Ok, so I had my nerve blcok yesterday. I am doing pretty well. The pain has dropped significantly, however, not completely gone. I have muscle spasms/contractions (extreme) from my back down to below my knee into my calf.

My knee is still giving off twinges, and more than twinges, but I haven't doubled over in pain and crying since coming home yesterday.

I am still taking all my meds, per the doc. The soma is helping the muscle contractions and hopefully when the muscles relax, I can experience the true benefit from this procedure.

Couple of questions though:
1. If I was to experience relief that would last me, would there be no pain there now?
2. How long should the muscles contract for?
3. Should I be having sensitivity to touch in my hip by my hip bone?

Any answers would be great.

Bumping up because I would like quite a few answers from those who have had blocks done.

Christine,
I would love to give you some info. but I've not had one done. In fact, as it has been determined that I have had rsd for well over 2 years, my PM said blocks will not help. He indicated that he will go to scs as the treatment choice. I will find out more on the 12th. I have to be honest and say I'm really glad I don't have to have the blocks. it just seems that everyone who gets them ends up really hurting. I hope your pain subsides, and it gives you the bliss that I know others have had from it. In the meantime, pamper yourself, take your meds, and try to sleep.
Mary

Hi Christine.

The first block I ever had done was for RSD in my left knee, it was a sympathetic lumbar block. My back did hurt for a little while, I think it was because I had never had a needle in that area before. I had noticeable relief from the first block, but it did not last very long. The second block brought more relief, lasted a little longer and they just got better from there. Are you doing physical therapy? I was always sent to physical therapy immediately following my blocks. After eight blocks, my left leg RSD just WENT AWAY!


Now, NOT to bring you down, just to CAUTION you.....

Actually it went into remission as I now have it in my right leg. Apparently, that's where early detection is key. Due to the short time that I had RSD the first time and the fact that they were able to fix me, I hadn't really put much research into RSD. I didn't know it could come back from a minor injury or at all for that matter, and really, shame on me for my ignorance. Otherwise I wouldn't have let my ortho waste 5 months of crucial time this go around.

I wish you the BEST OF LUCK with the blocks Christine, they can break cycle!

Lisa

Hello-

I am glad to hear the pain is decreasing a bit with the block.

Here are my experiences with my daughter and her nerve blocks. She has had a set of 5 and then experienced enough relief to stop and do PT and then another time she had a series of 3 and stopped. She had HORRIBLE twitching after her last one...so bad that I slept with her and I couldn't sleep because she was twitching like crazy. I called her dr that night and he felt it can be a normal effect after a block. SHe had also done a lot of PT that day so a combination of maybe? It did subside but took over 36 hours.

Not sure if this is a help, but you aren't alone in your reaction to the block.

This is what I think, from my personal experience with blocks. I had a good bunch of LSBs and SGBs once upon a time, but it was the TECs that really worked for me.

1. This depends on a lot of things. It sounds like a lot of the pain you're having is muscle pain. The nerve block might not help that part so much. In my experience, the nerve blocks relieved the nerve pain (burning, electrical shocks, etc) and the vascular pain (heaviness, some of the achiness). In my case, the muscle pain was a result of more long-term effects of RSD, which had to be worked on for months after the actual RSD pain was relieved. But at first I had a hard time, thinking that the blocks would take away ALL the pain.

I guess for me, total relief was more of a process than an imediate thing. I'm not sure if it's like that for other people! When I had my TEC for my arm (2 month long block), it took a good six months to a year of therapy before it was totally better.

I don't know about your second question. Sorry! I hope your medicine helps for the muscle stuff.

3. What kind of sensitivity to touch? Do you have RSD in that area? I guess I really don't know again, but I hope that it's just a temporary thing!

Also, blocks are done in series because a lot of the time, each one works for longer than the last. I hope it works like that for you! I've heard of people getting muscle spasms from the actual block (never happened to me, the worst I had was a bad migraine after a stellate ganglion block). I do remember my back being sore for a few days after lumbar sympathetic blocks.

Good luck, and I really hope it lasts!

Thanks for the replies I got. I appreciate them. I am decent right now (flared though). The doctor stated I can take the soma up to three times each day as needed.

I had extreme vertigo today and went to the ER. The doctor wants me to go to my primary and get checked for MS. YAY - another thing to add to my wonderful year. However, the check she did flared me back to a 5 (which I had been a 2), hopefully it won't last long and will go back to a 2. She had me doing muscle and push testing.

On a good note: my crappy health insurance plan has reached its deductible limit since the beginning of the year. My copays and other payments have all decreased. Right on.

Hi,
I had a series of 3 blocks with no benefit but they did on me what are called "Biers Blocks" - a cuff like that for measuring BP around my upper leg & injecting Lidocaine (aka lignocaine), Guanethidine & saline into the foot of the extremity. Technique was poor - veins collapsed etc & they had no hot water to warm the limb etc. & just kept stabbing me in the foot until I could stand it no more.

I think I was worse after them in all respects & that has been the case with every treatment thus far.
I AM SO GLAD YOU HAVE SOME RELIEF. THAT IS FANTASTIC.

I researched lots & I think it improves if you get a response. The longevity of the relief varies with the individual as does the increase with each block (no matter what kind of block). that initial gain you got appears to be critical. If you respond at all there is a chance that will improve (from my reading) but it is related to how long you have had RSD.

I would love to read a posting from you in the future that it has gone into remission......or your quality of life has improved heaps ----this would make my year.
The blocks may stop the spasms especially if you do go into remission.

I can't offer anything re the bone pain issue except it is in some medical circles a function of the RSD - you might have had it there all along but the other referred pain of the more apparent (severe) signs & symptoms of the RSD may have been masking them. You now know you have it possibly because you have some pain reduction of the other symptom array.

Best wishes & I wish I could offer more.
I am REALLY happy for you.
Cheers Auberon.