Hi everyone,

I have good new today. I was approved by workers compensation for the Ganglion Block, for my left upper extremity RSD/CRPS . Is there any first hand information that anyone can give about what to do, or not do after the Ganglion Block?

My Second question is has anyone had any fainting, or near fainting spells not due to medication? Or seen increase of their blood pressure with RSD/CRPS where it is out of controll?

Two issues. #1. increased blood pressure common with RSD. keep an eye on it . It took me 2 years to get mine down and I always had very low/normal blood pressure pre RSD.

# 2. I had these "spells" in my 1st. 2 yrs of RSD and no Dr. could ever explain them. I just recently learned thru another RSDer from a Dr. at University of Kentucky (she has same "spells" ) that they are called Anatonic seizures. Mine quit after SCS implant. So google this and see if this is what you are experiencing.

Sorry cannot help you with any block info. None ever worked for me----Sorry.
Hope this helps-Fondly-Carol

Hi Lefty,

I had 8 Stellate Ganglion blocks. Or was it 9? Anyway - I think the most important advice I can give you is to make sure you are with the best doc possible for one of those because the injection is made through the front of your neck all the way to the back of your neck into your spinal cord. Check that your doc is board certified in anesthesiology and pain management and has lots of experience, and only does the procedure with the help of a flouroscope.

Also - you may request that you be sedated (but not asleep) for the procedure. It makes it a little easier to tolerate. My doc gave me IV Versed for that. Afterwards you will need someone to drive you home.

The first few SGB I had gave me pain relief in the back of my head and my shoulder for 24-30 hours or so. After that, they didn't work as well. And at the end, after I had had RSD for a while, they may have even caused it to spread because I ended up with it in my leg. I'll never know for sure.... its all a crapshoot.

Good luck to you. I really hope you make out well!! Let me know if you have any other questions. XOXOX Sandy

I had one done by Dr Schwartzman's team back around 1990. Strictly diagnostic. It was NEVER intended for treatment. As far as I know, it's a well, it's not for treatment, but it does make some doctors some money! BTW, I had absolutely NO pain relief from my block(s), ever. (I had one or two lumbars as well). Not even for a moment!
And, Dr S, figured as much... (Since I already had rsd for 7 years).


And, as Sandy said, these can cause a spread!

The Zen Master said: 'We'll See'.

Good luck to you, Lefty!


Pete

I think this question came up a few months ago on another post. Nevertheless, it is the SGB's that keep me going. Life is never okay after CRPS/RSD but has been improved somewhat since the blocks. For me (and I understand for everyone, the result is unique), I feel pretty good for 2 weeks, then the results degrade over 2-4 months and I then certainly appreciate another one. I am scheduled for #10 SGB in two weeks. They still help, temporarily.

Tips? Almost all of them paralyses 1/2 of my vocal cords and that causes not only a temporary loss of voice but also I choke on food or fluids until the "effect" wears off. So...drink what you can in the 1st 1/2 to 1 hour or so afterwards in case you are the same. Otherwise, you won't enjoy any food or drink for another 5-6 hours!

I hope you gain some (temporary) relief like I still do!

It's funny you should ask this I am scheduled to do a round of 3 starting in Sept. Let me go back. When I was first DX with RSD I had 14 of them, the first few where done as just a injection and I don't remember it going all the way through my neck to the back of my neck, but I could be wrong. And it only took 2 minutes the prep took longer. Then after the 3rd one he started doing it with flouroscopy guideance, plesae remember this was back in 2004,2005. It really was not painfull just a little but you do get what they call a Homers Syndrome which is drupping of the face and numbness in the same area, but it only last for a few hours. I did get relieve but it did not last. Roll forward during all this I had to have surgeries to correct my original problem. My RSD did get worse so they recommended 5 day inpatient ketamine treatments with booster which I did 3 times in 4 years. The ketamine did work to an extent but it has been almost 2 years since my last ketamine booster and really don't want to do ketamine again and I am beginning to really suffer again from the RSD. So, he said they now do Stellate Ganglion Blocks with ultra sound so the block is administered with more percision. And I asked the question, "I have had RSD for 6 years why would a SGB work" and the answer was it is done differently then the way I received them in the beginning so give it a try. So I said yes. Just make sure it is by a Pain Managment doctor who has a lot of experience doing these type of blocks.

Good luck..

Gabbycakes

I have had 2 SGB's within 2 weeks. For me they did not relieve any pain so we stopped doing any more shots. As a few have said they do the shot through the front of your neck while using a live x-ray. My Dr. was pushing his fingers so hard in my neck that I thought he was going to push them through the back side my neck. This took the most time out of everything while doing the block. I was told that he has to do this to move the corrective artery out of the way so he does not nick it. For me this was the most painful part of the injection. All I felt for about a week was a survivor score throat. My voice was soft speaking for 3 to 4 days after which my wife liked other wise no other side effects.

Its a 50/50 chance that it will work for you the only way to know is try at lease 2 blocks to really know. Hope they work for you and good luck.

Sorry for any misspelling.

Dennis

Watch out for any headache that you may have after the block. I had just a very slight headache after the block and by the time I got home (about 30 miles) I had a whopper of a headache and thirty minutes later I was curled up on my bed in a dark room barely able to speak and could not stand to move. One rare side effect is you can get what is called a steroid headache. My mom called the PM doc right away and he made me go into the ER. He had called the ER and told them that I was coming in and what he wanted them to do. My son had to take me and by the time I got to the ER I could no longer stand and they treated me terrible. I stayed there for three hours, had a CT scan done and one pain injection that gave very little relief. Finally I made my son take me home, I figured I had enough pain meds that would either kill me or cure me at home. My son could not believe how poorly they treated me. When he went to the desk to inform them that we were leaving, and by the way did they know he is an attorney, they got real apologetic and almost begged me to stay. Can you believe it? So any how, be sure to mention any headache that you have following the procedure so that you can be treated on the spot. Like I said this is rare, and I pray that you will have good luck and good pain relief with your blocks. Lisa

Lefty,

I also remember getting headaches. I forgot until Lisa in Ohio mentioned it. Mine did get bad but not as bad as Lisa's so watch out for that.

Gabbycakes