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Spinal Disorders & Back Pain For discussion of all spinal cord injuries, spinal issues, back-related pain or problems. |
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08-19-2012, 11:09 PM | #11 | ||
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08-27-2012, 02:49 PM | #12 | ||
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Unfortunately the trigger point injections have failed. I notified the Doctor and I go next week Tuesday to see about doing the facet joint injections. I guess that is one of the more invasive procedures the Doctor was referring to. I guess just doing the trigger point injections on the over active and very tight muscles was not the ticket to pain freedom. Apparently the facet joint injections go straight into the joints instead of the muscles themselves. I'll learn more next Tuesday.
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08-30-2012, 02:45 PM | #13 | |||
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Awww NUTS! I was hoping the trigger points would work. Well, maybe the facets will work. I had them, but they didn't work for me. None of the injections worked for me, but I'm VERY hard to medicate. My pain doctor got very frustrated with me, and eventually "fired" me. He just couldn't figure out anything that would help me anymore, so he just 'got rid' of me. Nice, huh?
I sure hope the facet injections are the answer for you. You've suffered long enough. Keep us posted -- I appreciate your updates. Take care & I'll be looking for your next update. Hugs, Lee
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recovering alcoholic, sober since 7-29-93;severe depression; 2 open spinal surgeries; severe sciatica since 1986; epidurals; trigger points; myelograms; Rhizotomy; Racz procedure; spinal cord stimulator implant (and later removal); morphine pump trial (didn't work);now inoperable; lumpectomy; radiation; breast cancer survivor; heart attack; fibromyalgia; on disability. Often the test of courage is not to die, but to live.. .................................................. ...............Orestes |
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09-19-2012, 08:45 AM | #14 | ||
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As for my latest update that had been delayed thanks to everything I have been involved with after Hurricane Issac. I had to postpone my appointment a week. I finally was able to go in and dicuss with the doctor the "next step" last Thursday. Turns out that he is going to bypass the facet joint injection because after we had talked for a while he feels that the pain and discomfort is more related to a nerve issue because of the disc bulging and herniation at C6 and C7. He said that if the trigger point injections would have provided relief for longer than they did then he would have still been thinking that it was muscle/joint related. Being that the trigger point injections barely lasted a week and then left me back where I was at prior to them, he said that the facet joint injections were probably not going to work or last either and has decided to go with the cervical epidural injection on the left side between C6 and C7 because that seems to be the location where the worst of my pain stems from. He said that by starting at the base of the cervical spine it allows for the medicine to flow upward and hopefully get to the C5, C6, and C7 disc and nerve areas fairly well. He said it should flow up higher as well but his main concern is C5, C6 and C7 right now. If this works and can provide at least 50-60% relief then it is something he would be willing to do again on the right side fairly soon after the first and hopefully provide me with enough lasting relief to keep me away from having to do surgery. Inevitably surgery is probably going to be necessary but I'm all for trying to prolong that as long as possible. This first epidural injection is scheduled for tomorrow 9/20. Lets see how that goes. |
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09-24-2012, 02:56 PM | #15 | ||
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Update after cerival epidural injection - Seems to have helped quite a bit. I didn't notice much of an improvement the first day so I was a little discouraged. The 2nd day the relief was more noticeable. So far so good. I sort of overworked myself over the weekend so everything is a little sore muscle wise but as for my neck pain, it is no where near what is was prior to the epidural. It's been said that the epidural injection could take up to a week to work fully so I am hoping it continues to help because at this point instead of being at 7-8 on the pain scale every day, I am at about the 4-5 range. I'll post additional updates as they arise.
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10-19-2012, 01:29 PM | #16 | ||
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I went yesterday to do a diagnostic facet joint injection (1 at C2/C3 and the other at C3/C4) to see if by chance the joints were part of the problem causing the pain. The injection did not work which meant right away that the joints are not casuing the pain and that the problems are within the discs and the nerves. Next we are going to another epidural injection to see if we can get further relief. The doctor is thinking if this second epidural injection does not work any better than the first that surgery just may actaully be the only solution. I am thinking about asking him about trying a cervical radio frequency ablation. I do not know if this is a technique he performs or even recommends but is there any reason why I should not ask him about that procedure? Have you, or anyone you know, had this procedure done and did it work? I am trying my best to steer clear of the surgery route.
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