Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
768044 tn?1294223436

bags and backpacks

Hi everyone,

What do you all do about bags/backpacks/purses?

I can't use backpacks really at all without triggering pain. I sometimes use over-the-shoulder bags, and I know that's not great, but it seems to cause less pain than backpacks as long as the shoulder strap is really wide and what I am carry is very light. Some weeks even light shoulder bag will trigger too much pain, so I often just carry a light purse with only necessities in it. Sometimes, carrying anything at all hurts, especially when it is also a day that things like necklaces and even bras feel very uncomfortable to wear that day.

If I need to carry things like books (for school), then a shoulder bag is impossible and trying to use one will often cause my neck to hurt for days or even weeks. Backpacks (even really good ones that are supposed to be ergonomic), for books, cause severe chronic pain and make the back of my neck swell up and give me terrible headaches. I have used a rolling bag, and that is about the only type of bag that I have found that I can use for books... but even a rolling bag can be troublesome when it needs to be lifted on stairs.

This school term I have decided to just leave all of my text books at school so that I never have to carry anything but the essentials (wallet, phone, meds). Is that the only real solution? And, if I absolutely need to use a bag, is a rolling bag the best solution? What does everyone else do? Does anyone else find bags/backpacks/purses sort of impossible and extremely painful? I would really like to hear other people's experiences and suggestions.

Thank you!
2 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi...I could not handle a bag of ne kind...I went from a big bag to a mid sized bag to a very small bag to none at all....until I started going to Drs again, I did not go out with a bag....now, I will take a very small bag depending on where I am going...but for the most part, I try not to take a bag at all...even over the body bags will affect and trigger pain...I tried them all.

There is a wallet that has a strap that may be helpful...made by Buxton...check it out-http://www.amazon.com/Buxton-Cell-Phone-Wallet/dp/B002TXPK9W

It is cheap and it does come in other colors via HSN.....I did consider this as it will hold the cell phone .....and the few little things I might need.

"selma"
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Have you tried an across the body bag with a very wide strap. Not the best solution but maybe better than a standard bag. Even better would be a hip back (fanny pack) Not attractive but the weight would be in a far better position. This one is along the lines of what I'm thinking. But I imagine there are far cuter ones out there.

http://chic-onthe-cheap.blogspot.com/2010/04/would-you-wear-waist-bag.html
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Chiari Malformation Community

Top Neurology Answerers
620923 tn?1452915648
Allentown, PA
987762 tn?1671273328
Australia
1756321 tn?1547095325
Queensland, Australia
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease