Osteoarthritis Community

What type of Dr did you see, and what type of testing was done? What is your educational background and your previous job history responsibilities/experiences?

Everyone is different in multitudes of ways as to what they are able to tolerate.

This time round i have just seen my local GP
at age 14 i went to hospital to see a specialist and had an mri scan. No scans this time dr says there's no point as it wont improve the pain or anything! Although I'm having a bone density test just to check the effects of a contraceptive injected i shouldn't have been on.

education- i did school college and studied events and hospitality at uni. I have always done customer based work. Front of house, cafe, bar work.. The highest iv got was as a Trained duty manager at a community centre that did private events,public events and other user groups

i am tolerating alot as the jobs i currently do (reception and cafe) both involve lots of tasks that hurt me

I'm guessing that you are on your feet, standing and moving around alot. Also alot of bending and squatting. Have you considered going back to school to train for a different field or career?

You can use some of your skills and education for desk work ; general office, special events coordination (for seniors, disabled, nursing facilities, etc...), clerk in a school, bookkeeping clerk, administrative assistant, secretary, and office reception-not in a hotel/motel.

When was your last MRI done. It may very well be time for an update to make note of ANY changes since you were 14 yrs old.

I forgot and can't see right now what type of pain medication you are currently taking. Are you currently doing any type of therapy for your pain, like walking, swimming or water aerobics?

Also, changing your diet can be very beneficial in pain management I've found. Also taking EPA & DHA Omega3 supplement(form of fish oil). I also find relief using Ben Gay Ice, the one kept in the freezer.

Motion is Lotion, just don't go over the top.

Yeah iv thought about home based work because then i can have everything i need above waiste hieght i can make regular short intervals for low impact exercise... I could plan my day around my back, I am currently doing physio theropy. Been a bit helpo back due to catching flu alot and i recentoly fell down the stairs so just waiting for that extra pain to fade off.

I have tred tramadol and co-codamol, but both made me poorly in different ways.

Then my Dr gave me a stomach tablet (Omeprazol?)
And paracetamol to be taken with naproxen and codien then after falling down the stairs i was also told to take a muscle relaxant drug.

But after doing this for two weeks my stomach is feel very off again so iv stopped all medication until i can get to a Dr!

Thew last MRI was at 14 yrs old. I keep montioning having scans but the Dr isnt bothered about doing any.

Physio has advised me to get into the pool and just do gentle movements and maybe start with doing it for just 15 mins. I am struggling to walk longer than 10 minutes at the moment, but i know i need to loosen and stretch my muscles in order to then strengthen them! So im trying to keep moving!

I work at a liesure centre with a pool so that will be easy for me to fit around work!

Thankyou for your reply darlyn05 !

Consider asking your GP for a referal to see an Orthopedic Spine Specialist/Surgeon(if you need a referal for insurance) or just go to one, as I and many others have found that they are the ones to correctly be able to read MRI scan / test results, leading to a proper diagnosis. Then you will be able to get the proper physical therapy treatment and pain management treatment(including meds).

Really, you need an updated MRI scan.

What country do you live in?

I was thinking of asking to be referred to the hospital. The doctor i go to haven't been saying anything specific to my condition and just keep referring to "back problems in genral"
i like in the Uk x

The reason why there are so many different Dr's or 'types' of Dr's is because there are so many different health fields/areas and not 'One' Dr can know all there is to know about the entire human body health. Each one 'SPECIALIZES' in a certain health field/area. Just saying.

My GP couldn't and wouldn't try to diagnose my back problems so he sent me to a Pain Management Dr, a Physiatrist. I could tell he was having a difficult time diagnosing my condition (as he was not helping me and my pain or limited mobility) and many others informed me that an Orthopedic Spine Specialist/Surgeon are the real only one type of Dr that can properly read and interpret an MRI scan concerning the spine. So I went to him, the Orthopedic Spine Specialist, he order new x-rays, did a physical exam for the spine, ordered an updated MRI (all only 1 1/2 yrs after the Physiatrist had done all of these) and Viola! I had an answer and was on my way to a lesser painful living. The Orthopedic Spine Specialist compared all the previous test to the newer ones looking for any changes or differences between them and to read them correctly/properly.

The degenerative bone disease you call it there is probably what we call degenerative disc disease here(abbv. as DDD). That's one of the reasons why I asked where you lived.

You can use the 'Search' area at the top of this page to find more information from WebMd concerning DDD. Also google it for other sites with information.

http://www.chirogeek.com/index.htm

http://www.spine-health.com/

http://www.medicinenet.com/radiculopathy/article.htm

Here are just a few and use their 'Search' area to look up information you're more interested in. I hope this helps some. Learn as much as you can so you can ask the appropriate questions with your Dr and understand better what he is telling you, or lack of him telling you. I even had to somewhat challenge my one Dr (by asking questions and comparing his statements in question form 'to' him) as what he was telling me just wasn't adding up and I was still pretty much bedridden.

I sincerely hope you find relief soon. They started me out with having multiple levels of DDD, and as I said Viola!, I needed the right 'type' of Dr.

Let us know how your doing okay.!.

Here is a link for another WebMd community pertaining to back pain sufferers.

Darlyn is right. In the US general practitioners can only prescribe pain medication for short term treatment. They also typically lack the skills to go into a serious spine issue and it sounds like you're not getting the treatment you need. If you don't start on the right path, you will definitely end up in the wrong place.

I don't know much about the UK medical system, but my favorite author is from England and was a premiere doctor, internationally known for his studies on pain. He and his partner invented the TENS unit.

You need to take charge and make sure you are seen by a spine specialists. Someone that takes an interest in your health and works with you to get the quality of life you want

Best of luck and cheers

Tim

Thanks! I will be getting to my doctors as soon as i can and requesting a referral to the hospital to see a specialist.

the is just the advice i needed, for a while i just thought i had to do what the genral dr said and that's it. But now i will make sure i get to see a specialist !
and thank you for the websites!

Thank you for your reply!

much needed advice, i definitly think im getting poor treatment, im just being given a cocktail of pain killers and made to feel like im over reacting.
your good advice will help alot !