I had my 2nd SGB yesterday morning and it felt so different than the 1st. I had a huge feeling of a lump in my throat, hoarse voice and not a bit of affect on the treating hand/arm. I had a heck of a time at PT due to pain. So I am done at PT, get in the car and feel like I am suffocating, I start choking to the point of tears running down my face, turning red like a fire truck and can't breath!!! All of a sudden I feel this strange burning, tingling run across my back and into my left arm (untreated hand/arm) and now am in serious pain in that arm.

I asked the nurse after the shot if they did something different, she said no, "you may experience different side effects with each block" I said it felt like the medicine was injected, shooting up into my shoulder, back area. She assured me it was in the exact spot it was on Monday. So I figured since my neck was still tender from the 1st shot that maybe it was just me.....now, I am not so sure it was just me. After the experience I had.......oh and my ear and chin were numb for the entire day, whereas that never happened with the 1st shot....

Anybody ever experience anything like this before? is this "normal"?

I had my first sympathetic nerve block (different area L3 vertebrae) yesterday and am experiencing some extreme pain on the injection site yet it is seemingly starting to radiate to my entire lower back. I also feel a slight lump in the throat sensation, could be the meds but idk. This was for my knee however so I'm not sure how helpful this is just thought I'd share as I feel that lumpy sensation.

Dan,
They did tell me that I could experience the lump feeling in throat, it is one of the "positive side effects" so they say. But when I was choking, the feeling that ran across my back and into my other arm was almost like a transfer from one side to the other (without losing the pain in the original hand) if that makes any sense.

The nurse just called to check on me, I explained my experience, her response was" HMM, maybe the medicine didn't go completely to the same spot. The lump feeling is normal, but when anxiety spikes it could cause the choking feeling." I said what about the pain across my back and now worse in my left arm? She really couldn't answer that...I know....don't go back to her....I see my hand surgeon next week and we are gonna have a serious talk!

So anyways Dan, sorry to babble on about mine...is the injection site very sore & tender where you had you block done? Make sure you aren't running a fever, not having bad swelling in the area and if the pain feels "abnormal" call the Dr. and get it checked out, nothing to mess with. My injection site (front of neck) has a tiny bruise, but very tender. Let's hope for relief and a better way to get it!!

That sounds pretty messed up and if it were me I probably would have headed straight to the ER if I started choking. I'm really worried about the pain going to the other arm...that's scary and I hope that it goes away quickly and is just a weird reaction to the drugs. Definitely need to discuss this with your doctor in depth.

I was so happy that you had such a positive reaction to the first block. Hopefully this one was just a fluke and if/when you get another it is like the first one. I'm here for you if you need anything. Keep us posted on how things are going.

No worries babble away! lol. The injection site swelled up a little bit but then became bruised and discolored (yellow and brown) and has been very painful although has gone down a bit in the last 24 hrs. I called the doc and they said this can happen and just gave me percocet 5mg along with the lyrica they already gave me. The percocet is the most effective although I have a large tolerance (I explained it in my "recently diagnosed" thread) so the dose is kind of low in comparison.

Do you take anti-anxiety medication? I do (I have GAD so I was previously prescribed it before I was diagnosed with RSD) and that seems to help both mentally and physically (with the slight muscle relaxant properties, keeps the rate of muscle twitches down). I would ask your dr about that, klonopin is the least "foggy" of the medications, at least in my experience. It doesn't impair my ability to do things.

Hi Sonny,

My PM doc from Tufts was very conservative about what he would allow me to do with my cervical spine after my SG blocks. He specifically DID NOT let me do PT with my arms and neck for 48-72 hours afterwards, because he wanted time to let his injection site to heal. I read all the time about patients that are told just the opposite, though. But I remember how sore my throat was and how careful I needed to be when eating and swallowing. I can understand how intense movements could set off spasms in your throat. That sounds terrifying.

If I were you, I would never do PT again after a block. You are messing with your cervical spine and the nerves that run right along side of it. It's just not worth the risk. Instead, perhaps trying to walk as often as you can outside in the fresh air (with your neck well wrapped) will help your whole body feel better.

Wishing you the best, XOXO Sandy