Author Topic: not a gardening question, injections in spine (Read 5025 times)

Jeannine · « **on:** May 05, 2007, 09:53:05 »

Hs anyone any personal experience with this one.

Briefly,so as not to bore you all, I have some wicked body pain,the worst being in my upper arms and lower back.

I am on a pretty high dose of combination medications but despite this I am still very immobile which as you can understand is no ruddy good for me.

Any way after being tested at the pain clinic and told I was very positive and a likely candidate for help(goodness knows what they do if you moan) I was told they would do the following.

Under x ray, they will put injections into my spine, they stressed it was not cortisone but an anaesthetic, it will be in my system for about 24 hours,I might get pain relief I might not,it is apparently a diagnostic tool. If they get the reaction that they want,they repeat it to make sure it wasn't fluke, if again they get the same reaction then they will give me another injection that should take the pain away for 1 year to 18 months.Then it is repeated.

Has anyone had this done and if so will they share their experiences with me please, here or by Pm if you prefer.

XX Jeannine

flossie · « **Reply #1 on:** May 05, 2007, 10:02:00 »

I do hope that you get some relief Jeannine - sorry cannot help with the question

Grandma · « **Reply #2 on:** May 05, 2007, 10:14:26 »

Jeannine - I've printed off your post. Is it OK with you if I talk to my daughter (a registered osteopath) about it when I see her on Monday? She and her ministrations were invaluable to me when I fractured my spine some years ago. I do know that she, like most osteopaths/chiropractors, is basically against (surgical) intervention unless absolutely essential but she will have knowledge of the treatment you've been offered and its success/failure rates. It will only be a personal opinion, of course, but a professional one! Val x

Jeannine · « **Reply #3 on:** May 05, 2007, 10:18:01 »

That would be super Thank you Xx Jeannine

lorna · « **Reply #4 on:** May 05, 2007, 10:40:10 »

Whichever road you take Jeannine I do hope you are able to get some relief. Good luck.

honeybee · « **Reply #5 on:** May 05, 2007, 18:06:30 »

On the same lines as Lorna, i cant give any advice, but i sincerely hope that you get some relief from what sounds like a horrible situation x x

Jeannine · « **Reply #6 on:** May 05, 2007, 19:46:23 »

Thanks everyone, it is not only a pain!!, It is a blasted nuisance too,there is so much I want to do and my dumb croaky old bod keeps getting in the ruddy way. I don't care if I don't grow old gracefully but I would like my body to keep pace with my mind, I could just swear sometimes. Oh heck....knickers!!!

XX Jeannine

carolinej · « **Reply #7 on:** May 05, 2007, 22:14:38 »

Quote

Oh heck....knickers!!!

Oooh Jeannine, such wild abandon! Be careful or Dan will move you to the watershed ;)

cj :)

Paulines7 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 05, 2007, 22:42:36 »

Hello Jeannine

I have suffered from back pain for twelve years and last year underwent steroid injections into my spine. The injection also included an anaesthetic. However, it didn't work for me and in the end the Consultant discharged me and said there was nothing more he could do but that I could help myself by losing weight.

Since then my left knee has gone and this gives me even more pain. Like you I am on very high doses of medication but none of it relieves the suffering completely.

You have nothing to lose by trying the injection as it may well work for you. I am waiting to hear from the Consultant who replaced my right knee six years ago. Meanwhile I sometimes have to crawl on all fours up the stairs and sometimes hobble about on crutches.

I sympathise with you Jannine and wish you free of pain soon.

Jeannine · « **Reply #9 on:** May 05, 2007, 22:43:16 »

Well that has to be more exciting than sitting in a chair at the lottie watching the asparagus grow..so I shall do my full repotoire of cussing.

Knickers.

Dammit

Dipsticks

Horsefeathers

Flaming

Bother.

Oh Heck

There see if I care, I am really urinated off tonight, everything has gone wrong, the bluddy table fell down in the greenhouse cos it is made of pooey timber,the plodding flagstones came 2 short , and three of my dam ned growbags have holes in, and my rotten back was being a small round hole in my rearend.

XX Jeannine

Jeannine · « **Reply #10 on:** May 05, 2007, 22:45:22 »

Pauline they have stressed it is not steroids or cortisone they are putting in. XX Jeannine

Paulines7 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 05, 2007, 22:59:42 »

I had an anaesthetic with my injection but that didn't take away the pain. As I stressed, it may work for you. Anything is worth a try rather than putting up with pain.

cambourne7 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 05, 2007, 23:45:32 »

HI

Doctor and Consultant have both suggested the same for me with my back and knee. I declined and said i would cope. I am sure its something i would consider if i was older or had lost some of my movement.

Right now i do core exercises to help support my spine and taking things easy with the allotment hot baths and ice packs. Occasionaly i get out of bed like a heavly pregnant woman and waddle to the bathroom until my back sorts itself out.

Get well soon J

xx

Cambourne7

manicscousers · « **Reply #13 on:** May 06, 2007, 16:38:55 »

jeannine and pauline, I feel for you, I'm having pain problems at the moment..
have you been offered the loan of a t.e.n.s. machine..my physio loaned me one for 2 weeks to try..it worked for my back,
they are only 28.00, you get a form to get the v.a.t. off, it's classed as medical equipment, ask about it,
it's helped my father in law and ray, and my sister in law, all who have back problems..they can be used on two pains at once :)

Jeannine · « **Reply #14 on:** May 06, 2007, 16:46:04 »

I have had a TENS machime for 12 years,I actually have 2 different ones but it is not enough anymore,not for sometime now, it works on lesser painful bits but not my back. I can ease the pain if I stop walking or standing but that's no life really. Thank you for caring XX Jeannine

tricia · « **Reply #15 on:** May 06, 2007, 20:17:28 »

I can ease the pain if I stop walking or standing but that's no life really.

Tell me about it Jeannine!

I think I'm a good bit older than you, but I've suffered for most of my adult life with back problems and have been under the knife 5 times. The last time being 12 months ago. I've now been told that nothing more - other than pain relief can be done.

Since then I am permanently tired and, like my dear Gordon, can fall asleep at the drop of hat! So unlike me - and the five minute walk to the shops now takes me ten minutes of plodding.

I had previously had several different types of spinal injections - none of which worked. The most recent was using an X-ray monitor to guide the enormously long needle from above my hip joint into the right space between the vertebrae - I was sedated, but not unconscious for this.

Then a year ago last February I had a septic arthritis in my left knee and had an arthroscopy which left me even worse off painwise. I now drag myself about, but the surgeon is loathe to operate because of the infection history. Like you I take high dose medication, but it doesn't help much.

I am currently waiting to have a thumb joint replacement done - in the hope that I will be able to grip things again. ATM I can't hold a potato or celeriac to peel it and grasping just about anything between thumb and forefinger is wellnigh impossible.

Oh - the joys of aging :)

Tricia

Jeannine · « **Reply #16 on:** May 06, 2007, 20:32:28 »

Oh dear my love, I am so sorry to hear all that, you realy are hurting and I shouldn't moan about my woes at all.

The injection they are talking about sounds like the one you mentioned, it is guided by an X ray.

I am not worried about being awake as I always opt for spinal injections for surgery anyway if at all possible as I dislike being put out, but it sounds as if I want to hear much more about it before I go that route.

I am very lucky in a lot of ways, I have perfect use of my hands and I can still work more or less full time,I have had to adjust but most people don't realise there is a lot wrong with me as I can walk very fast for short periods so I can appear to be OK. If I have to stand, I always find something to lean on and I perch on things a lot.

I just find it so very frustrating now, it used to come and go but it has been constant for some time.

I actually have AS but the fused areas seemed OK till about 2 years ago.

Oh Gosh enough Jeannine you are getting morbid!!.

I think you are a brick to cope with what you have and I hope so much that you can get some sort of relief .

Take care XX Jeannine

tricia · « **Reply #17 on:** May 06, 2007, 20:47:04 »

Snap Jeannine - I was diagnosed with AS at 17 and a lot of my back pain was put down to AS when in fact it was a herniated disk! But I was very lucky because, like you, the sacro iliacs fused while I was still young - and when I lived in Germany I was sent to a clinic for treatments every 15 months which kept me in the work force till I was 51. I then went to live in sunny Spain where the stress-free lifestyle also helped.

It is only since I returned to this country and climate after my three years in Canada that the bone and arthritis problems have escalated, but then I have also got older and I guess one has to expect aches and pains with advancing age.

I once had a boss who said that if you didn't wake up with aches and pains after 50 - you were dead ;D.

Tricia

Jeannine · « **Reply #18 on:** May 06, 2007, 20:56:52 »

Double snap Tricia, we came back from Canada 6 years ago and I have gone downhill since. Small world eh !! XX Jeannine

carolinej · « **Reply #19 on:** May 06, 2007, 21:10:37 »

Oh dear, it sounds like being in this country is definately bad for your health!

cj :)

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Author Topic: not a gardening question, injections in spine (Read 5025 times)