For the last few weeks I've been getting some odd pains in the left side of my back - they're very sudden, very sharp pains - almost like a quick electric shock! Anyone have any experience like this?
Well Loftyleftie (or was it the other way around... lol) I had a breakdown in the end. Darkest days of my life. My GP said to me wife that he had been expecting it for some time, because of the pain.
I don't think you ever fully get over a breakdown. Although it's been many years since I recovered, I still have what I call my 'Blue Days' every now and again. To cope I simply shut myself away for a day or so and I can get over it. But pain has totally overtaken my lfe. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure as hell not after sympathy, just trying to tell it as it is. Many people just shrug off a breakdown and say things like, 'Well we all go through bad spells.' To that I reply, 'Yeah, I sed to say the same until it happened to me.' In fact I never even used to believe in depression!!
"Depression" and dark/feeling depressed are two completely different things. Depression is dreadful, and very few people have much sympathy for it. It is worse than any physical illness that you can actually 'see'.
My mum had a breakdown when I was very little and I went to live with my Grandmother for about a year. Can't remember though. Mum had to go into hospital and have awful things like electric shock treatment. I think it made her worse.
Dad had a breakdown when I was in my early twenties and it was dreadful.
Sorry, been away from the site for a while. Sorry to hear how bad it is for you Charlie, sounds awful! Lofty, I seem to be more like you, I have good and bad days and I am 60 too. Mine is mainly treated by tablets now, having gone down all the other routes to no avail. Charlie, I feel for you, really, mine is not as painful as that, although my doctor always tells me an ache IS a pain. I live with it now.
pips1 : Whoah there! Please please please, don't feel sorry for me or anything. I really don't want that. I was just stating the facts. Life's good now hun. Very good :-)
Yeah still have pain but it's okay.
Yes I have this on a regular basis. I also occasionally get sciatica down my leg... this is not the same. The sharp shooting pain is pretty chronic and for me, its at the back on my right hand side. I have had it for about twenty years but it has got worse over past three years. It probably happens about once every three or four days, and can 'hit' several times a day. It can take your breath away and if you are with company you can look pretty stupid when it happens cos it makes you jump and wince. I have been told its a nerve pain, and nothing serious. I do think if it was anytying serious I would have had complications by now after all this time, or probably dead. I hope you have what I have, as it isnt serious. Good luck tho.
You may find that these 'electric shock' style sensations you're having worsen the more you stress about it. It's possibly just a virus, viral infection can have funny effects on the muscles and nerves. Again, paresthesia is a very general problem and as long as there's no numbess, constant pain or spasms i'd think you'd survive.