Hello again...
so its going to be the guided shot to the back of the neck.
to see if it keeps me out of surgery - I am wondering if any of you have had this treatment and can tell me more about it.How long does it normally take the dr/surgeon to guide the needle on the screen and move it around to just the right spot? I think it would help if I knew-thanks
signed....clearly terrified...

Hello,

I know this post is almost two weeks old and i wonder if you have had the injection? You do know that steroids and Lyme don't mix, right?

Anyways, I have a C3-C4 central herniation and I also have bulging discs at C4-C5 and C5-C6 and last September I had a Cervical ESI and I can tell you that it did not help me all that much. The thing this I have had disc problems for many, many years and maybe that's why. If it did help it was for about a month only and then the pain came right back, worse I think.

The shot was given at C7-T1 with the hope it would travel upwards. Because it is so easy to make a mistake at the C-spine level it was decided it would be safer. It was performed under X-ray (Fluoroscopy) and it took about 45 minutes to 1 hour. The longest part was waiting to them to start an IV. Which they were going to use for light sedation (Versed). They had trouble finding a vein and I then decided I did not need the sedation. I did not regret this decision but it was quite uncomfortable when the doctor inserted the needle. You may find the sedation is needed. Hopefully they offer it some doctors and clinics do not. I was then monitored for another hour afterward. ( I have a heart block so the nurses were interested in my EKG) then I was allowed to leave. I had to have a driver as I could not drive afterward. Overall it wasn't too bad but I was so hoping to have more pain relief than I actually had.

I do hope your experience will be much better.

Good luck to you

Quahog

I also have had a round of three shots just 3 months ago. in c3,4 I had little success with the shots and now my doc wants to try injections into the facets of the vertibr. No need top be scared, very quick and easy for a trained doc. my doc does them all day and is very good. they might give you a valum each time you have an injection to relax and make it easir for them to hit the right spot. Only advice I have is to make sure you have the injections 2 weeks apart not longer or shorter.
good luck be well