PDEW i am in horrible pain

[lobelia321]

I am in horrible back pain. I could barely get up. When I find a position that is halfway comfortable, every now and again I will be seized by a cramp-like shooting pain. I have to breathe through it, as if I were in labour again. I finally got upright and now I'm stuck in that position. It's easiest if I engage in soft movement: I hobble back and forth across the living room and sway. Even picking up the full hottie or the coffee jug made me feel pain. Going to the loo was not fun, the bending -- I peed my pants. Then it took me ages to get the bloody undies off and put new ones on. Fuck. I rang the out-of-hours clinic but there is no remedy for backpain; they told me to take some nurofen and paracetamol (which I did! Maximum dose) and 'have a nice hot bath'. I said, "I can't even get in the bath!"

I would like to distract myself with mindless SGA watching but this means I would need to bend down to insert a DVD or sit somewhere; I could do peripatetic watching, I suppose, by hobbling back and forth across a length of two meters in front of the TV, panther-in-zoo-like.

Writing this is making me somewhat better as the typing makes me write the funny side of it. Although it is not funny, and I don't want to laugh because that makes my back hurt. When I first got up, I was in tears; I thought 'I can do nothing!' Apparently, steroid level is lowest in the morning so it should get better -- so what to do about tomorrow morning?

I feel so fucked, and not in the good vaginal way. Okay, been rigid in front of the laptop too long (I am typing this standing up, with the laptop perched on top of a high chest of drawers); must go back to hobbling.

If this doesn't go away by Tuesday, I will not be able to travel to Mannheim.

Oh, I'm having a funny sensation in my fingers. I wonder if that's the nurofen kicking in and if I've given myself a brightest_blueesque overdose?

Post something amusing to distract me! Or a link to something amusing (but not too amusing or I'll laugh!). Also, I like watching those SGA vids; if you know of any that are in an avi format or a mov format. T'h watched one of shalott's vids last night and was amazed! "Wow, it's in time with the music and everything, this is fantastic!" I said, "This is made by the same person who wrote that novel that you keep reading on the loo." T'h: "This is amazing. Your people are amazing." Your people. Very Teyla Emmagen.

Oh fuck, now I've really got to be hobbling.

Comments

[lazulus]

Oh no! Back pain is horrible. My early twenties were ruined by it. Ibupforen is good. Heat is good and I really think it would be worth getting through the pain to have a hot bath, it might be easier once the painkillers kick in.

Hang on in there and try not to panic. It's surprising how the pain goes just when you think you'll never stand up straight again.

*squeezes very very gingerly*

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this. It's helpful to hear from other sufferers who are, now, okay. And the advice about the bath: okay, I will try this. I feel a tad better already, having taken the drugs and hobbled for an hour and a half. Now I'm just really knackered; I'd like to sit down!

[ook.livejournal.com]

Argh! How did you hurt your back? Did you sprain it, or sleep in an odd position? Is this something new? or some old affliction?

I ask because I badly sprained my back last year and might be able to offer some suggestions to you if you'd like them.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I've often had back trouble but this is the worst. My back hurt last week and I think going to the conference, walking, standing, sitting all day, lugging around a heavy bag, going up steep steps at my B&B -- all of this totally wrecked me.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this; this is really helpful. I will get a heat pad tomorrow when the shops open again. Poor you, peeing into a cup! That makes me feel positively athletic. But it's good to know that it is there as an option, *g*. Back pain is awful, and they can't do anything about it, I rang the out-of-duty doctor and that's just what they said, painkillers. Which is something. The heat thing is a really useful bit of advice; I used a hottie last night and that did help.

[ook.livejournal.com]

I am not sure if you're seeing a doctor for your back pain, but I do know there's not much they can do about it but offer you some painkillers and muscle relaxants.

I found that it was easist to lie down in a recliner chair position with my back and head supported on firm pillows with my legs up slightly. I used a small, firm pillow for the small of my back with a heating pad wraped around it. The heat pad made a huge difference. I also used stick-on heat pads for when I had to leave home (these have some chemical inside them that gets hot when you unwrap the pad and the pad stays very warm for several hours). I have two canes that I used to walk with when the pain was very bad...or just one cane if I was just stiff. I still have support pillows for my back in my car and at the office.

Yes, it's practically impossible to sit on the toilet (partly because toilets sit so low). I found it easier to pee into a cup while leaning down against the sink or wall. Showers are helped a lot if you can get one of those showerhead attachments that has a hose with a detachable shower head/gun that you can hold in your hand.

[rossywar.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Poor you. :( My flatmate is suffering from back pain, though it's a little better now. I think a hot water bottle can be quite good, especially since you can't get into the bath. Also, visits to the osteopath helped her. I hope it gets better soon.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I hope to get to an osteopath or chiropractor tomorrow. Today, of course, is the weekend. :-(

[brightest-blue.livejournal.com]

Even though I LOOK like the local junkie, I do prefer alternative medicine when possible. A chiropractor can probably fix you; another possibility is accupuncture- it's a wonder when applied to sore muscles, and after the pain you're in right now, the needles actually feel GOOD!

Hope you feel better soon. *smooshes*

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I had forgotten about acupuncture! Thank you for the advice! The bad thing is that we are flying to Mannheim on Tuesday so there may be no time for any treatment. :-(

[blythely.livejournal.com]

Commiserations, and I hope various remedies kick in for you soon.

[sophrosyne31.livejournal.com]

oh you poor poor thing. it sounds like you're desperate, and it's scary when you're in physical desperation and feel like there's no remedy. i second the suggestion for acupuncture, it sure can't hurt (hah hah) to try, if you can hobble into a clinic.

i'm sending good-back-vibes and also minions for your every need. they will arrive unclothed, if that's your wish.