I Bought a Cane

natalie_ca

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For the last few weeks I've been having back pain. I think it's a result of having done too much while I was on Prednisone, and now that the Prednisone is done, all of the inflammation in my soft tissues is coming back.

However, for the last 2 weeks or so, I've been having terrible sciatic nerve pain in my right lower back shooting down my leg to my knee. It's been incapacitating and I missed a day of work last week because I couldn't stand up. I've been going to the Chiropractor twice a week for 2 weeks now, and went for a massage last Friday. The Chiro has helped a bit, at least I've been able to walk for the most part. But the massage really made a difference. On Sunday I was virtually sciatic nerve pain free, but my back was still sore.

Over the last few weeks I've been limping and favouring my right side, so the weight has all been going onto my left leg. So now as a result my left knee is killing me. But I can't limp on my right side because it makes my sciatic nerve act up.


So tonight I went out to Shopper's Drug Mart and bought myself a stylish cane to use. Then I went to Safeway to pick up some much needed groceries. I haven't gone grocery shopping in about 3 weeks and had no dairy or fruits/veggies.

I had to keep stopping and sitting down and my excersion took me 2.5 hours!!!! And I only bought 4 bags of groceries. I finally gave it up at the check out and they had to unpack my cart while I sat in a chair they gave me.

Hot shower and some A535 and then I'm off to sleep.

I go back to the Chiro on Thursday and for another massage on Friday. I'll have to post about my last massage in a separate thread. When I told the story to the people at work, one guy choked on his coffee!
 

starryeyedtiger

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Awww Linda, I hope you feel better!! Hopefully that cane will help you get around a little easier too!


You being a nurse, I'm sure you already know this-but Prednisone is one of the major drugs that we RT's use, so I thought I would mention this just in case. One of the side effects of long term use can be bone degeneration/arthritis/etc. It may be a good idea now that you're off of it to talk to your doctor about adding Osteo-Bi-Flex & Calcium supplements to help strengthen your joints & bones. That might help a lot with your pain!!
http://www.osteobiflex.com/

That massage should be terrific on Thrs!! I bet you're looking foward to that!
 
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natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

That massage should be terrific on Thrs!! I bet you're looking foward to that!
Not looking forward to the massage at all! On Friday I was in tears, I was literally cussing and I never cuss, and I even bit into the head rest. I swear if someone was outside the door and not knowing what was going on in the room, they would have thought I was in the midst of giving birth! I was yelling and saying "OH MY GOD!!!!!" and swearing up a storm in agony, and here he was calmly telling me to breathe, and to 'breathe through it!" and "that's it! Good!"
 

strange_wings

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I hope it's helpful for the bad days...sometimes I wonder if I should keep one around for the days that I have difficulty walking.

Do they ever use heat treatment before starting the massage, or offer it? That could loosen up the muscles and feel a little better.

Massage doesn't help my back, there's not much it could do for a leaking disc and facet joint arthritis - it doesn't even feel good to try.
 
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natalie_ca

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No heat, not for acute injuries. It's just ultra tight deep muscles. The nerve pain is so much less. It's more my left knee now that is hurting.

One of the Radiation Oncologists that I work with suggested that I have a CT Scan of my back. I'm going to my family doctor today, so I'm going to see what he says. The Rad-Onc said that if my family doctor won't order one, that he will put in a request that I have one done.
 

strange_wings

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You should probably have an MRI instead, if you haven't had one recently done. With your age, weight (no offense meant here!), and past history... it's likely not acute. Mine flares up bad, but it's chronic and far from new. That's the fun thing about back problems, they never really get better. You're stuck with it for the rest of your life.
 

Winchester

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Wow, I hope you can feel better. I've been through sciatica and I told my DH that if I ever have to go through that again, he has my permission to just shoot me and put me out of my misery. And I was totally serious....I never want to go through that kind of pain again. It's bad enough with the disc problems; sciatica was horrible.

I was thinking more along the lines of an MRI, too, for you.

I hope you can find some relief.
 
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natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

You should probably have an MRI instead, if you haven't had one recently done. With your age, weight (no offense meant here!), and past history... it's likely not acute. Mine flares up bad, but it's chronic and far from new. That's the fun thing about back problems, they never really get better. You're stuck with it for the rest of your life.
No MRI's for me. I have a plate, 6 screws and a pin in my right ankle. That would all have to be removed in the OR before an MRI could be done on me. If I had an MRI with them in, the magnet would rip them out of my body....so not an appealing thought!
 

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If your sciatic pain is only going to your knee, not all the way down to your ankle, it could be Piriformis Syndrome, The piriformis being the deepest glute muscle, and contracts often, causing nerve and muscle pain. It could be helped a lot by the correct massage techniques. If it is making the pain worse, or is very painful while being done, the massage therapist is not using the correct techniques.
I hope you feel better.
 

dusty's mom

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

No heat, not for acute injuries. It's just ultra tight deep muscles. The nerve pain is so much less. It's more my left knee now that is hurting.

One of the Radiation Oncologists that I work with suggested that I have a CT Scan of my back. I'm going to my family doctor today, so I'm going to see what he says. The Rad-Onc said that if my family doctor won't order one, that he will put in a request that I have one done.
I think that is a good idea. I'd also be checking with a neurologist or orthopedist. Chiropractors can be helpful, but if they can't cure it, then it is time for more thorough investigation.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

No MRI's for me. I have a plate, 6 screws and a pin in my right ankle. That would all have to be removed in the OR before an MRI could be done on me. If I had an MRI with them in, the magnet would rip them out of my body....so not an appealing thought!
You know, I think I'm going to call BS on that unless you had that surgery done a long time ago or in a different country (than Canada).

Orthopedic surgeries should be using non-ferromagnetic metals - which are not magnetic in anything that has to stay in. That's sort of the point.
Otherwise as long as the technicians know what they're doing they should be able to work around it. The screws may get a bit hot at worst, but they should not rip out of you. I suggest you consult with the surgeon who fixed your ankle and discuss what was used and MRI risks. If you were ever in a serious accident in the future that needed an MRI it would be good to know.


People who have spinal surgeries, plates in their heads, etc still get MRIs - in fact most of them have to several times through out there lives.
 
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natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

You know, I think I'm going to call BS on that unless you had that surgery done a long time ago or in a different country (than Canada).

Orthopedic surgeries should be using non-ferromagnetic metals - which are not magnetic in anything that has to stay in. That's sort of the point.
It was done 20 years ago. They used Titanium. And some years after that I was going to be booked in for an MRI and I was refused. The reason given was the metal in my ankle and that I would have to have it removed prior to having an MRI.

When I worked in Ortho, we had several patients having to be admitted to have Titanium plates removed from ankles and arms in order for them to be able to have an MRI done.

So, no. I can't have an MRI so long as I have this metal plate, screws and a pin in my ankle.
 

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

People who have spinal surgeries, plates in their heads, etc still get MRIs
My neighbour who already has a metal rod and pins in the base of his spine is waiting for an MRI, because they think the discs have gone further up now
 

strange_wings

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^I hope it hasn't gotten worse.
I was told that either my back would "settle down" or keep getting worse by one doctor, and another said it would get worse and I'd be facing surgery eventually.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

They used Titanium.
Titanium is not magnetic. It is it's own element, there's no iron in it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium#Medical

Whoever refused you because of titanium apparently did not know what they are doing. Find a radiologist and techs that don't have their heads up their butts and get your back properly assessed. It won't get better and you have no idea if that chiropractic care is dangerous at this point. If you have any stenosis going on (takes an MRI to see that clearly) it could be very bad to continue that.


ETA: You'd probably have to have them look around for you for a newer open type MRI - they're well, larger and more open. They're also often a lower tesla, which would make complications from other metals even lower.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Rosiemac

He's in so much pain now that he's on Oramorph (Liquid morphine)
Believe or not, morphine isn't as strong as newer pain meds - though you can get higher doses on it. Over here when it gets really bad, and if a person has a good pain management doc, they can get fentanyl patches (no idea what they're called there) - you pretty much hit the end of the line with pain meds once they bring out the fentanyl, though.

I've had morphine during and after surgery... I woke up in pain after but not at a level that I wasn't used to dealing with.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Rosiemac

Add another 7 various painkiller a day in tablet form on top of that. His pills aren't working on their own now, so this is the next option.
Even oxycodone is stronger. But morphine doesn't go through the liver - that's probably why they're adding it on top, since it can't really interact or OD him as easily. It's easy to become tolerant to (especially if he is already so to the other painkillers), so I hope they can do something about his back soon.
 

rosiemac

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

It's easy to become tolerant to (especially if he is already so to the other painkillers), so I hope they can do something about his back soon.
I can't remember the names of his pills?, but one of them is very similar to one that Michael Jackson was on, so if he ever comes off them he said he'll have to be weaned off


He was pre warned after his surgery that when he got to 40 it could get worse, and he's 37 next week.
 
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