Nerve block injections

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the group, but not new to pain. I took a nasty fall

in a construction accident in summer 2000. The surgeon fixed my

shoulder, it does good now, but when they put my head in traction to

help my neck, they made it much worse. I have pressure on my spinal

cord, C4, C5, C6, are all damaged. The pain specialist suggested a

nerve block facet injection, where they drove the needle into my

neck, till I screamed in pain, then they x-rayed the needle, and

wiggled and pressed the needle again, and again,and again. x-raying

it over and over until the needle was in just the right spot.

Then when they shot in the cortizone, or what ever it was, severe pain

shot through the top of my head, just like my headaches do. and the

doctor said that he thought it was in the right spot. He then did

the same thing to the other side of my neck.

I got relief from the pain for about 3 days, then the pain was

right back again. The Dr. sceduled me for another pair of injections

with the same result.

My question is this. Has anyone had lasting relief from these

miserable injections? I have talked to several people that have had

similar experiences to mine. Very short term relief. Those shots are

very painful, and expensive. yet they are required before narcotic

pain relievers are used aggressively. Why? When I went to a new

doctor, the first thing he wanted to do is more injections. I told

him I had already had them and didn't want any more, and he said

that there are different kinds of shots, and sceduled me for them

anyway. Well, I refused them, and told the doc that they don't work.

I ended up going to a heroin clinic to get methadone, because every

pain specialist had months of waiting to see them. I couldn't wait.

The heroin clinic told me that they weren't a pain clinic, and I had

to lie to them and tell them that I had an addiction problem, so I

could get methadone. The pain specialist that started me on

methadone, got heat from the DEA and dropped all of his patients

that didn't let him implant a spinal cord stimulator. He wanted to

put one in my neck, but the methadone does a good job with my pain

for the time being, so I refused. The procedure is very expensive

and you have to keep going in for adjustments, as well. The heroin

clinic raised my dosage very quickly, and made me drive to the

clinic every day to get the pills. I was spending all my money on

gas and clinic fees. They also treat you like a sub human at those

clinics.

I finally got a doctor at the VA hospital to write me a

script, after 2 years of trying. it is a shame that pain patients

must resort to street drugs, and heroin clinics to get relief. I was

at the end of my rope with homicidal suicidal thoughts living in my

mind every day. I also take klonapin to calm myself down when I get

enraged, and soma is the only muscle relaxant that does any good

when my back muscles knot up. I am on full disability and retired

from my union millwright job because of my spinal cord injury, and I

am so sick and tired of all the politics red tape, and hoops to jump

through to get medication that any sorry junkie can get just by

shooting dope in their arm.

Those injections are just a joke in my opinion. Another way for

the doctors to line their pockets, and more suffering for the pain

patient. If there is anyone out there that got more than a month of

relief from those injections I would like to hear from you.

[Guest guest]

I was just going through some older posts and came across yours. I have had

somekind of injections in my back. Three to be precise. I would never let

another Dr. put another needle in my back. Maybe if I were dead. It hurt worse

than having my kids. At least with kids you get something back. With these

needles they just take your money and run. I am disabled too. SSD. One month.

Thank God.

I am sorry it took so long for me to read your post. I am always looking for

people to talk to about backs. Mine is ugly. Miserable. And I have a few more

adjectives to describe it. So, if you want to talk my email address is

d.berg43@...

Thanks, Donna

[Guest guest]

Hi group/Mark

I have had these injections for many years now and I always request that

sedation be used. It's done with an IV and it makes the test so much more

bearable. Most of the time I don't have any problems at all. I had one doctor

years ago who did not use IV sedation. When I requested it he told me he didn't

use it. I informed him I would not be back. There's no reason not to use it.

The patient is much more comfortable and also is much more relaxed during the

process.

Kathleen in Calif.

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathleen,

Yeah, I saw a nitrous oxide tank next to the table when a different

dr. sceduled me for injections, and lied to me about it. The nurse

told me that to get methadone I had to go to a pain specialist, and

all the pain specialist offered me was more injections. I refused,

since the first and second set only lasted for a few days. And I got

4 total with nothing but my normal pain dose, which at the time, was

percocet. It was one of the most miserable tests/procedures that

have been done to me. I would be careful about getting too many of

those, I have heard they will only give so many. I could see it

being much more humane, with an IV with something to knock the edge

off. Or a big shot of nitrous. Before the big pain in the neck.

I am glad they give you relief. I have heard the majority of people

with chronic neck pain report little or no relief from cervical

nerve blocks. I was diagnosed with cervicogenic headaches, since I

screamed when he pumped in the shot. He said that helped him with

his diagnosis. Felt like the top of my head was going to split. In

the same place my headaches always hit. And I must admit the

headaches went away, only for 3 days.