Aa
Severe back pain everyday
I am 26 yo female. In 2002 I injured my back working in nursing home. I was on worker's comp and was given medication and physical therapy. When it seemed the pain was gone I didn't file anymore worker's comp. I had my daughter in 2007 and ever since then I have back pain every day. Sometimes it is in my lower back, sometimes my middle back, sometimes all over my body. My doctor, who i have had since I was a child, Put me through some pt for about 6 weeks and gave me medication for two weeks and then said I should learn to live with it. The physical therapy didn't alleviate the pain, sometimes made it worse.My doctor told me prayer will fix it because he doesn't believe in prolonged prescription drug therapy. He says to take ibuprofen and exercise. For the past one and a half years I have avoided going back to him. I feel like he thinks I am Just trying to get drugs from him. The pain is so bad I hate exercising. I walk and I play with my two year old - cleaning and getting her bath every day kills me. I use a heating pad and I take four 800mg ibuprofen every four hours. Somedays my eyes look yellow. But I still suffer from excruciating pain. It has gotten to where it's all I think about. A couple of times I went to the ER, once after falling down the steps and once after moving some furniture, because I couldn't stand the pain. The treated me for a couple of days both times and said to go see my doctor. I know what HE will say. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm afraid any doctor now will think I am just trying to get drugs. I feel like no one believes me that I hurt. Once I tried to go to a new doctor. The receptionist asked what I was being seen for - I told her back pain. She said he wouldn't see me for pain I had to go to a pain clinic??? Are all doctors like this? Do I have to suffer my whole life?
I suggest a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy). Mine happens to specialize in Internal Medicine. DO's specialize just as MD's. So you wouldn't want to see a DO that specializes in Cardiology.
Just make sure that the DO does manipulations before you make the appointment. Hope this helps.
Tuck
Just make sure that the DO does manipulations before you make the appointment. Hope this helps.
Tuck
Firstly, as everyone else has pointed out, ibuprofen is dangerous at large doses and/or when used as a long term pain suppression medication. You owe it to yourself and your family to move onto something less toxic and more effective. If your doctor is unwilling to accept that you are in pain which is inadequately treated, then get going to another doctor as soon as possible.
Secondly, as a nurse you have unfortunately experienced two common things: back injury at work, and disbelief of chronic pain suffering by a medical professional. It is ironic how many nurses report disbelief of back pain among peers and other medical professionals, given how prevalent back injury is among the nursing fraternity. Anyway, it happens to the best of us and most people here can sympathise.
In the long run, assuming that pain requires medicinal treatment, it is a good idea to become well versed in the major medications, doses, toxicity, and so on. This may help you to avoid further risk, and also in knowing what options are available. If you check out a few of the online pain clinics and societies/associations, you should be able to find some articles about the various medication classes and what they are most suitable for treating. Typically anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, weak opioids, NSAIDs and stronger opiates are all useful for pain reduction. Anticonvulsants and antidepressants affect the central nervous system and have been demonstrated as useful in treating neuropathic pain, for example. Until I started doing my own research I had no idea that these medications could assist at all.
All the best,
OtisDaMan
Secondly, as a nurse you have unfortunately experienced two common things: back injury at work, and disbelief of chronic pain suffering by a medical professional. It is ironic how many nurses report disbelief of back pain among peers and other medical professionals, given how prevalent back injury is among the nursing fraternity. Anyway, it happens to the best of us and most people here can sympathise.
In the long run, assuming that pain requires medicinal treatment, it is a good idea to become well versed in the major medications, doses, toxicity, and so on. This may help you to avoid further risk, and also in knowing what options are available. If you check out a few of the online pain clinics and societies/associations, you should be able to find some articles about the various medication classes and what they are most suitable for treating. Typically anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, weak opioids, NSAIDs and stronger opiates are all useful for pain reduction. Anticonvulsants and antidepressants affect the central nervous system and have been demonstrated as useful in treating neuropathic pain, for example. Until I started doing my own research I had no idea that these medications could assist at all.
All the best,
OtisDaMan
Hi you're story is exactly the same as mine!! even the proffesion.
12 years ago with all the back and leg pain I was having my PCP dx'd me with fibromyalgia mainly because my xray showed everything was 'normal' so he couldn't come up with any other cause of my pain..
3yrs ago I got a new PCP..and he refered me to an internist who ordered an MRI which showed herniated disks and degenerative disk disease...FINALLY someone took my pain seriously.
Tuck gave you good info, do not let one doctor push you into a false dx without all the tests!....xrays do not show enough you need to see a specialist who will look for more answers and so this soon before you have further damage.
best of luck to you
thanks for support...I do feel "afraid" to venture to the subject around a dr....I've heard "At your age you shouldn't hurt..." And "position pillows to sleep..." And the dreaded "You have to learn to deal...". The dr. hasn't once been sympathetic or willing to go further into other possibilities. So you suggest an internal medicine doctor?
Hello Needtano,
Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am so sorry for your chronic pain (CP) and (excuse my opinion) the ignorance of your physician.
I could have written your post some years ago. My pain is a bit different but pain is pain. I was swallowing 3,200 to 4,000mg of Ibuprofen (IB) a day and it still wasn't helping! I knew better but had no other choices. My PCP knew I what I was doing and just said I should try not to take such a large dose. Thank goodness he left the clinic and I was forced to see a new PCP, an Internal Medicine D.O. I thought she was going to faint when I told her how much IB I was taking. She immediately prescribed me a few hydrocodone and ordered me to return for an exam the next week. She got to the root of my painful condition. She never made me feel like a drug seeker or that the pain was in my head as I had heard for years. There are great physicians out there.
You cannot continue to take that dosage of IB. I know that there are patients that are prescribed narcotics in KY. My sister is also a nurse and is a supervisor in a large KY hospital where they treat many CP patients that are on pain medications.
If your PCP refuses to acknowledge your pain or send you to a PMP you have no choice but to see another. You don't need to tell the gatekeeper (receptionist) that you want to see a new PCP for back pain. Certainly you must be due for a physical or a PAP or for some other reason or you can tell the gatekeeper you are just seeking a new PCP. Your first visit may not be about your back pain. Never lie to your physician but you don't have to tell the gatekeeper everything. You have a right to privacy.
When I saw my current PCP for the first time it was for kidney stones. It wasn't till a follow up appt that she "saw" I was still in pain and asked me what was going on. If you look ill or in pain a good physician will ask you the same.
So don't walk but run from your current physician if he is dismissive of your pain. Be assertive and take charge of your health care needs. No one cares about you or your pain as much as you do but I promise you the right physician will care too. Because I quit complaining out of the same fear(s) that you express my condition is now untreatable. I have only a progressive disease process to look forward to. Don't let this happen to you. Search for a physician that will listen to you and treat your CP.
If you are comfortable enough doing so you may want to return to your current PCP and assertively inform him that you are tired of trying to deal with your chronic pain. Tell him that you can no longer tolerate it, you want answers and solutions. Until you are ready to be assertive you will suffer in silence and may destroy your liver in the process. Please speak up and demand the care that we all deserve. You may need liver function (lab draws) to see if you have suffered permanent or reversible damage. Don't wait. Yellow in your eyes is a danger signal from your body.
I hope you will keep in touch and let us know how you are doing. We will support you in any way that we can. We will look forward to hearing from you. Please make a call today to address your pain and symptoms.
Best of luck and take care,
Tuck
Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am so sorry for your chronic pain (CP) and (excuse my opinion) the ignorance of your physician.
I could have written your post some years ago. My pain is a bit different but pain is pain. I was swallowing 3,200 to 4,000mg of Ibuprofen (IB) a day and it still wasn't helping! I knew better but had no other choices. My PCP knew I what I was doing and just said I should try not to take such a large dose. Thank goodness he left the clinic and I was forced to see a new PCP, an Internal Medicine D.O. I thought she was going to faint when I told her how much IB I was taking. She immediately prescribed me a few hydrocodone and ordered me to return for an exam the next week. She got to the root of my painful condition. She never made me feel like a drug seeker or that the pain was in my head as I had heard for years. There are great physicians out there.
You cannot continue to take that dosage of IB. I know that there are patients that are prescribed narcotics in KY. My sister is also a nurse and is a supervisor in a large KY hospital where they treat many CP patients that are on pain medications.
If your PCP refuses to acknowledge your pain or send you to a PMP you have no choice but to see another. You don't need to tell the gatekeeper (receptionist) that you want to see a new PCP for back pain. Certainly you must be due for a physical or a PAP or for some other reason or you can tell the gatekeeper you are just seeking a new PCP. Your first visit may not be about your back pain. Never lie to your physician but you don't have to tell the gatekeeper everything. You have a right to privacy.
When I saw my current PCP for the first time it was for kidney stones. It wasn't till a follow up appt that she "saw" I was still in pain and asked me what was going on. If you look ill or in pain a good physician will ask you the same.
So don't walk but run from your current physician if he is dismissive of your pain. Be assertive and take charge of your health care needs. No one cares about you or your pain as much as you do but I promise you the right physician will care too. Because I quit complaining out of the same fear(s) that you express my condition is now untreatable. I have only a progressive disease process to look forward to. Don't let this happen to you. Search for a physician that will listen to you and treat your CP.
If you are comfortable enough doing so you may want to return to your current PCP and assertively inform him that you are tired of trying to deal with your chronic pain. Tell him that you can no longer tolerate it, you want answers and solutions. Until you are ready to be assertive you will suffer in silence and may destroy your liver in the process. Please speak up and demand the care that we all deserve. You may need liver function (lab draws) to see if you have suffered permanent or reversible damage. Don't wait. Yellow in your eyes is a danger signal from your body.
I hope you will keep in touch and let us know how you are doing. We will support you in any way that we can. We will look forward to hearing from you. Please make a call today to address your pain and symptoms.
Best of luck and take care,
Tuck
The first thing you should do is find yourself a new doctor. You need to be able to discuss things like this w/o being seen as a drug seeker or hypochondriac. From your post I gather the doctor does not take you seriously and this is not good at all.
You need to have test done to see whats going on and be checked out for Fibro as well.
I would look into getting a new PCP and let him/her get the test needed and then have them refer you to pain management.
there are some great doctors out there, do not give up.
You need to have test done to see whats going on and be checked out for Fibro as well.
I would look into getting a new PCP and let him/her get the test needed and then have them refer you to pain management.
there are some great doctors out there, do not give up.
One more thing - in the mornings my whole body is SOOOO stiff and I can't hardly get my ankles and knees to move so I can walk.... I was reading some things on here and wondered if I may have fibromyalgia and that my pain may have nothing to do with my past back injury. I read a alist of sx and I also have chronic sinusitis. What should I tell a dr if I think I have fibro and what do they treat fibro with. I hate going to the dr becasue I feel like my dr always thinks I'm full of s###...
When your in pain it should not be overlooked or seen as "nothing". Your in pain and need to find out what is causing your pain. Do not ever feel your complaining because living with pain 24/7 is difficult to say the least.
There are times when the pain can not be diagnosed but with just x-ray done as far as test your certainly not there. You need a doctor willing to listen to you and order the right test so the problem can be found and treated. As I said there are times when the test show nothing but the person is still in pain and at that point the pain is simply treated. Your not at that point as you have not had nearly enough test done to locate the problem.
There are doctors out there that will help and will not stop until they help you find the problem and treat the pain if they can't locate what the problem is.
I want stress that the amount of ibuprofen your taking is really dangerous. Ask your doctor to order the test needed and if he will not find a doctor who will.
There are times when the pain can not be diagnosed but with just x-ray done as far as test your certainly not there. You need a doctor willing to listen to you and order the right test so the problem can be found and treated. As I said there are times when the test show nothing but the person is still in pain and at that point the pain is simply treated. Your not at that point as you have not had nearly enough test done to locate the problem.
There are doctors out there that will help and will not stop until they help you find the problem and treat the pain if they can't locate what the problem is.
I want stress that the amount of ibuprofen your taking is really dangerous. Ask your doctor to order the test needed and if he will not find a doctor who will.
The only "tests" I have been given is x-ray. According to the x-rays everything "looks fine". I get the impression that I am complaining about nothing but I KNOW I'm in PAIN.
The levels of ibuprofen your taking is extreme and can cause liver damage. The yellow color of your eyes are very worrisome as it can indicate liver problems.
You need to have your doctor refer you to a pain management doctor ASAP!
You can not keep taking the excessive amount of ibuprofen your taking now.
What test have you had done?
You need to have your doctor refer you to a pain management doctor ASAP!
You can not keep taking the excessive amount of ibuprofen your taking now.
What test have you had done?
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Pain Management Community
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
Could it be something you ate? Lack of sleep? Here are 11 migraine triggers to look out for.
Find out if PRP therapy right for you.
Tips for preventing one of the most common types of knee injury.
Here are 10 ways to stop headaches before they start.
Tips and moves to ease backaches
