I'm climbing the walls!!! Back pain/nerve pain treatment???

[M R Dux]

I'm literally climbing the walls! It's so bad a buddy of mine just dropped by with a qt ziplock bag full of fresh crappie fillets. I'm usually the guy giving away fresh crappie fillets.

I had left knee replacement surgery on Jan 23, 2017. I was fully aware of the entire procedure even though I didn't want to be. I had no pain but felt pressure and movement and heard every word, saw stroke and hammer blow. Seems my body deals with anesthesia and pain different than most folks do.

The day after surgery they started my physical therapy. I did well the 1st day. The 2nd day was a different story. I was literally screaming with hip and thigh pain. A normal dose of pain meds did nothing to relieve the pain. The PT was puzzled because that was above the area of any part of the surgery procedure. They sent me for an ultrasound to check for blood clots or blockage.

When I started home PT, the nurse was horrified by how intense my pain was. She sent me back to my knee surgeon but he said I shouldn't be having pain in that area. Same thing happened when the out-patient PT sent me back to him. No x-rays were taken or other tests ran. I finally DEMANDED something be done. The surgeon went back thru my past medical procedures and found an x-ray that showed parts of my lower spine. It also showed some disc degenerating and bone spurs. They decided to send me to a pain-management specialist.

During his examination, he found 2 areas of my left leg that showed both numbness and searing pain when touched.We discussed what he thought might be going on. He adjusted my pain meds and dropped the dosage on one drastically since it was for muscle/surgery pain rather than nerve pain. We discussed injections into the nerve bundles for relief in best case scenario. I was sent for an MRI.

Today I heard back from the pain-management Dr and my spine situation/MRI is not quite so bad it will need surgery. He thinks the epidural injections will help greatly. I'm scheduled for next Tuesday afternoon (earliest I could be scheduled).

My question is has anybody had these injections? How bad was the procedure? Did you get any relief? How long do they last?

I'm gaining strength and motion in my new knee daily as long as I can stand the back pain. I'm driving when I'm on minimum doses of pain meds and can walk almost normally. I need to get back in the boat. I just turned down several crappie trip bookings while I waited to see what the course of action was going to be. Those trips are my means of earning $$.

My buddies are trying to be tactful when talking about their great crappie catches when in my presence. I'm climbing the walls!!

[Fatman]

My wife gets some that are similar but they're above the butt and in the sciatic nerves, usually 8 to 10 shots. They last her about 8 months to a year - mainly for neuropathy. She usually spends the rest of the day in bed and sometimes the next but after that she's back on her feet.

[bandchaser]

My dad has had these for several years. Give me a shout Doug if you have any questions.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[murdok]

i've been in healthcare for nearly 30 years. 1st 20 in ER, since then i have my own private practice. i would be willing to bet while you were on the or table one of the bone spurs or either a bulging disk got on a nerve. knee replacements are brutal surgeries and require a lot of manipulation to get the new joint in and in the right position. I've dealt with it myself and that pain is rough fells like your leg is on fire. the answer to your question is yes. if the problem is in a position that he can get the injection in the right place it will work well and it usually has to be repeated in 4-6 months. i've seen it hundreds of times a person can have bone spurs and arthritis in their and not have a lot of problems with it and then one day they move wrong or take an awkward step then the pain comes up. most of the pain management folks are anesthesiologists and there really good at what they do.

[flintcreek]

I truly understand your pain. I have had 2 of the epidural shots in the center of the spine in the past they lasted for about 5 years each. I am right now going thorough pain management and had 4 of the epidural type shots at the nerves where they come out of the spine about 17 days ago. I was going numb from the waist down and feet felt like needles were sticking in them. The shots have helped, I am not numb from the waist down it was about 11 days after the 4 shots that I started getting better . The hips and legs have pretty much returned to normal. The feet still feel like needles sticking in them and now I am having some low back pain. Early on the left leg and foot was the worst, now the right foot is worse. I am sitting here waiting on the phone to ring trying to see when I can get another round of shots scheduled. I think some times they can give 4 or so sets of these shots and sometimes just a few weeks apart. This has kept me off work and the water since Christmas. Hope the shots work quick for you. I am hoping to get back to work and on the water soon myself.

[flintcreek]

I might also suggest going to a good Chiropractor to make sure that you are in good alignment. They might help, I think mine helps me out. The shots just get the inflammation down which allows the pain to stop after the Chiropractor gets me in alignment. I would also suggest inversion but not right after a knee replacement. Later on with Dr. approval. I know it helps my mother and she has had knee replacement, it helps me also.

[M R Dux]

I might also suggest going to a good Chiropractor to make sure that you are in good alignment. They might help, I think mine helps me out. The shots just get the inflammation down which allows the pain to stop after the Chiropractor gets me in alignment. I would also suggest inversion but not right after a knee replacement. Later on with Dr. approval. I know it helps my mother and she has had knee replacement, it helps me also.

I went to my chiropractor 2 1/2 weeks after my knee surgery and she got things aligned for a short time.She called me about an hour ago and has reviewed the MRI and the pain-management Dr report. She endorsed his course of treatment.

[skeetbum]

I've had 3 Epidural shots post lower back surgery. The first one was a nightmare and I got no relief. I was awake and bent over on an exam table and 3 big guys held me in place while someone did the injection between vertebrae. I don't have words for the pain at that time and the days afterward. A follow up appt with the surgeon had him red faced and visibly upset at the way I had been treated. He said that would never happen again. I told him if anyone tried to do anything like that to me again that he would hear about me on the news. The next 2 injections were done when I was asleep when injected and had absolutely no discomfort anywhere. I felt like I was 20 for about 40 days. Always said that if I ever got the super vacation planned that I would have one done before the trip. These injections were large in volume. I hope you get a handle on what is the source of the problem and not the symptoms. Having been in your shoes, you will also be in my prayers.

[flintcreek]

Skeetbum, my first shot was done sort of like yours the Dr. balled me up on my side and marked the spot...gave me a small shot for pain and then popped the steroid shot in and it burn like a hot poker had stuck me for some time. The next 2 I was put to sleep. Mrdux make sure they put you to sleep. I have my next set of shots scheduled for Thursday morning. These shots are pretty dangerous as they go to the spinal column past most of the bodies defenses they should be done in a controlled sterile enviroment of a surgery room not a Dr. office.

[rebranger]

My question is has anybody had these injections?
YES
How bad was the procedure?
NOT BAD
Did you get any relief?
YES, ONLY IF THEY HIT THE PERFECTLY CORRECT SPOT
How long do they last?
SIX (6) MONTHS IS TOPS