anyone else here having cervical facet injections?

i will be going on the 19th for steroid injection in my cervical facets i have a very bad pannic dissorder and i worry about everything.

i have had injections in c56 and c57 and it was awfull lots of side affects my pain was worse then ever for about 7 days after about 10 days the pain was the same as was befor the steroids.

my dr told me that the reason i had side affects was because i had a high dose and that this time the dose will be much smaller but im so scared i will have the same response as last time.


can anyone offer some advice on steroid injections?


tyvm susan

Susan,
I have never had steroid injections in the sites that you had yours but I have had multiple injections in both knees and shoulders. Some people have the same reaction that you had on maybe one occasion but then never had a problem again.

I have only gained relief from the steroids, and only once was there discomfort for a few days.

Did you get relief after the days of pain? Was it long term pain relief?

If your doctor said that he gave you too much after you described your symptoms and said that he is going to give you a smaller dose that is a good thing.

Since you already feel anxiety, I imagine that it makes it even harder for you to relax about this next injection. I can only say that it is a good that your doctor knows what to do this time to make things better for you.

I have had as many injections as recommended, so when the steroids wear off I am on my own with the arthritis. The discomfort I felt the one time from a knee injection was well worth the 7-8 months of relief I received.

Maybe the anxiety you felt when you got your first one made you tense up and sometimes that makes it a bit more difficult on you. Try to trust that your doctor is going to adjust the dose so that you won't go through the pain again.

Take a deep breathe and think happy thoughts and how good it is going to be to not have the pain. Do whatever you have to do to relax. We all have our own way of dealing with what makes us uncomfortable.

I am probably not much help but I do know that we have to help the doctors too. If we tense up to much because of fear or anxiety it can make it rougher on us. So do what you can to not think about the last shot and think about this next one as your first one. Some times we are our own worse enemy. I know that I can be mine.

I wish you nothing but the best and pray that this next injection will be pain free and give you many, many months of comfort. Good luck to you and I know that it is easier said than done, but really try hard to relax and trust that history will not repeat itself.

Judy

ty judy for taking the time to reply to my post u are very kind.
i will try to think possitive and pray for the best.

tyvm susan.

Susan,

You are very welcome.
I know that it is not easy to combat anxiety. I can only pray for you to be able to relax and that the injections work excellent for you.
I will be rooting for you.

Judy

Have you asked your doc about giving you something to help you relax? Mine does right when he is getting ready and it really takes the edge off. Maybe yours will too, just be honest with him. I think tensing up makes it worse also...Sue

. . .in the same area you describe and had no problems at all. What kind of doctor is doing the injections? I know that my doctor, a pain doctor, told me to completely relax. I had no problems at all and it helped my pain a lot. I've only had to have them once. I am a very tense person so I have to always visualize that part of my body going limp or soft. If I am nervous, it is 10x harder.

It seems like you are very young and it is a shame that you must have injections already. Take care and try to relax!

nancyh

Susan,
How did things go today. You have been in my thoughts. Would you mind up-dating on your appt? You don't have too, but we care.
Jude

ty so much for checking up on me jude your very sweet.

it's 12:31 am im wide awake and should be asleep my treatment is at 10 am this morning and i will certainly let you know how it goes.

i have had a ruff few days had to have a tooth pulled last saterday and im not able to lay back because of my neck so they pulled it in a upward position it was awfull made the pain in my neck worse felt like he broke my jaw trying to get it out.

then yesterday i triped over a cord and fell flat on my chest spent the rest of the evening with a migrane headache and sick to my stomach.

well im gonna try to get some sleep i will chat with you after my appt.

thanks again and god bless u jude

hi nancy,

ty for replying to my post.

it's late and i need to get some sleep but if im feeling ok in the morning i will post more about myself and my condition.

hope to chat with you later

Susan,

After the day you described your day before the injection, you deserve to have a good day the 20th.

I have had days sorta like that where I wonder why I got out of bed at all.
I am still hoping that you had a better experience and that you will get the relief that you need.

Hope to hear from you soon and that you will have wonderful news.

Judy