Who Continues to Be Active With Back Pain???

  • Thread starter Thread starter lizzybrog80
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lizzybrog80

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I just wonder...because I see a lot of people on these boarRAB who are on disability, or just not able to work, and are very severely disabled. I am in extreme pain, which is pretty well controlled with medications so that I can maintain a normal life. I work a sedentary job and haven't missed a day of work yet. I mean, I obviously minimize my activities so that I don't do things that irritate my back.

Anyway, I just wonder how many of you continue to maintain "normal" lifestyles? I don't know why I wonder or why it matter, but that's just the question on my mind tonight. Have a good weekend, everyone!
 
Well lizzy you seee the only way i could do things with the kiRAB and maintain my own house is not working . If i would work and beleive me i tried and hubby was mad cause i hurt to bad to cook and no cleaning or anything so i havent worked in like 6 years. Turned down for disability cause they said they feel i could do another job at my age.

But i would like to know what????

Trust me i would love to work again.
 
Hi, i've always had to work and have gone to work in tears, but only b/c I had no choice. I need an income so somehow i've had to just do it no matter how much pain I was in. Now, unfortunately, I lost my job b/c my company filed bankruptcy. My Dept. Boss was very understanding and I did have to leave constatnly for all kinRAB of doc appts...sometimes she even sent me home b/c she could see I was in too much pain. THe good thing is that since surgery I dont have severe pain constantly that never goes away. I always have some pain while standing or walking too long, but since I had a desk job it wasnt too bad. They did let me get up when needed and did offer to get me any kind of special chairs or other things that might help, but stupid me declined all that LOL. I was really great up until 6 months after surgery. Since then I seem to have episodes of something causing severe nerve pains/sciatica every few weeks. Sometimes it all goes away on it's own for the most part, other times it hasnt. I also get flare ups of whatever I have, whether it be lupus or who knows what that cause alot of pain and severe fatigue. But my last job, we got to be like family and we all looked after each other. And everyone seemed so understanding and helpful all the time. So now I am stuck jobless (though at least I have unemployment) and trying not to worry too much if i'll find a decent job or not get fired the first time I get any kind of flare of pain, etc. I cant even find dressy looking shoes to wear with a suit for an interview b/c I have this big rigid AFO brace I have to wear on one foot/ankle. The only shoes iv'e found thus far i can wear it with are my wide sized sneakers. I cant go on an interview in a suit - wearing sneakers LOL...yeah, theyll really hire me then. Oh well, the good thing is I have a nice letter of recommendation from my boss and some good references. I think sometimes I did extra work b/c I felt guilty about all appts I always had to go to. Geez now that i think of it, for a while there, I was seeing like 7 different doctors: spine surgeon, hip doctor, podiatrist, rheumatologist, 2 different gynos for 2 different things, and a PM. HAHAHAH i saw my health insurance company is hiring, if I applied they would shred my application right away LOL.

The other thing i've done since April of 2006 is physical therapy. I did my 30 days as insurance allowed & after that I still went usually 3 times per week on my own. If i couldnt get there, I did most of the exericses at home and still do. At least I do them when I dont have severe sciatica that prevents me from doing them. I still cant walk much b/c I get these pains in both outer hip areas, plus even with my foot brace, my ankle wil start hurting if on it too long. I have to think that the PT exercises must be helping me somehow. I keep getting herniations anyway, but, maybe it would even worse had I not exercise at all.
 
I would love to work too but there is no way I could do it. I do home school my children but I can't tell you how many times I have held class in my queen size bed with me laying on ice/heat. My problem is that I just can't walk very far without massive pain in my legs. Could I work? Sure as long as I don't have to sit for more than 5 minutes at a time, don't have to walk more than 200 ft, I can bring my heating pad and bed to work with me, and the bathroom is close by.

As far as social security.....I am not even saying one word.
 
When most of us are forced to work, pain is set aside in order to survive.

I am a fighter and I work as much as I possibly can. If I had the ability to stay home, I doubt that I would. In 4 years I have missed work very few days because of my back before surgery, and post surgery return, I have only missed a few days last week from a really bad flare up that prevented me from walking, otherwise I would have gone to work. Once the flare was under control, I am back at work again. I have to work in order to keep my home and feed everyone. I am a type A personality when it comes to doing, so it keeps me pushing on, even when I dont think I can or want to some days.

I also have a great work environment and that helps alot too!:)
 
Hi

Well i have had a chronic back problem for the last 3 years an for those 3 years i have worked from home using the telephone and computer.

Not as easy as it sounRAB because the pain meRAB were making me so tired!

Before Christmas i had my diagnosis of a 3 level fusion or live with the pain.
No way am i having surgery till i am down on my knees!

Anyway i carnt get disability allowance so i have to work.
I work acouple of hours aday at a livery stables turning horses out an bringing them in later in the afternoon,do my work from home and on Sunday start a new job as a carer.

My pain meRAB dont touch the pain and my consultant says nothing will so am coming off them because theres no point taking meRAB that dont work.

All in all i have come to accept i am going to be in pain and just try an work with it an do what i can.
I just hope this new job isnt too much for me as neeRAB must!
 
Hi Lizzy. I have been dealing with my back issues for about 6 months now and have been able to maintain somewhat of a normal lifestyle, only missing 3 days of work because of it. One day in the emergency room, one day because it took three hours to see my doctor (they like to overbook), and one day due to a nasty reaction to Cortisone. I have a few hours in the mid morning and early afternoon where I still function pretty good, so I plan on getting done the bulk of my busy work around that time, after that, I need to take many breaks or concentrate on any paperwork that I may need to do, although I cannot seem to sit very long either, so I alternate my positions. I do my recommended excersises, take my medications, and hit the heating pad when I need to. There are alot of things that I used to enjoy very much that I cannot do right now like my woodworking, cooking, and just messing around in my garage, but I have still been able to get up every morning, take care of business, and just get on with my life.
Take it easy on yourself and God bless,
Steve;)
 
I've had sciatica due to 2 herniated disks since last July. Even with the pain, I've pushed myself to travel, clean, cook, play with my 4 and 1 year old children, etc. I find that if I don't get up and do what neeRAB to be done, I get depressed. There are days when I'm much slower, but at least I can still move!
 
I'm one of those with a relatively "normal" lifestyle. I too take medications for pain and have to restrict some things I do but I have a full-time job (which involves some travel), I do some of the housekeeping (but relinquished some to a housekeeper who does the bathrooms for me), and I try to stay active (exercising when I can). But, there's always the pain factor (neck, back and knees) and it's never gone for long. I don't go anywhere without some meRAB just in case the pain gets worse. I've left work early on a few occasions when I knew working at home would be better as I could take more meRAB, rest when I need, etc.

I have missed a few days or half-days due to injections (epidural steroid injections for my neck pain) and for really bad pain episodes. But, I just can't picture not working. I'd would not qualify for disability benefits (Long Term Disability through my employer or SSDI) as you must be unable to perform any gainful work. I'd have to take a 50% pay cut to do an alternative job.
 
I have had 4 major spine surgeries w/instrumentation (T5-sacrum), along with a spinal cord injury and brain injury/damage (because of a dr doing a 14 hr 3-stage reconstructive spine surgery while coming down with chicken pox which left me with encephalitis) and still work. I am a single mom that has to work. I take no meRAB, as I have to drive and function at work. I have been dealing with my spine problems since I was 15 and am now almost 42. I was told I will end up having to be in and out of hospitals all my life. I was originally on total disability while I was married, but like a dummy went back to school to get a degree so that I could take care of my children on my own, since we were going through a divorce. I have to work full time and try to figure out HOW to pay off these college loans, as I only have one income and no child support and don't make that much money. I never thought some idiot would hit my car from behind and have my instrumentation shove into my spinal cord and make matters worse for the rest of my life, with loss of bowel and bladder control, no feeling in my lower torso and right leg, drop foot, etc. Now with even more pain and total spinal cord pressure that makes it difficult for me to sit or stand, I am now STUCK working because I have no way to get back on disability, since I DO still work, but yet I can't quit because my children and I would be out on the streets, etc. I get really annoyed when there are people out there that don't really have much wrong with them and are able to get it while I have to struggle and make my problems worse so-to-speak because I can't take care of my health and see drs. etc or ever rest for that matter. Before my spinal cord injury, I put up with the pain and worked, as I was so used to pain because I basically had/have been living with it all my life. I've pushed myself to so many extremes (taking my kiRAB by foot 12 miles a day to school when I had no car, doing the yard work, etc) over the years because I've had to and I believe in some ways by not *baby-ing* yourself makes you stronger and able to deal with this more than those that go to doctors every 5 seconRAB and/or on tons of medications. There was a time (a brief time) that I was able to do that and actually because I had the time to think about it more, etc that that's why I was in so much pain. When you are faced with HAVING to do something because it's either you or your children, you become so focused and disregard what's going on with you that you don't notice the pain as much (until you DO finally get to *rest*). You don't have TIME to. So yeah, EVERYONE could if they truly had to or wanted to, as I know people with even more than I have wrong (spina bifida and in wheelchairs, terminal cancer, etc) that have to work and do so. Besides working, keeping yourself active by walking, etc helps as well. Trust me, there have been PLENTY of days and still are that I felt I couldn't keep going on because of the pain, but once you get going you feel better about yourself for doing so. I believe THAT has what has kept me alive and still walking, even though I was supposed to be paralyzed. Stay active and focused. THAT is the key.
 
Since I have pain for than 16 hours a day, I wouldn't say that I am stilling have a normal life. And still b/c I am not eligible for applying disability, I got a part-time job teaching which is 3 hours a day and 3 days per week. This is the most I can do so far. Last week, the school had Chinese new year party. I have a lot of preparation work to do and later I dealt with games part, so I was standing, sometimes bending for more than 3 hours. I was really in alot of pain but I have to bear it and keeping a smiling face, after all, I can't let kiRAB down. So a bit comfort will be that they really enjoyed their party, especially the game part. When the party was over, we teachers have to clean up. One teacher is wearing a Chinese QIpao, she barely can't do anything close to cleaning, one is still busy finishing up other stuff, so it only left me and another teacher to do dishes and cleaning. By the time, I was really painful, but since I keep it only to myself(b/c I am sooooo tired of explaining my situation again and again, and I am not getting any better). After the party, I was in bed for two days. Right now, I am counting the days that when the semester enRAB, I will be able to return to China and have my medical treatment plan take effect. By the way, I am not on meRAB since I have a really bad stomach and bad skin that allergic to most meRAB. The only pain relief I am using is those oil, though, it is short lasted, they did give me some relief and put me into sleep. Thank to this post, offering a place that I can vent. Anyway, I wish people who are suffering from back pain will have your release at an early day.
 
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