Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI): A Patient's Perspective
96If you are a patient experiencing back pain, and have tried numerous treatment methods, only to find that they help just a little, or not as much as you would like, then maybe your next step is an epidural steroid injection (ESI).
I've been dealing with a herniated disc for the last four years or so, and have tried everything from physical therapy, chiropractic, pain medicine, acupuncture, rest, ice, heat, ointments and many other things. So after visiting a back specialist, who thankfully told me I was not quite a candidate for back surgery yet, he suggested the minimally invasive epidural steroid injection. If this has been recommended to you, and you have done an Internet search on the topic, you likely will be shown hundreds or even thousands of links to websites from surgery or radiology centers that perform several of these procedures daily. But a patient's perspective isn't as accessible, so here I am to tell you about my experience.
First of all, I hate needles, though not to the point where I get sick before any type of injection or blood work. However, this was different. We're talking about a long needle that goes directly into your spine and then serves as a vehicle for something usually akin to cortisone, which then shrinks inflammation surrounding the disc or area in question.
I was told by a friend who works at this particular facility that he sees 20-30 of these procedures a day (yikes!), and that it's usually pretty painless as a whole. Still, I know how much pain I'm in and I was scared of someone sticking a long needle directly in there.
So, after arriving and filling out mountains of paperwork about medical history (if you take blood thinners of any kind, you have to stop taking them for a few days prior to your injection), they took me in the back and got my vital signs. My blood pressure is usually normal, but it was a bit high due to my anxiety.
Then a doctor came in and explained the procedure, also answering every dumb question I had, such as "Are you SURE I won't feel the big needle?" He assured me that I wouldn't and that if I did, that I could let him know and they would give me more numbing solution, a.k.a. lidocaine.
So I went in, and I'm not sure if this is typical of every center that performs these, but I didn't even have to wear some uncomfortable hospital gown or anything. Simply loosen your pants, and jump on the table. That was encouraging.
Then they prep you by washing your skin a bit, and the doctor comes in. Now, I should mention that this is done on an X-ray table, so that the doctor can see where he is going with the needle. Unfortunately, my doctor came in and informed me that he had just gotten off the phone with my back specialist, who clarified that he wanted an ESI that gets closer to the S1 nerve, because that's what was causing the bulk of my pain. Yikes, I said, and I really said that. I had acupuncture a few years ago and I distinctly remember almost jumping off the table from some of those needles touching on nerves. Still, this was supposed to be different.
They numbed me with the lidocaine, which felt like a little bee sting, and quite honestly didn't hurt for more than 2 seconds. After I started to feel numb, the doctor put the big needle in, telling me what he was doing the whole time. I'm not sure if that's good or not, but I was still fearing that jolt I might feel from hitting the nerve. I did feel it a bit, but it didn't hurt all that much...still, he didn't want me feeling anything and gave me more lidocaine. Then, finally I did feel a very slight electric type shock, but I mean slight. He was there, and poured the cortisone in...which made me feel pressure in my lower back and down my left leg, pretty much where most of my pain is.
Then, and it happened so quickly, the needle was out. I had visions of having trouble walking, but I didn't at all. They took me into another room and got my blood pressure again, which was still sky high, and I knew it would be. But I was relieved that this was over.
Then what? Well, they recommend that you have a driver to take you home in case you have lingering numbness in your leg(s). Then you should rest for the remainder of the day, and resume normal activities the day after that. You will be sore, as if you had a tetanus shot, for a few days, and then by the third or fourth day the cortisone should start to fully affect the area. I have to say that in my case, it took more like five or six days to feel improvement, and even then we're talking maybe 15%.
I've read, and been told, that it sometimes takes 2-3 injections to get the most benefit, so I'm going to probably try it again in a few weeks and see how that works. At least this time, I won't be as scared or anxious as I was the first time, because that unknown factor won't be there.
For those of you who have been recommended this procedure and are dreading it, I can tell you that there is really nothing to be afraid of. The whole thing is almost completely painless, and the worst part might be the soreness you'll feel afterward. Plus, the actual procedure takes about 10 minutes.
I'll report back more after my second injection, and meanwhile I hope this hub helps many of you and/or alleviates your fears!
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Comments
Very interesting
I just came across this post. I will have the injection done in 3 hours from now and I am so glad I found this article. This just put me at ease a bit. Most of the stuff I read from others was bad things about it. Especially after the injections. So thank you very much for posting some positive words about it.
hey Andrea...you just made my day with your comment....that's exactly why I posted this article. I'm actually having a second one done in two weeks and I'm hoping it will really do the trick. Most of all, I'm not scared this time. Best of luck to you and let me know how it goes!
How did the second one go? Any benefit? I had an L5 minimally invasive discectomy a few weeks ago and don't see any benefit yet. ESI is my next step. Should have been my first step.
hey Mark....the second one didn't do much, I'm sad to say. Part of the reason is I had a road trip planned the day after, and was in the car for 20 hours over the next three days. That was dumb on my part. But I'm having a third soon. I hear sometimes the third one is the charm anyway. That's a bummer about your discectomy not working...I was actually thinking about that as my next step, and I know someone who that helped a lot. I guess everyone responds differently. But I would definitley get the injection and see how that works...but plan on getting two or three.
My doctor and surgeon are telling me the discectomy can still work. I just need to give it time. The surgery was endoscopic and it was easy. I did not feal anything. I have had this problem for 6 years so they say it takes time for the nerves to recovery. My doctor put me on Lyrica. I have been on it for 3 days and it has helped a lot to relieve the sciatic nerve pain including in my foot and leg. Look up Lyrica. If the surgery did work I would only need to be on Lyrica for a few months. Good luck.
well keep me posted for sure. I think I have the same problem as you...a bulging disc pressing on a nerve, and it's awful when I'm sitting for any length of time or if I do anything strenuous. I'll check out Lyrica..i'm on painkillers and anti-inflammatories and those do a decent job for now but taking them long-term kind of scares me.
Hello everyone,
Just thought I would share my story with you.
I injured my back at work and didn't know it at the time. About six months after that I could barely stand, walk and lay down in a comfortable position. I come to find out that I had three herniated discs in my lumbar. L3, L4, L5 S2. I also have a 40% spinal canal closure, fractured facet joints on L2, L3, and L4 as result from my injury and finally nerve damage that has caused about 30% loss of mobility in my right leg.
I was referred to a specialist who advised against surgery due to my age being young that is. The first steps are injections, physical therapy and finally pain counseling to coupe with chronic pain.
My injections are scheduled two weeks apart. I first had four injections done on the right side in-between the facet joints. Two weeks later I had four more injections done on the left side and one on L2 S1 as I complained about new pain going done my left leg. My second starts two weeks after my last injections which will go directly into the nerves. In all five on my right side then four on my left side.
As mentioned above in previous posts you don’t feel much besides a slight shock of pain that can run down your leg or a pinching feeling.
So far I have seen a slight improvement but my pain scale on both sides of my back and down both legs is a little less than it was. I have found some other concerns that I have noticed. After being in the same position for a few minutes I get a larger amount of discomfort and once I stand up it hurts for a few minutes. This even happens when I lay down for bed. All of this is due to the degree of my injury which yours will most likely vary from mine.
Some of the degrees of my injury could have been avoided if I had gone to my doctor earlier but I only thought I just had a sore back and it was getting worse. As you can see that was not the case so get checked out if you did something no matter how small it is.
If you hate needles just tell your doctor to cover the machine up or have it hidden behind a screen before you get into the room. The procedures are fast but expect to rest for that day as you will be sore.
Lyrica helped me for a few months but I got off of it due to a rash. The rash may have not been caused by Lyrica. Still unclear. I weaned off Lyrica over 12 days but the withdrawal symtoms were horrible (anxiety, night sweats, weight loss, insomnia...). The pain came back so I did have my first epidural steroid injection 7 days ago. I seemed to get even worse but the dr said I need to give it a few more days. We will see. I am sure they will want me to have another one. Seems like an endless cycle. I hope something begins to work soon. May even consider going back on the Lyrica since the pain was a 5 vs 8 to see if the rash comes back. I would take even more time getting off to try and avoid some of the withdrawals if I try that again.
Eager to hear if the further injections helped or if you got back on Lyrica. I have my first injection scheduled for about a month from now and am extremely skeptical it will provide relief, especially since I had to get a tetanus shot about a month ago and it took almost a month for the swelling to go down!
If you get a chance, do provide an update.
Mark...I think Amelia is asking you for an update :)
As for me, I have had three injections.....the pain goes away temporarily and then it creeps right back. I'm going to see a surgeon next....I have a desk job and it hurts a lot to sit, so I'm going to need to do something fairly soon.
I agree with the post of the 3rd one is the charm.
My spine specialist has recommended an ALIF - unilateral using
the BMP (bone material) and pedicle screws. Had injection 3-2007,
8-2007 and 7 -2008. The 3rd one gave me relief for about 10 weeks
which was a remarkable relief, The first two lasted about 5-6 weeks,
I am having my 4th one tomorrow (11-26-08),
This is my last injection, Ny next move will be the surgery, All I can do is be
positive. But I am scared to death of the surgery. I just dont want to wind
up with a pain specialist prescribing pain medicine for me for the rest of my life.
I am 53 year old female.
I had my firts injections on my L4-5 and S1 I have to admit the numbing meds did not hurt and the doctor said that would be the worst but when he went in with the steroid I definetly felt pain enough where my bloodpressure dropped and I began to feel faint . I felt both injection sights and the contrast dye used after. I felt better for about 30-60 minutes and then I began feeling all my symptoms plus new leg pain I had never experianced any of these charle horse leg pains before. Most of it was in my sciatica it has been three days and I am still in great pain with my leg and now I am noticing it slightly in my other sciatic and leg. I dont knw if this is normal but I was feeling much better before I went and did this. Hopefully this will get better. I justdont understand all this new pain?
I had my first epidural performed on 12-19-2008. I was told that other than a slight pinching with the injection of the lidocaine, it would otherwise be painless. Wrong! I am not sure why I experienced as much discomfort as I did, as the doctor really did not have an explanation, but it was very painful. He went in between C6-C7 and I felt everything. Pain up and down my spine. Three days later the injection site is still sore. I hope it improves as I am scheduled for number two in January. I am normally not a complainer of pain as I am a lupus patient and experience pain often, but this was not a good thing! LOL
Hello everyone, my name is Adam I live in Sydney Australia. Before I begin, let me give a history of my sciatica. I hurt my back in a minor incident way back in 1988 whilst in recruit school in the Australian Navy. I bulge a disc during a fall. At the time, I never though a person could experience such pain as I was going through, with mind numbing pain in my legs and lower back. I used to cry myself to sleep, but please people, it DOES go away DO NOT think that your life will be in pain forever, it just takes quite some tiem to heal thats all, try to be positive and for goodness sake dont lay in bed all day waiting, get out and walk because this makes a hell of a difference.
So about probably 8 weeks later, I was essentially pain free with some minor excursions of pain if I did anything stupid like lift something heavy. This pain was probably mostly muscular and settled over a day or two.
I ended up on a ship at sea for 2 years solid with no symptoms whatsoever. I was approximatly 19 years old. Very tall slim boy 6'6" 80KGs. I was then posted to a shore establishment where again I had few problems with my back, then to another shore establishment in Darwin where I did have some probably which were quickly resolved. From there to a position where I had to sit for 8 hours a day peforming my duties which I am unable to discuss other than to say I was seated all day. Sitting was never really a problem for me, and many people do suffer when sitting and laying down, I had all my problems while standing. I became very very bored with this type of work and ask to be transferred back to a sea going vessel. This was declined and so I joined the Submarine Arm as they were desperate for sailors and I knew this would get me out of the current posting which was granted no problem in 1993, I was 22 years old.
My problems started right here, and this could have been the biggest mistake of my life. The cramped environment and hard working conditions for someone as tall as me was the straw that literally broke the camels back. Mostly it was due to carrying heavy objects bent over (fire fighting equipment and stores..food) into their stowage place onboad the boats. After 2 years I started to feel pain in my legs. I had forgotten what it felt like to have sciatica. They Navy sent me to specialists who did X-RAYs, CT Scans, MRIs etc. Let me tell you the Navy medical system is second to none. There is not a private practice on earth who cares more for their people than the Australian Navy does! Fullstop!
So there was a significant disc bulge at L4/5 impinging the nerve root canal. The word used 'OBLITERATION'. I was posted ashore to the main Naval Base in Western Australia and began with one of WA's leading nuerosurgeons. I am not sure of legal ramifications so I will not post his name on this site, other than to say he was in my opinion a VERY GOOD doctor. X-Rays were unable to show the degree of damage to the nerves and I could hardly stand for more than a few seconds so an MRI was performed. It is now 1995 having been ashore for about 8 months. The MRI showed a severe disc bulge which coincided with the pain I was in. I had a Discectomy performed in November of 1995 to remove the protruding disc. It was by all means a success within 12 months of the surgery, however there were problems pre surgery which caused me severe trauma during a spinal tap. I think it is important to note that things sometimes go wrong and that it should be known. I have had 2 MRIs now, and these days the procedure rarely presents with any complications, however my first ripped my world apart. Ill keep it very simple, the procedure involves injecting a magnetic resonance fluid into the spinal canal to enhance the imagery for the specialists to see pre surgery. Whilst the procedure went well with little to know discomfort at all except for the initial pin prick local anaesthetic, the hole that was made by the insertion of the MRI needle, did not heal and as such the fluid from my spinal canal was leaking out into my body cavity. Now people, there are things called Migranes, some people suffer from headaches etc, I DO NOT. I have never had a headache in my life, I dont drink much so a hangover headache was never really something I had felt either. This fluid leaking out cause me a headache that nothing short of hell. I was on the ground flat for 10days whilst the Navy tried to find a way to resolve it. If I raise my head so much as 3 inches from the floor it was agony, whilst flat it was fine. A blood patch was peformed meaning they took blood from my hand and injected it into my spinal cord, within about 3 hours I was fine. Apparently the spinal cord replaces its fluid every 45mins throughout our lives so it was quite fast to resolve.
As previously mentioned the op was a complete success. I was almost pain free for years and went back to sea on submarines. I was promoted to a higher rank and as such was able to delegate to my sub ordinates rather than have to endure a lot of manual labor myself. I on the otherhand was very careful with my peers and ensured they did not do things as I had.
People, when discs are damaged they become degenerative, ie: they become more fragile with age so to speak. I left the Navy in 1998 for fear of another operation and worked for the Navy for almost 5 years as a contractor. I was pain free by now but not having to go to sea and now in job which required little lifting I did not really cause myself and back problems other than normal muscular aches and pains if I went a bit overboard with a carton of beer or something like that. I was riding my bike to and from work almost 42km per day, I went to the gym on occasion and kicked a soccerball with my kids. I was okay.
I left my contractor job and moved to Sydney from Perth in 2004. I thoroughly enjoyed going out dancing at night with my girlfriend in clubs, and in late 2004, I woke up one morning unable to get out of bed. There was no incident as such and I doubt that dancing could have caused another disc bulge so a friend of mine who worked at St. Vincents Private Hospital booked me for an appointment with one of Sydney's leading nurosurgen's. I would soon find out that he was absolutely brilliant in his feild of work. I would never trust my back to anyone else now and although I wont mention his name, if you go to Level 7 of St. Vincents Clinic I am sure you will find him. His last name starts with P and has 4 letters in it. That should suffice.
He performed a lumbar laminectomy on my at L4/5 and when I awoke from surgery I hardly needed Panadol for pain relief. He performed surgery on my spine and unlike my previous doctor the scar on my back was 1cm long as oppose to about 8cm. Within a month I felt like I was 18 again. I had no pain at all period! That was in 2004. It is now January 2009, I am in pain again, I having been pain free for 3 years, probably picked something up a long time ago and weakened my spine. I went back to him and he did a Steroid Injection which has relieved a lot of the pain in my right leg, however my left lower back is a bit sore and is restricting my movement making it hard for me to work and have intercourse which I know from past experience can trouble an otherwise great relationship very quickly indeed. The steroid injections are great at St. Vincents, I have had 3 now and they have gone without a hitch. I am at the point where I will request a second lamenectomy when Dr. P returns shortly to his offices. I am now 37 y
HI my name is Velma and I also have problems with hernited disc at T 11-12,L4-5 and L5-S1 I opted for doing nothing invasive and in stead used the DRX9000 for Spinal decompression 20 treatments and oh what a relief. I can now sleep at night and drive for more than and hour before having to stop and walk around to get feeling in my legs. For me it was the best decision I ever made. The treatment takes about 25 minutes 2-3 times a week. Mine were at my chiropractors office. I don't know if any of the orthopedic or neuro docs have this available.
G-Man,
Where are you at with regard to your pain and treatment - did your thrid ESI work like a charm? Have you decided on surgery yet? I am headed for my first ESI on 5 Feb after herniating L5 S1 while lifting weights - doctors told me to continue exercising which I did and certain I did more damage. I am in the Navy and was out at sea before getting the MRI to confirm everything. As of now I am taking Mobic (15mg), Valium, Neurontin, and Vicodin or Tramadol when the pain gets really bad. I am able to swim and workout on an elliptical as well as low weights, but not much else. I am also scheduled to see a Neuro surgeon two weeks after the ESI in the event it doesn't work.
hey guys...a lot of you have been asking about me and I appreciate that. As I sit here now, my back is hurting really bad....I've had the 3 injections and they only provided temporary relief each time. I have also thrown my back out of alignment a lot lately, something that a chiropractor can usually help with, but it keeps happening more, with the pain settling in to where the bad disk is. I'm going to see my doctor today...in addition to regular pain meds, he's given me cortisone pills before which have helped. But I'm also having an MRI next week to see exactly how bad the disk is and how long I can prolong surgery if that is the next step. I am self-employed with our family's own insurance, making my back a pre-existing condition, making all of this even harder than it should be. Is anyone else in the same boat?
On Friday Jan 30 2008 I had a Epidural steroid injections. The shot did hurt alot! im still in pain. More so then before I had the shot. I have L4 L5 and L5 S1 herniations. Iv been on pain meds for weeks and i hate not being able to think clearly at work. I also have a desk job and i have tons of pillows to more or less lay in my chair not sit. It kills to much to sit. The Doc said since im so skinny the meds he put in my lower back have very little place to go and the pain would be more for a few days. ok im feel likes im going nuts. I placed a call into him this morning and have heard nothing back. any tips from anyone would be helpful. Missy m3hickcox@yahoo.com
hey Missy...so sorry to hear that! The 3 injections I had did not hurt much at all, but the relief wasn't quite what I hoped for. I know everyone is different, so you'll have to see what your doc says....if you haven't seen an orthopedic doctor yet I would recommend doing that. or even a neuro surgeon. Or hopefully more folks will read this and e-mail you. Good luck!
hey Missy, I actually do the xray work for the injections, and there may be a couple of reasons for your pain. First of all, your size doesnt really matter as far as being painful. The meds. go into your spinal canal. I f your canal is narrowed, it may hurt a bit, but not usually. Also, if you are very nervous during the procedure, the tightening of your muscles actually contributes to some of your pain. It makes the needle harder to get through to your spine, thus causing more pain. The Dr. may have also brushed up againt a nerve during the injection. Not uncommon, but its unavoidable. I say give it a second shot. You could have 10 shots by the same Dr. and have 10 different experiences. Find one you like, and are comfortable with, and you should be fine. Good Luck!!
wahoochuck2: Thanks for the post back. Yes i was very nervous. He did say the narrowing might have something to do with it he put me on a Medrol Dose pack and iv seen a little change not much. I did see a Nero Doc at first and he said im to young to have the Disc taken out and to try seeing the pain Doc. so yea im still waiting for the pain in my back and legs to go away. The numbness stinks. I have a follow up on the 16th. I hope by then i feel better.
My dad had his 3rd injection two weeks ago. He is having severe right leg pain and swelling. Has anyone had this symptom and can you tell me how long it will last?
He's discouraged due to not being able to be up and about.
hey, just read ur article. its true the procedures are painless my dr gives a local, so im out! lol anyways im getting my 3rd set tues for me they dont work, hope they do for other. im 24 with 2 discinigrating discs and 1 hurniated on my nerve causing sciatica down my right leg. it all has to do with my l4 l5 sI..... well good luck to all
wish me luck
hi guys i have read each comment i know what all of you a dealing with i also had a disc pro laps on the l4-l5. i had 3 injections and no help.
i was on all typs of drugs from tramol,lyrica and oxicodine which made me fill like a junky.
after all that my next step was to be cut open i was 6 weeks away from getting it when i went and saw a chiro he took xrays of me and told me not to get the opp he told me with in 2 weeks he will have me pain free and within 4 weeks ill be up and walking without pain and it happend.
i have been seing my chrio now for 6 months and havent looked back and im 100% pain free now.
so for the first time since i did my back i went for a run.
so people who read this PLEASE DONT GET INJECTIONS OR THE OPP ITS A WASTE OF MONEY AND YOU DONT GET ANY BETTER.
if you have and questions please feel free to ask me and i will do my best to help you
I have had 3 ESI's - the 3rd was just this week. The other two worked pretty well, but then I got worse and now feel numb in my leg and foot. My ESI's are awesome - they put my to "sleep" so I feel nothing! MOST Dr's now days do this - it they don't - go somewhere else. You should not be awake and have this done!
Also - give it a few days rest after your injections! The first two I had, I went and played tennis the very next day, and I honestly think that was not a smart idea. This time, to see if it works better, I will wait 3 days before playing any tennis or doing anything real physical.
Good luck and get the ESI - but make sure you are basically under when they give them.
I'm glad I found this site. I am a 35 yr old male in good shape that has been suffering for 1.5 years with a bulging l5 disc. Physical therapy didn't help much. My back pain is constant and varies in intensity from a dull, aching pressure to the burning sensation on the top of my butt, moving down my leg. The pain only reaches that point if I have been sitting for a long time, like a road trip. I am a respiratory therapist, and stay on my feet 12 hours a day, and do a fair amount of bending and lifting. A co-worker just had her 1st esi for a lower-back bulging disc, and says she was pain free the day of the shot, which was 3 days ago. This prompted me to research the ESI, and is how I found this site. I am encouraged by her experience to try it, but am discouraged by many of the comments that I have read online. The most common comments are that the ESI didn't help, or made matters worse. So, please share your experiences and let me know what you think. Is the shot the right thing to do? Thanks!
hey Bobby.....I realize it didn't help me and it sounds like you have the same type of pain and situation I do. But I would recommend at least trying the ESI because I think it's different for everyone. Maybe even get two of them and see how that helps.
I have degenerative disc disease and after months of pain last year, finally had an epidural cortisone shot. I had the option of getting anesthesia though because I was really scared about the whole thing. It was also the first time I ever had that but I'm so glad I got to sleep thru the whole thing! It took about 7 days before I felt any relief and it actually got worse before it got better. Anyway, the shot lasted about 8 months or so until my back started acting up again. It just recently got really bad and I had another MRI showing a herniated disc at L5/S1 compressing a nerve and minor stenosis. Also have a bulging L3/4 and a bulging disc with an annular tear at L4/5. Did I mention I'm only 31?? Sometimes I feel like I'm 90, I swear. So, here I am faced with the same situation again. I've done chiro and PT with no luck. I'm taking naproxen, flexmid, and hydro 7.5/325. Sometimes the pain meds help and other times I've taken 3 in a 2hr period with no relief what so ever. The worst pain is the sciatica. That's a special kind of hell. I could be standing in line at a store and just start swearing out of the blue. People probably think I have tourettes because it's so random but that's how the pain is. A constant gnawing pain in my back and all of a sudden it will sting or stab in my lower butt-top of thigh and spread down to my foot. So, after seeing another neurosurgeon today I think I will try another shot but this time I'm not going to be put out. Atleast I know what to expect now and I pray to God it works again. I wish all of you luck and as much pain relief as you can possibly find!
This has been a great read, and the comments helpful. I have not found a solution that reduces my back pain more than about 20%.
It is at L5 S1 (very common) and after forty years of taking medicine and having treatment it has never got any better. The only thing that works for me at all is exercise and that hurts like hell!
Hi my mate was jumping on my back about 2 days ago and it hurts (very little) when i bend down or am sitting (i am fine when sleeping)
i have no idea why i am getting the pain and what it could be ?
thank you all for the comments as always...it's great for everyone to share their experiences. I want to add that I started working out with a personal trainer, and have lost 5-6 pounds and put on muscle...I've also been eating very few carbs which has helped. I thought that the core strengthening would help my back...well, at times it feels like it has, but mostly the working out has made me more sore, and I have to admit the overall pain level is as bad as it's ever been.
Also, I saw a specialist a few months back, and he gave me a cortisone shot in my hip, sort of where the sciatic nerve runs down. That helped temporarily but not much more than that. He also told me my condition is not bad enough to require surgery yet.
So like many of you, I'm still just dealing with it and trying to manage the pain as best as possible. It sucks, but I keep saying there are worse things that could happen to us. Hang in there folks, and thanks for the comments....keep 'em coming!
I'm a 39 year old post-op L5-S1 partial discectomy and L4-L5 Foraminotomy patient. My back pain experience started 4 July 2008 with jumping off a boat to a dock approximately 4 feet away and 18 inches lower than the boat height. Instant L5-S1 herniation. I went through PT, Pain Management (no injections), but lot's of drugs (Fentanyl, Percoset, Lortab, IBU Prophen 800 MG 3x daily, and more. Anything I wanted, I'd be given and told that we should manage the pain and deal with addiction later. This went on for about 9 months with me seeing primary care physician, nero-surgeon, multiple times a month. The last thing I was suggested by my surgeon before surgery was that we could try a chiropractor to rule out that alternative approach. My wife was with me and she couldn't tolerate how much pain I was in and the mood/spirit altering nature of all the drugs I was on. When she told the surgeon this, he indicated that he understood and that since he first saw the MRI results months before hand he felt the only resolution was surgery and was waiting for me to be, "mentally, physically, and emotionally ready for back surgery". Within a few minutes I was scheduled for surgery on March 26, 2009 (less than 10 days later). I was immediately put into a process to get a full exam with my Priamry Care Physician, and an exam with the medical center where the physical surgery would occur. I asked about the results of the MRI and everyone was happy to tell me that based on the MRI and pain reported I should have had surgery a while back! I guess in our litegrous societies we have to get, ""mentally, physically, and emotionally ready for back surgery". I guess the first lesson learned here was that doctor's will interperate test results, but won't necessarily counsel you on what they think should be done and are VERY CONSERVATIVE to leave you the patient/victim to make your medical decisions.
Post Operatively I was pain free for three (3) days! Great right? NOT. They had me walking immediately following surgery and were counseling me not to stay still. They kept me this way for about 6 hours and then released me to go home the same day (in at 6:30am, surgery at 8:00am, out of bed at 11:00am... FAST). Those three pain free days were very encouraging. After the medicine container with the tube in my back were removed at day three (3) things were okay for a few hours, but then things became ugly. Day four (4) I had my follow-up with the surgeon in his office. I told him all of the pain (lower back pain and terrible right leg sciatica) had returned with new symptoms of pain in my lower right but bone (very internal feeling) and periodic left leg sciatica (nominal pain, but there none-the-less). At this time I had Lyrica added to my pain medications and was told that everyone is different and these, "data points" were interesting, but non-conclusive due to the trama of surgery and being only four (4) days out a lot of things could change. What was somewhat infuriating was being told that in another two weeks we could see how I was doing, but I needed to just now "go through the, 'algorithm' to see what/if other positvie/negative data points manifested themselves. I returned for the appointment and found that I had more extreme pain where the surgeon increased the Lyrica dose (and prescribed more Physical Therapy PT), a chiropractor, and Pain Management Clinic for a possible Lumbar Injection), my primary care physician increased the Fentanyl dose and I felt like a zomby going through withdrawls flu-like symptoms every 3 hours (as a result, every 10 days I kicked one of the chemical habbits until the only thing I was on is Ibuprophen 800mg 3x daily. The detox was a living hell, but worth it. I get no benefit from PT whatsoever. I went to the Chiropractor (who works with the Pain Clinic) closely as she used to perform nerve studies for them years ago. After nerve studies it was determined that I had Myelin Sheath damage and the most likely culprit for causing this is "Chemical Inflammation". The best solution recommended was to stop taking Ibuprophen 800MG 3x days, start taking Celebrex 200MG 1x dialy, and to schedule a Lower Lumbar Injection (scheduled for 9 June 2009). The lesson here was that Celebrex started working like a champ within about 24 hours and 80% of my pain went away. Another lesson was that you need groups of professionals looking at things from different perspectives with different toolsets. A surgeon might think surgery, a Chriopractor/Pain Clinic may think inflammation, a PT might think exercise and scar minimization through ultra sound. Each profession has a different view of your world and not one may be right, but all may have a solution.
I am finding Celebrex to be a godsend. I know the above is long winded, but hopefully helpful to someone out here. It was interesting how I thought I was in so much pain, but the checmical cocktails were doing little more than masking symptoms and making me feel like trash. For me, I think we're on the right track chasing down the Checmical Inflamation.
Questions I have:
1) Should I get the injection even though Celebrex has demonstrated huge improvements for me over the last 5 days?
2) Will/Can the Myelin Sheat repair itself? If so, any experience with how long this will take? Apparently the herniation, the surgery, or inflammation could have compromised the nerve's sheat and now the reulsting pain is due to the raw nerve.
3) Any other counsel/advice?
I just had the injection this morning. Too bad nobody answered my questions though.... So far so good. My right leg is a little wonky. Most of the pain is gone (probably due to the anisthetic). The take home paperwork indicates the pain could come back as the steroid may take 2-5 days to kick in, or the pain could get worse (due to "Steroidal Flare".
Here's hoping for the best. I'll keep posting progress.
By the way, the wonky right leg was forecast as the nerve under anistehsia is kind of like when you get novicane to your gums... Your lips may function oddly until things wear off. No worries.
hey Erick....glad it went well....I woud defer to a doctor here to answer your original questions...but I would definitely say getting the injection is a good idea to see if that helps. Keep us posted!
24 hours later (post injection) I had less pain(4 out of 10 with 10 being the best), but was led to believe that anisthesia would take about 24 hours to fully wear off and that it would be between 2-5 days before the steroid started calming the checmical inflammation.
I took a Celebrex 200mg at an early lunch around 11:00am. Two hours later I have almost no pain. I can feel there is something not quite right in my sciatic area running up my hip into my buttocks, but no pain... it just doesn't "feel right".
Obviously something with the injection is helping out along with the Celebrex as I haven't fealt this good in over a year! Keeping my fingers crossed and going to lay low... make sure I don't do anything that may hurt me just because I feel so good!
Well, let me just say that I wish I had the luck the rest of you have had. I went yesterday for an epidural steroid injection at L4-L5. I went through the mound of paperwork, the vitals, etc. They gave me something through an IV that was supposed to help me rest. They wheeled me to the procedure room and I met the doctor. He was a very nice man and explained what we would be doing and that he would be finished in about 15 minutes. After being in extreme pain for the last year after having my daughter, I was ecstatic and happy to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The nurse said she was putting something in my IV to help relax me. She did, and the doctor began. I was in so much pain, he didn't even finish the procedure and stopped before he hit the epidural space. When I say pain, I mean it felt like someone was taking a knife and running it down the back of my calf on my left side. No pain relief at all. I was required to bring my husband to drive me home because they said I would feel a little "loopy", but I walked out of that hospital without any assistance and didn't sleep at all when I got home. I would think that the medicine would have caused me to feel some type of drowsiness????? Has anyone else had anything like this??? I read that everyone said they are virtually pain free during the procedure except for the jolt of lightning. Well, I wasn't able to get that far with it. The doctor said that anatomically, there was no reason for my pain because he was watching everything on the x-ray. I called my back doctor after I arrived home (after suffering one of the worst spasms I have in the last year), but haven't heard back from him yet. I am not sure whether I need to see if they can give me something stronger and attempt it again in hopes that it works, or just bite the bullet and do surgery. Just wondering if anyone else has had an experience like this?
Dear youthpastor95...so sorry you had to go through that. I'm not sure why, that's definitely a doctor's question. I do know that when I had it done, they didn't do anything like IV to sedate me...it was a simple numbing injection, and after that I didn't feel anything but pressure and that lightning bolt thing everyone describes. Still, it's been almost a year since my third injection and I'm not going to do that again since none of them helped me long-term. Luckily, I think surgery options and technologies are changing rapidly so I am confident we will all have better options soon if we don't have them now. Good luck
I am to have this procedure next week and I am SCARED
hey Norma Jean....trust me, I was scared too, but it's not bad at all. I hope it goes well for you!
Hello, all, and good luck and best wishes. I just had my 3rd epidural steroid injection into a bulging L4-L5 disc. It was not painful and none of them have been. I got a lot of relief right after my first, and the second gave me a little more relief, but not as much as I thought it would. I'm hoping the third one will fix it (pain radiating down my right leg with numbness.) I work a fairly active job at a bookstore, with prolonged standing and walking. I spent the first 3 months off working with a chiropractor, which for me was a complete waste of time and effort. Chiro is good for some things but he was getting increasingly impatient with my "unwillingness" to get better. After an embarrassing amount of time, I let him off the hook and went to an MD, who checked out the MRIs and suggested i see a DO, osteopathic doctor, who did the injections and prescribed PT. I recommend getting help if chiro isn't working, because you could be on your way to getting the problem fixed without the mumbo-jumbo. I am looking back to to getting back to activities and work, if I can. If you are given the option of the injections, please consider it strongly. It's not appropriate in every instance, but if you can, do it. And beware of someone telling you your back is "cured and healthy" if it clearly is not, especially if it's someone eager to get you out of their office when you can't be fixed. Some doctor. What a bunch of quacks!
i have a esi scheduled for next tuesday morning i have been sick to my stomach worrying about it and i came across this article and to be honest it has made me feel a little better about it im the type who worries a lot about small things so when the orthopedic surgeon told me i was getting a esi and i found out on the net what it was i began to panc he said they would give me something to help me relax some but id be awake the whole time so i do feel a bit better now ive had surgeries and endoscopys/colonscopys and they were not as bad as my mind led me to beleive but the thought of a huge needle going into my spine has made me kinna leary my surgeon has performed well over a 1,000 of these and nobody has died yet lol. just one of those things thats bark is worse than its bite thanks for helping me ease my fears
hey bulged disk.....I'm so glad this hub helped you....that's exactly why I wrote it, because I was worried too. But it really isn't bad at all....you'll feel mostly pressure but won't feel the big needle...and it goes so quickly. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
i had my esi yesterday and it was the most painful exp i have ever had they say they numb it and dont feel pain??yeah right they only numb so far down and then the dr said i have to exp a little pain while he inserts the big needle with the stereoid let me tell you it was like having my spine being crushed it was so painful i yelled at the top of my lungs they strap you down so you wont move then he digs the needle around every time he took a pic aka moved it so i had to endure several re entrys thats not the worst part he injected the dye and my entire back felt like it was on fire they do not numb you competly you do indeed feel large amounts of pain espically when they inject the stereoid the dr said i will feel some presure he didnt mention the ungodly leg pain feels like someone ripping the nerves out of my leg and yes you do indeed feel the needle every inch of it and its quite painful you feel a hell of a lot more than pressure and that shocking feeling it lasts a lot more than a sec dont let anybody fool you this is a very very painful procedure and even if your asleep you will be in pain all day and the next i was bedridden all day due to the pain in my back/legs headache and today the headache is gone but my leg feels like its on holy fire and my back is so sore i have to have help up and down from a setting position they lie to your face and tell you oh it wont hurt you wont feel a thing(the nurses at the back centeR) trust me you will indeed feel a lot of pain swelling nausea if anybody thinks about having this done it has not worked for me and when they say its painless thats the biggest bunch of crap ive ever heard of it hurts a lot and i will nver under any circumstances ever reconsider this wasteful ripoff unneeded procedure again all this is is a money pit for the dr who chares well over a 1,100 bucks just for giving a 15 minute shot the place you had it done by the time its all said and done that one worthless shot will have costed well above 8500 bucks and it puts you through the worst pain youll ever exp and id rather have my back/leg pain before the shot and the shot and the exper afterwards it took about 4 hrs for the numbing to wear off then it was pure unadultreted hell please reconsider ever having this painful useless shot i guess pain meds and physical therapy and a good lawyer which i already have are my next steps since my case is a worker comp case since surgery is no option looks like a long road ahead which just got longer when my hopes were dashed in a sec from the wasteless shot i had to endure
the place where i had the shot from hell called me a few secs ago asking how i was doing then she asked me was there anything there staff could have done to improve patients visits i told her there nurses could start by not lying about procedures i understand there there to make patients feel comfortable but when i asked my nurse when she was taking my vitals to be honest and tell me the truth was this going to be painful as i quoted this article and a few others to show her i wasnt naive of what was about to happen she and the other nurse assigned to me stood there and said i wouldnt feel a thing she said the inatial shot to numb me would be a little painful which it was not that bad but she said the rest of it would be painfree onlything i would feel would be pressure and zero pain i told the lady on the phone today that i was upset about being lied to and that it had made the exp a lot worse and that i would never have it done again she apologized but i guess the damage has been done i wont sugar coat my exp it was painful as hell and nothing like what i read on the net or anything that i have been told by the staff its very painful and traumatic to go through and its day 2 and no relief its just gotten worser
wow,I'm so sorry you had a bad experience with your ESI.
I honestly had no problems with mine, as did most of the people who have commented here, so it's good to hear another point of view, though I'm sure everyone reading this hub feels awful for you that you had a difficult time with your injection. I hope you feel better soon!
day 3 and im still in pain my right leg still feels like its on fire the spot where i got my injections is black and blue with swelling zero relief on a scale of 1 through 10 its a 11 i called the dr offic e yesterday evening and i was told he will be out of the office next 2 weeks so i asked the nurse what am i to do if i still have complications from the shot(leg burning,nausea,cant sleep,horrendous pain) she told me id either have to go to the emergency room on my own dime or wait 2 weeks and hope it goes away and see the dr when he gets back from cancun mexico no wonder he was in a hurry to get out of dodge that and the fact that i wanted to wring his neck his nurse acted like i was making up the exp she said he never had anybody that said they felt pain from the shot so i guess that says a lot about the places cararcter, if a dr tells you have to have this shot by all mens demand them put you to sleep atleast you wont have to feel the torture i went through i know everybodys exp will be diff but to me it was rough
i have l5 s1 herinated disk, i found out few days ago when i did the mri , now as a 1st step the doctor said the cortisone injection is benefitial
but i have a feeling i will die before doing it ,becs i am so afaraid of it
so just in case i dont write aggain here means i passed away
my age is 37 and i live in a country called lebanon
I am not sure whether this site has helped me or not. I would really appreciate some feedback if anyone has encountered the same problems as me. I have suffered with disc degeneration for approx. 10 years (I am 40) when I did a physical job it would often cause my back to go into spasms but a couple of weeks on high pain meds and anti inflammatories would soon sort out the problem and I would be back to normal. I decided eight years ago to go back to office/admin work which seemed to help my back with very few episodes and even then I could work through them with the pain meds and anti inflams. Just before Christmas 2008 I experienced severe pain in my back and was actually signed off work and could not move at all. Again after a few weeks it appeared to wear off a bit and I could cope with the pain and go back to a somewhat normal life. It never really got any better and gradually I was left with such severe referred nerve pain that I could not move. My husband had to lift me in and out of the bath, I could not even get to the toilet on my own. I was referred to one of the best surgeons in the country and after an MRI which showed Acute right L5/S1 disc prolapse causing right S1 radiculapathy. I was put on Lyrica 300mg a day. I was also taking dyhydracodiene, liquid morphine, diclofenic, valium and so many other drugs that I was like a zombie (and I have to say the only up side was that the meds helped me sleep, they definitely did not help with the severity of the pain). I was admitted for an emergency discectomy on 4th June 2009. I was released from hospital the next day only being told that my back was now stable. I continued to take the Lyrica but stopped all other medication and have to admit that the withdrawals were quite unpleasant but the pain had decreased to a nagging ache which seemed to be recovery from the surgery rather than pain radiating through the nerve. Approx. four weeks after the surgery I sat (with correct posture) to do some admin work for approx two hours. Here is where my problem has started again. The next day it felt like my right buttock was filled with concrete with a feeling of being continuously kicked and no posture was comfortable. I was sent for another MRI with a dye injection to see if the problem is the remainder of the disc or a build up of scar tissue. I get the results tomorrow. After reading this site I am very worried that they are going to recommend the epidural injection. I am a mother to two very physical boys aged 12 and 14. I used to run the line and referee at their football, umpire at their cricket etc. I feel that I am no longer able to fulfill the role that my children need from me. I have now lost my job due to continued absenteeism and have the added worry of paying the bills. I am not in the amount of pain that I was in before the operation but I cannot sit for more than a couple of minutes, can only lie on my left hand side and am now suffering from such severe night sweats that I am lucky if I am getting 2 hours sleep in 24 hours.
If anyone has any information or helpful tips, advice etc. please please post back. I have my appointment to find out the results of my MRI tomorrow and am just hoping that there will be some kind of solution to get my life back on track.
Have just received results of MRI which show very little. They seem to think that I am having these problems due to inflammation in the area that the disc was removed. It didn't show enough scar tissue to warrant the type of pain that I am experiencing so I have been put forward for a cortisone injection which I should have within the next two weeks.
I spoke to the dr. about the comments on this site and he talked me through the procedure step by step and put my mind at rest. I will be having the procedure under a local aneasthetic and will be having an out patients appointment two weeks after the injection.
I will post back with results and feelings on the procedure as soon as I have had it.
I feel blessed that I live in the UK and all of this is being done on the NHS (so cannot accuse of trying to make money by carrying out procedures that are not necessary).
I have been told that the back cannot be an exact science and they would like to try this procedure to see if it alleviates the symptoms otherwise they will need to go back in and have another look to see if there are any reasons (which do not show on MRI) which would mean build up of more scar tissue and them going in blind and looking for problems rather than knowing what the procedure needs to be before going under sedation.
My experience with my first and yet more to come ESI.
My pain management doc put me into "twilight" sleep which I would definitely recommend as I can't imagine staying still otherwise. Also, very important, he/she uses the fluoroscopy x-ray technique to guide the needle to wear the painful nerves are effected, otherwise it is a crap shoot which I suspect has something to do with success rate.
Well, after my first injection four days ago, my pain has been reduced..at time it seems to be gone and others it is reduced by about 25%. I am more able to do stretches that before would have caused my muscles to tense up and limit my range of motion. The procedure itself was not as bad a I anticipated. The most painful part was actually when the "twilight" was injected into my IV and it felt like my arm was being deprived of blood for about 30 seconds...after that smooth sailing. I did not feel the ESI even happen though I was awake the entire time, I think, and the entire process once on the table lasted less than 15 minutes. In the room, there was the pain management doctor, an anesthesiologist, the x-ray tech and a nurse (full house) which was actually comforting, not to mention rock music playing in the background which became the topic amongst all of us during the "fun"...it was a distraction method I'm sure and it worked.
Without a doubt I would recommend the ESI before even considering surgery and will be having my second ESI in about two weeks with a third if needed/wanted. My doctor claims over 70% success rate of greatly improved pain reduction and has the patient list that seems to verify it. My only concern is the longevity of the procedure. Will the reduction of pain be days, weeks or years.
One very important note, if the ESI works, it is still only a fix...not a cure. It does not get rid of the bulge, annular tear, herniation, etc. but rather allows the inflammation to reduce and keep pressure off those nerves.
The key to me seems a lifestyle change is necessary to prevent further damaged and "flare-ups". For an active type like myself...this was, and still is, the mental part of the equation that is challenging at 42 years of age.
I Have L5-S1, left posterolateral disc herniation. Does the ESI really work?? I am hoping that I only need one ESI to get me back to a normal lifestyle. I'v been dealing with this problem for well over a year. I tried PT recently and I think it made it worst.What if ESI's does not work? Is my only option Surgery then?
hey Derek..I think I may have the same thing as you..actually I think what you described is very common, not that it makes it any less bearable. I recommend everyone try this procedure because I think everyone's body makeup and disk problem is different. I have had my problem since 2004 and nothing has really helped...chiropractor adjustments help temporarily, the ESI helped temporarily, but therapy and working out seem to put more strain on it. But if I don't work out or do stretches, I've thrown my back out (pinched a nerve or something, which if you have had, is sheer agony for a few days)...so it's important to keep exercising through soreness. I have also been told surgery isn't the best option at this stage, but that's hard to take with the dull, aching pain from this type of condition. Anyway, don't mean to be discouraging but I definitely recommend you try the ESI and hopefully it works the first time!
just found this site while searching for info on back pain/cortisone shots/microdiscectomy...
after being in pain (sciatic, low back) for 8+ months, despite various PT, advil, stretches, exercise, etc, I opted for the cortisone shot. I did almost no research first, because I didn't want to scare myself.
The pain of the 3 injections (air, dye, cortisone) was noticeable, but bearable. I was virtually pain-free for the next 2 days, and it was great! Like being my "old self"!!
However, the relief was short-lived, so I kept my pre-scheduled 2nd visit for a month later. I expected the same -- discomfort, followed by relief from pain. Unfortunately, I'd say I experienced the same "crushing pain" as the person who posted their bad experience above. The first "blow" was stunningly bad. It really shocked me, and I told the doc I couldn't take it. She claimed it was because my disc was bulging so much. She moved down to the next disc, which is also bulging. Again, the injection of air was so incredibly painful, I actually screamed, and then started crying like a baby. Then I was angry, both at the hopeless feeling that I'd never get relief from the pain, and also at the doc for inflicting the worst pain I've ever felt, as far as I can remember. I seriously felt beat up. I said "just forget it!" and wished they could just rip the nerve out there and then.
I think the doc felt sheepish or maybe personally insulted that I didn't/couldn't go through with the procedure. She came and talked with me in the recovery area, basically giving me a list of names of neurosurgeons she recommends in the area.
what a bummer. I haven't been that furious in a long time.
I have submitted an application for microdisectomy to a surgeon in the area, but haven't heard back yet. in the meantime, I've tried chiro (what a joke!) and have an appt with an ortho tomorrow. the pain seems to have migrated into my hips, making walking really uncomfortable. Advil is the only thing that helps, or an ice pack (esp when I wake up at 4 am writing in pain!)
it's possible that being "uptight" or "skinny" makes the injection more painful. that was one of my own personal theories, even before reading what other people wrote on here. hope to find out more tomorrow.
I am greatful for finding this article. I've been a nurse for going on 9 years, but my career came to a screaching halt after my son and I were in a head on collision 6 months ago. I have conflicting medical reports. CT shows disk herniations from c2-c6, the worst being c5/c6 with central stenosis to 9.9 mm. After months of "lets ignore it" treatment, meds, PT, a home cervical traction machine- I'm still sleeping in a chair every night. Granted PT did help some as I can now bathe myself, shave my own legs, and wash my own hair with minimal (by minimal I mean WAY less than previous) pain. I can not drive more than 20 minutes without suffering 10/11 on the 0-10 scale. I am currently on Klonopin for "benign myoclonic jerks" and Darvocet for pain. I've had a medrol dose pack with absolutely no results, it actually made me feel worse (flu like run down symptoms). So, my attorney sent me to a new neurosurgeon and I'm scheduled for an ESI at c5/c6 next week. After reading all the posts here I'm confident that I should not feel much during the procedure as my doc uses conscious sedation as well as a local anesthetic, so for that I thank you all for lessening my fears. My more serious concern is that since I got no relief with the medrol dose pack whatsoever, I may not get any relief from this ESI. Secondly, I'm worried that even if I do get some relief my attorney will settle my case and weeks, months later my pain will return; and there I'll be with a pre-existing condition that the insurance I get when I'm finally able to return to work won't cover. Since I also have degeneration, I know that is it inevitable that eventually I will have to have surgery. I'm curious if any of you took oral steroids prior to your ESI, and if so, if you had any relief. I wont sugar coat this and deny that my pain has not been so severe that I have at times been suicidal. The thought of "living" with this kind of pain for the rest of my life is enough for me to set aside the the values and religious beliefs I've held all my life. My primary care physician put me on a couple different SSRI antidepressant/anti-anxiety meds which I had a life threatening reaction to, so I can't count on that to lift my spirits enough to keep me from ending the pain the only guaranteed way. I'm 33 years old, have 2 children and a very loving, supportive husband. Honestly if it were not for them, I may not be here today to write this wordy post. We paid the COBRA premiums as long as we could without me working; but as you can imagine the loss of a nurse's pay considerabely cut our budget. Approximately 10 days ago my neuro prescribed me darvocet which helped for about 7 days. By helped I mean, knocked me out. While I HATED being knocked out all day, I don't feel the pain when I'm sleeping. But when I wake up, I feel like the wreck happened yesterday. At this point, not only is the Darvocet not easing my pain, or knocking me out, I'm beginning to get rebound headaches from it. I'm too young to sit in this chair zombied by pain pills. I feel like if I could get 3-5 days of pain free days from this $8,000 procedure, it would be like winning 5 grand on a scratch off lottery ticket. If this ESI "cures" me it would be like hitting the powerball or mega millions for 132 million. Any words of encouragement or experiences are appreciated. Next Friday can't come fast enough for me :)
I had an ESI on sep 10, 2009
I had an ESI on Sep 10, 2009 to treat a herniated disc in L5-S1. The ESI was pain free and quick. I had severe pain before the epidural. It took the ESI five days to work. Pain killers helped in the mean time. I never needed to use them but I am using Lorcet 10mg and it works. The first ESI helped me a lot but I still have pain. I’m due for another ESI next week. It’s really hard to tell what the second ESI will do. I am in pain right now I really try to hold off on using pain killers until I really need them. Nerve pain is very hard to deal with it requires both the use of medications and a strong mind set. I have been dealing with pain since early 2008 but at a much lower intensity than I have been experiencing the past month. It’s very important to realize that pain which lasts more than 4-8 week is not normal pain and therefore is described as chronic pain, but that doesn’t mean it will never go away, rather it “should” mean that it will take time and effort to find a treatment and a suitable life style to help the body heal. Stay Positive a strong mind= a strong body.
Just a comment on the ESI. I had my second one Sept 25. My first one in Sept 2006 was great. Before the first injection I had no back pain and only terrible calf/hip/foot nerve pain. After that injection, I remember going back to the doctor and telling him I felt 97% better.
Three years later I had the same symptoms. A slight back injury and two months later I have no back pain, but the same nerve pain is back and very painful, especially at night.
I'm not even 48 hours after my injection and I'm trying to remember how I felt 3 years ago at each moment, and it's just not possible.
My advice for those considering a first ESI is keep a diary. Write down your symptoms before, after the shot and after each day. If the ESI is effective (and I read about so many that are not) then this will be useful information for you in the future and the effectiveness of the shot.
Ok, so I had my 2 ESI's this past Friday and with the exception of the soreness from the doc poking and prodding around under my skin tissues I actually feel better and feel like it did help me. I also had facet injections. However, for all the people who said I wouldn't feel or remember a thing...they LIED. I remember everything and felt everything, even cried because it hurt; despite having versed (conscious sedation x2, iv fentanyl, and 2 locals). But overall, it was worth it. I'm looking forward to getting back to some sense of normalcy in my life; and praying that these injections last me at least a year. This being the third day post injection, is the first day I have really not needed my pain meds. So I'm taking the muscle relaxers so that I can painlessly start strengthening my very tight neck muscles. Best thing that has happened to me in a long time:)
I have deteriorated L5-S1 disk with bulge deflecting the nerve. I had the first shot by a doc who wrote the book on the procedure and used only local, the first shot was a lot of help to my left side but didn't help the right side. Went back for a second shot and it was horriffic. He was rushing (wish I would told him to stop rushing or let me out) and got through it in about 4 minutes. The local didn't work for some reason (probably didn't give enough time to work) and when he gave me the main shot it felt like lava in my spine and down my left leg [I think he cut the nerve with the needle]. After about 4 days it felt better so I went to work, I started getting pain in the lower back and all of my right leg after about 5 hours. Felt better in the morning so I went to work again but couldn't take it after 4 hours and left. I've been out for 3 weeks now and having trouble walking or sitting much. Wish I didn't get the second shot. My best advice is to get one by someone good and if it doesn't help don't keep going as there is a big risk of permanent damage, especially the more you do it. Try something else.
Hi Everyone:
These posts are so helpful as they give me hope that this pain will clear up.
My sob story: Had a muscle pull in my neck (sadly, didn't realize that's all it was) and mistakenly went to a chiropractor who cracked my upper back and neck. My whole world was rocked. My entire back went into spasm, neck was in serious pain, and headache began all day every day.
After six weeks of physical therapy, the area around C6-T2 was still very sore and headaches were constant. MRI's showed three herniated discs. Neuro wanted facet injections, but PM mistakenly gave injections into discs (which again were only sore and not "painful" at the time). Not only did this not help headaches, but I've been in agony after each of two ESI's.
After first ESI in left C7/T1 my whole upper back "lit" up. After 2 1/2 weeks of constant icing, it finally settled down, but I foolishly allowed them to try a second which immediately set off the area anew. It's now been 2 1/2 weeks and I'm in agony. Constant throbbing/burning/piercing pain in that space.
I can only hope that it's simply bad inflammation and nerve irritation and that it will slowly get better. Of course, I'm paranoid there's nerve damage, internal bleeding, disc damage, etc.
What does doc say? "It couldn't be the shot, probably just original problems." I told him original problem was discomfort, now I'm in pain! His response: "What harm could a little needle do? Let's try another one."
I'll check back in next week with status.
I've heard some say nerve inflammation can last a good month, sometimes even six months, and unfortunately, if real damage, chronic.
Best,
Bob
For what it's worth... I'm 5 months post 1st injection and 3.5 months post 2nd injection. You can look at my posting history for details on my issues...
The 2nd injection was well worth it for me. I didn't see any results for a day or so and then felt relief. At this point ~8 months since the surgery I'm almost pain free.
Post surgical therapy demonstrated I had Mylar nerve damage.
1) It really helped staying on Celebrex 200MG daily for several months (even though I didn't feel I needed it... I was implored to stay on it or Ibuprofen 800MG 3x daily)
2) PT and a Chiropractor specializing in Pre/Post-Op Back Surgeries prescribed by my neurosurgeon about 3x weekly for 4 months was great.
3) Back exercises strained and gave me numerous set backs (perhaps because of all the tissues, muscles, etc. around the nerves agitating the sheath around the nerve). I am thinking about starting the back exercises again as I'm overweight and need exercise.
I don't know if I'll post again, but wish everyone the best with their choices in care.
Best Wishes!
Im glad i saw these posts because last week i went for a esi and it was the most painful thing i ever had done in my life. the doctor could not finish the proceedure and actualy got mad saying he does these all the time and no one gives him problems! he told me to come back and try again next week and take a valium before i come. I am not going back!!! i thought my leg was going to explode it hurt so bad, like the muscles where about to pop. i yelled and jumped and he had to stop i agreed to try again..same thing..i really tried but it was unbearable. I left there crying i was so mad. Im wondering if it has anything to do with the condition of the nerves since some people feel it and some dont, all i know is that was outragous pain. and to make matters worse the attempt irritated the problem and my foot is twice as numb as it was before. (L5-S1) well at least i know now that im not the only one that felt that pain.
Jason Menayan says:
2 years ago
Great advice. I've been battling a L5-S1 herniation myself over the past 3-4 months and I've had the EPI done twice. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me, but my experience in terms of the procedure was the same as yours. You feel an "electric shock" for a split-second, but no pain after that.
I was also given a tranquilizer intravenously, which made me feel loopy during it and for about 15 minutes afterwards.
Definitely something that should be tried for all but the most needle-shy, since it provides relief for many.