Reply To: Struggling with pain of prolapsed disc/s

[Lc]

Hi Deb, sorry to hear your struggling, after dislocated /fractured pelvis and 2 ops on lower back was left in chronic pain with nerve damage/pain and arthritis, been through the drug list and only found that amitriptyline naproxen an co-codamol works best for me without getting spaced right out. as all the others i have adverse reaction or allergic to. also use a Tens machine and electric heat wrap. and practice everything i learnt that works for me through pain management CBT and mindfulness. also go swimming weekly and do gentle stretching exercises and core stregthening. and do art. in my experience of true prolapsed disc is the only thing that will take the pain away is operation but thats a 50/50 chance you take but i was in so much pain i could could have just rolled over and gone to sleep. some people i know have had disc removal / fusion and gone back to work others like me have not. when i have bad flare ups of pain i usually go to bed after taking all meds put Tens on and listen to music on headphones and pretend that i’m on stage and the artist singing to take my mind away from pain as best i can and focus on something else. most of the time it works to help me get through it. as tomorrow is another day and hope its a better one. it’s the nerve pain i find the worst to get a grips with without the others having a go at me. i walk with a stick at best for short distances but on longer ones use crutches.the hardest thing i found is excepting this is how i am now and to stop beating myself up over what has happened to me and except it for what it is and be kinder to myself with no judgement and do what you can when you can without letting it worry you.and asking for help when you need it. once i learnt all that i’m now happier with myself and happy within. without venting my frustrations onto others. find the inner peace within yourself except that you have changed from what you once were.I have been in constant pain varied levels every day for over 20 year now and its just recently come to terms with it all and stopped fighting with myself over it. hope you find something soon to help you with your pain wether meds or alternative therapy or both like me. take care and best wishes. Lee