Quote:
Originally Posted by Gymjunkie
Sorry to hear it didn't go well. It could be that it simply didn't work for you or that the block wasn't correctly placed - there is no way to tell after the event.
I had a lumbar sympathetic block shortly after my diagnosis and mine didn't work from a therapeutic perspective. The block was clearly correctly placed in my case - it simply didn't give me any therapeutic benefits. It is becoming apparent from the more recent CRPS literature that the view is changing a bit on these blocks - they are not regarded quite so much these days as just such an effective treatment option as they used to be.
I guess you have to be guided by your doctor's opinion on the benefit of doing another one. If he feels it is worth it, you may get a better outcome which would be great. If not then at least you have tried but it is probably important to accept that there are lots of people for whom they don't provide a therapeutic benefit. If you don't feel ready to have another one done next week - ie if your symptoms still seem worse then why not ask if the next block can be postponed until your leg has settled down a bit. In the UK (even going privately) they would not do the blocks so close together - they wait a number of weeks in between to give them a chance to assess the effect. Best of luck.
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Thanks so much for responding. Yeah, I don't know if it was correctly placed or not. I've always thought my body was a bit out of whack of where things are and where they're supposed to be. My legs were twisted when I was born.....had to wear full casts at 6 months and leg braces until I was two. I've had odd health problems my whole life. I've had steroid injections in my back for back problems a few years ago.....they didn't work either and actually made it worse. The same for TMJ.....had injections in that joint that locked my jaw shut for 2 months. I think my nerves are just not in the right places. We'll see what he says next week about a second one. OH......I itched TERRIBLY upon waking after the procedure today. I had a rash all over my chest/stomach.....they had to give me Benadryl in my IV. I'm really sensitive to any steroid.
I was just SO much hoping that since they've caught this so early in me (just started symptoms a month ago) that the blocks would help......at least HELP.....even a little. I literally don't know what to do now. I read all these horror stories about the different meds that are used for this.....I don't want to be on ANY of them. My 5 year old daughter keeps asking when I'm going to feel better. I don't know what to tell her (she prays for me every night).
Hopefully I will find myself feeling better emotionally tomorrow. Somehow I will make it through this. I realize it could be MUCH worse. My pain is manageable with Advil/Vicodin. The swelling is what is causing so many problems. It is keeping me from being able to exercise my ankle properly and swells every time I'm up for 5-10 minutes. I have to be very diligent to watch any sock I wear. My foot will swell around the sock and start throbbing. I cannot sleep in one as a result (so touching the sheets is miserable.....plus, it's chilly in Indiana!).
Ok.....I'm going to pull myself together and quit feeling sorry for myself. Tomorrow is a new day!! I wish all of you a peaceful and pain-managed night!!