Ugh... I've been having lower back pain since last fall... eased up from about mid-December to January... and started back up about a month ago... but it's been tolerable... just this feeling like my spine is cramped up in my lower back, gets really stiff at times... but it hasn't been keeping me from doing much really so I've been ignoring it... it hasn't been really bad since it first started up last fall, then I'd be laid up pretty much for a few days and it would ease up after a bit.
Well... I dunno what made it worse, if it was lifting a lot of heavy stuff lately, or bending over these computers I'm working on a lot yesterday... whatever it was, I started getting these sharp shooting pains going from my spine off to the side, along with the cramped feeling in my spine.
Wound up having to take a pain killer, and I *hate* taking pain killers... I mean, I know I'm not abusing them, I'm taking them for the right reason, I'm taking it because I'm in serious pain... but I dunno, I almost feel guilty, like I shouldn't be taking it. But it was bad enough, I kept putting it off and finally got my bf to go get me one. And all it did was knock me out.
Got up today and it was just as bad as last night... it's eased up a little during the day, then started getting worse a little while ago. I can't lift much of anything, I can't sit for very long... and it's really bad timing... my bf is at our friends house for today and tonight, b/c she's having back surgery tomorrow and she needed some company and support... and we've got an auction tomorrow night and should've been spending today cleaning up stuff and loading the van to take down there... and I've got a computer that has to be fixed by the auction tomorrow so I can return it to its owner.
Well... bf asked me to at least clean up the stuff we're taking down there and he'll load it tomorrow... I've been working on the computer off and on all day and last night... really need to go lie down for a bit... and I want to take a pain pill so bad, but with how it knocked me out last night, I know I can't take one or I won't get anything at all done. *sigh*
I did finally get a dr appt... I've been putting it off cuz I have medicare, but you still have to pay some with it... and my bf suggested I wait till I get my medicaid... but it's bad enough I don't want to put it off any longer... so... I'll find some way to pay the rest of my deductible and whatever percentage I have to pay... my appt is Friday afternoon... we'll see what they say...
Sorry... just needed to whine a bit... lol I feel awful and I'm stressed cuz there's so much that needs to be done... Think I'm gonna go soak in the tub for a bit and see if that helps any.
Hi Ya, LisaF. Just wanted to say be careful of trading one addiction for another, it happens! I hear so many introduce themselves as "cross addicted".. my biggest fear....from personal experience it sounds like sciatica...see a doctor to be sure.....my prayers are with you......
__________________
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.
I know Doll, I'm being careful. I really have needed pain meds all day but have been suffering through it. I didn't like how that pill last night drugged me out so bad, I don't want to take another unless I seriously have to. It's my bf's meds, cuz I haven't been to the dr yet... Used to I'd pop a pain pill for just about anything, not necessarily to get "high" off it, just any little pain I had, well, go ahead and take the strongest stuff I've got... I don't do that anymore... it's been hurtin for a month and I didn't take anything stronger than ibuprofen for it until last night. And may have to take another after awhile with how bad it is... I told my bf I'd call him before I take anything... that's kinda his personal rule for himself, he tells someone before he takes any pain med, kinda an accountability thing or somethin if ya wanna call it that...
I really don't know anything about sciatica... my bf has it... but he's not sure if what I'm feelin is the same thing... guess we'll see what the dr says...
I have back pain too. Have you ever seen a Chiropractor? It's the only thing that works for me. I find I need to do my stretching exercises in the mourning to loosenup, also it's the quick tqisting motions that have caused my back to lock up in the past. The back is the foundation that support the rest of the body, when it goes out you can't do much. Last time my back when out before I found my new Chiropractor I had to roll out of bed and crawl to the bathroom. No fun. Good luck. Bob.
__________________
Work like you don't need the money
Love like you've never been hurt, and
dance like no one is watching.
Hi Lisa, sorry to hear about your pain. Let me preface the rest of my message with the following: I'm not a medical professional. OK, that's out of the way. I am, however, someone not unfamiliar with nerve pain. I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Shortening of tendons, contraction of muscle, the swelling of tissue, and the pinching of nerves--these equal pain. My original post had a long drawn out history of how I managed my pain and began to heal the problem, but after reading it again I really think my main point is this: See a doctor (Great! You've got an appointment :), and be responsible for your own healing and health. It took me a long time to realize that no one else could fix me; I had to be my own health manager. I couldn't blame the doctor for not suggesting an approach I learned later on that worked wonders . . . it was and is my responsibility to research and ask questions. Oh, this has me thinking about my new relationship with alcohol and sobriety and life. Ack! My mind is spinning with parallels. I've gotta go journal my thoughts to clarify. Lisa, pain is a language your body uses to communicate with you--good luck in deciphering the code! Laura
Sounds like you're in a lot of pain, glad you can get in to see a Doctor, may want to see a Chiropractor from the sound of it.
My rule with pain medication is that if I can't identify the source, I don't take the painkiller. I see it as a tool to allow the body to heal without the discomfort or to allow the body to get through it's process. Example: cramps - you better beleive I take pain killers, then when they're gone, so are the pain killers. Migraine, I take Excedrin as directed and no more. Muscle aches... unless it's keeping me from sleeping, I live with it!!!
It was really bad last night, we were at the auction and I suffered through it til I got done with the computer work I was doing, then took a Talecin and went and laid down in the car to stretch my back out... came home and fell asleep... woke up about the time the pain pill was outta my system in serious pain... it was so bad I was tempted to tell my roommate to take me to the ER... he gave me another pain killer and it wasn't helping and he talked me into taking some neurontin to at least knock me out so I could sleep... I didn't want to take it but he said it was ok because I'm taking it for pain, not to get high... and I wasn't going to fall asleep with the pain I was in... that crap knocked me out til 1 this afternoon, I'm not taking it again unless I seriously have to... I'm in a lotta pain today... don't want to take anything for it though... Friday can't come soon enough... my ex husband is telling me to go on to the ER... but I know how much going to the ER costs ya when they don't even do anything, it'd be even more with xrays and stuff... and I have to pay a percentage with medicare... so I'm tryin to suffer through it.
I feel like such a baby right now, like a wimp... I normally have really high pain tolerance, hell, I've been dealing with it for a month without pain killers, I feel weak for having to take them now. And although I know I'm not abusing them, I feel guilty for taking them, I have to get my bf to reassure me that it's ok to take them. I was hurting so bad and I wasn't going to take that neurontin last night, but I knew I needed it. But I felt so wrong for taking it. obviously with how it knocked me out like that and I didn't like it I won't be taking it anymore unless I really have to... and my bf pointed out it's ok to take it, but I don't need to start taking it every night or anything. My first sponsor out here takes neurontin every day... after taking it last night, I don't see how she functions at all, now I understand why she's so spacy and can't even get my name right! lol
