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Working with CS.

Posted , 4 users are following.

kats56
kats56

I am 63 and have been suffering with neck pain, stiffness in the neck and pain in back of head for over a year now, I also have trouble sleeping as can't turn over without pain, I have to physically lift my head with my hand to turn over. Initially my Dr said it was muscular and gave me Codeine Phosphate which did nothing for me. I gave it a couple of months and went to see a different Dr at tlhe practice who gave me stronger painkillers....Nafopam and also Amitrptyline to help me sleep. She tried to refer me for a scan but couldn't until I'd had physio which I am still having at the moment. The physio I get is about 15 mins every 2 weeks which in my eyes is not nearly enough. However apart from that I have been managing at work fine, I work in a dept store and am a bra fitter and general sales assistant. Any heavy lifting there is to do my colleagues would help and the rest of the time I have been managing fine. This week however I have been moved and put in the cafe, my first day was yesterday, I found it really heavy....carrying loaded trays of food, clearing tables and carrying loaded trays back to the kitchen. every part of the job involves some sort of lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling and scrubbing! Today was my day off and I have had so much pain and stiffness in my neck and pains in the back of my head! I am really concerned that this is going to make my condition worse. If I am feeling like this after one day I dread to think what I'll be like after five days in there. How do you cope at work, do you have a job that entails lifting or heavy work? Sorry for the long ramble but I am worried about getting worse.

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46 Replies

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  • joan152
    joan152 kats56

    Posted

    Hi, kats and everyone,

    I have just found this forum,so would like to give any information I can as well as may get some back.

    I have had CS for years have had MRI I do have Botox injections every two months but have not had any for about 4 now trying to see if I can do with out them.

    Mine also causes Essential Tremor. Which is a nuisance to deal with.

    Just a thought I suppose you have all heard of the Dystonia Society they send you some valid information.

    I find a wheat bag in the microwave help you can wrap it round easy.

    Look forward to hearing from you all.

    Take Care.

    Joan.

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 joan152

      Posted

      hi joan i to found that heat sometimes helps and i sit there in peace and quite with my eyes closed and sometimes it eases (not always) but sometimes. which is better than nothing!!! i can not have botox other ailments? frown i have not heard of that society but i will look it up!! i hope to hear from you again on this site so for  now take care jeanette

    • kats56
      kats56 joan152

      Posted

      Hi Joan nice to meet you. I too use a wheat bag and find it helps when I am doing my neck exercises. Iaven't heard of the the Dystonia society, but will check it out. Hope to hear from you soon. Take care Jen.
    • joan152
      joan152 kats56

      Posted

      Hi,

      hope your neck is not to bad,mine has gone to left shoulder and arm don't think it's connected just something else,it's a bit warm for the weta bag think it will have to be ice.

      Where are you in theU.K

      joan

    • joan152
      joan152 jeanette43594

      Posted

      Hi Jeanette,

      sorry to hear you have it as well it is a pain (excuse the pun) I know some days cannot function with it,but hey ho not a lot we can do,don't know about you it's that thing called AGE with me.

      keep in touch

      love 

      Joan

    • kats56
      kats56 joan152

      Posted

      Hi Joan I'm in the north east not far from Newcastle, I work in Newcastle.

      My neck has been worse since being moved to cafe at work. I was qualified bra fitter but the mamgement have moved us all around and put a lot of the "older" staff in the cafe (heaviest job in the store) hoping it will push us to retire I think.

      I've had loads of problems this last few weeks. I get a little pain in my shoulder but mine is more up the back and top of head as well as neck.

      Had today off so hopefully wil sleep better tonight.

      Age has a lot to do with it of course but I could manage it before the move so you can imagine I am feeling angry that it seems to be speeding up the degeneration. Never mind I'm sure it will settle down soon (hoping with fingers crossed) lol

      Jen

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 joan152

      Posted

      hi joan nice to hear from you i wish mine was age related!!! more creaks and groans with age but more pain  could put up with that  but i have got more aches as time goes on!!!  and more painsad  so hope you are feeling well (apart from usual  aches) rolleyes

    • joan152
      joan152 jeanette43594

      Posted

      Hi Jeanette,

      how are you,still every ache here dont get any better,to warm for the wheat bag, got blood test tomorrow now thinkI might have celiac.

      oh well

      joan

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 kats56

      Posted

      hi kats how are you doing? hope this finds you well as can be? how are you doing at work? have you heard from your GP yet? did heat make it any better? on holiday at the moment as i said last time!!!! pain still there more so went to see consultant and he said cant do anymore just haveto wait and see!! what ever that means!!!  i hope to hear from you soon and take care xx   rolleyessmile

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 kats56

      Posted

      hi kats56 how are you doing well i hope? how is your job going.how did you come on at physio? how did visit to drs  go? all these questions!!!! well been on holidays with M/I/L and S/I/L and came back in one piece(just) M/I/Lis hard of hearing even though she has hearing aid lol and S/I/L is also hard of hearing (but not admits it) (no hearing aid!!!) so when i came back i seem to be still shouting!!!!biggrin  anyway had a good time and weather stayed nice so i hope you are keeping safe and well and hope to hear from you soon take care jeanette  xx ps   dont for get to let me know how you got on xx  rolleyes

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 joan152

      Posted

      hi joan how are you doing?  

      how did the blood test come ok i hope? as you said the aches and pains dont get any better as you get older they get worse(or is that just me!) the least bit thing makes mine worse and coupled with arthritis makes it seem worse. never mind will just have a bit moan and will feel a little bit better!! nothing like a good moan!! have a few friends i met when i was at pain management and we meet up once a month still to have a moan and discuss uor aches  and pains then we have a nice meal!! have you been to pain management it might help? anyway had a bit moan and ramble so take care and hope to hear from  you soon jeanetterolleyes  

    • kats56
      kats56 jeanette43594

      Posted

      Hi Jeanette how are you? Glad to hear you had a good time on hoiiday, its always good to have a change of scenery, perks you up a it. Hope your aches and pains aren't too bad at the moment. I am still waiting to hear from occupational health at work so no news there. I have now developed a bad hip (don't remember if I mentioned it, sorry if I have already) and have had an x-ray on it and blood tests to rule out arthritis,  don't get results till this week. I think its all the walking back and forward all day at work thats started it off, hopefully it'll just be a bit of inflamation. We go on holiday in two weeks time and I can't wait to get a break from work. Going off in our caravan and taking our labrador Buster to Lake District.  Hope to hear from you soon, take care Jen xx

       

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 kats56

      Posted

      Hi kats pleased you are going away for a break as you said it does you the world of good just do have a change.sorry to hear about your hip and no you have not mentioned it before i feel for you on that score as i have trouble with both hips (arthritis) and other things (no fun getting older) some days i feel older than my59 yrs!!! LOL i try to keep on the move as much as i can. been to see my consultant 2wks ago and he said no more he can do as injections did not work(painfull)cry  i hope you have a lovely time at the lakes are you going for long? i will do you good away from work i might settle your hip with you been on your feet all day? hope the results is just inflamation? where abouts is your caravan(if you dont mind me asking?) i like the lakes try and go there as often as we can just for the day. we used to go camping there(long time ago) when the children were small!! they had the freedom to just run and me then!!! as they say no news is good news!! i have rambled on a bit this timeso sorry about that it is good to hear from you and it is good to hear how you are getting on and it sometimes helps to talk to some one who is in the same position as your self well i will so take care and look after yourself and hope to hear from you before you go away if not ENJOY!!! Jeanette  xxrolleyes      

       

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 kats56

      Posted

      HI kats how are you doing?  It will not be long before you go on your holiday? how are you getting on at work i hope you are able to take it a bit easy and you are not doing to much? how did you come on with occupational helth? (and your hip)  hope you had good results off your x-rays and blood tests? all these questions LOL hope evey thing is ok with you hope to hear from you soon and take care jeanette xxrolleyes 

       

    • kats56
      kats56 jeanette43594

      Posted

      Hi Jeanette

      hows you? Work is still a pain....too heavy for me. Got a meeting with my manager next week about my underlying health problems and she will then contact occ health. I got x ray results tonight. Doc says early very mild osteoarthritis, I asked her how if it was so mild was i in somuch pain and she said that some people show  worse symptons on xray and can have no symptons and some like me hardly anything on xray but worse symptons and that makes her think there might be something like bursitis. Got to have an assessment by physio, so not as bad as I had feared but they are very painful and make me limp.

      Only this week to get through then away in our little caravan, can't wait. Don't even care what the weather is like (although it would be nice to get some sun! lol) just nice to be off work and away to chill!

      How are you getting on? Are you getting any relief from your aches and pains? Its a right pain in the proverbial isn't it?

      hope to hear from you soon  Jen xxx

       

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 kats56

      Posted

       Hi jen good to hear from you again sorry to hear that you might have bursitis. my sympathies because i know what you are going through with osteoarthritis ( my hips)  no up half night and when i do go to bed just lie awake!!! bursitis is repetitive movement my son was in agony a few years ago had to have a pot on his arm (he"s a joiner) they say hot and cold packs might help.homeopathics say arnica/ruta?i am reading about a ginger compress to help the hurt from outside in?? can  you take ibuprofen is good  try some thing called bryonia all homeopathic you never know it might work!!! tiger balm is ok i have used that before.my son has a home remedy book and there is some good tried and tested things in if you can get one. there is a lot of herbel stuff in?? any way as you say as long as you are away it is a bonus if the sun shines you might be lucky !!! just dont go mad this week and you will feel the benefit when you go away. I enjoyed my week away with M/I/L/ and S/I/L( i survived just )LOL having a lot of trouble with ankles more than usual  well i have rambled on for a while tonight so i will say take care and  hope you get sorted soon with assessment physio and the meeting with your manager  so take care and hope to hear from you soon jeanette xxrolleyes

       

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 kats56

      Posted

      Hi kats56 how you doing? well it will not be to long before you go away to the lake district. how are  you doing at work hope your aches and pains are not to bad. as you said the las time its a right pain in the proverbial some days more than others!!! frown   how did you come on with your manager? also i hope your x-ray was better than you thought it would be. i have been so-so still aching still up half the night well i do hope you enjoy your break at the caravan are you going for long?  keep in touch  and take care and hope to hear from you soon jeanette xxxrolleyes     

       

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 kats56

      Posted

      Hi kats  56

       How are you doing? Did you enjoy your break at the caravan? Did you get the results back off your x rays? All these questions!!! any way how are you getting on at work with your aches and pains? Well you had some sunshine on your break at the caravan anyway as you hoped you would  did you have your meeting with your manager? Well take care and  hope to hear from you soon  and it is still a pain  in the proverbial as you said!!!!  (hope you chilled out) smilerolleyes

    • kats56
      kats56 jeanette43594

      Posted

      Hi there Jeanette How are you? I am still in the caravan at the lakes and the weather has been amazing. we are here untill Wednesday when we come home, back to work on Friday. I have fleeting wi-fi on the campsite so I hope this message gets posted. I did have a meeting with my manager which is being continued when I get back to work. She is going to got in touch with Occupational health for me. I think I may be able to get out of the cafe. Well I hope I do very soon because if anything this holiday has proved that the work I have to do in there is exsacerbating my condition, both neck and hips. My hips have been much better for the last 8 days, just a slight ache now and again when I bend over but much improvement. When I first arrived I was in agony and I don't want to go back thetre! So I am hoping that when I go ack to work I won't have to be in the cafe for much longer.

      My neck has been ok just the last 2 days had a bit of a flare up but much better today. Must try some new pillows out!

      Thats all my aches and pains out of the way....lol How are you? hope you are keeping as well as can be expected and able to get on with your life.

      Hope you get this message....look forward to hearing from you soon

      Love Jen x

    • jeanette43594
      jeanette43594 kats56

      Posted

      Hi jen

      pleased to hear  that you are feeling much better and that you are still at the caravan. You have deffinitly hit on good with the weather it has been really lovely!!! As you say it just goes to prove that it is your work in the cafe that is doing you no good. Well been to book holiday for next year for sons wedding in cyprus and what trouble we had getting holiday  insurance because of the medication me and my husband are on! Me because of my morphine and other meds for hubby!! The price just went up and up lol.well it is done now anyway. some days are still worse than others but when it is this hot i dont do a lot (well thats my excuse)!!! we willbe going away before long for a week and i am so looking forward to it. neck been giving me some bother but i think i need a new pillow as well. And i hope you get out of the cafe sooner rather than later so enjoy the rest of your break and make the most of it take care and look forward to your next post love jeanette xsmilerolleyes 

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