acute back pain

[lobelia321]

My back had got better. This morning I went to the osteopath. Then I went round town, buying gifts for my siter and her family. I made the sons carry all the purchaes. Then I felt exhausted and propped myself up on a lot of cushions with a hottie up my back in front of the TV and watched the first half of Main Hoon Na (which I love, btw, it is fantastic!). And then I couldn't get up. When I had finally got vertical, spasms of pain went up my back every 30 seconds or so. It was like being in the fucking last stages of labour but with no prospect of it stopping. I made it to the living room where I collapsed to my knees. T'h wasn't home yet; t'kids were getting spooked by their incapacitated parent bellowing with pain every minute. I thought, 'what if I faint?' and made them write down emergency numbers which spooked them even more, I fear. I rang the duty doctor but nobody rang back for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, I rang a neighbour who kindly kept me talking and when his wife came home, she came round - I just was grateful to have another adult around as back-up. T'h finally arrived and took the children upstairs; and I slowly and gingerly managed to get vertical. I took paracetamol and put a heat patch on my back (thank you, Flist Friends, who suggested that I buy some of these!). I'm just noticing that even typing this is not good and making me have twinges. The duty doctor is due to ring back in some minutes.

Well. Yesterday seems halcyon now, with its burst of fic creativity. Sorry, everyone, I'm not even able to reply to comments right now, and I'd better stop typing, it's pulling on some muscles.

:-(

Comments

[ook.livejournal.com]

That's what happened to me when I hurt my back. I woke up and was stiff and tried to go about my day as normal. Laid down to take a nap and when I tried to get up, I couldn't! It took me fifteen minutes just to stand up and then I collapsed against the dresser in pain (I couldn't support my upper torso because my back was out). So I know where you're coming from on this....it's very scary and the pain spasms are agonizing! :(

I think you're just going to have to lie down and STAY THERE for at least a week. On a heating pad with constant heat. I think that you were probably getting better but then aggravated your sprained back by going shopping. You'll just have to stay in bed for a while...possibly a few weeks. Or get some really good painkillers from a doctor.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

The bad thing is that I am flying to Germany this afternoon. :-( Thanks so much for writing about your own experiences; it really helps to know others have experienced this.

Wow...

[ook.livejournal.com]

I don't see HOW you can make a flight to Germany unless you have some heavy-duty painkillers. If you are in so much pain, you might have to cancel your flight (or make an emergency trip to a doctor to get a prescription). Are you having to go for business?

At this point, all that you CAN do is lie down on a heating pad (with proper back support) and rest. Moving around will just aggravate your back more. You really MAY have to spend a few weeks in bed, so I don't see how you're going to travel (much less sit upright on a plane for several hours) unless you've got some pain meds and muscle relaxants and a couple of walking canes to use to walk with (they help you support your upper torso since your spine can no longer do it). Is there any way you can make an emergency visit to a doctor before you leave? Or can you get some pain meds in Germany?

After I sprained my back (what I did was fall asleep sitting upright in a chair for a few hours), I spent two months lying down on the heating pad. I'd get up to pee or get some water or food or to brush my teeth...then I would immediately hobble back to bed. I had the computer in the same room (at the foot of my bed) with a keyboard/mouse with extra long wires and would type with the keyboard across my tummy (I can type by touch). So...I spent two months online and watching tv and taking a 200mg tablet of ibuprofen EVERY HOUR since I couldn't afford to see a doctor. Yes...24 ibuprofen a day (4800mg...4 tablets every four hours).

I also bought (well a friend of mine did) a number of pillows so that I could support my back while lying down. You need a very firm support pillow roll for the small of your back and a couple of extra small pillows (I still use the back support pillows at the office and in my car). I had a couple of square feather pillows that worked nicely. I had two canes because I'd use them to stand up from the bed with (but I'd usually have to lean against a low dresser for a moment, to get used to standing up) and then I'd use the canes to walk with. I wish that I'd had a proper walker with wheels.

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon. I'll be around the computer all day, if you have any other questions.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

What helped you get better in the end? And what did you do to get yourself out of the bind of getting spasmed after having rested?

More advice...

[ook.livejournal.com]

Spending two months lying down is what made me get better. And taking tons of ibuprofen for the pain. After two months, my back was STILL tender and I'd have pain spasms occassionaly, but at least I wasn't shouting in agony like I was the first week. It still took several months for my back to get back to "normal" and even then I sometimes get the odd ache or pain. However, I'm back to normal now...I spent yesterday afternoon with a heavy chopper hoe, digging out and pulling up several stubborn bushes in my garden.

I do know NOW what do next time I sprain my back. You must ice your back for 15-30 minutes and THEN apply a heating pad for 15-30 minutes. And repeat: ice, heat, ice, heat. And then lay down on the heating pad with a support pillow at the small of your back. If I had known to do that when I initially sprained my back, I wouldn't have had to endure such agony.

[rossywar.livejournal.com]

How awful! :( I hope your back gets better sooner rather than later.

I'm glad that Main Hoon Na provided a brief and entertaining distraction! It's so great, I love it. :)

[sheldrake.livejournal.com]

Oh, poor you! How dreadful. I do hope the doctor can come up with something remotely helpful.

[sophrosyne31.livejournal.com]

oh god, how awful, mizz lobe. that sounds truly horrible. i hope the doctor chappie was able to help, and you can spend all tomorrow lying down. *nods*

[brightest-blue.livejournal.com]

*cries* How are we going to fix you? Don't type if it hurts you. That Dr. had better call you back NOW.

[sonicbookmark.livejournal.com]

I think you need me to kidnap David for you. I've already agreed to share him with jo_zed_pee_em, but we can split him threeways. ;)

[msilverstar]

hoping you are feeling much better

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Thank you.