[Sydney]

Yes I read your posts on Trigger point Inj. I have both Fibro and RSD. The trigger Point inj. are a God Send. I have been injected throughout me entire body from head to toe with success. There is only one are that is not responsive to TPI and that is my lower back. The pain in that area is a result of an epidural inj. in 2002. Otherwise all other areas are usually back to normal after a series of injections. Of course once something is triggered off it is never the same so you must be careful to take it easy. ex: not too much typing as it will reaggravate my hands) The injections must be done agressively(numerous inj.) and often using a combination of drugs as Dreambeliever mentioned. When the Fibro returns or RSD The Dr gives me another successful series of injections. I have been injected frequently since 1984 (weekly for the past 5 years or so and weekly from 84-89. The other years I was fortunate as it went into a slight remission and I did not have to go as frequently.
I have had absolutely no success with medications and am frequently in excruciating back pain. Can't even get out of bed. Take sleeping pills and sleep all day and night. However, those TPI do help the rest of my body and have been since 1984. You must find a highly qualified Dr. - like Hooshman (retired). I've had them from the top of my head to my toes. I also have had them in my face since 1984.
If you saw the article on A. N. Smith who died - her final and most significant drug that killed her was chloral hydrate. I was given that to sleep in Jan. I took a few sips and it burned my lips, tongue, gums, throat , esophogus, stomach. It spread further every day. Had to be hospitalized. Couldn't get an IV in so they sent me home. Thank God for my wonderful Dr. I am getting very aggresive TPI and nerve blocks in my face and inside my mouth and the burning and pain has definitely improved. Thank goodness as I have so many other problems. This mouth condition is neuropathic pain.
Just wanted to say to Dreambeliver that I agree with her as to the benefit of TPI. My story is very long as I have been suffering for over 23 years with this pain and still held down a full time job.(now retired) I have a supportive husband, family and friends and a wonderful Dr. Sydney

[dreambeliever128]

I am glad to see someone getting the triggerpoint injections and I wish more could and would.

I have had so many that if the holes stayed in me I would leak like a sift. I said I could go down in the Guiness Book of Worlds records for the most shots. LOL

It was a long process for me. I had them from around 98 untlil 06 and have had some in my pelvic area this year. I had them around my heart for the chest pain also. I don't think there is a place on me that my familh Dr. has missed and he can give them so good that you don't even know you are getting them. I had them done 2 times at the U of C and they hurt so bad. I had 28 in my stomach the first time and 10 the second time. After that I just ask my family Dr. if he would give them to me. He doesn't use foot long needles. LOL


Like you medication never fazed me and a lot of it I couldn't take. Now my Methadone dosage is the very low. I take a 1/2 of a 5 mg 3 times a day and at night if I wake up in pain I will take another half to a whole one. I just haven't gotten the pelvic pain inside of me calmed down enough to go off of it.

I think they are the best possible way to get the RSD pain calm down. It's just like I said though, there aren't many Drs. it seems that want to do them for patients from what I am seeing and hearing.

I saw that about Anna Nicole. I had never heard of that med before. I don't take any med you have to drink. Can't handle it. It has to be in a pill form.

I have a 20 year history of constant medical problems too. When I look back at where I have been and where I am now, I have no doubt that God and my Dr. walked me through it.

Ada

[InHisHands]

Hi there, Ada.

I was wondering if you received a nerve block right before the trigger point injections? I read that some Drs. do that to prevent pain from needle penetration.

Did they inject a corticosteroid as well as a local an anesthetic?

Also, did you have any special after-care? PT, stretching excercises, moist heat or ice?

I am really interested in the TPI, and am hoping that I will be able to try this. Thanks.

[dreambeliever128]

I don't get a nerve block before them. I have done fine without it. I realize some people have said they have gotten RSD from a needle but I think it's rare. Accupuncture is pushed for the RSD also and I hear of a lot of people getting good results from it.

I don't get steroid shots because I have to have so many TPI's.

I spent a lot of time in PT for the RSD and TOS but it wasn't because of the shots it was when it all first started. Also I do have heating pads, 3 of them and I use to have to use all of them but I don't anymore.

He doesn't do the anestetics either unless he is having to use a longer needle to kind of numb it but that hasn't happened too often. I have this Dr. that can give those shots and you don't even know you are getting them. He doesnt' use a long needle because they aren't necessary.

If you started getting them, you would start seeing such a difference. It is not an overnight thing as I said before but as the meds get built up in your body it calms down the pain. I have been doing good now for about a year except for my pelvic area as I said but I have also seen some improvement there.

I hope you do find a Dr. that will do them. I have a friend that is getting them now and he has gone back to work. Construction work at that. He had back surgery and had the SCS put in and it caused him to end up with RSD in more places but he is getting the TPI's and I think has been for about a year now. They do work.

Ada

[myochanic]

I would reccomend finding a myotherapist who can follow up with manual therapy after the injection. The cocktail that is injected should numb and deaden any pain and the specific muscles related to your referred pain can then be manually stretched and flushed of the lactic acid and other nociceptor pain chemicals which will restart the pain spasm pain cycle. I live in central Texas and I too am a chronic pain sufferer who has become a myotherapist specializing in drug free pain relief. Please find a REAL massage therapist who know the anatomy well and they will be able to help you. You may also be interested in a book called myofascial pain and dysfunction. It was authored by Janet Travell and David Simon. Awesome and Liberating. You don't have to hurt, there are other alternatives to phamaceutical and their side effects
www.myochanics.com