Guest guest Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Hi April, I have degenerated disc at the exact same spot, L-5/S-1. I have had what they call epidural injections from a pain specialist. He had me sit up and lean forward a bit and injected a dry form of steroids into that area for the reduction of inflammation and to promote healing. I believe he also used some Marcaine or Lidocaine. I’ve had to done a number of times. They limit the amount of times to 3 in a 6 month time period. I had the first shot and felt some relief for 3 weeks. I had another shot after the first 3 weeks which seemed to last longer and be more effective. I then went for several months before I had to get another shot, and had it done probably about 6 times altogether. The first try is sometimes not effective at all. I hear it can be something that will build up over time to be helpful. It does not really hurt when you get the injection, but there is pressure on the area that feels strange. I had such bad back pain that this was a welcome relief. I have been placed on a daily pain medication now which stays in my system all the time for pain relief on an ongoing basis. This has helped me not to need the spinal injections. If I over do it, and my back hurts, I just lay flat and rest. Sitting is not enough rest, I must lay to give the back relief. I hope you will have a good experience. I made sure and asked the name and amount of medication and have it in a journal somewhere which I feel is important for my treatment and future treatment. You take care now and let us know how the injection goes. Remember to rest for the first couple of days after the injection as this will help in the long run. ~~~ ~~~ From: April Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 2:29 PM To: Stillsdisease Subject: spinal injections Has anyone had spinal injections? Please share your experiences, good, bad, or indifferent. My MRIs came back showing NOTHING in my thorasic spine and a degenerated disc at L5-S1...a little more complicated than a bulging disc. My doctor will make an appointment for me to see a pain management specialist for a consultation, but he said my only option really is a spinal injection. April Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 So, is it similar to an epidural you wou would get when you have a baby...in the way they give it to you, not in the result of the medication? I can kind of see the weird feeling you are talking about, ...I think. I had something like that in my knee injections. Did they do it with xray guidance, or just right there in the office? April Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone spinal injections Has anyone had spinal injections? Please share your experiences, good, bad, or indifferent. My MRIs came back showing NOTHING in my thorasic spine and a degenerated disc at L5-S1...a little more complicated than a bulging disc. My doctor will make an appointment for me to see a pain management specialist for a consultation, but he said my only option really is a spinal injection. April Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 So, is it similar to an epidural you wou would get when you have a baby...in the way they give it to you, not in the result of the medication? I can kind of see the weird feeling you are talking about, ...I think. I had something like that in my knee injections. Did they do it with xray guidance, or just right there in the office? April Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone spinal injections Has anyone had spinal injections? Please share your experiences, good, bad, or indifferent. My MRIs came back showing NOTHING in my thorasic spine and a degenerated disc at L5-S1...a little more complicated than a bulging disc. My doctor will make an appointment for me to see a pain management specialist for a consultation, but he said my only option really is a spinal injection. April Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 They used ultra sound guidance for it. I never had an epidural for having a baby, I think they turn you on your side right? It sounds similar and just is that pressure feeling, and my left leg kinda went a bit numb cuz the sciatic nerve is so close, and in me that is where I get pressure on my sciatic nerve and neuropathy in my left leg and thigh. I think you got it kiddo! No just go for it. It’s great to feel relief after all that pain for hours upon days and weeks. I’ve had knee injections also. At first I was getting Synvisc, and then switched to Euflexxa that gave me less side affects of fatigue and nausea. Is that what they did for your knees? I have osteoarthritis is why I needed it. My daughter with Still’s is getting these for her knees from the Still’s attacking the joints. Hope it helps. ~~~ ~~~ From: raincoin@... Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 3:15 PM To: Stillsdisease Subject: Re: spinal injections So, is it similar to an epidural you wou would get when you have a baby...in the way they give it to you, not in the result of the medication? I can kind of see the weird feeling you are talking about, ...I think. I had something like that in my knee injections. Did they do it with xray guidance, or just right there in the office? April Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone spinal injections Has anyone had spinal injections? Please share your experiences, good, bad, or indifferent. My MRIs came back showing NOTHING in my thorasic spine and a degenerated disc at L5-S1...a little more complicated than a bulging disc. My doctor will make an appointment for me to see a pain management specialist for a consultation, but he said my only option really is a spinal injection. April Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Well, I only had the epidural with pregnancy once when they were prepping me for a C-section...later to THANKFULLY end up not needing one, but I was sitting up for it. Anyway...it sounds similar. It did not hurt,but they didit when I was havinga contraction, so who knows. What it would have felt like otherwise. But, yours did not hurt? I can't rememberfor sure what they used in my knees, but it was some sort of steroid. They were just so inflammed I could not bend them without involuntarily screaming out. It was ridiculous, really. My RD wanted to try some PT, but my primary said, no...let's just do the shots. Most of the inflammation was AROUND the joints and not as much IN the joints themselves. The Kineret and MTX took care of the actual joints for the most part. Thanks, ! April Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone spinal injections Has anyone had spinal injections? Please share your experiences, good, bad, or indifferent. My MRIs came back showing NOTHING in my thorasic spine and a degenerated disc at L5-S1...a little more complicated than a bulging disc. My doctor will make an appointment for me to see a pain management specialist for a consultation, but he said my only option really is a spinal injection. April Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Well, I only had the epidural with pregnancy once when they were prepping me for a C-section...later to THANKFULLY end up not needing one, but I was sitting up for it. Anyway...it sounds similar. It did not hurt,but they didit when I was havinga contraction, so who knows. What it would have felt like otherwise. But, yours did not hurt? I can't rememberfor sure what they used in my knees, but it was some sort of steroid. They were just so inflammed I could not bend them without involuntarily screaming out. It was ridiculous, really. My RD wanted to try some PT, but my primary said, no...let's just do the shots. Most of the inflammation was AROUND the joints and not as much IN the joints themselves. The Kineret and MTX took care of the actual joints for the most part. Thanks, ! April Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone spinal injections Has anyone had spinal injections? Please share your experiences, good, bad, or indifferent. My MRIs came back showing NOTHING in my thorasic spine and a degenerated disc at L5-S1...a little more complicated than a bulging disc. My doctor will make an appointment for me to see a pain management specialist for a consultation, but he said my only option really is a spinal injection. April Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Well, I only had the epidural with pregnancy once when they were prepping me for a C-section...later to THANKFULLY end up not needing one, but I was sitting up for it. Anyway...it sounds similar. It did not hurt,but they didit when I was havinga contraction, so who knows. What it would have felt like otherwise. But, yours did not hurt? I can't rememberfor sure what they used in my knees, but it was some sort of steroid. They were just so inflammed I could not bend them without involuntarily screaming out. It was ridiculous, really. My RD wanted to try some PT, but my primary said, no...let's just do the shots. Most of the inflammation was AROUND the joints and not as much IN the joints themselves. The Kineret and MTX took care of the actual joints for the most part. Thanks, ! April Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone spinal injections Has anyone had spinal injections? Please share your experiences, good, bad, or indifferent. My MRIs came back showing NOTHING in my thorasic spine and a degenerated disc at L5-S1...a little more complicated than a bulging disc. My doctor will make an appointment for me to see a pain management specialist for a consultation, but he said my only option really is a spinal injection. April Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Hi April, I have had sooooo many spinal injections of different kinds. When I had a spinal when my daughter was born, 35 yrs ago, they had to do it 3 different times and they hit the sciatic nerve which caused scar tissue on the nerve, I also had L5-S1 disc bulging on the nerve and have osteoarthritis as well. Many years ago, like 25 yrs ago they only did them as an inpatient in the hopital and they did them in the OR. Then I went to pain management and they did them with a dye and an xray type thing. The used the twilight medicine to put me out. Those seemed to work the best for me. Some worked great for six months or more of relief from pain. Others didn't work long. I've also had the kind where you sit up. Those helped a lot too. Any relief for me was great. They always used some kind of steriod mixed with other meds I don't know what they were, with a numbing agent so your rear end and legs were numb, but only for a short time, just an hour or two. I've been thru it all till finally had spinal fusion L5-S1, which I would never do again. I hope you have good luck with it and will say a prayer for it to give you relief for a long time. > > Has anyone had spinal injections? Please share your experiences, good, bad, or indifferent. My MRIs came back showing NOTHING in my thorasic spine and a degenerated disc at L5-S1...a little more complicated than a bulging disc. My doctor will make an appointment for me to see a pain management specialist for a consultation, but he said my only option really is a spinal injection. > > April > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 I have more back related issues than I can remember, but like you I had to start somewhere. The first pain management specialist I went to was totally useless as both my headaches and back troubles were ineffectively treated by him. I was fortunate enough that during my 15th or 16 resort visit they sent up a different neurosurgeon to check me out. Where everyone else saw no problems he found many small ones that were greatly affecting my back. I had deteriorated to the point that I had to use a walker...at the age of 33! Well, to make a long story short, I went through more treatments than I can recall, but I wound up with a morphine pump implant in my abdomen. That had no effect on the headaches (they are still indescribable to date and can last over a month) but within a few months I was able to lose the walker and get by with just a cane. The only downside to the implant is that after just under 8 years it is starting to fail and I will have to have a new one implanted in the very near future. You asked about spinal injections...I have had many and also have had 5 spinal taps. I never felt any excruciating pain from any of them, but that may be related to the fact that I was in a tremendous amount of pain during every one from the start. the injections never made much of a difference for me, but I do know of some people that really benefited from them. I would go in with an open mind, as you are only at the bottom of the hill, so to speak. As you progress (hopefully not too far) you will start to figure out what works and what doesn't.....if your Dr. is any good or if you need to seek out another....so on & so forth. Best of luck, Kirk. > ** > > > Has anyone had spinal injections? Please share your experiences, good, > bad, or indifferent. My MRIs came back showing NOTHING in my thorasic spine > and a degenerated disc at L5-S1...a little more complicated than a bulging > disc. My doctor will make an appointment for me to see a pain management > specialist for a consultation, but he said my only option really is a > spinal injection. > > April > > > -- Everything in life sucks except things that should! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 I have more back related issues than I can remember, but like you I had to start somewhere. The first pain management specialist I went to was totally useless as both my headaches and back troubles were ineffectively treated by him. I was fortunate enough that during my 15th or 16 resort visit they sent up a different neurosurgeon to check me out. Where everyone else saw no problems he found many small ones that were greatly affecting my back. I had deteriorated to the point that I had to use a walker...at the age of 33! Well, to make a long story short, I went through more treatments than I can recall, but I wound up with a morphine pump implant in my abdomen. That had no effect on the headaches (they are still indescribable to date and can last over a month) but within a few months I was able to lose the walker and get by with just a cane. The only downside to the implant is that after just under 8 years it is starting to fail and I will have to have a new one implanted in the very near future. You asked about spinal injections...I have had many and also have had 5 spinal taps. I never felt any excruciating pain from any of them, but that may be related to the fact that I was in a tremendous amount of pain during every one from the start. the injections never made much of a difference for me, but I do know of some people that really benefited from them. I would go in with an open mind, as you are only at the bottom of the hill, so to speak. As you progress (hopefully not too far) you will start to figure out what works and what doesn't.....if your Dr. is any good or if you need to seek out another....so on & so forth. Best of luck, Kirk. > ** > > > Has anyone had spinal injections? Please share your experiences, good, > bad, or indifferent. My MRIs came back showing NOTHING in my thorasic spine > and a degenerated disc at L5-S1...a little more complicated than a bulging > disc. My doctor will make an appointment for me to see a pain management > specialist for a consultation, but he said my only option really is a > spinal injection. > > April > > > -- Everything in life sucks except things that should! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 I have more back related issues than I can remember, but like you I had to start somewhere. The first pain management specialist I went to was totally useless as both my headaches and back troubles were ineffectively treated by him. I was fortunate enough that during my 15th or 16 resort visit they sent up a different neurosurgeon to check me out. Where everyone else saw no problems he found many small ones that were greatly affecting my back. I had deteriorated to the point that I had to use a walker...at the age of 33! Well, to make a long story short, I went through more treatments than I can recall, but I wound up with a morphine pump implant in my abdomen. That had no effect on the headaches (they are still indescribable to date and can last over a month) but within a few months I was able to lose the walker and get by with just a cane. The only downside to the implant is that after just under 8 years it is starting to fail and I will have to have a new one implanted in the very near future. You asked about spinal injections...I have had many and also have had 5 spinal taps. I never felt any excruciating pain from any of them, but that may be related to the fact that I was in a tremendous amount of pain during every one from the start. the injections never made much of a difference for me, but I do know of some people that really benefited from them. I would go in with an open mind, as you are only at the bottom of the hill, so to speak. As you progress (hopefully not too far) you will start to figure out what works and what doesn't.....if your Dr. is any good or if you need to seek out another....so on & so forth. Best of luck, Kirk. > ** > > > Has anyone had spinal injections? Please share your experiences, good, > bad, or indifferent. My MRIs came back showing NOTHING in my thorasic spine > and a degenerated disc at L5-S1...a little more complicated than a bulging > disc. My doctor will make an appointment for me to see a pain management > specialist for a consultation, but he said my only option really is a > spinal injection. > > April > > > -- Everything in life sucks except things that should! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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