timaca
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6911
posted
Hi all~
Well, it seems that my new symptom this month is back pain.
Some in my lower back (yes I like to sleep on my stomach). And that pain can occur in the night, making it difficult to turn over.
I am trying to put a small pillow under my pelvic area as I sleep, as I've seen recommended on some back pain sites.
But, the newer pain, is back pain going up both sides of my back. What's up with that?
I was hoping since I was on IV antibiotics I would not be getting any new lyme symptoms! I am trying to figure out if it's how I'm sleeping (my bed is firm); or if it's lyme, or if drugs can cause this.
Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance....
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
I just finished 4 weeks of IV treatment and I did develope a few new symptoms as well as increase symptoms that already exisited.
Also, my fiancee and I just bought a new mattress. I do feel a little bit better.
Personally, if you think you bed is causing additional problems, I would look into getting a new mattress. The avarage person spends 8 hours a day in their bed... I don't have to tell you how much additional time people with Lyme spend in bed.
Good luck!
-------------------- I'm in the tunnel and I still don't see any light!! Posts: 42 | From RI tick capitol of the world | Registered: Sep 2005
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Lower back pain has been one of my first symptoms, and it actually increased for a period during treatment. It's really now my only persistent symptom. I think the reason it got worse was from herxing and just bringing out some latent infections. In fact, it got worst when I added amoxycillin back in to target salmonella (see below).
My LLMD diagnosed me early on with a spondyloarthritis. Spondyloarthritis is an arthritis of the spine that usually affects the sacroiliac joints. The sacroiliac joints are the two joints just above your buttocks at the base of your spine.
The diagnosis is really just a diagnosis of symptoms. The cause for most spondyloarthritis is unknown, but there is at least one type, reactive arthritis, that the medical community admits is from infection. My LLMD thinks mine is from both Lyme and salmonella.
I have actually discovered that I can feel a lot of my pain comes from the lower back. If I focus on the path of the pain, I can often feel that there are tight muscles, etc. leading from the sacroiliac joints.
What helped me get the pain under control was Flexeril (a muscle relaxer) combined with physical therapy from a pt who specializes in myofascial trigger point release. I then was able to start stretching and strengthening and now do yoga regularly. Lyme and salmonella treatment helped too.
I recently stopped the Flexeril, and my low back is bothering me again. But I think some of this is just that I need to work the muscles, so I'm returning to my pt. But, I noticed that I can sit in a car for 2 hours without low back pain, which I haven't done since I was 14 (16 years ago!) So treatment helps.
A good bed is also very important. I know many people have financial constraints. When my back pain was the worst, I was on year 5 of a futon...and futon's have 5 year life spans usually. I got one of the Tempurpedic foam mattresses and it's incredible. It gives total support to your body.
Below is a link to a website with more info. In particular, check out the symptoms of Undifferentiated Spondyloarthropathy and Reactive Arthritis. Note that the "treatment" options they give are basically just symptom treatment. But it's sometimes nice to see the symptoms listed. http://www.spondylitis.org/about/main.aspx
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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timaca
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6911
posted
Aneik~ Thanks for your reply. Interestingly, one of my second set of symptoms was numbness in my left calf, then a burning left foot. My PT asked me if I had back pain (this was almost 2 years ago). I said no. A week later, I got significant low back pain. With muscle spasms. Then nerve pain that traveled up to bra strap level.
I ended up with an MRI of my back, which showed mild disc bulge at L4-L5 (I think). My leg was no longer numb to the touch, at the time of the MRI, but my foot, and the rest of me was burning (read: lyme symptoms had spread everywhere).
I also saw a spine doctor who did x-rays of my back and examined me and said my back was fine (with the exception of some minor degenerative disc changes in my cervical spine).
I had since read that there is often an association between herniated discs and lyme.
I did lots of back exercises, and core exercises, and used heating pads a lot, and my back was fine for well over a year.
Now, it has started up again (some low back pain--mainly due to sleeping on my stomach, I would guess) but then traveling up the sides of my back which is new to me. It very well could be tight muscles radiating from the pain site.
So, I've pulled out my back exercises again, and will do them more.
Your post about the tempurpedic mattress intrigued me. Is it kinda like the foam topper mattressess that are being sold now? I didn't like the smell of those. I suppose I could have aired it out longer, but smells do both me.
Do the tempurpedic mattresses smell? How long are they supposed to last? Do you "sink" into it?
I may try to do a search on the web, but additional thoughts that you could share about yours would be helpful.
Thanks....
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Timaca,
The tempurpedic is like the foam tops, but the entire mattress is foam. I think it smelled at first, but it really did fade away pretty quickly.
When you first lie on it, you sink a little into the mattress, but then it stops. It shapes to you, and provides support for your entire body.
The mattresses are supposed to last 20 years.
-A
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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