Jump to content

Back Pain So Severe, Can't Walk Without Crutches


Darlene

Recommended Posts

i ve posted about back pain a few times. i hope i m not repeating myself. like i ve said on previous posts i have had low back pain for 10 years. actually i have pain all over, with the lower back being the worst. it started when i was working in a nursing home, then i quit work to go to school and became inactive... did more sitting then i am use to. i also remember helping my dad lift up a picnic table and felt something snap in my lower back, not sure what that was but couldnt walk without pain for about a week or two after that had happened. well, i have been to physical therapy and chiropractors... they help some, but does not take away the pain. well, the pain was so bad in dec. i went to the ER, he gave me percocet 5/325, flexeril and a toradol injection, and that didnt even touch the pain. the x ray revealed a little arthritis. i went to my family dr. and asked if she could do an mri, she said it wouldnt show anything, that if i had a herniated disc i would have pain going down my leg. she said to keep exercising. i do. but it makes the pain worse. now i am back to not being able to walk again. i borrowed my moms crutches, and its even painful to use them. it takes me a while just to get to the bathroom. then i can't even reach my butt. so i go see my rheumatologist, he can't figure out why my dr. never ordered an mri, and we wrote me out an order for one. right now i am just waiting for the prior auth. i also went and had gottten another injection. i told them that toradol didnt work the last time, so i can't figure out why they would give me the same thing again. do they not have other injections that work for pain? and is there something else beside percocet 5/325 and flexeril that works for pain. even if it doesnt take away the pain completely, but something that takes the edge off. i can't sleep at night cause i hurt so bad. i think i have to have a herniated disc. what else can happen to your back that can cause that great amount a pain that would not require surgery. atleast i am hoping to god whatever is wrong does not require surgery as i am scared to death to be put to sleep.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you call the insurance company and see if they can rush the prior authorization? Perhaps there is a back doctor that you could make an appointment with, so that when your MRI is done you can get right in to see him/her? Getting the toradol a second time may have been not just for the pain relief, but for its anti-inflammatory properties. Would your doctor be okay with you taking ibuprofen regularly to help with the inflammation?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I first got POTs within a month i woke up in absolute agony with pain my my lower back and sacroiliac joints. it got so bad within a week that I could not move in anyway and was rushed to hospital where they diagnosed me with Ank Spond which was confirmed by radiosomething and the gene test.

My docs now think my POTS is secondary to Ank Spond or at laest part of the same disease process. fun times!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awful ... I'm just recovering from a sciatic attack. I had a previous MRI that showed severe herniated disc with nerve pinch. If that is the cause of it they can do a steroid shot right into the disc. I went to a pain clinic for that. I've had 2 now each about a month apart and I'm a TON better. Also taking a daily anti-inflammatory helped as well. Ouch, hope you get it figured out. Surgery is usually the last resort. Now that I'm in less pain I'll work on strengthening and hopefully that'll keep the pain away at least for a while!!

Brye

Link to comment
Share on other sites

finally, a dr. ordered an mri. it's monday at 12:45 pm. hope i can lay on my back for an hour.

I had back surgery last year -- a laminectomy. Just a hint for the mri that helped me and may help you. The technician put a pillow under my knees which somehow relieved the pressure on my back and I was able to manage the MRI quite well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a herniated lumbar disc but it hasn't bothered me for a while. When it does act up, it rubs my sciatic nerve a little. I take Celebrex (NSAID) during these times and get pretty good relief. It usually takes 24-36 hours on the Celebrex before it starts to alleviate the pain. It might be worth a try.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...