Sciatic pain

@csbarry ~ I had a CSI injection just yesterday morning. It wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't horrible either. I have a great physiatrist who administered it as I've been having excruciating sciatica all down my left leg. However, it's a temporary fix for me. A recent MRI shows I have cauda equina compression, so I'm seeing a neurosurgeon in about a week. Right now, I'm just experiencing injection site soreness, which I expect will be gone in a day or two. But for the past month, I could barely walk even using a walker, and sitting made it worse. My only relief came from lying down on my right side. So I put ice on it after I got home, and took a nap. When I got up, I was able to walk without assistance, even though my pelvis and legs feel weak, there's no longer the shooting, stabbing pain in my butt! The doc said to give it 3-5 days for the steroid medication to work, and not to get frustrated if it took longer than I wanted for it to take effect. But I'm happy already with how it feels. Even if my MRI shows I'm going to need something more permanent done down the road, at least this shot has finally given me relief.

lol. Yes! Not pleasant but…doable. I am glad it is working. As the days go by it will get even better. Mine last a year - I am told I am lucky. It allows me to kick the can down the road on what I know is coming.
Good luck

I’m getting the caudal epidural steroid injection in 2 weeks. I’m hopeful but a little nervous at the same time. 🤞

@brennankb55

I will be 73 in October. My doctor ‘suggested’ an MRI. I told her that the gabapentin has taken away 90% of the pain and each day it gets 1% better! (I’m probably at 92% now)

I told her at my age I’m definitely not having back surgery!

She said in that case if the gabapentin is working and you’re not choosing surgery, then there’s no point for the MRI.

As long as I have decent ‘quality of life’, for the time I have left, I’m good to go!

I don’t have a death wish but I’m like Paul.

To live is Christ, to die is gain!

@leehop71
Aaamen

@brennankb55

How is Caudal different than an epidural that goes directly to the affected nerves?

@willow5 ~ It's the same idea, targeting affected nerves, but in this case, it's the ones that specifically are causing severe sciatica. Cleveland Clinic's site indicates the CES (CSI was a typo - lol) is given in the area of the sacrum where the nerves exiting the canal are being compressed, causing the sciatic pain. The injection was just above my tailbone and to the left of the spine.

@leehop71 ~ I was 71 in February. Praise God your pain is responding to the Gabapentin and you aren't having any major side effects. Paul is a great example for us as believers, and I feel the same as you. God bless you!

@cghernand ~ I felt the same, hopeful but nervous. It's difficult to explain the feeling. They had me lie face down on a padded table, similar to a massage table where my face was over an opening and I was looking at the floor. My injection was to target the nerves causing sciatic pain in my left leg. They cleaned the area just above my tailbone and to the left side of my spine and numbed it. Using an xray machine, they injected a tiny amount of contrast so they could see the area well. My doctor described it as "pressure" and "warmth" that I would feel, and he was pretty accurate. I felt pressure as he inserted the needle, and then a feeling of warmth as the steroid was given, over a period of about 5 times. It's not what I would call pain, although everyone has different pain threshholds. But I said "Oh!" each time, and he walked me through each section, asking if I was ok and if I was feeling it where the pain was the worst in my low back and left buttock. He said my reactions were actually helpful in knowing he was exactly in the right area. Your experience might be somewhat similar. Don't be afraid. It will help, especially if you're having low back pain and/or sciatica. That night the injection site was very sore after the numbing agent wore off. I took Ibuprofin and put ice on it. By the next morning, that pain was gone. I hope I haven't said anything to frighten you here, but to encourage you that this will help, and I'm praying that it does, and that it lasts a long time!

@brennankb55 God bless you as well! From what I’ve researched concerning Clinical Death Experiences, I’ll meet you at ‘The HOUSE’!😉