I've had the lidoderm patches for my lower back, and they also tried to
put me on hydrocodone. Unfortunately, the pill blocked up my bowels
so bad that the lower end of my shunt (for hydrocephalus) was blocked.
I ended up in the hospital with a shunt malfunction. As soon as the
blockage was cleared, my symptoms went away. I ended up taking
the patches again, and that's when the subject came up about RFA.

I haven't been given a nerve block of any kind. The doctor never
mentioned that I needed one before the RFA.

He did say that if the RF didn't work, we'd have to try something
else, but he didn't say what it might be. I thought maybe he was
waiting to see if the RF worked, first, before making any other
suggestions.

As far as the anesthetic or lack of it, the information sheet I was
given is dated 2005. Maybe that explains the difference?