Thursday 5 February 2009

Back again!

The post has been delayed this week..

No, not that little bit of weather....Well, you may not have noticed, but I haven't been online much this week. My back has not improved. We went out for a meal last weekend, and believe me, you know you're getting old, when your preparations for a night out mainly involve rubbing your back with Voltarol. (Or as we call it, The Painkilling Gel that Must Not Be Named.)

I know, I must sound like a total wuss, making such a fuss about a bad back. But you probably haven't had a really bad back that stops you sitting at a desk. And if you've had a really bad back, you probably haven't had one that gives you shooting pains down your legs. And if you've had one that gives you shooting pains down your legs, you probably haven't had one that goes on for TWO AND HALF BLOODY WEEKS!!

(Deep breath..) So anyway, I finally got to see my doctor today. (Only had to wait a week for an appointment - isn't the NHS wonderful?) He hit me with a hammer. No really - he tested my knee reflexes, and then, with the same little metal hammer, he bashed away at my spine. "No percussion pain," he wrote in his notes. Okaaaay....

So apparently, I haven't got a slipped disc or a trapped nerve. I pointed out that normally, if I have back ache, I do back exercises and it goes away in a few days, so two and a half weeks looks like something different. "That's a valid point," he said.

But he then said we should wait another two weeks (ANOTHER TWO WEEKS??) before we look at getting an x-ray or further tests. So he's told me to dose myself up to the eyeballs in painkillers (I was taking ibuprofen - he says take more and paracetamol). The idea being that if you can stop it hurting, you can move more normally and let your back heal, yada,yada,yada, Isn't that what I've been trying to do?

Oh well. In the spirit of trying to move normally, I've sat motionless in front of the computer for quite a while this evening, catching up on everyone's blogs. But I think I'll have to stop now, the ibuprofen must be wearing off...

p.s Many thanks for all your kind get well wishes!!

3 comments:

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

A pain in the back.. is well.. a pain in the back and totally debilitating...!
It vexes me when Gp's prescribe Paracetamol for severe pain.. it is like putting a sticking plaster on a open gaping wound..
I take co-codamol when pain really kicks in.. they do make you feel woozy but great for a good night's sleep!
Hope you ease up soon ..
Love
Michele x

Country Cottage Chic said...

Back pain is really one of the worst isn't it? Hope it eases off soon.

Kitsch and Curious said...

Thanks guys! I feel a bit better having had a few things checked out now.

I know what you mean about paracetamol, Michele. Last year, my sister had open heart surgery, and after only a few days, she was just being given paracetamol!