Thought I'd add my two shillings in here. I had a couple steroid injections some years back. The first one brought me instant releif,and I don't recall any side-effects. I was in a real bad way then,almost doubled over all the time from burning back pain & spasms.

But the injection wears off eventually and you need more. So I had to go back for another. I think that one wore off a little quicker. They woudn't give me anymore.

Ironically I am going through the same issues right now,and I have been taking NSAID's, but have been worrying about overloading my body with that stuff.

When I was alot younger, and quite foolish with meds,my orthopedic was giving me paracetamol &codeine for my back pain. It was like eating candy as it didn't even touch the intense,burning and ripping feeling in my legs and back from aggrivated discs and nerves. I was only 25 yrs old, but the pain was bad. You can say I lost my head and used to take way too much of the stuff. Kind of like Dr. HOUSE!!

Anyways, I had no experience with meds prior to that & didn't drink alcohol,so I thought "No worries".

Little did I realise at those high doses I could have caused complications with my liver. I don't think I had ever had blood testing up to that point in time either.

Since I had absolutely no medical background at all,and barely used the net, I was unaware that I had any choices for treatments. You would have thought that my GPor spine surgeon would have reviewed my case with abit more care and made some practical recommendations for med changes,PT or whatever else.

Instead I had a limitless supply of paracetamol & codeine. A family friend told me about the injections and I had to plead for them. They were reluctantly given to me.

I don't know much more than that as back pain is so debilitating. And when you have back pain and PN from back pain and other forms of PN running together like you, and I and other people on this forum, I think that that is a challenging mix indeed.

I hope you get some relief from those injections,good luck and post how you go.

Hey, are those two shillings worth more or less then our two cents???? I'll take either! Thanks for the input - docs do have a habit of just handing out meds like candy and they would be thrilled if I could take them.... Your reminding me I need to ask my GP to check out liver function again this week when I see him......

Kinda same boat as you as far as not knowing at beginning of all these things potenetial for harm, potentential for progression of PN, etc. ("go home and rest, you'll be fine in a couple of months"... - I had always been working or up to my elbows in chemicals in a darkroom so never used the net except for email at work so didnt realize the weath of info out here, and actually believed the docs) - until all of a sudden got hit like a brick! Hindsight eh!

Thats too bad they wouldnt give you any more injections if they did bring some relief - cause nsaids eat up your guts for lunch!

I'll keep you posted on results, and I hope you feel better too..... !!!!!!!!!