I CAN now sympathise with back pain sufferers everywhere after suffering almost a week of agony.

It came on unannounced and rendered me useless. I rang for a doctor's appointment but being unable to get in the car I was unable to attend the surgery. And they don't wish to come out except in the case of an emergency.

I eventually got an appointment for this Monday when I'm back at work. Ludicrous isn't it?

Despite explaining the situation to the protective ogre on reception there was little concern for my plight. I took some strong painkillers and hoped for the best. The result that I'm back at work before I could see a GP may show that I really didn't need to go in the first place, but I'm sure a visit would have spared the wall climbing.

Perhaps nothing can be done to ease back pain, but I'd like to have found that out from a medic and not for myself.

Anyway such conditions need reporting to go on to surgery health records -- just in case.

Perhaps the answer would have been to call an ambulance, but I'm just glad to be back in circulation.