Flat On My Back
By fishtiger58
@fishtiger58 (29820)
Momence, Illinois
December 4, 2017 6:13am CST
It's been another trying week for me. No family drama, just a very sore back. I have been lucky in my life as I don't currently nor have I had in the past, health problems. What I have had most of my life is a bad back.
Since about the age of 13 I have had problems with my back. I have seen doctors and all they want to do is operate. This I won't allow. I have heard to many horror stories about back operations going bad. 3 of these stories are friends, so I know first hand.
I have seen chiropractors as well and have been told that I have a back of an 80 year old, awesome. and that I have discs that keep slipping out of line. While the chiropractors help a bit it usually doesn't last for long.
I have pretty much had pain in my back since I was 13 just about every day. It's usually a bearable pain but as I age the pain has become much more constant and certainly more painful.
Usually when I have a bad back just resting seems to help.This time however I can only bear just about every position I can possibly put my body in for a short time. Then I have to re position. It seems the more I move the better I feel. Usually that is not the case. Sitting or standing or laying down for any length of time tightens up my back and then I seem no better.
I have been up since 4:30 am as laying flat on my back is killing me. I keep hoping my pain gets better soon, I haven't taken any meds for my pain as I hate to have to resort to that. I avoid medications like the plague. But this has been going on now for over a week, and I'm edging ever closer to meds.
So I will be here for as long as I can stand this sitting position and then I'm off to walk around the house. This has been what's going on in my life for the past week or so. It's really getting old.
26 people like this
28 responses
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
4 Dec 17
I've only started having bad pain after my heart surgery. At times it is unbearable. I feel for you. My sister had back surgery and she still have trouble with her back.
7 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Dec 17
Yea back pain is no picnic. I have heard this about back surgeries all the time, they don't work more than they do.
3 people like this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
4 Dec 17
@fishtiger58 I have heard the same of those who have had it done
2 people like this
@JudyEv (342110)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Dec 17
I'm so sorry to hear about your bad back. Ongoing pain like this becomes very difficult to put up with. I have a bad back but only from time to time. I do something a bit differently and then I pay for it for a few days. I wonder is a massage would help.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (342110)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Dec 17
@fishtiger58 It's hard to dodge hurting your back when such simple actions throw it out. Emptying my front-loader washing machine has caused me trouble before today.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Dec 17
My hubby will massage but I'm afraid my problem is not muscular so it doesn't seem to help much. I can throw my back out putting on a shirt for goodness sake, I have done that a few times in my older age lol.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (93939)
• United States
4 Dec 17
Sometimes the pain meds combined with the rest is essential. My dad loathes medication, but I remember after surgery once I overheard him telling someone that he would have healed faster if he had just taken his pain medication.
I don't know your financial situation, but have you ever heard of a zero gravity chair? You might look them up and see if getting a used one is worth it to you. I'm with you on surgery. My doctor has told me back surgery is in my near future. I have seen too many cautionary tales to agree. I do take pain medication, but I am judicious in my use. I don't want my body to get used to it. Without any pain meds I have to use a cane.
3 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Dec 17
I too don't like medications for any reason, I have to be pretty desperate to take them. A zero gravity chair sounds interesting, I will look into that thanks for the suggestion.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (51393)
• Canada
5 Dec 17
@fishtiger58 I know its hard, right, and then you hear people make the statement "I have a bad back" and they don't know what they are even saying.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
@Juliaacv Still not great, but slowly getting better, it's the longest time I have had severe back pain. It's really getting quite old.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Dec 17
I hope so too, it's getting on my nerves. Yup all we can do is try to deal with it.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Dec 17
Thanks I do too, I am so getting tired of this. And yes my back pain sometimes extends to my shoulders and neck. Just awful.
1 person likes this
@marlina (154130)
• Canada
19 Dec 17
@fishtiger58 I have no problem believing that you totally sick of the whole thing.
Do you see a chiropractor?
@andriaperry (117146)
• Anniston, Alabama
5 Dec 17
Biofreeze! this is my miracle rub. I also have a bad back and I do not do pills either. I am getting a teeter soon and I will try that instead of the Chiropractor weekly, cant afford him.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
5 Dec 17
i am sorry your back is so painful. Usually that is the one place on me that does not hurt. When it does, I usually need to take muscle relaxers. My brother is one of the "success stories" of back surgery. He still has trouble, but his bulging, pinched discs had gotten so bad that he was literally losing his grip in his hands. He still has some pain, and will probably need more help, eventually. For me, the pains I do have seem to be better when I move as well.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
this is unusual for me to have to move to help my back, usually it's sit still and wait. you certainly don't hear of to many successful back surgeries.
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
5 Dec 17
So sorry to hear about your back problems. Have you tried acupuncture?
2 people like this
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
9 Dec 17
@fishtiger58 hope you find an immediate and more lasting solution.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
I have heard that can help, but sadly I am a big baby about needles, Don't like that lol.
1 person likes this
@cttolledo (5454)
• Legaspi, Philippines
5 Dec 17
So sad to know what you been through. Do you have medication already? take care always
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
I could take medication but I don't want to so no I haven't yet. I will see as the time goes on if I can no longer tolerate the pain I may have to take pain pills.
@LadyDuck (472060)
• Switzerland
7 Dec 17
@fishtiger58 The snow is in the air, today the elbow I broke when I was a kid hurts badly.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
I feel for him, I know what that's like. I still have more pain in my back than usual and it's quite frustrating, I suppose it's my age and history with my back. I see more problems in my future as I age. That I'm not looking forward to and may have to take meds for the pain which I really don't want to do.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Dec 17
@LadyDuck Oh that stinks, I have been racking my brain trying to think what I did to get my back hurting so much, nothing I can think of, just old I guess.
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
7 Dec 17
@fishtiger58 well I hope you find some relief there.No fun.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Dec 17
@amadeo no fun at all it's starting to feel a bit better these last few days.
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
I may have to resort to a Chiropractor. My whole life I have endured back pain so I keep thinking this to will end, so far it's been weeks and that I'm not used to usually a few days and it's gone. Not this time it's been weeks.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
Thanks Valerie, hopefully time will heal all.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (10032)
• Philippines
4 Dec 17
I've just taken my 15 year old grand daughter to an orthopedic doctor. Her x-ray came back showing she had scoliosis. She had been complaining of back pains in recent days. Hopefully no extreme measures will be required during the early stages.
3 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
4 Dec 17
Oh poor kid, I feel for her, it's no picnic when you have back pain.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
I am edging ever closer to meds, however I have a fear of injuring my back further when my back pain is masked by the medications.
@Marilynda1225 (83103)
• United States
4 Dec 17
I can totally sympathize with you as I've had a bad back since I was about 20 from a fall. I also hate to take any kind of medication and usually have to let it ride itself out and rest. Resting is hard when you're a busy person. Hope you're up and dancing again soon 
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
I just want it to be gone. Taking meds could cause me to injure it more I'm afraid. I don't think I have ever had this degree of pain for this long in my back. I have bearable pain in my back every day but this pain takes my breath away, as you have probably experienced. This has been going on since before Thanksgiving a long long time for me and I'm past the point of frustration.
@moffittjc (121729)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Dec 17
When I was a teen, around 16 or 17, I had a nasty fall that resulted in a very bad back injury. My doctor told me that I was going to have back problems later in life. Well, so far, knock on wood, because I've not had any back issues since that accident. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way!
So sorry to hear about your constant back pain. I would be like you, and stubbornly refuse to have back surgery. But then again, I don't have a high pain tolerance, so I don't know for sure if I would ever refuse back surgery. But it would be a last resort for me.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121729)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Dec 17
@fishtiger58 I do the best I can to take care of my back and my body nowadays. I abused it way too much in my younger days. You know...back when we thought we were invincible and would never die! lol
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Dec 17
@moffittjc Yup it's the problem with being young as I see it. We don't think ahead and realize that the mind is willing the body not so much.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
If I have to live in pain for the rest of my life that's what I will do, not happy about the idea of that but no way no matter what I will not have surgery. And I do hope for your sake your back issues never bother you as you age. Take care is the best advice I can give you.
1 person likes this
@jillybean1222 (6407)
•
4 Dec 17
i'm sorry about your back. i'm sure you've explored stretches that could help?
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
Yes I have. I have one of those big ball to lay across and other stretches but at this point it's so painful I can hardly do them.
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
9 Dec 17
my brother sent us this back brace and my sister sometimes uses it. i do have occasional back pains and i know the reason why. like now, i am not in correct body alignment while making this comment because my lower body is twisted away from the keyboard, that i am beginning to feel discomfort in the left side of my torso.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
17 Dec 17
@fishtiger58 you don't have lateral curvature of the spine, right?
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
19 Dec 17
@ridingbet I don't think so I have never been told that I do. I started to see a Chiropractor last week I have been 4 times now and it's helping
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Dec 17
My bad back started when I was 13, sad to say. So my childbirth labor was in my back and I have pain absolutely every single day but it's bearable it's when it's worse than usual I have problems. I know they want to do surgery but that's not happening. I would never consent to that, so I live with it.
1 person likes this
@Dena91 (16686)
• United States
4 Dec 17
I've only had a few times that my back has bothered me. For that I am thankful.
I am like you, I would be very hesitant to have back surgery. And I take as little medicine as possible. When mine hurt I was able to get some help from a chiropractor.
Prayers you get some relief.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
Back pain is no laughing matter, and yup I may have to see a chiropractor soon as it doesn't seem to be getting any better and it's been weeks now.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Dec 17
Actually no I'm not tall but rather short, I'm 4 foot 10 inches tall.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
19 Dec 17
@YrNemo You are welcome, I am used to it but certainly not happy about it.
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20255)
•
14 Dec 17
@fishtiger58 Now that is interesting! From what I have learned so far, this back problem only happens to very tall people especially when they are growing up too fast. You are the first case ever that I heard who has got this problem at the age of 13, and on the petite side. Thank you for letting me know. 
1 person likes this
