A bit scary isn't it? I have had steroid injections in the past right in my spine due to the DDD and herniated discs. I have not had any problems with the actual injections. The only thing that I worried about is in the event of further injury,would I be able to feel it.

But what you read about the femur bone is a bit worrisome,and I just can't offer advice on that. I would say don't get the injection until your mind is at ease about it.

Hopefully some of the other guys will chime in soon.

Wishing you the best

Hi ya my matey from up North, my brother has a very bad lower back and he has only had 2 steriod injections in about 15 years as he was told you can't shouldn't have any more than 3 in a life time, so he's been suffering it out over the time, recently been helped with magnets i put on him.
I have 8 powerfull magnets on my hip right now thats the only thing thats getting me through the day, i normally don't winge even when the PN was given me a hard time but this is a really getting to me, even turning me crumpy, which isn't the real me.
I have just heard that my ortho will be back tommorow, so thank god i will have a few words with him then
thanks for your help.
Brian

Thanks for letting us know about the doc coming back tomorrow. I've been worrying about this all afternoon. Just hate to know any of my buddies are hurting more. Hope he's able to help you. If you could..would you ask him about this problem. The steriods and the bones etc. I'd appreciate knowing what you find out.

Billye

Billye you are a true & real buddy and you have such a big kind heart but please , don't go worrying about me its no good for your PN, i will be ok , especially now i can speak to the orthopedic surgeon.
I will get back to you with what he says about the steriod affects on our bones.
thanks
Brian

resurfacing of the joint, over where you are?

There was this article here on our Health News forum:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ad.php?t=12254

Perhaps you will find it interesting?

Continued steroid injections into the same location, are problematic.
It used to be two/12 mos was the recommended maximum.

Yes Mrs D, they do the Birmingham hip resurfacing here, its still a total hip replacement but the only diferance is they preserve more of the femur bone head, actually one of the orthopedic surgeons i seen at the hospital did mention that, but after a few ortho's had a bit of a conferance about it, they decided it wouldn't be appropiate in my case, for fear of a very possible bone fracture as i am a big bloke [not fat] and there's a lot of pressure on that bone and through past experience they have fractured on heavy people, then they said i would have to go through the whole operation again to fix it.
They said they have had a lot of success long term with Total Hip replacements using metal on metal [ stainless steel acetabulam with a stainless steel protheses], but thanks for the good suggestion anyway.

Brian I can't believe how long you are waiting for that hip surgery. If that's what happens with a single payor system, I'm withdrawing my support for it.

I think if steroids help you, and there is an end in sight with surgery, that you ought to let yourself go with it. You can ask the orthopod or whoever does the injection what and how much he injects, if that's a concern.

I had 3 epidurals before my spinal surgery, and they really got me through that awful waiting period. I had a facet injection in December, which helped tremendously, but now I'm waivering over getting another.

I know the facet block was "generous", and he injected two facets and a joint space, which could have been a lot of steroid. And I want to stay away from steroids to maximize my chance of healing, as it seems I have not fused at all.

But if the injection could hold you over til the surgery, and the doctors aren't worried about it, I think it's a good practical choice. Let's say, worst case scenario, you became a bit more bone thinned because of it? You could deal with that after the surgery is done and past with the osteoporosis meds. They do help rebuild.

It's hard to know what to do when one is in great pain, and I have a lot of sympathy with being practical about getting out of pain.

You've been waiting just so so long.

Billye, I have just talked to the ortho, he said he didn't have anything in front of him to go by at the moment and said he doesn't want to give me a date then let me down so he will check things out within in the next couple of days and hopefully i will here from the hospital with in a week or two. [ that sounds real promissing ]
Our health system over here at the moment is awfull, some poeple have to wait 2 years before they even get to see a specialist, then another couple of years on the waiting list to get a operation done, only if its an emergency they will do it straight away, of course if your insured its a completly differant story too,
Initialy i self funded my ortho appointment which got me in a lot quicker than it normaly would.
All i got out of him with the steriods was, it didn't matter with me having the steriod injections, as the bone the steriod affects is taken away in the operation, and doesn't think that another injection would do much now anyway because of the condition the joint is in now, he said there is nothing that can help except the hip replacement itself.