Okay....had the injection
 

Well...I had the injection L5,S1 today. Yes...my lower back doesn't hurt as much. My toes still feel like crap. I don't know if I should take my Lyrica...Neurontin....and tramadol...will that conflict with the injection as to if my lower back is the cause of my numb feet? Or...stay on it...because sudden stopping isn't cool.

Hmmm. Maybe MrsD will come along and answer that. I don't know, but thought you weren't supposed to stop that stuff suddenly.

Hope the injection helps. I had one in the same area, and it did wonders-maybe a little sore for a couple of days...

Cathie

I was told
 

Sudden stopping is definitely not cool. I accidently missed a noon and bedtime dose because of my husband being in the hospital. So it was almost 12 hours before I remembered I had not taken my medication. I was sick at my stomach, horrible headache and felt as if I had the flu. The doctor said to never stop this kind of drug suddenly.

Mrs. D should be able to answer this soon.

I'm glad your back isn't hurting.

Billye

I don't think--
 

--taking those meds will conflict with the injection; more likely they would work in synergy.

Stopping any of those meds suddenly, though, would NOT be a good idea--the rebound effect might make the pain worse, and bring with it other wtihdrawl effects. Almost all meds must be tapered off gradually, to give the body time to adjust. The anti-seizure drugs (i.e, Neurontin, Topamax, Lyrica) in particular should be tapered off slowly, as there is the possibility of rebound seizures--the previously depressed, and therefore, likely "upregulated" central nervous system signal propogation might be overwhelming if the "pharmaceutical brake" is suddenly removed.

I'm surprised the docs don't clarify on these things??
You might call the office of the doc who did the inj. and just ask for a verification on this.

But I would think since it was an injection that any meds you take should not really affect or interfere at all.

Anti convulsant drugs
 

Hi Jack:

Just adding my 2 cents to what all the others are saying. Never go off an anti convulsant drug "on your own". Even when quitting them by doctor's orders, they have to be tapered off on a schedule given by your doctor. I assume the doctor who gave you the injection knows what meds you are taking currently? Had he/she meant you to drop any drug he or she would have said so. But definitely, with the anti convulsants, do not drop any doses.

Here's hoping you will be feeling a little better soon. Keep that wallet in your shirt pocket!

Cheers...
Shirley H.

Darn!!!
 

Well....it's almost 6pm, and I got shot at 9 this morning. For the first 6 hours, my lower back pain was minimal. I was riding in my wife's car this afternoon, when the aching lower back pain started coming back. The doctor said that he is not cut happy, and always believes in giving alternatives a chance, but, sometimes minimal invasive surgery will improve my stenosis and SI dysfunction (which I've had for close to 20 years from running). I don't quit honestly know what they would do, but I certainly am NOT up for any fusion or anything like that. I don't have any herniated disks, just a crummy old back. I also don't notice any change in the feet. I did take my daily 75mgs of Lyrica and my 2 50mgs of Tramadol. Tonight, when I go to bed, I will also take my 1600mgs of Neurontin. I have eliminated one 800mg pill, and have been on the 1600 for 2 weeks now. I see my GP tomorrow, and I am going to go over all this gobbledegook with him.

Good idea
 

When you are taking these meds, it would really be important to discuss stopping any of them or any dosage changes with your doctor.

Billye

Stay on meds and discuss any changes with Dr. Sue

I am trying to remember how my epidural worked. It seems like some of the pain left pretty quickly, but I want to say I was still hurting for a few days afterwards. Maybe giving it a few days rest before giving up on it?

Cathie

Hi Jakatak, Sorry to say my epidural did nothing at all. It really made me mad because I paid cash, no insurance. Good luck to you, everyones different.

Jack, you could ring a hospital and ask to speak to a doctor about your situation, best to play on the safe side mate.

Jack, when I got my injections, and I had a few of them, I felt really good for about 4 to 6 hours. Then it got worse but eventually it will get better if they got it in the right level where your pain is coming from.

I think the initial feel good effect is from the numbing shots and I also think there is something added to it to give the quick relief. I wish I could remember all of what goes in but of course I can't. Hopefully someone will.

Give it time and continue to take it easy. Also I never stopped taking any of the meds I was on at the time including anti-seizure types so don't stop any of them.

Rest, use ice on the injection site if it helps and you should start to see some relief in a week or so. Mine pain relief lasted a few months so I am hoping you can find the same...Sue

Jack
 

Middle of the night,it bothers me that you are not staying on meds.
on regular basic, you must give them time to work. The numbness
wore off,so feels bad,give it a chance.think positive. i really know that's
hard,but try. Good luck friend. :) Sue

What I have learned with meds or other issues of concerns you need to be honest and upfront with your doc. Like for example I told my doc how scared I am with the neurontin and she is doing it slow. So maybe they can work out a better mix for example. If you keep going on and off or trying your own mixes you will not know what is working or what is not. I do know stopping or changing doses can have bad side effects. Sometimes docs put us on a combination cause one med works with another. I hope you find out more and sorry for what your going through.

You would think that they would go over some of the possible ways you might react to the shots such as short term relief, followed by a period of discomfort as the numbness wears off, followed by relief again. Its just get the next one in for the next shot so that i can make some more money today.

Jak, I posted on your other thread. But just to know--epidurals take a couple of weeks to really kick in. The day you get it the lidocaine in the shot relieves all the pain, but then it wears off and you're where you started. Over the next 7-14 days the steroid in the injection takes effect, and if the shot works, that's when the pain diminishes.


Again, if laminectomy is what you need, it's NOT a bad procedure. We can talk more about it by pm if you like. Only fusion can be hard, but if your back is stable, you won't need fusion. That's a separate decision.

See other note please.

Jak, I know I'm coming into this late, but last fall I had transforaminal injections in L4, L5, and S1. I was told to rest on injection day...veg out on the couch, no riding in cars except to go home from dr office, couldn't even go out and throw hay to the horses. My instructions also were to continue taking the meds as prescribed (lyrica, elavil, tramadol). It sounds like you had the same procedure I did and hopefully this will help answer your question.

Was this your first injection? Mine were a series of 3, 3 weeks apart. They didn't stop the pain but they did give me some relief that lasted almost six months.

Some
 

I got relief for the day. But, we went to a concert tonight and I had to sit for almost 2 hours. My back did not feel good after sitting for that long. I have SI dysfunction along with the L4,L5 stenosis.

First I will say I have no idea what I'm talking about but was reading your other post about your posture. Have they thought about or maybe you have a back braise?ALso you said you got away from the back exercise but I think all things work in combo. Were they told to be done buy the doc? I just ask cause you don't want to make it worse but maybe all the pieces will fit with the meds,exercise,and time. Feel better I know your having like me a lot of ups and downs. Try though I know how hard to focus on some positives. What concert by the way?I hope to go to one this summer I was suppose to see gwen/akon last week but was too much pain. I like music its a lifter.