Hiya
I have a bit of a back problem anyway, but when i am flaring and my back joins in it feels considerably worse than usual. It is during these periods i am at my most low. I do not sit down for very long at all when my back hurts and i tend to lie as flat as I can for periods.
So i might get up and potter about seeing children off to school, then check a few e-mails, then go to bed again to lie flat (set alarm for 1 hour cos i can sleep any time except at night if i have slept too much in the day time). I never understand how i can sllep so much when my back hurts, but i am good at 'switching off' so usually nod of as soon as painkillers start to kick in. i suppose it is just exhausting being in pain.
I slow everything down so i do not try to rush or jolt myself, and make sure I consider how i am going to change position, etc. makes me look a bit like a drama queen, but it is important and it helps.
Then I'll get up and do a bit more, then go back onto bed well supported with pillows and read for a bit. I put them behind my back and support my head well, then place a couple under each elbow and two on my lap to support a book so I do not crane my neck. If my legs are flaring I will even put pillows beneath my knees.
and yes - I do have an awful lot of spare pillows!
Then I'll get up again ... and so on. It sounds like a lot of messing about, but I do get through a few jobs this way. If I sit in an armchair or sofa I end up almost crippled with pain. Same with driving - can't go far cos repeated twisting to look behind when reversing, etc. causes big problems. I am better stood on my feet all day thansitting in a chair for 1 hour.
I find a hot bath helps, and I take my anti-inflammatories like clockwork at the first sign of trouble, then add other (prescribed) pain killers as and when or i find constant pain makes me very weary ... which can make me weepy. I do not reduce my doses until I have been comfortable for at least 1 week, then i reduce to my maintenance dose.
At the moment i am free of analgesia. I find looking forward to it subsiding helps, and the relief given by the anti-inflammatories , etc. stops me getting really down.
I am very sorry you are in pain DDR. I know only too well just how miserable it is. Is there any thing you can do, if only for short spells by way of mental distraction? I usually read books in bed, or posts here on pc (briefly) but in the past i have set to on a piece of blackwork or cross stitch. I find something reptitive enough not to have to think too hard, but enough that i have to focus on thatone task is best for me. I no longer stitch becasue i have to sit andit hurts.
Sorry to waffle.
Meanwhile, why not go to doctor to see if there is anything the matter with your back on top of lupus? Iknow it's not a nice thought, but you could be putting up with something unnecessarily. and some pain killers work better for backs than others.
When you feel a little more comfortable you might try a little gentle swimming or other gentle exercise. It is not what you want to do when you are in pain, and there is nothing worse than people going on about exercise, but just floating about in the pool does help a bit, i find. I resisted attempts top get me swimming for 2 years (mainly cos i copuld barely swim, to be honest) and now I know it will help, so tend to pop to the baths at the first sign of trouble - gently.
Please take care and keep posting when you feel like this cos it really is miserable.
Sorry about spellings, etc - new keyboard.
