Epidural Injections

Hi @bekie. Thanks for starting this thread! I'm tagging @twokitties, @suebreen54, @ladyjane85, @seanbeck, @sharonmay7, @diamond22, @marieh and @leh09 who have all posted about epidurals in the past and may want to join in the discussion.

I'm trying a new pain doctor's epidural and hopefully this will help or reduce my chronic pain which has now for 3-weeks appeared in my arms, hands, and fingers. I have an appt on 5/31/16 and praying this works. Thanks for including me and I hope you and everyone who experiences chronic pain soon relieves relief.<br><br>

Best of luck to you @diamond22! I find them very effective and a great part of my care.

Hi I had a epidural about 3 weeks ago. My pain Dr. Is a anistiesologist. He<br>does the procedure in the hospital. I've done this several times with two<br>different Drs because I moved. He numbs the area in my case its cervical<br>mostly. So when he does it I usually don't feel anything. One time out of<br>all the many times, I have done this since 2011, it hurt but not bad, not<br>compared the pain I've been through. Every Dr is different. Mine is young<br>but not too young. He's personable and easy to talk to. I like and trust<br>him. So good luck I hope it works for you. Its not the only thing I do. I'm<br>on fentynle patches Tylenol 4 and a migraine medicine a few others. All<br>together I'm not in horrible pain all the time. I'm good right now.<br>

@suebreen54

I've had two Dr's also because I moved too. Both of mine have done them under guided fluoroscopy (moving live time X-Ray) and my sites have been numbed. One time my pain was so great he used a twilight sleep to do it like he uses for more critical injection sites on me. Mine are done in a surgery center or out patient type hospital setting.
I know there are some guidelines in some states about who can do them and what type of setting. I was wondering how people have responded to treatment where it is not done with any numbing. I've heard horror stories when I first went in of people having a doctor that basically just stuck it in and hoped for the best. I also have read of medical case studies being conducted now in certain areas (but not mine) to see which is the most beneficial way to do them. I read that they are going to create a new set of guidelines as to how they should be done for the patients best benefit. I think this is great for us as chronic pain patients. I'm glad to see at least somethings are progressing towards being uniform everywhere.
Thank you for posting.
Bekie

All my epidural have been done without numbing me. Yes they are very<br>painful but my pain is way beyond the pain I feel from them.<br>

@bekie I had great success for about 4 years with series of epidural injections. I had them done by an anesthesiologist under fluroscopy in an OR setting. When I began, I had 2 within 45 days, and then another was not needed for a year. My average time between future injections were 10 months and then boom, they stopped working. I would never even think of going to a pain management doctor who didn't do them under fluroscope.
I also believe having a positive attitude helps. I don't get much relief from pain these days. I get accupuncture every other week take Cymbalta for Fibro pain and take 1 Norco a day to ease neck/lumbar pain. It's not much but I am grateful for any relief from a 9/10 to an 8.

After excruciating pain for the past 2 years, (it feels like i'm carrying a bowling ball that's on fire on my lower back) I finally saw a pain doctor in May and have had 2 rounds of facet spinal injections in the last 3 months by my pain dr/anesthesiologist that uses the flouroscopy in an OR setting. It has only helped bring my pain level down maybe 1 point. The next step that my doctor recommends is RFA (Radiofrequency Ablation), which I hear should probably take much better and give me a little more relief. I'm not too optimistic at this point, but I know I should try to think more positive. In the meantime i'm on 2-3 norco per day (except when i'm working), which helps dull the pain. I get down every now and then, because I feel like this chronic pain has literally taken over my life. Not able to exercise, or walk more than 5-10 mins at a time has made me gain 25+ pounds which is depressing in itself. I'm just starting yoga and a few other at home exercises to start regaining control of my life again (hopefully). I just literally try to work thru the pain and stretch more lately.

To shellsk24 I have had all kinds of epidural procedures in the past 25<br>years with no relief from my 7 - 9 pain none work , nor do any pain meds.<br>2 1/2 weeks ago I had the radiofrequency ablation under a stressful<br>condition. I walked out very weak and shaky. In 2 days all the pain was<br>back. They told me it takes 8 weeks of maybe more severe pain before there<br>might be some relief, after 8 weeks. I am still having weakness and<br>shakiness and can't get a return call from them as to whether the procedure<br>could have done this to me. I am one whom meds and procedures often do not<br>work, but am flabbergasted at what is happening to me at the moment. I will<br>keep others informed if this ablation finally gets rid of my pain.<br>@ladyjane86<br><br>

thanks for the info. I too am one who meds don't typically work well on. Not sure what that's about. Thanks for sharing your experience, and good luck going forward. Keep me posted to your progress. ShellsK24