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Anyone had steroid injections into the lumbar area? Relief? How long?

Posted by chuckiepoo1 @chuckiepoo1, Feb 16, 2023

Recently I had X-rays and MRI of the lower back after about a very severe pain for weeks. The diagnosis was osteoarthritis and moderate to severe degeneration of L4, L5 and S1. I can't control the pain somewhat with medications but do not like taking too much of these. My orthopedist has suggested I try steroid injections which may give relief for up to 6 months, but if the relief turns out to be short-term it is not a good option. Has anyone had the steroid injections into the lumbar area? If so, what were the results and how long did the relief last? I am 78 years old and have been very active all my life, and maybe this is the problem. The only other option suggest it was Fusion but I had rather stay away from that as long as I can.

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loonylady | @loonylady | 8 hours ago
In reply to @lost55 "@loonylady Loony you are not loony when it comes to back pain. I started out with..." + (show)
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@loonylady
Loony you are not loony when it comes to back pain.
I started out with sciatica down right leg before I retired. Did the required PT had the epidural( kept me in bed for two days) then had 6 spinal surgeries in 18 months. I looked for answers all over, contacted people, joined forums etc. I had my L5 S1 fused twice. (The first one failed) My neck fused in 4 places( c6/7 failed and had to be redone) Thrown in 2 lamenectomies. A big mistake was letting the first surgeon talk me into have the neck and spine done in the same surgery.
I switched to a major university hospital in the area and their surgeons told me that they never would have done both surgeries at the same time.
Fast forward 7 years later and I can walk with some discomfort the back aches but I now tend to ignore it.
Bottom line if you have surgery it takes time to heal. I worried myself silky about the different things that were wrong that didn’t get corrected.
I take pregablin before bed to mitigate the nerve irritation caused by having to sleep on one side only. I take an SSRI to calm my thoughts. I’ve done all the things you mentioned.
In the end given the complexity of the spine and nerve circuitry, back issues are very vexing.
I wish you luck in whatever therapy you choose.
My most important message is don't let the pain and doubt beat you.
Stay patient, stay calm do whatever it takes to mitigate the pain levels as you proceed
B

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@lost55 Thank you for the response. You’ve certainly endured a lot over the last number of years and I’m sure it must have been frustrating. I appreciate all your comments. What you have gone through is one of the reasons I’m hesitant to have back surgery. There seem to be more failures than successes when it comes to fixing the back.
I know several people who have had back surgery and all continue to have issues. On this forum I’ve read about some successes and I hope those people realize how truly blessed they are. For now, I’m counting my blessings and continuing on just as I am. I’m able to get around and take care of myself and that’s enough for me. Thanks again for your input.

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