Epidural - any thoughts?

[Qikdraw]

No I am not having a baby...

The spine doc I saw yesterday suggested I try an epidural, although he wasn't convinced it would really help, since the cortizone shots didn't do much of anything, but he suggested it and it was up to me to decide.

So have any of you had it or no?

My doc also said that most likely what I had was degenerative disc desease. Which is what I figured I had. (you know there are times when I'd rather not be right...) He said fusion, but only as a last resort, and leave it and deal with it until it gets too bad, then talk about fusion. He is very reluctant to do fusion at this time.

I like him too, he's a good soctor and he came across as being concerned for me, and not just a number. We also talked a bit about Dr Bradford, who did my surgery. He had asked who did my surgery, and when I told him his eyebrows went up, it was kind of funny. I told him I had been in contact with him just recently, and so we talked for a few minutes about that. Overall I like this doctor, I wasn't sure when I made the appointment because to get it I ran into a few annoying people, but the doctor is very nice.

[loves to skate]

Hi Brad,

I think that epidural steroid injections are probably worth a try since some people respond very well to them. I tried them myself and the first one lasted only about two weeks to a month. The second one lasted for seven months and I was completely pain free. The third one didn't work at all. Everyone is different in how they react to the injections. A lot of times insurance companies, especially HMO's, require you to try less invasive treatments before they will pay for a big surgery. Maybe you are fortunate to have better insurance than I had at the time. Let us know what you decide because we will be rooting for you. Sally

[sasha]

Glad to hear your appt., went well. The injection is probably worth trying as they can be helpful sometimes. I have had one epidural and also facet joint injections - neither made any difference unfortunately, but they may help you and would be much easier than surgery!
All the best.
Sasha

[aktech23]

I am also interested in hearing about this as it was recommended to me also. I have a prescription but have not investigated it.

I'm seeing how PT goes for me first. Two months in at 3x a week so far.
It is starting to help, but there has been a lot of pain going through therapy.

A lot of this is focusing on my kyphosis curve as that is what made my posture so awful to begin with.

[Qikdraw]

I am also interested in hearing about this as it was recommended to me also. I have a prescription but have not investigated it.

I'm seeing how PT goes for me first. Two months in at 3x a week so far.
It is starting to help, but there has been a lot of pain going through therapy.

A lot of this is focusing on my kyphosis curve as that is what made my posture so awful to begin with.

I didn't find PT to be that helpful for me, although I wasn't on any drugs to help with the pain either, and the pain is why I stopped. (I just do walking now) I see my regular doc at the end of this month, so I may ask for PT again. I'll try and start doing some of the exercises before then to see how I do though.

I am probably going to do the epidural, and see how that goes. I probably will not get it for a few montsh though, it has to go the whole insurance route first.

[Danihenson]

Yes!!

I know my curve is odd one. But I have been doing steroid injections since feburary 2008. Now at first i was discouraged. he did shots.. i kep a diary, it only worked for a few weeks.. I got discouraged.

Later found out that is normal. So the start up kinda bites, and for me it did take a while to get type/amount/areas all worked out. think almost 2mos to start come to think of it.. maybe a lil more. But! Now, im spoiled and pain free! I still have achy days, but a fraction of what they were in duration, area size and level of pain. I have bi lateral nerve, facet, and trigger on my umm.. bottom, err bumm.. humm. My booty up to just below my ribbs. Also take a medacine called Nambuetone. ( i know im slaughtering these words , im so sorry sp?) nabumetone is cool AFTER shots are done.. its like a quick yoga stretches for my hipps, they feel.. oiled? lubricated? All day. Another medacine I take with hipp medacine is called amytriptyline. Increadibly tiny pill i take before bed. Awesome to feel rested and chance at fresh start each day.

Thats all i know about shots, just my experience. These were /are best options for me, since I have no family other than my husbands family in FL. No so much help there. And ive got two very busy bumblebees that need mommy to be on the ball and ready to go.


*huggs*
dani

[txmarinemom]

Brad,

Like someone else mentioned, I didn't get relief from them ... or multiple facet joint injections, OR multiple rhizotomies (RF ablations where they zap the medial branch nerves). There was just *nothing* that worked on me .

A lot of people DO have success with these treatments, however, and it's certainly worth a shot (no pun intended). I don't recall them being painful ... just a bit of soreness the next day.

Good luck!

[Qikdraw]

Brad,

Like someone else mentioned, I didn't get relief from them ... or multiple facet joint injections, OR multiple rhizotomies (RF ablations where they zap the medial branch nerves). There was just *nothing* that worked on me .

A lot of people DO have success with these treatments, however, and it's certainly worth a shot (no pun intended). I don't recall them being painful ... just a bit of soreness the next day.

Good luck!

Thanks Pam, (and everyone else!)

My discs have degenerated and is agrivating the nerve so the doctor says. I'm hoping that a combination of the shot, and the pills I'm taking, it will help. The pills at least have given me a good nights rest. I forgot to take them one night, and I tossed and turned like crazy. I haven't had a night where I slept the whole night through in years, probably more in the order of a decade. Its great. Although I really loath having to depend on pills to do that.

I'm going to try the shot and see what happens. I hope they put me out for it though, I have a huge fear of needles. They had to put me out for my cortizone shots.

[txmarinemom]

I hope they put me out for it though, I have a huge fear of needles. They had to put me out for my cortizone shots.

I seem to recall twilight sedation during my injections ...

[sasha]

I hope they put me out for it though, I have a huge fear of needles. They had to put me out for my cortizone shots.

I had a light general anaesthetic for the caudal epidural shot, so didn't know anything about it being done

The facet joints were done under guided CT imaging and they put local anaesthetic shots in first. Not very pleasant

[skoshi314]

Hey Brad,
During the course of last fall and winter, before I made the surgery decision, I had 3 epidural steroid injections, 2 lumbar and 1 cervical for my degenerating discs in my neck. The first lumbar injection helped for about 2 weeks than nothing. I was told this happens sometimes and that a 2nd one may be like a booster and help longer. That only helped for about a month. Now the single cervical injection was done in February and really seemed to help. The pain was gone and no more headaches (they would last up to a week and were miserable). My surgeon had hoped that by straightening the curve in my spine it would take the pressure off my neck and help with the DDD pain. My neck was fine until last week. I woke up with that tell-tale stiff neck that turned into a headache. Tuesday of this week, I was having shooting pain in the left side of my neck going up into my head and down into my shoulder. I haven't heard back from the doc for his assessment but my guess is I'll be getting another injection soon.

To sum it all up, the injections didn't seem to help my lumbar pain but seemed to be really helpful for the neck. I hope you find total relief with the epidural.

By the way, I was given conscious sedation for all three. I only have very slight recollection of one of the injections but the other two are a total blank.

Good luck!

[txmarinemom]

My surgeon had hoped that by straightening the curve in my spine it would take the pressure off my neck and help with the DDD pain. My neck was fine until last week. I woke up with that tell-tale stiff neck that turned into a headache.

Becky, just a thought, but is it possible you're holding your neck the same way you used to?

My cervical dx was also DDD (and 3mm bulges at C5/C6 and C6/C7). Hanson took me up to T4 - also hoping to relieve some of the stress from the compensatory cervical curve and alleviate the pain from the protruding discs. It's always a crapshoot whether they can even definitively determine whether pain from DDD (especally in a compensatory area) will be helped by fusion, so don't feel like you're alone. It was an "I hope it will help you with that" scenario at best.

For a while after surgery (after the "kicked in the ribs" feeling and the bulging disc pain went away) I just kept thinking "DAYUM, my neck hurts!".

It dawned on me I had never consciously tried to readjust the position of my head after surgery, and was holding it the exact same way I had when it needed to adjust for the *rest* of me. (for like 30 years!) Instead of balancing out the rest of me, however, I was just holding my head crooked. Doh!

If you've had the epidural injections, you know they're no big deal (in the grand scheme of "big deals" - LOL), and it certainly can't hurt to have them - especially when you saw pain relief from previous rounds. Pay careful attention, however, to your posture from that point forward ... look in the mirror ... a lot ... and make sure you're not holding your pre-op stance.

[aktech23]

I am probably going to do the epidural, and see how that goes. I probably will not get it for a few montsh though, it has to go the whole insurance route first.

have you tried this yet? I am still sitting on my Rx, and am contemplating trying this route.

[Qikdraw]

have you tried this yet? I am still sitting on my Rx, and am contemplating trying this route.

Newp! I was very sick the day I was supposed to go in for it, and they've never rescheduled.

Brad

[CurvySAT05]

I recommend that if you do the injections/epidurals, to ALSO do PT after the injection. I got very little relief from some facet joint injections a while back, but while I was getting some relief it was easier to do PT since there was a decrease in pain for a bit. When there is less pain and inflammation, you can gain more ground in PT, and quicker! I would ask the surgeon about this to get his/her opinion.