u/Put-A-Bird-On-It

I have bulging discs with nerve impingement at L4-L5/L5-S1, as well as a connective tissue/autoimmune disease. Plus some arthritis, DDD, the usual suspects. So I'm no stranger to pain. I'm on all the meds.

Last Wednesday I bent forward slightly to put my hair in a ponytail, and my lower back just completely seized up. The pain is radiating down my left leg and up to my ribcage. My usual meds aren't working, so I called my doctor and he put me on a different muscle relaxer, when that didn't help I went to urgent care and they gave me yet a different muscle relaxer which has done nothing. I'm living on my heating pad. I can hardly move at all, every little twitch sends me into spasms.

I missed a few days of work, and I had to go back today because I simply can't afford to miss more days. I used a cane to get around and just sat in a chair basically doing nothing the whole day, when my job is actually pretty physical at times. Even if I did want to call off, there is nobody to cover for me. It's a very small business. (I teach Certified Nursing Assistants at a small but very busy school, and right now we are doing our clinical rotation at a nursing home).

Anyway, I'm mostly complaining, screaming into the void. I'm maxed out on Rx and OTC pain meds, muscle relaxers, neurontin. I don't know what else to do to feel better short term. I am waiting on my insurance to approve yet another round of physical therapy, but that doesn't help me now. I need something to work NOW. I need more days of rest but it's just not possible without risking my job. I have only showered once since this started. It took me 10 minutes to walk from my vehicle into the building today, and I parked right out front!

I just feel so defeated. I know so many of you can relate. Thank you all for giving me the space to voice my frustrations.

Does anybody know where I can book a massage for 5/21/26? Every place I try is saying they are all booked up.