Fibromyalgia Was the most chronic pain you could imagine.

I was not aware that Diclofenac comes as an oral medication. I’ll ask my Dr if I can try it.

Hi @irr4et. I had nerve blocks and ablations prior to qualifying for Medicare so I can't speak to their rules and regulations regarding coverage. It sounds like nerve blocks are not the right move for you if they continue to cause aggravation in the tissues and increasing pain. Honestly, I ended up discontinuing these procedures because of increased pain from Central Sensitization Syndrome. Each person's experience is unique and may vary. What works for one may not work for the next. Have you considered trying a self-management approach and tools to help calm pain instead of procedures that cause more?

Hi rwinney, I’ve never had an ablation but I did have an injection of lidocaine on the trunk of my left occipital nerve tree (a block) in 2018. That night I slept on my Rt side and some of the lidocaine and Bupivocaine seeped to center, Rt side and down into C6 and T1 area, and I guess the best word to describe what it did to the tissues there is “scalding”. Since then I have progressed to Central Pain Syndrome also. Pain builds more pain as u, I and many others have learned. Do u think the pain of the burning of the nerve caused u to progress to CPS?
My Occ nerve is so sick and so painful that it is impairing my general health - my adrenals are worn out, I’ve lost lots of muscle all over, I have messed up digestion and sleep. Fatigue so easily. I am unsure what is the rt thing to do about that nerve. God bless you and everyone who is reading this 🙏🏻

I have a hard time letting someone inject anything into my nervous system through my spine. I've had trigger point injections (worked for 3 months) and an injection in my shoulder (hurt so bad I will never do it again). My neck is bad but, can't get past thinking this won't work for me.

I'm sorry you have such pain flares from the nerve, it's not easy that's for sure, but sometimes you have to march before you feel like it and move your body to prevent deconditioning. Like mine, your nerve pain is likely is a condition that is not going anywhere. "Hurt does not always equal harm" - I learned that phrase from Dr. Sletten of Mayo's Pain Rehab Center in Florida and it really helped my mindset and allowed me to focus on self-help and being an active participant in my care. Since, I've been able to quiet down CPS aka CSS (Central Sensitization Syndrome). Finding ways to strengthen your muscles around the surrounding area helps counter punch that pain, whether it be from Fibro or CSS, it's all pain derived the central nervous system. Also, because of the toll chronic pain takes, it's important to strengthen our minds through therapy and behavioral changes in order to find the better overall life quality. Reducing chemicals (meds) and hurtful procedures like injections and ablations which for some, create hyperalgesia (more pain) and it's like adding fuel to the fire. How are you working on coping mechanisms and acceptance? It's so important in an overall care approach. This can help with sleep and digestive problems as well. Losing muscle happens when there's pain and we instinctively think we should not move to protect the site. Not true. Might you enlist the help of a physical therapist to help show you the proper way to begin strengthening through gentle stretching?

Hello everone - once in a while I share this video from Dr. Christopher Sletten who heads up Mayo Clinic's Pain Rehabilitation Center in Florida. The video is a great watch for anyone living with chronic pain conditions.

Central Sensitization Syndrome (CSS) - Dr. Christopher Sletten:

"Do the best you can until you know better, then when you know better, do better".

It takes a "village", in the sense of an approach to chronic pain. It takes a comprehensive plan (of attack, I say) with many tools and strategies to cope with and live life as best as possible with what's been dealt.

Enjoy the video, I hope it inspires someone! And, I have more from Dr. Sletten and the programs family day lectures. Please let me know if you are interested in hearing more.

@tresemae I know you are having success with your nerve blocks and I wish you continued success with the ablation, but should you find them to not be successful at one point, this is not a bad bit of knowledge to have in your back pocket. Happy Sunday all!

I have been taking Diclofenac for years for my osteoarthritis, it works great for inflammation.

You are so correct. I feel terrible and weak and the sofa looks and feels too good. I have thought about asking my PC for a PT referral; will see him 8/15/23. If my occipital nerve is going to continue to get worse, I will not do well bc it’s about as “worse” as a human can stand. I fell hard onto stone floor onto my left side in 1981 when 8 mos pregnant. I think and drs think this fall shifted my neck ever so slightly in the occipital nerve area. I went 20 Yrs after that fall without having any symptoms or signs of bone spurs however. Maybe it took that many Yrs for bone matter to build up to cause angry nerves.
TU for urging me to get PT!!

I’m interested in knowing more.

I never heard of that and I just got out of the hospital and they are going to start giving me B-12 vitamins to treat my nerve damage. I wish I knew what you had done I can’t imagine being pain free and able to sleep. Congratulations