pain seems worse now after epidural

Hi Gail

Slow down girl, you have the rest of your life to be wonder woman!!! It's not just the long hours it's the lifting too. A double whammy!! It isn't worth it. You have worked so hard at your recovery, you have faithfully and labouriously (??) done all your exercises and been so careful, don't throw it all away now.

As you know I am a 'back person' rather than a 'neck/shoulder' person, but pain is pain. I too couldn't wait to go back to work and five weeks on I have run out of steam. I took today off on annual leave. In 5 weeks I have taken 3.5 days leave, because I am just so knackered!! By mid afternoon I can barely function. Too much to soon?? I know how frustrating it is champing at the bit wanting to get back to work, but now I am heading for exhaustion. I can't keep using my annual leave just because I am tired. i am caught in this no-mans land where I am not so ill that I have to stay at home flat on my back every day, but I am not well enough to return 100% to my old life. And I hate to admit it!!! We had our surgeries at about the same time, so we are probably at a similar stage of recovery. Go easy girl. And I shall read these words and try to do the same!!!!

Best wishes

TFU

hello.i posted last back at the end of jan under constant pain.i have had steriod injections a week ago today and they have made no difference at all.im in more pain than i was.has anyone else had these and what happend for yourselves?also what was the next step?.

Hi Dazza

Sorry to hear the injections haven't worked. I haven't had the injections personally, but I understand they can take a while to kick in. Have you been offered a follow up appointment?? If not, I'd certainly look into getting something organised. Unfortunately with the NHS it can take weeks so the sooner you start....on a positive note, you can always cancel if you feel better. Don't get lost in the system!!

Best wishes

TFU

Hi Jess,

I just wanted to check that you are okay and that the pain in your left leg has settled down now, or better still gone completely.

Hopefully it is just blip.

Best wishes

TFU

I just want to say thanks for your replys. I am due to go back to my chiropractor in 2 week, he is a lovely man and has helped a great deal. My problems seem small up to most of the ones on here that i have read,at least i can get about at the moment. I just felt i needed advice from people who understood. I'm a full time carer for my daughter , so i was just worried since i have alot of lifting and such to do, which is no easy task as shes 21 and taller than me.

Once again thanks for the replys i will take the advice onboard.

sue

Hi Sue,

Never dumb down your pain. It is clear that you have suffered a lot because of this and you are quite right to be concerned. Short of childbirth it's hard to think of anything else so painful. And at least childbirth only lasts for a few hours or days at worse.

You may be interested to know that some of the others who post here are also carers, albeit in a professional sense. You may well be right that lifting your daughter played a hand in your condition. It is probably best to be cautious. Difficult I know, when things need to be done they need to be done!! The joys of being a woman!!

Best wishes

TFU

Hi Dazza,

I too had an epidural injection last year and it didn't work for me either infact made my pain much worse especially in my left leg. After this I had a nerve route injection which worked immediately and lasted for a couple of months, then I attended back classes which agrivated it more and finally 6 weeks ago I underwent a two level posterial lumbar fusion.

I too had try many things over a period of 18 months until the operation was the only thing left. I must say that since my op I have been much better just recovering and taking it slow.

Take it easy and keep on chasing your appointments, hope you get there in the end.

Regards

Raindrop

thank tfu

you are right i know, and last night when work phoned asking for me to cover today as a staff member had phoned in sick i said no i need a day off! thats the first time ive ever said no, but i know if i,d gone in i would definatly been back off sick, and i,ve asked for 2 rest days next week so maybe this has taught me a lesson. like you ive booked annual leave but for 13 apr for a week id booked that the first day back in work knowing by then i,ll be needing it. As you said im not ill enough to be home resting but not back to full steam yet (if ever) im off swimming later today but i know i,ll not be able to do a lot, i feel sad at the moment that im not back to what i thought i was. WHAT IS IT WITH US GIRLS EH lol,gail

Hi Gail + TFU

I am really sorry if this is harsh but it drives me crazy reading ... I know I have over done it, double shifts?!?!?!?, its my own fault.

PLEASE think about what you are doing to yourself , on my 2nd prolapse I was paralysed for 3 months I was so ill I lost two stone, I was running high temps, put on a drip, on so many drugs I was toatlly spaced .... Is it worth it to risk being like me and having further ops? I am a career driven woman and work as a regional manager but I took 6 wks to get back to full time work (after 5 mths off) and even now after two years travel on the train, stop off and stretch as much as possible etc etc.

Please take care I am so terrified of going there again and sure you are whats the point of rushing??

Lorraine

Hi TFU,

Well what a difference a week makes -I feel so much better, so the physio must be working even though it didnt the first time round. However, I have a new physio whom has shown me far more exercises to do. In answer to your question, yes they did remove part of the disc but the consultant said that there was a weakness there since surgery and so when I sneezed it have put more pressure on the discs above which has in effect squeezed more out. I was also told that MRI scans can give off false positives - where the protrusion can be shown worse than what it actually is and to be honest this just shows that although my scan has shown really bad results, Im not in as no where near as bad pain, as I was last year when the protusion was half the size. So fingers crossed I have moved the disc out of the way of the nerve by constantly sticking with the exercises. Well thats what the physio says the exercises aim to do, as well as strengthening the spine.

Take care

Hi Lorraine,

I totally hear what you say. It is so difficult knowing when you are ready to go back to work. Everybody heals differently. I had two ops in December, but there came a point when I had to get back to some sort of a normal life. Also, I have no partner and have lost so much money through sickness over the last 14 months. The firm that I work for only gives 10 days paid sick leave a year. If they gave more I would gladly stay at home. I think that for me, I feel that now I just need to get on with it. I may need further surgery anyway, depending on the MRI results that I will get back shortly. In addition to seeing the neurosurgeon I am now being referred to a neurologist, because it looks as though the damage to my leg/foot is permanent and a urologist because since the first op I have no desire to go to the loo at all. Add in the dural tear, CSF leak, pseudomeningocele and suspected bacterial meningitis and the fact that without the meds I am in so much pain and I just wish I had never bothered. I certainly am much worse off s a result of my so called treatment. The only way forward is to accept that this has happened and to move forward and live life the best way I can. I still haven't even had any physiotherapy!!! But I can't sit around waiting to get better. The neurosurgeon thinks I may have a new prolapse, or a new CSF leak because the dural tear has come open slightly, but much smaller this time, or best of all, that when she repaired the dural tear, she stitched in a nerve ending!! Long term I think that the prognosis is poor, so I figure I may as well go back to work whilst I still hve a job to go back to!! I work in Central London and with the travel it is a long day, but staying at home is going to do me no good at all.

I would love the luxury of being ill the right way, taking good quality time out to recover, but for me it isn't an option. I just figure that everyday I can work is a day I can keep my head above water, because the next time I go under (on unpaid long term sick leave) I doubt I will find my way back anyway!!

It's a balancing act between doing what you have to do and doing what you would do in an ideal world. A world where money is no object and good and meaningful healthcare is on tap. Thankfuly over the next few weeks we hve a few bank holidays coming up and factor in some annual leave and I can pretty much get myself on a four day week for the next few months. Right now it's the best I can do!!

TFU

Hi Kelly,

I am so pleased you re feeling better. Light at the end of the tunnel, eh? Keep up the good work!!!

Well done

TFU

Hi Gail,

I'm really glad you're enjoying being back at work but very concerned that you need to be playing it very safe......I know it's hard to say \"no\" as you want to be part of the team and maybe even prove to them that you are getting back to normal, but at what cost? I remember approx 6 weeks post op I was getting sciatica down both legs...the consultant said it could be briusing or swelling or another disc prolapse...fortunately it went. Your neck is still recovering and will need more time, as you know. Ask yourself if you really want to be back in the position you have been in for the past 2 years....I think I know what your answer will be

It can be so easy to carry on and forget about looking after ourselves, especially when the old pain is becoming a memory and we are busy and have little time to reflect....but you need to remember how bad things were from time to time in order to give yourself a reality check. Rest up well over the next couple of days and work out what your limits will be for when you go back to work and need to assert yourself again..Good luck and I hope this is just a temporary setback...

Take care,

Jules xx :D :D

Thanks Andy and Jessica,

I cant beleive it took 18 mths to regain your muscles! Thats horrible. So many months with pain then so many months to get back to normal. But I guess thats what happens.

And having that many surgerys! Wow. Yeh Ive heard that some surgerys can be dangerous , it can cause you to be paralyzed. Thats really scary. When I heard that it really makes me frightened to get surgery. Im glad your - all better now. And hearing exersizes help. thats good, I havent went to physio again and still scare to do it, but an exersise that can help me would be nice!

But I will go get a consaultant to see a chiropactor and my mother suggested acupuncture.- chinease medical practice, with needles. So Im going to call around and go see if they might do some help and will let you guys updated. Last week I went and saw a different doctor for someones elses opinion on my back and he told me that I can call the Referrals and they might have my surgery/specialist set up. And I felt so happy, so the next day My sister called them for me. And it turns out that the specialist/surgeon Name Dr Sun, will call my house when Its time. SO basically It did nothing. I will still have to wait for that call and stay on my painkillers. It Can be months and months. But of course if chiropactor could do something that might be my answer! p.s Ill try nagging too!

-But thanks again, nice to hear others peoples storys and how they got treated.

Brittany

Hi Gail,, and all from lat year

Its Jude here. sorry to read your last posting, over doing it again, take it easy. Well my Back is still plating up but nothing like it was, I still take he Gabapentin, bit to scare to stop them, I cope with the ache nothing like it was thank god, I am careful (when I remember), have managed to stay in work all through from last year. Had to have my toe nail removed 7 weeks ago even that didn;t go right still in loads of pain, cant put shoe on so look real good in a croc with the front cut out.. Still never mind looking forward to becoming a Nan again in May a little boy can't wait, well take care speak soon.

Jude :roll: