Guest guest Posted August 21, 1999 Report Share Posted August 21, 1999 rheumatic low back pain >From: MHOLMES@... (HOLMES, MARK T.) > >Curious as to how many of you have lower back pain and have been diagnosed >with RA? I continue to have low back pain - all the docs dismissed it on my >last visit - blamed it on me favoring other parts of my body that were >painful and probably throwing something out of whack in the process. Not >sure I buy that. Maybe it's my mattress, although it lies on a board >(slats)frame, not a box spring. It's not a debilitating pain, but it does >remain painful and stiff, especially after sitting and I notice it >immediately upon standing. Takes me a while to straighten up. > >Mark > >Lately I've been having very bad lower back pain upon sitting up first thing in the morning. It's kind of a new thing - maybe 5 weeks it's been happening - and it doesn't last long. But boy! While it does it is impossible! Don't know the cause - maybe it's from favoring other body parts, maybe from my matress. Normally, my back hasn't been a problem. I sure don't need this! p.s..........when I consider the time frame, I wonder if it is related to sitting in front of this PC. Maybe it's the chair, or my posture in the chair. Hmmmmmm. > >--------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 21, 1999 Report Share Posted August 21, 1999 Mark, I didn't think the low back pain was normal for RA. Though it was more joints for you guys. Us folks with AS on the other hand, feel like our low backs are fused and get pains that shoot to our hips. They are so stiff it's difficult to walk at times even though the legs are more or less working. Surely the docs aren't misdiagnosing are they? Aren't most of you RA positive? Best - Jan K " HOLMES, MARK T. " wrote: > From: MHOLMES@... (HOLMES, MARK T.) > > Curious as to how many of you have lower back pain and have been diagnosed > with RA? I continue to have low back pain - all the docs dismissed it on my > last visit - blamed it on me favoring other parts of my body that were > painful and probably throwing something out of whack in the process. Not > sure I buy that. Maybe it's my mattress, although it lies on a board > (slats)frame, not a box spring. It's not a debilitating pain, but it does > remain painful and stiff, especially after sitting and I notice it > immediately upon standing. Takes me a while to straighten up. > > Mark > > --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 21, 1999 Report Share Posted August 21, 1999 From Mado: I had the same problem until we changed our mattress and bingo the back is " back to normal " . Could'nt resist. Have a good week-end. Mado Re: rheumatic low back pain >From: Jan Kirsten <jkirsten@...> > >Mark, > >I didn't think the low back pain was normal for RA. Though it was more joints >for you guys. Us folks with AS on the other hand, feel like our low backs are >fused and get pains that shoot to our hips. They are so stiff it's difficult to >walk at times even though the legs are more or less working. Surely the docs >aren't misdiagnosing are they? Aren't most of you RA positive? > >Best - Jan K > > " HOLMES, MARK T. " wrote: > >> From: MHOLMES@... (HOLMES, MARK T.) >> >> Curious as to how many of you have lower back pain and have been diagnosed >> with RA? I continue to have low back pain - all the docs dismissed it on my >> last visit - blamed it on me favoring other parts of my body that were >> painful and probably throwing something out of whack in the process. Not >> sure I buy that. Maybe it's my mattress, although it lies on a board >> (slats)frame, not a box spring. It's not a debilitating pain, but it does >> remain painful and stiff, especially after sitting and I notice it >> immediately upon standing. Takes me a while to straighten up. >> >> Mark >> >> --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 21, 1999 Report Share Posted August 21, 1999 I had all sorts of lower back pain for years with the onset of my disease and it wasn' tuntil I had physio and they helped me set it right that I could continue to be pain free. I think the ap had a lot to do with it to. I couldn't get off the table after the xray, that's how bad it was. Oh and the skin over the area was darkened, something my scleroderma does to affected areas. The secret was exercise for my lower back. I do certain stretching for the lower back (they showed me) after every workout at my gym to keep the muscles toned and my back flexable. The oddest one was the fact that stomach muscles hold in the lower back. If your stomach muscles are in poor shape they can't hold in the back. So....I do 60 sit ups every gym visit. 3 sets of 20 in different positions. Now...don't you wish you could just take a pill?? xoxox Donna rheumatic low back pain >From: MHOLMES@... (HOLMES, MARK T.) > >Curious as to how many of you have lower back pain and have been diagnosed >with RA? I continue to have low back pain - all the docs dismissed it on my >last visit - blamed it on me favoring other parts of my body that were >painful and probably throwing something out of whack in the process. Not >sure I buy that. Maybe it's my mattress, although it lies on a board >(slats)frame, not a box spring. It's not a debilitating pain, but it does >remain painful and stiff, especially after sitting and I notice it >immediately upon standing. Takes me a while to straighten up. > >Mark > > > >--------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 21, 1999 Report Share Posted August 21, 1999 rheumatic low back pain > > >>From: MHOLMES@... (HOLMES, MARK T.) >> >>Curious as to how many of you have lower back pain and have been diagnosed >>with RA? I continue to have low back pain - all the docs dismissed it on >my >>last visit - blamed it on me favoring other parts of my body that were >>painful and probably throwing something out of whack in the process. Not >>sure I buy that. Maybe it's my mattress, although it lies on a board >>(slats)frame, not a box spring. It's not a debilitating pain, but it does >>remain painful and stiff, especially after sitting and I notice it >>immediately upon standing. Takes me a while to straighten up. >> >>Mark >> >> >> >>--------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 21, 1999 Report Share Posted August 21, 1999 My first RA pains were in my lower back. At 12:43 AM 8/21/99 -0400, you wrote: >From: Jan Kirsten <jkirsten@...> > >Mark, > >I didn't think the low back pain was normal for RA. Though it was more joints >for you guys. Us folks with AS on the other hand, feel like our low backs are >fused and get pains that shoot to our hips. They are so stiff it's difficult to >walk at times even though the legs are more or less working. Surely the docs >aren't misdiagnosing are they? Aren't most of you RA positive? > >Best - Jan K > > " HOLMES, MARK T. " wrote: > >> From: MHOLMES@... (HOLMES, MARK T.) >> >> Curious as to how many of you have lower back pain and have been diagnosed >> with RA? I continue to have low back pain - all the docs dismissed it on my >> last visit - blamed it on me favoring other parts of my body that were >> painful and probably throwing something out of whack in the process. Not >> sure I buy that. Maybe it's my mattress, although it lies on a board >> (slats)frame, not a box spring. It's not a debilitating pain, but it does >> remain painful and stiff, especially after sitting and I notice it >> immediately upon standing. Takes me a while to straighten up. >> >> Mark >> >> --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 22, 1999 Report Share Posted August 22, 1999 I have had a lot of lower back pain in the past, very debilitating at times, especially in the morning. I've been told it can result from the general state of inflammation RA creates in the body affecting the spine, although it is not the same kind of destructive process as the RA effects on the synovial joints, or so it was explained to me. X-rays showed no damage so far, so I tend to think that the inflammation explanation is right in my case--causing pressure on the nerves and consequent muscle spasms. Lower back manipulations ( and the tetracycline, I think) have resolved most of the pain and stiffness. My doc also recently recommended leg lift exercises to help maintain the relief between manipulations. A new mattress helped a lot also. I prefer a firm regular mattress, and it has worked for me, but my doctor swears by high-density foam on the floor for bad backs. Liz G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 22, 1999 Report Share Posted August 22, 1999 Hi Mark, I'm new to RA (diagnosed 6 mo ago), but back pain is an old friend. I've had scoliosis since the age of 13 - was in a back brace for correction for 4 years after that. Lower back pain was something that just happened from time to time, and off and on for the past several (OK, 30) years. Also between my shoulder blades and a " stiff neck " which felt attached to the bones in my spine. So here's the thing. . . when the rheumie was asking all the questions about aches, pains and stiffness, I suddenly realized I hadn't had a back ache or stiff neck in over a year. Why? I've always used a bed board but have a very sedentary job at a computer, my only exercise is walking. AhHa! I DID become a grandmother almost two years ago and see the little critter two or three times a week. Now, I'm a gramma who has to pick her up and hug her even with my wrist and ankle in splints. The heavier she's gotten, the stronger my back has become. In other words, I agree with Donna that weight bearing exercise helps enormously. In fact, I want those pills, Donna, if you ever find them, because I swear I'll never even TRY to do 60 situps. RA has caused me many problems with my feet. I'm wearing Birkenstocks constantly. Completely gave up on orthodics because my feet change shape with the disease and they don't always fit the same. So I put that money into shoes I can wear with a good arch and a very low heel. (You get a very European look wearing socks and sandles in Michigan no matter what the season. Yes, I look weird and who cares - as long as I am walking!) Maybe this has helped, too. My daughter and son-in-law are pregnant again, and I'm looking forward to continuing the current " exercise " schedule for my back. Tell you what, though, WOW - does this EVER AGGRAVATE THE FATIGUE FACTOR!!! There is no such thing as promising to be well enough to babysit two weeks in the future. That's MY dream wish for AP - I'll be able to plan ahead and know I'll feel well enough to do anything. And I wish every one of us the same. Marce rheumatic low back pain From: MHOLMES@... (HOLMES, MARK T.) Curious as to how many of you have lower back pain and have been diagnosed with RA? I continue to have low back pain - all the docs dismissed it on my last visit - blamed it on me favoring other parts of my body that were painful and probably throwing something out of whack in the process. Not sure I buy that. Maybe it's my mattress, although it lies on a board (slats)frame, not a box spring. It's not a debilitating pain, but it does remain painful and stiff, especially after sitting and I notice it immediately upon standing. Takes me a while to straighten up. Mark --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 22, 1999 Report Share Posted August 22, 1999 I have lower back pain and RA. I never had lower back pain until I started Minocin. The pain became so severe that I was even unable to sleep. I went through buying a new box spring and mattress, muscle relaxants, massage, etc. Since stopping the Minocin, the pain has abated somewhat, but returns if I eat beets, drink anything other than water, or don't drink enough water. I was taken off the Minocin in the event it was causing kidney problems. I see a kidney specialist this week. Deb HOLMES, MARK T. wrote: > From: MHOLMES@... (HOLMES, MARK T.) > > Curious as to how many of you have lower back pain and have been diagnosed > with RA? I continue to have low back pain - all the docs dismissed it on my > last visit - blamed it on me favoring other parts of my body that were > painful and probably throwing something out of whack in the process. Not > sure I buy that. Maybe it's my mattress, although it lies on a board > (slats)frame, not a box spring. It's not a debilitating pain, but it does > remain painful and stiff, especially after sitting and I notice it > immediately upon standing. Takes me a while to straighten up. > > Mark > > --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 22, 1999 Report Share Posted August 22, 1999 Hi Liz et. al, I have to agree with you about the importance of the mattress. It's really critical in my case. I've written before about feeling like death warmed over during the month I didn't get to sleep on my own mattress and then after one night's sleep feeling human and virtually pain-free again. Wish it always worked that way. A question about the low back pain. Are you guys talking lumbar region or sacral region? These are two distinct areas in my mind. I bring this up because I want to float a question at ya'll that I've been remembering for the past few days. BTW, my talking about AS and low back pain earlier was in reference to the sacral region freezing and it slowly moving up the spine from there. When I say lumbar, I'm thinking about the level of the waist. Briefly, my car accident was 7.5 years ago. My lumbar region was not injured at all and never hurt. My sacral region was seriously injured however, at least as far as the tissue and nerves in the region go right through all the buttocks muscles. Basically a traction injury where they were stretched a good 4 inches beyond their ability. As part of all of my years in pain management, I had a lumbar puncture for a nerve block about 6 years ago. The doctor had to shove the needle in through massive amounts of very tough tissue (hardest he ever had, he said) and went in a good 5 inches. From that day forward, I have suffered from low back pain (near the waist, not the hips, which is what I call the sacral pain). Something that I had precisely zero experience with in my life prior to the nerve block. Why? Best - Jan K " Liz G. " wrote: > From: " Liz G. " <pioneer@...> > > I have had a lot of lower back pain in the past, very debilitating at > times, especially in the morning. I've been told it can result from the > general state of inflammation RA creates in the body affecting the spine, > although it is not the same kind of destructive process as the RA effects on > the synovial joints, or so it was explained to me. X-rays showed no damage > so far, so I tend to think that the inflammation explanation is right in my > case--causing pressure on the nerves and consequent muscle spasms. Lower > back manipulations ( and the tetracycline, I think) have resolved most of > the pain and stiffness. My doc also recently recommended leg lift exercises > to help maintain the relief between manipulations. > A new mattress helped a lot also. I prefer a firm regular mattress, and > it has worked for me, but my doctor swears by high-density foam on the > floor for bad backs. Liz G > > --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 25, 1999 Report Share Posted August 25, 1999 Keeping in mind, however, that for those who have AS or other spondylitis, this posture would do *serious* damage and stiffness over the long-term! Jan. > > email: jan.frijters@... > fax: 801-991-6085 > web: http://www3.sympatico.ca/jan.frijters > ICQ: 41242857 > > > Since the past 4 days I have been having low back pain when I get up in > the > > morning. Even when I take a short nap during the day, I get this pain. > > Last night I tried sleeping curled up, i.e. with a rounded back and knees > > bent. Even when I turned over, I tried to get the same position. And > when > > I got out of bed in the morning there was hardly any pain. > > > > I thought this might of interest to those of you who are suffering from > > back pain. > > > > Wishing everybody a speedy recovery, > > Zanash > > > > --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2001 Report Share Posted June 25, 2001 I am wondering if anyone out there has experienced low back pains since going on the low carb high protein diet. When I first started atkings a year ago, I had some bouts of it, and just took some potassium.. about 2 a day,33 mg) and it seems to go right away. Now I am on the Eat Right For Your Type Diet, and I love it.. and of course almost totally grainless except for fomr sprouted bread (low carb) at breakfast. But, my back pain -- low back is still persistent, and a couple of potassiums are not making the pain go away. My candida is pretty much in check.. but of course I am just on the edge... I can slip back in symtons any time I cheat... with 3 kids to keep up with.. like yesterday I couldn't help but taste ( only 2 bites) their banana pudding when we went out... yikes..... but it was good... Any ideas, or others with this sympton? Thanks in advance, Jocelyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2001 Report Share Posted June 25, 2001 Please make sure that your low back pain is not from you kidneys. Drinking TONS of water is very important when on this kind of diet. I didn't realize just how important...that was what my pain was. I do have low back problems...but this pain was different. moons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2001 Report Share Posted June 25, 2001 I replied to this earlier but haven't seen it post, so here I go again: I adamantly disagree with this! The Atkins diet will not effect the kidneys in any ulterior fashion UNLESS there is pre-existing kidney disease. In fact, the Atkins diet encourages the consumption of water (and only water) all throughout the day, which keeps the kidneys flushed and functional well. If there is, in fact, a pre-existing renal malfunction ANY diet will affect it. Jocelyn, I suggest you visit the Atkins site and email them with your concerns. Better to go to the source for the facts. Cheri http://e-poetry.orghttp://AtHomeWithTheGirls.com Re: Re:low back pain Jocelyn, I did the Atkins diet when it first came out .. I was about 15 and it is not good for the kidneys. However add oatmeal to your diet perhaps this complex carb will stop the aching. In Jesus Name,Ruth Jocelyn Morrow <shopgirl@...> wrote: I am wondering if anyone out there has experienced low back pains since going on the low carb high protein diet. When I first started atkings a year ago, I had some bouts of it, and just took some potassium.. about 2 a day,33 mg) and it seems to go right away. Now I am on the Eat Right For Your Type Diet, and I love it.. and of course almost totally grainless except for fomr sprouted bread (low carb) at breakfast. But, my back pain -- low back is still persistent, and a couple of potassiums are not making the pain go away. My candida is pretty much in check.. but of course I am just on the edge... I can slip back in symtons any time I cheat... with 3 kids to keep up with.. like yesterday I couldn't help but taste ( only 2 bites) their banana pudding when we went out... yikes..... but it was good...Any ideas, or others with this sympton?Thanks in advance,Jocelyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 A funny thing about the brain is that you may not have noticed that particular ache because your attention was on the more severe and possibly more generalized pain of PA. It may have been like a whisper in room full of screaming people. When they all shut up you could finally tell it was there. Definitely mention it to your MD. Don't put your wallet in your back pocket and maybe even see a chiropractor a couple of times. Chronic pain may have made you assume an unnatural posture that is now unnecessary because of the Enbrel. If you have good insurance insist on an MRI. My personal favorite for treating lower back pain is a couple of weeks of a combination of Ibuprofen for inflammation and Valium (skip the Flexeril) as the best muscle relaxer there is. Finally, a very common side effect of Enbrel is a mild stimulation a bit like having to much coffee. You may simply be tense in which case a low dose of Klonopin or time release Zanax works wonders. All of this I know by experience. I have been on Enbrel over five years. Ronnie E. [ ] low back " pain " Hi all, You've asked for lurkers - here I am! I have just done my fifth enbrel injecttion today and now I am certain that I have slight lower back pain - not big pain, discomfort - but definitely a result of the injection. I wasn't so sure earlier, but today, it is clear. My comfort level after beginning enbrel is definitely greatly improved, the slight lower back pain is no big deal and I'm happy to tolerate that discomfort. I wish everyone success with pain reduction. Hiker Dee [Editor's Note: Hiker Dee, I think you've posted once or twice recently so thanks for keeping up your " no lurker here " campaign. Glad to hear that you are already enjoying greatly improved comfort but be sure to tell your doctor about the lower back pain. Sometimes it is a good thing in that the pain and swelling are going away and your back has to adjust to a " new " you, but you also don't want this to become a bigger deal than it currently is. In any case, welcome to the world of the anti-lurk. Kathy F.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.