I need help..I can no longer stand for more than 5 min without severe back pain.

[squirrellee]

For the last 2 months I have been suffering with severe lower back pain that occurs after I am standing for more than 5 minutes. I can no longer do normal activities like dishes or shower without having to sit down. Shopping is not even possible!! I feel like I have no life and it is causing me to slip into a depression. When I talk to my doctor about it he blows me off and says it is muscular. He has not ordered any x-rays and I can not have an MRI due to a pacemaker. What can I do??? Is there any hope for me???

Tammy

[dana007]

Hey there,
I agree with Selma. If what your MD says is what is going on, physiotherapy may help you gain some function back. Have you tried massage? I'm a true believer-- I have a lot of pain from my jaw/neck/back/hips and I couldn't live without my monthly massage. The money is worth it to me!! I have also tried acupuncture, and have been to three difference physiotherapists.

Do you do any stretching? I would try to incorporate small stretches that you can do from your floor. Motion is ALWAYS better than being still, and I know pain is crappy and makes us want to prevent it, but whatever we don't use, we lose, and you need to continue having some range of motions.

Are you on any medications to help decrease the pain??
Have you ever been to a Chiropractor? If not, I would HIGHLY recommend one.

I would sincerely try anything you can to get your life back-- we need you here!! You gotta stay tough and fight for yourself. I know what its like to be angry and frustrated and just crying into my pillow because it hurts if i do and hurts if  i don't, and having the "why me" conversations in my head, but nothing changes. I have to get up everyday, and I have to live my life and make the best out of it. I see a psychologist every month as a way to vent and talk about the things that bug me (usually mostly my doctors :( unfortunately).

As for 'scans', with a pacemaker, its not recommended to have an MRI as literally the machine is a magnet and would try to pull the bloody thing out of your chest... but I've seen XRays of those with pacemakers before. A CT scan could tell you if you had an degenerative changes to your bones. There are also bone scans as well. I'm from Canada and I'm not sure where you are, or how other countries pay for costs, etc.

I would get out of bed every day, and say "I need to do this for me, because I'm worth it", and do some small stretches. Keep your head up, I wish the  best for you, and hope to figure out what's going on with you! Whether if can be fixed or not, you need to find a way to be able to cope with what you have and keep pushing forward-- these wise words have been spoken to me many times and I have to keep thinking them myself! If you ever need someone to talk to, please message me,

Sincerely,
Dana (from Canada)

[selmaS]

Hi and welcome to the back and neck support forum.

Can u request he do the x rays?......what about a CT scan...can that be done with the pace maker?

Did ur dr offer PT to try and help......since he believes it is muscular...what has he rx'd to help???

We all have hope, while we all still have faith....

"selma"