Heparin Injections
 

I'm scheduled to receive heparin injections tomorrow. I'll let the forum know what the experience is like and whether it helps with pain relief. I've got my fingers crossed.

Kelly

Good luck! Curious as to how that works versus Botox. Do they inject under imaging into the scalene? Is the idea that it's cheaper ?? Are you doing operated side or unoperated? Will you use in conjunction with opioids or without to see real effect?

Good luck, Kelly. I understand he is doing some blood work now before the injections. Do you know what he is testing and/or looking for in the blood prior to the injections?

May you find some relief.

I haven't seen Dr. Ellis yet. I'll know more tomorrow. I don't know how to compare the heparin with the botox. I'm seeing Dr. Ellis because his explanation of the TOS disease process makes the most sense to me, is closer to my experience.

I'm not sure what I'll do about pain medications following the injections. If I don't need them, I won't take them. So far, I've been able to take them only when I need them without nasty withdrawal symptoms. Hopefully that holds.

Kelly

I'm having Botox tomorrow morning. Four shots - two in each side. I will report as well. Fingers crossed for improvement. :)

I didn't think they could do both sides at once - in case of phrenic nerve issues??

Most of my issues are circulatory and vascular, rather than nerve related. I'm getting an injection into the scalene muscles and another into a different muscle for which I can't remember the name.

Good luck with the botox!

Can you (re)list your symptoms?

Can you talk to doctor ellis about pentoxifylline and tocopherol ? please :)

Say him this can reverse some fibrosis : Post operative, radiation induced and others.

:grouphug::hug:

Hi Chroma,

I created a new thread regarding the Botox and my symptoms, so that I was not taking over this thread. :)


Kelly - how did your injections go?

The injections themselves (3 on each side of my neck) were fine. I had them at around 9:30 a.m. By lunchtime I was getting very sore in my neck with very bad headache. Day two my neck was somewhat better but the pain in my shoulders and arms was much worse than usual. I developed a migraine by midday which lasted until I fell asleep at 4:30 a.m. Today, day 3, is better but pain and headache spike with any activity.

I've spent most of the last 3 days resting and lying down. I've stayed off the computer for the most part, read only in short doses when I could tolerate it, and did almost nothing. I'm not sure if I've had the bad reaction to the office exam, the injections or both. So far, it's very disheartening. I was told it could take until Monday to know whether I will get any pain relief.

I'll keep you all posted. And maybe everyone can keep their fingers crossed for me.

Kelly

Thanks for keeping us updated. Hope you feel better soon. :hug:

Thinking of you, Kelly. I hope you start to feel better soon. :grouphug:

Mine are definitely crossed for you, Kelly, and toes too. There's a reason they keep pushing Boxtox on us, and you're going to be the proof in the pudding. Just hang in there.:hug:

Wishing Monday rolls around and you feel much better. Look forward to reading a good outcome as it's a possibility in my future.

It's been 2 and 1/2 weeks since my injections and I don't notice any improvement. I had a very difficult few days afterward and then I felt as if nothing had happened.

I'm going to try one more time and see if I have any benefit. It's difficult to decide to do something that caused me such pain the first time. But I want to see if there's anything to Heparin for me and there's no way to do that without trying again.

I'm running out of silver bullets to try, unfortunately.

Kelly