Help needed

Skinny Keef

Hi all, I haven’t posted on here for a while due to just feeling that I had nothing to offer, but now I am in need of some help.

I suffer from osteoarthritis in my lower back (my spine is resting on pelvis due to disc degeneration) and also in my neck.

In the last 6 months I have started to suffer with night time urinary incontinence which is now also becoming a problem during the day. For the last week l have also had the feeling of a permanent upset stomach. It is not IBS as I have suffered with this since my early 20s I am now 53. I was wondering if nerve compression can give this upset stomach feeling?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Skinny Keef

Should have added, obviously I suffer from nerve compression - can this lead to the bowel sensation I am having please?

Trish9556

Hi @Keef

I think it's probable. Good idea to speak to your doctor so you can get this investigated and get the right help.

Love n hugs

Trish xx

frogmorton

Hi @Keef I would say it's good to hear from you again, but not to hear you're struggling.

Definitely I would get straight on to my Dr in your shoes.

Please do let us know what they say.

Take care

Toni x

Baloo

Hi @Keef sorry to hear of more back trouble. I don't know. Stomach pain is the worst kind I can think of for becoming in a bad mood though, except for maybe teeth pain.

Does it come and go if you can get the weight off your back, at least that might give more evidence for the doctor to work on wether it does or doesn't.

stickywicket

@Keef , I think you know what you have to do (clearly, the others do) but are a bit hesitant. I understand that but, being at some distance, can see it might be virtually anthing and , if dealt with quickly, might be short-lived. The longer we leave these things the worse they can get. My advice, like that of the others, would be bite the bullet and ring the doc. And good luck.

Skinny Keef

thanks to all for replies.

i did ring the doctors yesterday and was elevntybillionth in the queue as per normal.

it has eased somewhat today so may have been just a bug.

however today has been the worst pain day I’ve had for sometime. I was in tears at my ‘back lady’ as she is affectionately known in our house when my incontinence started as I didn’t think things could get any worse but the pain is just terrible now. I had to cut back on my tramadol due to side effects so that doesn’t help either and topping up with paracetamol as the pharmacist recommended does nothing.

feeling very low.

Ellen

Good Morning @Keef

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/back-pain/

If you have time do read this the section entitled 'when to see a Dr.

Urinary incontinence is important. You can always ring 111 if you can't get through to your GP. Night or day.

Best wishes

Ellen.

RogerBill

Hi @Keef As others have said, definitely worth seeking the opinion of a doctor. But although only generally related I have some experience of this problem after being treated for prostate cancer in 2014. I had a radical prostatectomy operation and after this operation you're recommended to do pelvic floor exercises to regain urinary continence. In my case this has mostly worked (I'm now 70) whereas a few men need other treatments. If you search the Internet for prostate cancer and urinary incontinence it might lead to some lateral thoughts of use to you.

Skinny Keef

Hi @Ellen , thanks for the info on back pain.

unfortunately my mri scans show my back is in very poor condition.

stickywicket

Hanging on in a long phone queue is annoying boring and time-consuming but, last week, a friend did it with DWP for one hour fifty minutes before getting through. He call lasted just over two minutes but resolved the issue. Worth it? Yes

You have a problem which might well not go away without help and which might well get worse. I won't pester you again but I did feel, given we're all in agreement, I should try once more.

@RogerBill , thank you for that info. I'd no idea men could benefit from pelvic floor exercises. I have done, but thought they were just for us women who had had babies sitting on our bladders for nine months at a time😆 Useful info.

Skinny Keef

Yes I will try again, I obviously need a prostate exam, but I am sure it is just another sign of my spine deteriorating more and pressure on my nerves getting worse in my lower back or neck.

RogerBill

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/709583#Comment_709583

Hi @Keef Sorry a little misunderstanding has crept in. I wasn't thinking that you may have prostate cancer, simply thought the pelvic floor exercises might help with the urinary incontinence problem. The operation I had to remove the prostate also took out some nerves so I thought there might be some relevance to your lower back nerve issues. I don't know anything about the highly complex nervous system but can imagine that there are at least some interconnections in the lower back and prostate area.

Skinny Keef

Another really bad day today with the pain.

my little boy wants to play and I can’t even have him sit on my lap to watch tv I’m in so much pain.