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New here, my low back pain issues, and navigating this site

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Posted 7/2/2014 1:43 PM (GMT 0)
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Hi, as the topic says I'm new here. I've perused the low back pain forum, I'm hoping this is where I'm posting now...thanks for any response :)

I have moderate to horrible pain in low back. Originally felt in my sacral area. It has moved to hips, outer hips, buttocks, hamstrings and at times down one leg and the same foot. Sometimes the cramping is so bad deep in back of legs I just play solitaire on my iPad and moan, sort of a meditation type thing.

Initially had an MRI, without contrast, a few months ago. Was sent to a clinic to have a doc give me various injections. None have helped.

The MRI showed my Facet joints were very inflamed. Doc says I have DDD, but not so bad that I need surgery. I was warned not to go to chiropractor as the adjustments could herniate some discs that are already torn.

My spine is also not straight, I need to ask more about this.

I have made an appointment with another local doctor for a second opinion. I wonder if something more is going on. Either my discs are bulging, or the facets hate me, ha ha.

The pa I see for my pain meds at clinic where I get shots is a bit of a nasty person, and doesn't know I'm getting a second opinion. I dislike the intimidation dealt out from the pain clinic. I understand why there is a contract for pain meds. This particular person is very suspicious and emphatic, to the point of being rude about my level of pain.

Also, am scheduled for cervical surgery for 3 discs in neck in August. Apparently the cervical stenosis is unrelated to low back pain.

I'm open to starting yoga, dry needling, anything to get this beast to settle down.

Is anyone else experiencing anything somewhat similar? If so, has anything helped you? Has anything hurt you, stretches, massages, yoga, etc.

Thanks for reading. Nice to belong to a group where one can vent and feel support. Hopefully in future, give support.


Had L4 facet injections- no help
L5 epidural, nada
Posted 7/2/2014 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
One more thing I try to do:

Stay active.
For me this is nowhere near my activity level a year ago. I used to be a metalsmith.

I try to list out things to be done. Spend no more than 15 minutes a task. Then I get right on my ice or heat. Unfortunately heat in this weather sets of mad hot flashes (sorry if that is tmi)
I read an opinion that ice is great, but will cause more muscle stiffness after...I don't know this to be true.
Hot baths are great too.

And my level of daily pain depends on how far I can walk my dogs, 3x a day. Some days it's really not far at all, I've not done my 40 minute brisk walk in a long while.

I don't know if staying active is a mental thing, like meditation, mind off the pain?

Or if being sedate is better some days, or if resting makes me think of the pain more- like being overly focused.

Thanks for taking time to read my story :)
Posted 7/3/2014 5:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hi TH and welcome aboard.

Yep, you're in the right place.

I do agree with you that being active is crucial. CP is very different than acute pain. If we stagnate our CP will often get much worse.

Mindfulness is also important. It's a balancing act. We bob about on the surface trying to find the peace between staying active, and also respecting our minds' need for stillness and awareness and acceptance.

Distraction balanced with awareness. Sounds like an odd combo, but....both are needed for quality of life!







M.
Posted 7/3/2014 9:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hello ThinkHappy & welcome to the chronic pain forum. Glad you found us but sorry you have to be here.

Facet joint pain can be brutal, my facet joints on the left side are in really bad shape. As a result of this the pain can be something else. What type of dr is treating you for this? Do you have a copy of your MRI report, if not I would get one.

Most of us here are under the care of a pain mgt dr.. Unfortunately, so many drs now have a sour taste in their mouth when someone mentions having chronic pain. They are worried about getting a visit from the DEA & having them audit their records. If a dr is doing what he should be doing the DEA will not bother him, but they are all scared of them showing up. The staff in some of these places really need to go through charm school classes I think. I know they see people all day long complaining about pain, but that is why they have a job there.

Word of caution, if you see this other dr do not accept a script for any pain meds or the current dr will find out & kick you to the curb. When that happens you will have a very difficult time getting any dr to take you on as a patient.

Take care.....
Posted 7/4/2014 8:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hello and welcome to the chronic pain forum at HW! Glad to have you join us but sincerely wish pain wasn't what brings us all together!

I too am a lumbar /sacral DDD with a pars defect at S-1 and the sciatica feels as you described it most hours of the day! That heavy cramping ache right down the back of both legs! Its always lurking! I have had injections and some work, some don't. I do however stay mobile and active as the pain for me gets far worse when I'm not. I have found that hydrotherapy offers the greatest amount of relief from other modalities. I frequently as much as 3times a week put that pool to good use. Check into that.

As for Drs who are opiate phobic they are the reason a good pain management Dr is priceless!

Glad to have you and good luck with your upcoming surgery.
Posted 7/4/2014 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome and as other have said, I'm sorry you have to join our club... The one thing I'd like to add to the conversation is that you you deserve to be treated with respect, not to be made to feel guilty for your pain.

In the early stages of my PM journey, I too had a grumpy PA that was very dismissive of my pain and would never ask "how are you doing?". You only saw a doctor in the practice if you getting an injection or ablation. This is really unacceptable and should not be accepted as just how it is when you are prescribed narcotics.

After six months or so with the practice and my pain was still not under control, I expressed my frustration to my pcp and he suggested going for a second opinion with a new pm doc that was associated with his group. I made an appointment that afternoon and was seen within a few days!

The differences in the practices are night and day.

You start with the nurses who are compassionate and caring. They get your vitals and document your pain for the past month and note any changes. I then see the doctor every visit. We tried various meds until settling on an extended release med and a quick release for break-through pain. My pain was finally under control with a minimum of side effects. I now get an epidural every six months or so to mange the sciatic leg pain which can be horrible when it flares. Once things stabilized, the doctor would write scrips for the next month and state on them "do not fill until" so that I did not have to appear every 30 days just to get a piece of paper. I can honestly say my pm doc cares which is in stark contrast to the first group that seemed to be structured as a revenue generator.

Sorry for the long winded tale... But all I wanted to say is that you deserve to be treated with respect and to have your pain managed so that you have a decent quality of life. Do not feel guiltily getting a second opinion. The doctors and nurses work for you, not the other way around.
Posted 7/4/2014 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
PS: I would like to add something to the wonderful advice already offered. I only learned about this after the fact....right here in this wonderful Forum. I was ill-prepared, naïve, and made mistakes.

When you are making an appointment with another doctor, such as for a 2nd opinion, or because you are looking for a practitioner you feel comfortable and safe with, and whom you trust,.....do NOT schedule a 'regular appointment,' but rather, make it clear that the appointment is for a "Meet & Greet."

When I was trying to find a local doctor when we moved from MA up here to NH, I made an appointment with a doctor for a local PCP. The entire visit was a fiasco. The place was nasty, the doctor was unprofessional, the staff was dreadful, and as I came to relay to the good folks here,.....I felt like I was in a WWII camp. I also felt like I needed a tetanus shot just from being in the facility.

Plus,....the doc as well as the staff just creeped me out.

It never occurred to me that I could make an appointment for a distinct "Meet & Greet" and I could have avoided a lot of red tape, a lot of judgment, and a waste of money and time.

We do have to be careful with our choice of words when explaining we're looking for a doctor (of any kind) to avoid being labeled a "doctor shopper" (even though in the literal sense, we are shopping for a doctor to treat us,.....NOT for one who liberally dispenses various meds). But it seems society (medical and layperson alike) swiftly jump to conclusions making our ability to search for the right doc more complicated.









M.
Posted 7/4/2014 6:08 PM (GMT 0)
Think happy ,
I have major lumbar issues and have had L5/S1 surgery done but by a hack surgeon. Wish I had changed plans at the time and found a better one. But that said, have you tried a TENS unit? I find that very helpful for that low back or any kind of ache or muscle spasm. They are about $50 online - I have had the $500 kind the insurance pays for and the $50 one from a chiropractor and there is no difference!

I also agree with all of the above, keep moving, walking and watch your body mechanics. Also sometimes a SI joint belt can help. I got one from a really good PT (also someone to try), she also taught me these simple exercises that keep my SI joint from moving around too much when I move and irritating the nerves.

Find a good pain management doctor, they are out there. I have one and get an epidural twice a year and it really reduces the swelling/ pain. Unfortunately now I can't since I just had neck surgery. But during my neck surgery they gave me a good dose of steroids and my leg didn't hurt for 2 weeks!

Finally, ice can be your very best friend. I sometimes even sleep with an ice pack.

Stay happy, and best to you.
Posted 7/7/2014 1:44 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all so much for your sage advice and sharing your stories! I had to chuckle aloud when I read the words -charm school :) it's good to laugh.
My husband goes with me to the pain management place. He has seen first hand how brutal the line of questioning can be. I am having one more procedure in low back - right before my cervical surgery.
So glad someone else can relate to the crazy pain in facet joints.
I made sure when booking appt for second opinion doc that this was for a consult and they asked me to bring my MRI. I'm truly looking for fresh eyes, decent pain management, and a way to move forward without defending the pain. My husband will be with me for the consult. Will keep you posted :)
My neighbor (a veteran of back surgery and pain) showed me her Tens. She also showed me a low back brace.
I'm hearing more and more about getting relief by using the pool and hot tub.
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