Neck problems above fusion

[jrnyc]

just reread this thread...
hope your neck is not torturing you, Ed...
the whole country has been dealing with snowstorm and now
come the plunging temps (to northeast) down to teens at nite,
highs of 20's in daytime...ugh....

i re-read here how Diclofenac helped me...
until i had allergic reaction...not as bad as to Vioxx, thank
goodness...
but no more NSAIDS for me...

the Skelaxin seems to be helping my neck a little...
i am not noticing that it helps anything else...like my spine...

i am going to risk it and have a steroid shot in left hip
tomorrow...using as little steroid material as doctor can...
will see Manhattan pain doc for it...

turns out my hip was not healed...it felt better from the Diclofenac...
soon as i could not longer take that, the hip pain returned...full force...as has all the spinal pain...

crossing fingers the steroid doesn't crash my cortisol again...

jess...and Sparky

[jackieg412]

HI jess, I hope your shot helped. I have on ordered for c-7--t1. I am waiting for approval. And that may not happen. My insurance for this is through workers comp. They will pay for my spine but not my neck. So is that disc at the top of the spine or the bottom of the neck. I welcome comments on that issue.

Ed that seems to be a question for you. I have started Pt for upper thorasic and hope that workers comp pays for it, they will not pay for neck-- doc wrote the order for upper thorasic--right shoulder blade to help keep it from getting stuck. also to help ROM in neck---so they may not cover. PT is treating shoulder blade issue and once it helps, ROM in neck will improve.Now try to have the insurance company understand that.

[susancook]

HI jess, I hope your shot helped. I have on ordered for c-7--t1. I am waiting for approval. And that may not happen. My insurance for this is through workers comp. They will pay for my spine but not my neck. So is that disc at the top of the spine or the bottom of the neck. I welcome comments on that issue.

Ed that seems to be a question for you. I have started Pt for upper thorasic and hope that workers comp pays for it, they will not pay for neck-- doc wrote the order for upper thorasic--right shoulder blade to help keep it from getting stuck. also to help ROM in neck---so they may not cover. PT is treating shoulder blade issue and once it helps, ROM in neck will improve.Now try to have the insurance company understand that.

Hi Jackie, I was reading your email and maybe I do not understand what your insurance company pays for. You said that workers comp pays for "spine, but not my neck". Your cervical vertebrae are part of your spine. The spine goes from cervical vertebrae (7) to the sacrum/coccygeal vertebrae (3-5) and in between are the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. So, if your insurance does cover spinal procedures, they should cover cervical/neck vertebral procedures. Susan

[jrnyc]

QUESTION
has anyone had steroid injection in the back of the neck...?
just wondering...
sounds a little creepy...but maybe it would work...
just wondering if anyone has tried it...?

jess...and Sparky

[mabeckoff]

QUESTION
has anyone had steroid injection in the back of the neck...?
just wondering...
sounds a little creepy...but maybe it would work...
just wondering if anyone has tried it...?

jess...and Sparky

Jess, before I came to CA I had steroid injections in the back of my neck.They did nothing for me

[jrnyc]

too bad the shots didnt help you, Melissa...

i got alot of help from the half dose shot in my left hip....
i am just wondering if an injection in back of neck would
do anything....
i have to be very sparing with any steroid shots, as it drops
my cortisol level down very low...
i guess if i can get a shot at all, i will ask for left hip...
i would hate to "waste" steroids in my body if there is
a chance the shot wouldnt help me....the drug would still
have an effect on my blood, and could drop my adrenal
function, while not giving me pain relief...

probably better to go with an injection site that has worked
before...

jess...and Sparky

[rohrer01]

Jess,
They talked about it with me.
They said that I would have to see a different kind of specialist to have cervical injections.
I haven't had any. The Botox and trigger points are helping tremendously.

[jrnyc]

i am so glad those injections help you, rohr.

i get a little help from botox in upper spine...never got any relief from trigger point...
i need to leave as much time between steroid shots as i can
stand....am risking it by having any steroid shots at all...
the half dose shot was in early January i believe...will have them check the date when i go in Wednesday, May 28th...
scheduled for botox in upper spine...would rather get a half steroid shot....doctor will only do one procedure per visit...if i get the botox shots, i will have to wait to next visit with him to get a steroid shot...
then again, that would stretch the time out further...

a Nobel prize in medicine is waiting for the researcher who can create a steroid tx without side effects!

happy Memorial Day wkend to all.
jess...and Sparky