To Debs:Trigger Point Injections

[Guest guest]

HI again,

Hope you were able to get some sleep last night (Tonight for

me) said that she hopes other people are lucky

enough to get to meet up with PAI members and I vote to meet

up with you! My husband and I always talk about a trip by boat to

NZ when we retire! I am not an airplane person so unless they

build a big bridge, a slow boat " down-under " will be my preferred

route!

Anyways to answer you question: The muscle relaxer that I tried

was Tizanidine (zanaflex). It made me feel really achy and

flu-like - on the verge of throwing up; way different from the

nausea that I have with CP alone. I tried it for a week or so then

every once in a while after that to see if it really affected me like

that and it did every time. So I gave up on it.

The trigger point injections were done with lidocaine and a

couple of times with lidocaine and a steroid (to stop the

inflammation from the injection). They were quite painful while

they are being done because that is the only way the doctor can

locate your pain area in the muscle. She pokes you until you

jump off the table then she injects. She got the general location

by palpating the area that was suspect for the muscle pain and

pressed deeply with her finger then probed with the needle then

injected in the area that she found. My understanding is that

there are fairly predictable areas for the muscle pain that is

associated with pancreas problems. I had injections in my RUQ

just below the arch of the ribcage and below the tip of the

ribcage. There are also areas in the back...for me it was the right

back to the right of mid-line and again, just below the ribcage

arch. She stuck me in a few different places about two weeks

apart. She wanted to do it for a few months because it seemed

to help. But, my insurance didn't approve and it would have been

500 to 1,000 dollars every two weeks - nothing that I could afford.

The day of the shots the trauma pain is pretty awful but by day

three the good effects were apparent. I thought that they were

worth it. I would be willing to try them again if the insurance

changed its mind. I also had some superficial scar release

injections with lidocaine which helped dissolve that hard scar

tissue that entraps nerves. I think that helped too, although it is

still fairly sore and painful if I press deeply on the surgical scar.

Not too sure if the knot came back or we just didn't get it all. But

basically the TPIs work to " unknot " the spasming

muscles.....however, they usually have to be done in a series

because what can happen is that as one part of the muscle is

unknoted, another area may kink up in kind of a rebounc effect or

ripple effect is how my doctor explained it. Sometimes you have

to chase this until you hit all the areas. I think there is some

literature on this but I know that TPIs for migraines are

common....and they principles are the same.

I have to say, my pain clinic doc was / is very open to trying new

things. The latest is that pain psych. So we have tried alot of

different things....but she didn't do any kind of evaluation like you

are describing though. I just bascially told her what my diagnosis

is, what my biggest problems are and what my goals are and

how I see her as helping. So far, so good. In fact, this is the only

doctor that I have seen that I feel is worth anything.

But I am glad to help. I haven't forgotten about your other

questions. I am planning on getting back to you no later than

tomorrow so you have time to think about things before your

appointment.

I am happy to hear that you are feeling a little bit better since your

really bad dizzy spells. Not a fun thing for you to be going

through, that is for sure. Glad that I put a smile on your face

though and I will be sure to add your names to our list of

candidates for " behaviour modification " .

Laurie