I have had nine sets of steroid injections and have had very little pain relief. Don't ask me why I tried nine times! One doctor said that the last doctor just didn't do it right so I gave him the benefit of the doubt and agreed to the treatment. Well, three days ago I had a rhizotomy and am in more pain now that I was before. I am wondering if anyone can tell me how long it will be before I feel some pain relief. Thanks in advance for your info.

I have had more than anyone i know 34 in 2 1/2 years!!! They do not tell you that they can and do cause more nerve damage !!!!
Look up the term "arachnoiditis"
it is a inflamation of the nerve roots and adhesive arachnoiditis is a scar tissue that starts growing and and destroying the mylen sheath that protects the nerve root the studies have shown that even sterile water causes scaring of the nerve root!!! Please look up the terms and do not have anymore done they may help in short term for pain but long term effect is a hell you do not want to know !!!!

I had an injection in my cervical spine over 6 months ago...It was the worst decision I made!...I thought I would share this with others so that everyone is well informed of this procedure and what it can do. I had a herniated disc at c56 and bulging at c67, the pain was awful, so my dr told me he wanted to do this, it was very safe, there are possible side effects but they rarly happen and are not serious and he said he only had to tell me that for the same reason asprin has to put it on there label, but that it would go fine and is no big deal... When he inserted that needle into my spine the pain I felt was horrifying, worse then the pain I was already in by 100%, it was electrifying lines of pain everywhere!, the next day I lost the complete function of my right arm and hand, dropped my infant baby, couldnt even open the fridge etc. plus the pain was now way worse. I called my dr and told him and his response was oh thats not from the injection, u had weakness before hand, however in his notes there is no weakness indicated! he told me i needed to go to pain managment and i never saw him again...well this is over 6 months later, I did regain the full use back of my arm and hand but the pain is still worse then it was before! well ive been doing research and come to find out, the steroid he used isnt even fda approved to be used for injection into the spine! as well as the manufacturer has on the label not to inject it anywhere near or around the spine...now why was I not made aware of that? this specific steroid that was injected into my spine also causes a disease when injected into your spine (which is why it is not fda approved for injection into the spine) called arachnoiditis, which has no cure, and I currently have all the symptoms...The steroid is called depo-medrol...look it up, if anyone is getting a steroid injected into their spine they need to be sure to ask what steroid the dr will be using and look it up first!!! my life has been a living nightmare eversince and I have 3 small children to care for!...I would def. not recommend!

I've never had any relief from these injections either and I agree they can cause more damage than good. if ONE doesn't work do NOT let them do ANY MORE. Any subsequent injections will NOT WORK if the first one didn't so you're risking a whole lot of trouble by going ahead with more injections. Tell the doc NO if he wants to do more. Just don't let him. Arachnoiditis is a very REAL possibility and it's INCURABLE.

Best of luck and God bless. Hugs, Lee

I am no expert, but being run down with two little ones who bring home those little germs may be the issue. get that sanitizer and go at their hands, door knobs etc. Epidurals don't ususallly give those infections. Try to rest more, ask for more help if you can, especially the few days after the injection. Hope you feel better soon. ginnie

If you read the very fine print, you will find that infection is one of the possible dangers. I agree, it is not common but they have it covered in the paperwork.

I never worried about spinal leaks after all the times I had been tested and treated over the years. The last time I had surgery, I had to have the infamous pre-op myelogram. While on the table, the idiot doctor said as many times as I had been "poked", I was due for a spinal leak. I don't know if he was making conversation or had just made a mistake, but the next morning when I got up to go see the surgeon for the results, I got hit with a blinding headace which could only be one thing. I called the office, described the symptoms and told them to have a room ready for me and I would be there in ten minutes. It took three blood patches to get that leak sealed up.

oh man...sorry to hear that!...I didnt have to have a patch as my headache wasnt severe and went away on its own... that is just awful....but i have been doing my homework now and it may be to late, but I am finding out what happened to me!... I dont know what germs or infections ginnie was mentioning, but steroids alone do make your immune system weaken.... I know my cord was hit, just because of the way it felt and the pain I had when the needle was inserted....What I want to know is why didnt my doctor inject the contrast? after I was crying and sobbing he still continued and injected the steroid, but in his report he doesnt say anything about injecting the contrast, but in my pharmacy report, contrast was ordered...Did he not inject the contrast bc he knew he hit my cord? The nurses notes also only list the depo medrol and numbing medication as the medications administered...this leads me to believe that he knew he hit my cord and that is why he didnt inject the contrast, instead he injected half the depo medrol and then withdrew the needle and re inserted it into my c67 and injected the rest... What does everyone think???? why would a doctor not inject the contrast that he pre-ordered from the pharmacy?

Hi, I have a L5 S1 protruding disc. I was given a epidural shot in Oct. The shot was painful and left my parkinson much worse off. I started having moderate tdyskinesa a week later.
It sounds like their might be a connection .
Would like to hear from others.
Happy new Year to all,
john

Dont belive the stats.Ive heard figues everywhere from 0 to 100% for dyskensia.You can trust themjust your own experience

Hi
I have just had an epidural injection for chronic low back pain, it was the most horrendous experience I have ever been through right from the start it was agony, but when he was pumping the fluid in it was the most horrendous pain ever it went all down my leg .
When I had to stand I couldn't as my leg was numb, when I told him he said that has nothing to do with what you have just had done !
I am still in pain if not worse, I feel so traumatised with it that I can't stop crying.
I don't know what to do, has anybody else experienced this? I hope not ad I wouldn't even wish this on my worse enemy, I have had three children with no pain relief, so I know what pain is! This was terrible experience.
Thanks
Nicola