then we have the Buffistas-in-law, who are just fabulous."

I like!!! Does this work for replacing idiot significant others also?

Vacation in 82 hours!!! Well, probably sooner since I'm done working in 50 hours, the next 32 are just spiffying up the apartment and packing.

And a giant buttload of ease~ma to Zen. Can you call your doc and have muscle relaxers delivered? Okay, goes like this: call doc, have muscle relaxers delivered, take 'em, call cab either to doc for eval, or to PT for assessment and treatment? Would that work? Because it really sounds like more than just spasming muscles. And both walking and less pain seem like worthy goals.

Thanks. The valium as muscle relaxant has helped. When I run out of my stash, I'm not sure I can get more, because they were prescribed by my shrink, whom I'm no longer seeing. I don't think I'll bother going to a doctor, because I've seen several doctors and no one has helped or even figured out the cause (beyond Stress and Hormones, which I could figure out for my own damn self). There is, apparently, nothing wrong with my back; the old injury that cracked a vertebra "shouldn't still be causing problems". My old PT, whom I was seeing after foot surgery, gave me exercises that do help with my back, and I'm going to start doing them again, but they help more as a preventative than stopping pain that's already started.

I might have to start seeing Incompetent!Shrink again just to get more Valium. PSA: It's hard to get Valium when you say "I want Valium!" because you sound like a junkie. I suppose instead I could just start drinking heavily again.

Have you tried a chiro, Zen? Back pain is the worst.

The tennis ball solution on the part that's seizing gives you no relief?

it is not for the faint of heart though.

Could it be endo? The backaches I got with my period near the end were so bad that they sometimes made me vomit. Not a twinge since my hysterectomy.

I saw a chiro once. Scared me. I don't like the yanking and twisting. I have not laid down on a tennis ball, mostly because I don't own a tennis ball. I could lay down on a shoe...

Could it be endo? The backaches I got with my period near the end were so bad that they sometimes made me vomit. Not a twinge since my hysterectomy.

My last feminine ultrasound wasn't long ago, and it showed no signs of endo, just a fibroid. That was before I got the Mirena installed. Mirena was supposed to stop the back pain, and it has made it better *overall*, but there are times like this that it just doesn't seem to be helping.

My chiropractor in Washington had a machine that they used for adjustment, for people who didn't want manual adjustments. There's no pain at all.

Hey, look, it's on YouTube. [link]

A chiropractor should also respect if you don't want an adjustment, but be able to give you some advice about what might be the problem and ways to alleviate it.

Zenkitty,

You need a knuckle or something to press the pain out. no tennis ball, can you wrap a sock around something? hard cheese? apple? (tho the latter might squish)

I have not laid down on a tennis ball, mostly because I don't own a tennis ball. I could lay down on a shoe...

You need something you can roll on, so spherical and uncompressible are targets, in reverse order of importance, I think.

Steph, when you're freaking out about what may or may not be good enough (so glad one big source is gone!) remember that Tim and us would still love you in the worst case, but we're also trusted (highly! expert!) sources of "no need to worry, Miss" on those fronts. Indulge yourself for a week or a month. Lounge, swoon, eat bon bons (the s is important) and cuddle the pets (I don't know, some people like them). You'll still be cool, and you'll also still snap back to working lady mode unless there's a lottery or unknown ancestral inheritance.

Bet you.