Hello everyone.
I've been reading loads of your stories on here and thought I would do a post of the situation with my husband in the hopes of getting some advice, opinions or suggestions.
Husband has had intermittant back pain for as long as I have known him (3 years) and says that he feels it has been ongoing since he left the army 4 years ago. In the past he has had flare ups and experienced sciatica, but with a combination of anti-inflammatories, pain killers and light exercise these have usually resolved within a week.
At the beginning of May this year, following a particularly hard work out in the gym, he had a flare up. We tried the usual treatment and this seemed to work. However he would be fine for a couple of days then the pain would come back. I eventually forced him to see his GP at the beginning of June as we were due to go on Holiday at the end of June to get married. The GP prescribed Naproxen and Co-dydramol and a week off work. The tablets seemed to releive the pain a bit so he returned to work after the week was up.
Unfortunately, again, two days later the pain returned, this time much worse. We were due to go on holiday in 3 days so I tried to get him an appointment with the GP but they could not fit him in before we went. We stocked up on what over the counter medications we could and hoped the two weeks rest would help resolve the problem.
Whilst out in Cyprus, the pain just got worse, the sciatica was limiting his mobility. We visited a pharmacist out there for some advice and they prescribed more medication (unfortunately I cannot remember the name). Again these seemed to relieve the pain slightly but he said he could still feel the pain in his back and leg.
On returning home from holiday, husband said the pain in his bottom, thigh and calf was getting worse and so again called the GP for an appointment. They can't fit him in until Monday 29 July. In the meantime he has been at work and finding that keeping moving has helped to ease the pain.
Yesterday was a massive turning point to me. Husband is on night shift and I saw him quickly when he returned home before I headed out to work. He was limping slightly but didn't appear to be in anymore pain than usual. He said he was going to head straight to bed and would see me later. At about 10:30 he called me crying down the phone. He had tried to get out of bed to use the toilet and had collapsed on the floor and had been unable to move for 30 minutes due to the pain. I rushed home and found him in the most awkward distorted position, which he said was the only way he wasn't in complete agony. I went on the NHS direct website, used their symptom checker, which came out with the result to call 999 and seek immediate medical treatment. I duly did this but they refused to come saying we needed to contact his GP. I phoned the GP practice and they could not send anyone out to us, but did agree to put me through to the duty doctor.
The duty doctor prescribed diazepam and co-codomol, and said to lie in bed for two days. Through a lot of screaming and crying I was able to get husband into bed and dosed him up with the medicines. That's where he has been for the last 24 hours. He is unable to move unaided, and his right leg is completely contorted and we have not been able to straighten it. When I can get him standing, he lists a good 30 degrees to one side and can only stand on one leg.
Friends recommended seeing an osteopath so I have managed to get him an appointment for this evening, however I'm a little worried about this as have heard it can cause more harm than good. We also still have the GP appointment on Monday.
The drugs he's on now seem to be giving slight relief but he is still in pain and yelping at every move. The diazepam has him completely spaced out and he's not really aware of what is going on around him. I really don't know what to do. He is a typical man and soldier, always putting on a brave face and hates bothering the doctor and generally likes to try and let his body heal itself. He is 35, attends the gym regularly and maitains and healthy diet and lifestyle. It's killing me seeing him in so much pain and all the doctor seems to want to do is keep him drugged up, which means all he can do is lie in bed like a vegetable. No work and certainly no quality of life.
Any advice or help you guys could offer would be so appreciated.
Many thanks
xx
Does your hubby have any problems going to the toilet, or leaking? Does he have pins and needles round his saddle area? If he has any of these symptoms he should go to A&E immediately in case he has cauda equina which is a medical emergency. You can look up cauda equina on the Internet to see the symptoms. I am shocked they wouldn't send an ambulance out to you, as if my husband was on the floor unable to move I couldn't lift him and he would have to stay there. Did the duty doctor come out to see your hubby? I get very cross with the attitude oh it's only back pain, I wouldn't wish my back pain on anyone but wish there was better understanding. We all know there are people who make a fuss about nothing, but when it happens to someone who normally never moans or is never ill you know it has to be bad. My advice would be if over the weekend he gets worse and isn't managing the pain, go to A&E at least they will have strong painkillers if they can't do much else. If however you think he has symptoms of cauda equina you must go and be seen straight away.
I hope I have helped a bit and I hope he improves soon.
Take care,
Wend x
Hi
Please could you PM me. I totally agree with Wend. Being Ex-Mil did he see his unit medical officer before leaving service, as in in his military records did he make any complaints. There's strict rules if he did. Secondly ignore the 999 call. If he starts crying just take him to A&E. Once he's there he's there and they will have to deal with him in some capacity. Don't do it on a weekend when he's going to have to sit around in a waiting area which will be agony for him (I know).
DO NOT go see a chiropracter is my advice until a medical professional has seen him. As Wend points out there's some key indicators that will tell a Dr what 'should' help him. It didnt work for me but I watched a guy in terrible pain get cured in 2hrs by a cortisone injection. He had done his lifting breeze blocks on a building yard.
If you want any specific advice please PM. I know its hard for those that care for the injured as it is for those in actual injury, but really try be patient. its a horrible level of pain you can't understand until you have it.
Final point. Some level of activity is good, not the gym. just light walking. If the pains in the bum, thigh and calf its exactly what i had the pleasure of. He probably finds a fetal position is most comfortable? if this is the case get him to put a pillow between his knees while in the position to relieve pressure on the back. If the ankle pain is the worse pain area (which i found), and the bum more a dull pain then try wrapping a relatively tight bandage around his ankle up to just below the knee. The pressure dulls the ankle element of the pain off.
I hope you get some help or advice that helps
Hi HubbyInPain.
How did the visit to the Osteopath work out?
Hi .
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[url]Natural Remedies to Treat Sciatica · Healthy Living articles | Well Being center | SteadyHealth.com[/url]
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