Lower back pain for 20+ years, I need advise?

[prezzeruk]

Hi, iam a 40 year old married man with a young daughter, iam in full time employment in the door and window manufacturing industry.

Since my late teens I have been suffering with lower back pain, while i was young and fit my flare ups although extremely painful would only last about a week, after rest and painkillers.

But now iam older and as the back pain has increased and became worse i have also become less fit. My flare ups are now more often and more intense and last longer.

My current flare up has lasted nearly 3 weeks, and all painkillers are doing is taking the edge off, I am currently taking co-codamol 30/500mg and 400mg ibuprofen.

Through my time suffering with my pain I have made countless visits to the doctors and every time its the same, a short examination, prescribed tablets and 1 or 2 weeks off work.

I find it hard to understand why I have never been sent for an x-ray or scan in all this time!

Only due to a minor accident a couple of years ago was i sent for an xray through an insurance claim and although i cant remember everything that was said, i do remember the phrase Sacralization of the lumbar spine, and it being mentioned part of my spine in contact with part of my pelvis.

But after recent visits to my doctor, and asking for more info regarding my x-ray i have been told the x-ray didnt show anything, so i end up leaving with yet more tablets and advise to take a few days off from work.

Currently time off work is the last thing i need or can afford, yet i feel i am simply being dismissed as "another one with back pain who doesnt want to work"!

My pain is affecting play time with my daughter, i wake several times a night needing to change position as the pain has woken me and obviously my work is greatly impacted also.

I can only describe my pain as a sudden sharp flash, that literally almost puts me on the floor it is so intense as though something has been trapped or stretched, followed by a general throbbing pain that comes in waves of different intensity.

My latest flare ups have bee brought on by heavy lifting, right down to tie-ing my shoe laces or even getting out of the bath!

I have slept on a memory foam matteress for the last few years, which i felt almost cured my problem until the minor traffic accident i had.

I also have a stammer that altho doesnt bother me as such, i find it hard when i go into the doctors to say what i want, and insist on further investigations regarding my back.

Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated, thankyou.

[prezzeruk]

Cheers dude for that message. Iam making an appointment with my doc in the morning and Iam gonna try n get my point across!
U sound like u have had more of a fight than me, my theory is as I get older it will get worse and happen more often, so I gotta get myself sorted cuz I can't carry on in my current job for many more years as I am!
Hope we both find some answers and pain free or at least pain eased time!

[6aarons]

Im can relate, Im 45 yrs old and have 4 kids, 2 boys n 2 girls...Im an Auto Painter, was, for 28 yrs..I have been in car wrecks in 97 99 04  Many inguries but my BACK, lower back was extremely painful!!!  Its been 14 yrs tons of x-rays etc.. over the yrs and the dr put me on percocet which ive been on since 97 ive had 5 shoulder surgeries but never anything to my back except PT... Ti now, i went last wk to see my pcp and told him that I gotta do sunthn NOW...he set up an MRI for me and the results were discs herniated and protrusions  of L3/L4/L5/S1  L3 L4 L5 herniated on rt side   and L4L5 S1 protusions ( buldging disc )  I had pain in the rt side of my butt down to my toes tingling n numb...very annoying..Back pain severe...  My Dr has been mt doc for 22 yrs and he shocked me when I went in, cause he must have been in a bad mood, cause he Never touched me and he typed on his laptop and stopped and looked at me and said, Ur Not in any pain, My back is 10 xs worse than urs ( he did an x-ray ) then said that...then sent me for MRI...Hope he feels like a fool now...I didnt ask for any pain meds or anything, so I didnt understand why he went off on me...but he is a moody Dr.  Anyway, u now know about my issues and i go to specialist on the 24th n 26th to set a date n discuss a procedure.  I would strongly recommend an MRI... I ve had 30 plus x-rays, they show nuthn...YOU NEED AN MRI...there is also nerve damage in my back the sciatic nerve as well...scare tissue has develpoed over the yrs and incased the spine and nerves...I coach little league girls fast pitch n my sons b-ball...So I know it deeply affects ur lifestyle...Im depressed alot, knowing I cant do for my kids even though they r older now...I was put on disability, which sux...money sux so I gotta work part time for a friend to help make ends meet...But Demand an MRI and go from there....Thats your 1st step..My insurance sux, im only 45 and im on medicare..lol   but its better than nuthn...I just got it in July 2011.So i used it, I will continue to use it and pay what i can when I can....Cause I cant live like this any longer....Any other questions or if you just need to talk bout things im here ( 6aarons ) Take care of yourself for that lil girl n family.!!!!!!