Topic: not a gardening question, injections in spine

[Jeannine]

I think I  might move to Wales XX Jeannine

[tricia]

Yeah! - but I love it anyway  ;D ;D. Wales???????????

Tricia

[Paulines7]

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  :)

I tried a TENS machine for back pain but it didn't do any good.  I am now waiting to see the physiotherapist about my knee pain and the treatment could be TENS or acupuncture.    :-\  I believe the only solution for my pain is a knee replacement but I haven't even heard back from the hospital yet.   Meanwhile, the opiates (Tramadol), Ibuprofen and Paracetamol are not coping.  The alternative is morphine but I have been told that it shortens a persons life. 

It doesn't make any difference whether I am resting the knee, walking or digging the garden, the pain is continuous.   I just wish it would go away.   :'(

[Jeannine]

I've just had three months BUPA physio including acupunture and the BUPA specialist said he felt is was having no improvement so they are trying this pain clinic  now. I m oght try me Expensive TENS again not the cheap one, problem is at work I don't fancy wires falling out

[manicscousers]

just watch it doesn't fall down the loo, jeannine, my physio warned me as it happens lots   ;D
she said to tuck it down your knicker elastic, I don't know how big her knickers are, it wouldn't fit in mine, it was quite big and slid out  ;D
I also had a problem putting it in my trouser pocket, it kept falling out..best thing was a small bag my dad in law bought me, called a passport bag, it fits in there well,
or in my shirt ocket, unless i wanted to put a jumper over my head
and, bra straps interfere with the pads  ;D

not trying to put you off, it might give you a bit of relief  :)

[Jeannine]

This one reason why I don't use it at work but I think I am going to try it again. My good one has a very strong belt clip on it that is unlikely to come off but it can be accidently turned up high if something rubs against you and in a primary school that is possible. XX Jeannine

[carolinej]

problem is at work I don't fancy wires falling out

My son has a heart condition. When he was 4, he hada 24 hour heart monitor strapped to him, with 2 contacts on his chest. We were in a lift, and another lady was in there. He accidentally pulled one of the wires off. I quickly lifted his t shirt and stuck it back on. I looked up , and the lady was looking horrified. I think she thought it was something terribly important keeping him alive. I tried to reassure her it was ok, but she had reached her floor, and got out pretty sharpish!

cj :)

[Grandma]

Just left a pm for you Jeannine. xxx

[Multiveg]

Something happened to the nice bloke who writes Welsh language courses for adults - he had terrible back pain, couldn't sit down (fine standing up). He used to be full of energy (and jokes judging from his courses - Vindaloo  which sounds like the Welsh to go to the loo...). Anyway, after tests and many months, he had an epidural - it worked. He's still got his sense of humour!

Good luck.

[cocopops]

I really hope that whatever the injections the hospital are offering work for you.
 :)

My dad has a vertical break in his back from a very old football injury.  As he has got older it has caused more and more problems.  He took a neurfen (sic ?) capsule a couple of years ago and suffered a severe reaction (adrenalin injections to revive him etc.) and as a result has to carry an epipen.  My mum is a physio, but at one time after she could not mobilize him, even to the loo.  Eventually the paramedics took him to hospital where they offered him a morphine based injection, under supervision.  I was really mad as I thought he should be admitted.  The strange thing was the morphine released something in his back, and two hours later he was able to walk out!  This was amazing as I was only spoon feeding him his lunch a few hours before.  As a result, although he still suffers with his back, it is no where near as severe as before.  Maybe it is something like that that they are proposing to do for you.

In any event I hope you feel better soon and can get back into your much loved garden x

[dandelion]

I can't offer advice but I hope you feel better soon Jeannine!

x dandelion

[Jeannine]

Wow, what a wonderful story, I am so happy for your Dad,I bet he thinks he is a very lucky man.

 I was coping with my back on again off again till I had some surgery last year,not my back by the way,and afterwards I had difficulty walking,at first I could only stand for a few minutes,after about 3 months I could walk about OK but could not stand, that is a year ago and it seems to have improved as much as it is going to.

At first they thought it was the epidural I had for the operation, then they thought I had perhaps been twisted funny during the surgery and discolated something, now they think it is coincidence and it is general deteriotaion,well that is this week !!

I guess we never know what is round the corner  and in your Dad,s case it seems to have worked out really well in the end.

I had an Aunt who was hurt in a car accident many years ago, as a result she was in a wheelchair for 20 years or so. She was ill in the night and a lo cum Doctor came to see her, he asked about her legs, was told the story and asked her to lay on the floor, he noticed one leg was slightly shorter than the other, it was investigated and she was found to have a dislocation that had never been picked ( this was in the 40's) after a very short time and  some treatment they had her on her feet , after some rehab to strengthen her legs she walked just fine.

Hopefully there is something round the corner for me.

Thank you for sharing your Dad's story, it always remind me that there are people worse off,and not to get too downhearted.

Strangely enough I too carry an Epipen, I have a severe latex allergy.

 XX Jeannine

[Obelixx]

For anyone suffering arthritis, or even just starting with it, there's some useful information here for curing or relieving it without drugs - http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbgardening/F2759007?thread=3961367

As for backs and injections, I have 3 crushed vertebrae in my lower spine as a result of carrying around my daughter, aged 2, in a chest to ankle plaster cast.  She went from 14 to 20 kilos overnight and was a very awkward shape and my back went.  I had all sorts of treatments - physio, chriopractor, osteopath, painkillers but it just got worse every time someone manipulated them back to where they thought they should be.   There were times when it took 45 minutes just to get out of bed and I would then have to crawl backwards down stairs.

Eventually I heard of a specialist back clinic in Brussels and made an appointment.  They strapped me up to computers and sensors and some fairly Heath Robinson looking equipment all designed to measure function, movement, nerve signals and so on.   They decided a series of cortisone and painkiller injections would be best and sent me for a full MRI scan to locate the best places to put them.  I then had two series of 8 injections - 4 either side of the dodgy bits. 

It took a few weeks to take full effect but in the mean tme I had found an Alexander Technique practitioner.   She explained about posture, especially of the head and legs when standing and sitting, and did several tiny movements to my hands, arms, legs and hips.  After the first session I could walk normallly and almost without pain and had grown an inch.   I had 5 sessions in total and then the injections.

8 yrs later, I still get occasional pain and stiffness when tired but I can garden, cycle, dance and even ski and I can touch the floor with my palms whereas before I couldn't bend to my knees.

I can therefore recommend injections but make sure you get full answers to questions about content, experience of the injector and after care - physio, exercise etc.

Good luck.

[Jeannine]

Thank you, loads of help here, and I am so happy it turned out well for you XX Jeannine

[Trevor_D]

My gut instinct says avoid injections into the spine like the plague. They were offered to my wife about 30 years ago (the alternative being a wheelchair!). She went to a chiropractor instead. We both go now, every few months. She is still in fairly constant pain, but can still do things.

Have you tried morphine patches? Our secretary came to the last committee meeting on crutches & with gritted teeth; on Sunday she nearly danced through the door! Ask your GP.

[Obelixx]

The problem with chiropractors  - in my experience - is that they do manipulations which can be quite aggressive and make the problem worse in the long term as bones are forced into new positions without the muscles around them having time to relax and then hold them there.  My injections gave me instant pain relief once the initial discomfort wore off and allowed eveything else that had been tensed around the painful area to relax.   They used a mini scanner and the results from my MRI scan to pinpoint the exact site for my injections so there was little chance of mistakes - and in 30 years the technology has advanced somewhat.   

[Jeannine]

I have to admit I am not very confident about chiropactors, I am sure there are some good honest ones out there but I have met a few charalatans.I remember one who told me he could cure my AS,when I asked for info he assured me that it was not a problem. I further argued that the condition is not reversable and he grinned and said it was. When I probed about what he would do to cure the fusing he looked a bit concerned then left the room for a few minutes,whn he came back he began to talk about how he could help my Spondylosis, I corrected him, and he seemed unaware that AS was different. I thanked him for his time and left.. that was scary.

However good or bad a chiropracter cannot help my particular problem.

I am not comfortable about taking medications beyond what I already take, I can stand a lot of pain, I just would prefer not to have to  give up so many things in order to do so.

I want to thank everyone who is offering help here, it is great to get such a broad idea of what has helped everyone else and I appreciate that.

XX Jeannine

[Jeannine]

Does anyone remember this post way back in May 2006.

Well after waiting from May till August, I got an appointment to go in(this was classed as a priority by the way)

Phone call came on a Wednesday in August " Sorry for the delay we have had problems, can you come in on Monday "

Yes I said.

Friday the phone rang" sorry the Dr has had to cancel as he is sick" we will get back to you.

They did 1st week in January when the Dr came off long term sick leave.

" Can you come in on Wednesday at 3 pm"

Yes I said.

I went to find it was a consultation again, with a very embarrassed Dr who said it was an error and promised the treatment would be this month.

Friday last the phone rang " Can you come in on Monday"

Yes I said.

and I did............... and they did it,  after  45 minutes worth of spine injections under x ray I came home.

The original referral to this Dr was 18 months ago, then classed as priority..so much for shorter waiting lists.

The bit that really beats me is that while the Dr was on long term sick for 6 months none of the other Dr's would take his patients without a new refferal which was estimated at  4 months to see them.

NHS offer me a different hospital, 3 in fact , I could have been seen within 2 weeks...1 in Nottingham, 1 in Sheffield and 1 in Middlesex , cute considering I can't drive for 24 hours after.

Well the first bit is done, lets hope it works so they go ahead and do the rest.....sometime soon LOL

XX Jeannine

[manicscousers]

hope it works for you, Jeannine
Ray had a scan done on his spine..9 months later, after ringing up, he got an appointment, they'd forgotten him as he was sidetracked for a cancer scare after the scan...so, we go to the neurosurgeon...sorry, he says, the last surgeon was no good, he hasn't made notes and I haven't had time to look at your scan, if there's anything wrong, I'll get in touch..this was 12 months ago, still no results on the scan   :(

[Obelixx]

Hello Jeanine.  I hope they work for you.  I had some more for my upper back last September following a bout of acute arthritis in several vertebrae which pinche dthe nerves to my arm, shoulder, armpit and ribs.  Not good - painful and immobilising which is frustrating for anyone let alone keen gardeners.

So far I'm fine and almost pain free.  I have full movement again but can feel the minute I'm doing too much or lifting too heavy so I can stop and rest.   Needless to say, being in Belgium, I had to wait just 3 weeks to get an appointment with the back specialist - summer hols and all that - then another week to have scans, X-rays, neurologist tests, blood tests and then the infiltrations.

The ones I had in my lower back 5 years ago are still going strong.  Fingers crossed for you.