Another [zb]ing health thread but I got sent home from work yesterday because I couldn’t move my head so I went to the doctors this morning and he has put me on the box. I have been having trouble with my neck for some time I put it down to a series of injuries that included an argument with a horse at the start of the year and then being involved in an RTA about six weeks ago. (I wasn’t driving!) But I was wrong.
I have been diagnosed with RSI (repetative strain injury) from driving. I’ve been ignoring it but my movement has been getting more and more restricted. Normally If the doctor tells me to take time off I ignore the advice and go to work anyway but he told me that the muscles in my neck are in spasms and if I don’t give it chance to heal there will be permanant damage and the medication needed is a sedative to relax the spasms then anti inflamatory’s to help heal the muscles so as you can see not even I can justify getting behind the wheel. He did a range of movement test on me and the only ones I couldn’t do were movements required for driving, mirrors, twisting to reverse,ect.
I’ve been grounded for 3 weeks which is as much time as I have had off in 2 years and I am absolutely mortified but what choice do I have?
I don’t know what I am more worried about, the RSI or the fact that I got home and burst into tears because I can’t go to work! 
Oh and no alcohol with the medication! 
You have my utmost sympathy!!!
I am now in week 3 of being grounded. I have just had a minor tiff with the District Nurse who is visiting daily because she made the mistake of telling me that my surgical wound should have closed over by the end of this week/ beginning of next. 
For some reason the suggestion that I could be back at work on Monday or Tuesday prompted an (albeit very gentle, but indisputable) in-depth lecture on the fragileness of new skin when forced to endue being sat on for 15hrs a day… …in the end we compromised and she said I could probably do a day run a week on Friday and then take it from there… …PROVIDED all stays well between now and then (Trust me. It will. 
)
On the bright side…? I might just get our accounts done… 
…talking of which… 
Ps. Am off the booze too. Crap, isn’t it? Can’t even drink the time away…
Oh…and I burst into tears too. Still do every time Rikki tells me what a state my truck is in…and how nice it is to be driving it!!! a
your story has made me sit up and think a little… For the last few weeks ive been having neck and back trouble where I can hardly turn my neck and get shooting pains in my back. I think I might take a little walk into my doctors.
Ive been taking pain killers for it when its bad, But they dont seem to work. Only thing that helps is a few hours rest in bed which sounds just like what your going through.
Lucy:
Oh…and I burst into tears too. Still do every time Rikki tells me what a state my truck is in…and how nice it is to be driving it!!!
Thank’s Lucy, I’ve been zonked out on pills all afternoon you definatly couldn’t drive on this stuff I’m being a bit more mature now It must be awful for you stuck at home dreading to think what he is up to! I did think that I might paint the flat but that kind of defeats the object of time off on the sick! Take care Lucy.
danielwilkie:
Ive been taking pain killers for it when its bad, But they dont seem to work. Only thing that helps is a few hours rest in bed which sounds just like what your going through.
Sorry honey but that sounds about right you eventually can’t sleep it off then you end up with a lovely twitch in the neck so I really would take that walk to the doc’s, don’t leave it like I have. Good luck!
Two of you with neck/back problems. Sorry to read about it and hope you both recover soon.
However, as a long term spinal sufferer, my first port of call is to an osteopath.
Over the years I’ve done the regular route of painkillers, xrays, physiotherapy, and learnt that as regards skeletal problems, these routes rarely work. I find it far better to go straight to a ‘bone-cruncher’. Okay, so you have to pay for it. I think the current rate for an initial consultation is about £30, and slightly less for subsequent visits.
It sounds a lot but, if it gets you back working (and earning) quicker, then it can make economic sense.
And the best bit, no prescription charges, no tablets, so the booze still flows.
Ladytrucker:
I’m with Krankee, go and see an osteopath for the back and neck problem.
For the pain, go and see a homeopath, find a local one on www.homeopathy-soh.org.
In the meantime, for the pain, try homeopathic ARNICA 30c, available at goo chemists.
A homeopath will be able to give you something more specific.
Lucy:
You might do well to see a homeopath as well, they may be able to give you something to help the healing process.
Thank’s folk very much I will bear it in mind but I am going to give the doc a chance first, coupled with the fact I am so stoned on this medication that I can barely find the kitchen let alone do something sensible.
Thats bad luck LT 
take the time off though, they wouldnt tell you to if you didnt need it, I know where youre coming from! Ive had a great day today, watching the birdies with my missus! I fekt like I didnt need work today!
Just dont forget that if you are signed off on the sick yo dont just have to get ssp you can get some money from the social security as well i was only informed of this a week after i was on the sick so get down there now and enquire 
.
jammymutt:
Just dont forget that if you are signed off on the sick yo dont just have to get ssp you can get some money from the social security as well i was only informed of this a week after i was on the sick so get down there now and enquire
Good idea Jammy.
If you are off long enough to claim Social Security, the payments are based on when you made the claim, not when you went on the sick.
Ladytrucker679:
Thank’s folk very much I will bear it in mind but I am going to give the doc a chance first, coupled with the fact I am so stoned on this medication that I can barely find the kitchen let alone do something sensible.
LT, thats the beauty with homeopathic drugs, they don’t dope you up, they treat the cause and not the symptoms.
For pain, you use Arnica, with with the dosage given by your doctor would cause severe pain, in the homeopathic (micro)dose, it has the opposite effect of relieving pain.
You would be surprised at the toxic substances used, but in the (micro)doses used, have the opposite effect to what you would think.
You can quite safely ingest the complete contents of the bottle, with no ill effects.
If you were to crush all the tablets up, and take the resultant powder to an analytical chemist, they would tell you, Milk Powder!!!.
Don’t ask me how it all works, ask Hippocrates, the father of medicine. He was a doctor in ancient Greece, they knew a few things then, unlike now.
I avoid homeopathic drugs for that reason, Dratsabasti.
If I’m off on the sick, on tablets, I want to enjoy the experience
Yehaw, look maw, no wings.