Please help...hurt my back.

Schlackity

Thank you so much for all of the advice!

To relieve your mind about the Oxy....my brother is a urologist and my sister-in-law is a pediatrician - my dad spoke with them before he brought me the meds. They both said it would be fine until Monday - he only brought me 6.

I am waiting until tomorrow to see how I feel. I can walk now with the meds....still hurts but not crazy bad. If it is still bad tomorrow, I am going to urgent care.

As for doctor vs. chiropractor, I think I have to go to the doctor first to be covered by my insurance. Either way, I do believe in a good chiropractor. I used to think they were complete quacks, but I hurt my back moving, about 15 years ago, and went to a chiro after the doctor, and he did an adjustment that immediately relieved the pain. Gave me some exercises, etc., and sent me on my way. He did try to set up monthly appointments, but I declined. I have never had a back injury since. (until now)

For the young lady who stated I had no idea what I was doing....first, you need to work on your manners. Second, I work out in a weight lifting class with trained leaders....they are very particular about technique. The place I did not use proper technique was while picking up the laundry. It happens. Settle down.

Oh...and according to WebMD, heat is somewhat proven to help relieve lower back pain, while ice has shown no clinical significance...please be sure to research before you say "duh" to me....

I am really surprised that someone would be rude in here - a place where we are supposed to support each other....

Again, to everyone who was posting helpful information, thank you so very much...especially for the inspiration that I can keep going!

Well said!

foleyshirley

Medically, everyone is blowing the oxy thing out of proportion. Dosages are available online to prevent accidental overdose, and so long as you use them only when in pain and only until seeing a doctor, you should be fine assuming it is for the short term. However, when you do see him/her, you should indicate that you have taken them, how much, and how often. It might be embarrassing, but any prescriber should know of past use of narcotics, opiates, and opioids when diagnosing a new injury.

Legally, use of a prescription that does not belong to you is quite bad. Keep your ear to the ground and mind that you do not drive or operate heavy machinery as this is most often how people get caught doing such things if you feel that you can't make it until you see your doctor without the meds.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor a registered nurse, nor a pharmacologist. The above does not constitute medical nor legal advice.

Additionally, ice is suggested for the first 24 hours, as is compression and (in the case of extremities) elevation. After the first 24 hours, heat is suggested to increase blood flow and allow nutrients to reach the site to heal it.

P.S. See a damn doctor, love.

Be healthy, be safe, swift recovery.

why on earth would it be embarrassing?

I take oxycodone for my back for a few years now. My doc and I monitor my usage. He gives me 30 and usually I am not out of those for 6 months. I only take them if I have a flare up which is becoming less and less often usually once or twice a year now

taking pain killers is not embarrassing

I think this poster meant it might be embarrassing because it wasn't her prescription.

castelluzzo99

Taking painkillers (especially those not prescribed for you) may only be masking symptoms of a serious injury. Seek medical attention today.

^^This^^

And the one about them being addicting. Kidney stones, I am told, are worse than labor, and I believe it (I've delivered 3 children without any painkillers at all).

About the falling off the exercise bandwagon, think of it this way: 80% of weight loss is diet. So the exercise you are doing is only helping around 20% (probably less, because there are other factors). So you've only lost 20% of your weight loss. You can do a lot with diet (eat less, since you aren't exercising) until your back is better.

StarChanger

If I was in your shoes I would have already been to the emergency department (and I would be seeing a real dr, not a chiro).

Taking painkillers (especially those not prescribed for you) may only be masking symptoms of a serious injury. Seek medical attention today.

This. DO NOT GO TO A CHIROPRACTOR before having imaging done. You are describing a disc herniation or severely pinched nerve. Ibuprofen around-the-clock (at recommended bottle doses) will help reduce the swelling, as well and alternating hot / cold packs on your back (hot relaxes muscle tightness on the nerve/disc, cold reduces swelling).

Go see a REAL doctor asap

tanyarodriques

Be gentle with yourself. Remember this entire journey is about you being healthy and feeling great. Give yourself time to heal...don't force a semi complete recovery killing yourself over an ideal image of being skinny. The truth is you may have pushed yourself too far too fast and there is no quick fix....healing takes time, rest.......followed later (about 3 weeks later) with gentle easy stretching.

peace_pigeon

I'm sorry that happened to you! Like others I had a very similar thing happen- my dad had to basically carry me to the er (and I was 30 at the time!), It turned out that I tore a ligament. No fun at all!

My only advice is get to a Dr, and in the meantime do nothing at all except lay down and use whatever means possible (within reason, and state and federal laws, lol) to feel better.

conniemaxwell5

DO NOT take any more Oxycodone until you've seen a doctor! Taking someone else's prescription is extremely dangerous and I believe may be illegal. Go to the Emergency Room and get treatment.

castelluzzo99

I'm sure the doctor will figure out what is best (chiro or not). But it reminds me of what my husband did a few weeks ago (but on a much bigger scale). He was extracting something our 4-year-old had decided to flush down the toilet (a shell, I think--it wasn't going down but it was impeding other things from flushing), and when he stood up, his neck popped and he couldn't turn his head for a couple of days. This was on a Friday night. Sunday he went out and did yard work. He felt better by the end of the day and could turn his head some, but he suffered from stiff neck for a while and he still isn't over it yet. He finally saw a chiropractor the other day and that helped so much!

Now I know your issue is way worse than his, and I'm not suggesting that yard work would make it better (the neck supports a lot less than the lower back does), but it does sound similar in the sense that it was from bending.

I hope you get better soon! Good luck with everything!

Mrsallypants

You've been lifting the laundry basket all your life probably the same way, so there is a high chance that it could be an injury from weight lifting.

srob98

No, Actually, I have never lifted the laundry basket the way I lifted it when I hurt my back.

There were 2 baskets next to each other, in a small hallway, along with my son's football workouts bag. I was trying to quickly put the basket up on top of the closed washer...then put the other one on the dryer...and close the door. I had company coming over in a bit and I wanted to get it hidden -ha!

So, I was lifting it at a very weird angle...halfway turned...and was lifting upward toward the washer. Definitely not the way to do it! Plus, I lifted it without bending my knees at all, because I had to kind of twist to reach it. On top of that, it was overly full. (I really hate laundry - it gets cleaned, but I just hate taking it upstairs!)

Anyway, it WAS from lifting it so oddly. No doubt in my mind. Do I think my muscles were overworked? Quite possibly. But, the weightlifting classes are 3 days a week, every other day - I think it was those classes added to the spin classes, and the other exercising I was doing. I went from couch potato to working out 1-2 hours, 6 days a week. Too much too soon, especially when you are 45 and really out of shape.

Heading to urgent care today - after talking to my brother, Urgent Care is a better bet than the ER for this type of thing. He also suggested a good chiropractor. He knows a few that are trustworthy....he's a well respected urologist, so I know I can trust his reference. Too bad he doesn't specialize in something I can use...but I am glad I don't need his services!