has come a long way in recent years, people that were previously regarded as loonies and having pains that weren't there are now taken seriously.
There is a major study into CRPS, complex regional pain syndrome, and the brains reactions to this and other pains, the duck/rabbit test and the dot in a cube test are just pictures that when looked at by 64% of people with CRPS had a worsening of pain(substantiated by brain scans), the pain of looking at these pictures meant most had to turn away as the pain got so bad!!
32% had blood flow reduced in one of their arms, in the other arm it went up, 40% described the cube as flipping so many times they couldn't keep up counting, some had muscle spasms and sweating, others with OA and RA had no difference to the pictures!!
All in the Arthritis Today autumn 2010 publication.
My pain also stemmed for a accident in 83 a hit and run drink driver left me for dead, in a coma 3 weeks, 19 months in hospital, broken L femur(3 places), R femur(2 places, open fracture), L tib and fib 2 breaks each(open), 2 splits in pelvis, spinal compressions, both clavicles, 3 ribs, sternum, R humerus, elbow broken apart now limited movement to 65 degrees, bits were dug out the tree I was slammed against but couldn't be used, lump missing off my brain left side enlarged irregular mishapen left ventricle in brain, apart from that I was ok, I had a GCS of 3, in normal language brain dead, can't breathe move etc, WEST SUFFOLK hospital are gods as far as I am concerned.
You MUST get to the pain management centre, meditation and certain martial arts helps enormously I did Puch Mae for 12 years but ability to adopt a different outlook on life helps also.
tabetha

 

I have degertive disc disease in my lower back, sciatica in both legs, pain killers , i might as well take smarties, also now its giving me pins and needles in my legs and makes my legs very cold, i am still working but its not looking very good as i now have it in my shoulders and pins and needles in my hands, sometimes the pain makes me feel sick, i have had a back problem since i was 13 so thats 40 years i have had back pain, it got worse when i was 24 i rolled a 38 ton truck and was trapped for 2 hours .
What is most annoying as i am sure you agree people can see your back problem and when you stand there watching your wife lifting heavr shopping in the boot of the car leaves you open for remarks like lazy so and so from other shoppers, i have had every possible treatment for my back apart from an operation and the doctor said its a bit risky to perform the operation.
I do feel for you guys with back problems as it afects your life very much.

 

Jeez tabetha you have been to hell and back! What a wanker leaving you for dead, people like him shouldnt be allowed to live, my crash it was oncoming car fault came threw and s bend in middle of road so had to get out way clipped kerb and it spun me across the road into trees, guy behind me managed to get reg as it drove off but nothing happened as it was a constables wife!! As like david I get pins and needles in my leg and foot sometimes, I feel sorry for you guys as I thought I had it bad Im nowhere near I do have to take that pill at night helped me last night was 1st time took it around 8 and was out for count by 9 didnt get up till about 12 today defo makes you feel like a zombie!! Think Ill try get seen to my the pain specialists sound slike a good place to start.

 

I'm due to have a second MRI in 3 weeks, as the first one they just scanned my hamstring area as that's where the pain was
Despite me repeatedly asking if the scan would be able to find the root cause of the back problems!
I generally get what feels like severe hamstring pain, and stabbing pains in my left arse cheek and I've had practically no feeling in my left foot for about 3 years.
As for pain relief, if I take any pain killers for more than about a month I end up immune to them and I refuse to go onto stronger ones and be zombiefied as its not fair on my little girl or my missus if I'm zonked out, I take tramadol now and again, but if find putting an ice pack across my backside helps, along with doing the press up style exercise they physio's always get you to do (keep your hips on the floor and push up)
A chiropractor can work wonders, but once you start going you'll have to keep going or the pain will come back tenfold!

 

ive been diagnosed with this last sunday i lost all feeling in my left leg and testes but i have had it for years but now its worse than ever i couldnt move my leg or feel anything all my doc said was it was weak glutes (bum muscles sorry)

I have never been so scared in my life

im on tramadol diazapam amatryptiline voltrol and diclofenac

The doc told me its so severe i might not walk proper again

They said at hospital i need a MRI scan to see if they can do anything for me like i say i cant walk etc so cant really work so wtf do i do i cant get JSA so im really confused as to what i can do

 

they also said they cant cure it just manage the symptoms

 

yeah am in same boat off work just now but just applied for a benefit in which you may come under cant remember the name of it but phone them up they will help

 

Up untill I read this post my back had been fine for about 6 months, today Ive started having twinges in my leg and back so is a night on the sofa for me, hopefully wont get any worse..

My Mum and Dad have both had prolapsed disc,

 

bloody hell. i feel a bit of a wimp now. i just have pain in my left butt cheek and down my left leg into my foot. can't sit down at night, eat my tea standing up! seems there always someone worse off.

 

I suffered with this kind of pain for years and the only thing that has made any form of difference for me has been massage.

Tried physio, various painkillers etc etc and nothing made the slightest difference.

Massage was about the only thing i hadn't tried so thought what the hell and gave it a go, after about 3 sessions i was like a new man and have never been pain free for so long !!

Now whenever i feel a twinge or the start of any form of back pain i go back and have another massage session and that always sorts it out for me.

Not a guaranteed cure but deffo worth a shot !

 

Yeah amitrip is VERY commonly used for nerve pain. Its a much lower dose than what is used for depression.
Gabapentin is an anti-seizure drug, which is also used for neuropathic pain.

I agree with getting a referral to a pain team. Far too many people end up on stupid doses of very powerful drugs.

 

thats me banned for getting the moderator in pain haha on a serious note tho i have tried the massage which did help but not for too long maybe I should get it more often might help, as ellie said I dont want to be on the pain relievers all my life or however long I have it, my dad has it but very rarely does it come and cause him problems anymore

 

I'll let you of, luckly I dont suffer that bad compared to others

 

Anyone had a epidurel to stop the pain, a big needle in the bottom of the spine, feels like there trying to get 2 gallons of water in your back, i was also put to sleep and had a needle put in one of my dics going in from my side and had the juice of a paw paw fruit injected in it, i kid you not, thats what they said it was and it cost 2 grand a time to do and that was 10 years ago.

Feel a little guilty moaning about my problems after what Tabetha has been through.

I was asked if my back problem was causing problems with my sex life, i said it has with my wife but i would give a younger model a good go

 

ouch.
I used to make epidurals, theyre only usually 100mls.

 

your to kind

pml

heard about the needle in th back thing though didnt like the sounds of it

 

The nurse said it was only a small dose but when she injected the stuff in it felt like 2 gallons lol.

Yea i think it was a small needle it was the one in my side that was the big one, they showed me it after i had it done, neither one of them done me any good

 

thats a good reason not to go near them hate needles with a passion!!

 

Yes, as I said in my post above I had a root block done.

My worst nightmare as I have a serious needle phobia, I didn't realise I'd be awake during the procedure so it was bad news when I found out I'd be awake. Seemed to go on forever, big needle in, x-Ray, needle out, needle back in, x-Ray, hitting my nerve, etc etc. Did fuck all for me too.