[micro]

about a week and a half ago.......
i was great, young for my elderly years and nothing worse for wear........

then awoke the next morning after an "unremarkable night of work as a nurse".........and my whole right back (upper) has just hauled up and claimed itself as another country in this old body of mine...............

and i am tough and know that i am not a workman's comp girl ..... so i chuck it up, exercise, take ibuprofen and walk it off......but it has not went away.........

so today.........i make the first call to my doc......."I don't want to come see you, but maybe some muscle relaxant or something.....you know the stress of being a nurse........?????

so, all are your backs hurting you...........

and what are you doing about it.............

[kids]

Popping MSO4 5 mg on top of the Kadian 30mg Q 8 hours and praying for a really nice Anestesiologist to materialize and give me an epidural so I can sleep for a few hours...but since I'm in my bed at home I doubt it is gonna happen.

[kewlnurse]

My back stopped hurting the day i stopped working on ortho

[NurseDennie]

Oh yes, oh yes. I stopped working in the hospital, but unfortunately, I waited until the damage was permanent. I just work around the pain.

I am not sure how I'm going to keep on coping, though. I had some tests and they say I have gastritis and I shouldn't take IBU any more!?!?!?! Nor caffeine!!!! How will I survive NOW? Tylenol helps, but only in combination with a *lot* of ibu. I'm so depressed.

Love

Dennie

[TIREDmidnightRN]

1) Hospital type bed so I can adjust the pressure on the back often
2)special shoes
3)motrin often
4)learning to say, "My back really hurts....can you help me here?" to co-workers.

[Fgr8Out]

Well... I chalk my tense upper back to being out of shape primarily...of course, my work doesn't help, but I can't blame nursing for it.

I talked with my doctor and asked for (and received) an order for PT. I had my eval and I begin tomorrow... including pool exercises and massage. I'm pretty sure that this, combined with the exercise and diet plan I've recently begun will make a tremendous difference. Yes, it hurts to do the exercises at the moment, but, I can only see this escalating if I don't grin and bear it right now.... I can't imagine having this get to the point where narcotics are the only treatment... gonna take responsibility for it before it's too late.

[cheerfuldoer]

Originally posted by kewlnurse
My back stopped hurting the day i stopped working on ortho

My back stopped hurting the day I stopped working - PERIOD!!!

[LilgirlRN]

L-5 bulging disk, need I say more?

[CATHYW]

Hot soaks in the bathtub, as flat on my back as I can get. No bending, lifting, reaching, or pulling, when it is really bad (for a few hours, or a day), getting help when I needed it at work to lift or turn, Ibuprofen, Flexeril, gentle back rub from hubby, pathological attention to body mechanics until situation clears. Finally-maybe considering a different aspect of our profession.

[grneturtle]

any nurse who doesnt have a bad back, hasnt worked as a nurse and dirtied her or his hands, I was a cna for fifteen years before I became an Rn and I still lift turn and wipe when the occassion calls for it. Especially on weekends and hollidays if you know what i mean!!!!!!!1