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Posted 4/2/2013 3:03 PM (GMT 0)
Just wanted you all to know I had epidural injections L5/S1 and got some relief. The pain was unbearable before injections and now it is managed with medication. Is it normal to still have to take the same medication after injections. My goal is to decrease meds but I still need them. My injections in the past have been the same. They held for a bit then pain comes back. Have any of you ever been able to stop or decrease medication due to an injection. Thanks
Posted 4/2/2013 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
No, I've never had relief enough to stop or decrease my medications. The most relief I had was on the day of the injections once they totally nerve blocked my leg that I needed help to walk but I was without pain for a few hours until it wore off...I'm glad the injections are giving you some relief, maybe they'll help you...
make a note of this and for how long it last so you can keep your doctor informed when you visit your doctor in his/her office...Many well wishes
Posted 4/2/2013 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. My first epidural lasted a whole year. Then I had some that lasted several months. Those were good enough to let the bad discs dry up and stop hurting.

A year and a half ago I had another injury to my back and the epidurals have not helped enough. The caudal epi's didn't work at all. I had a facet joint injection that lasted a few days and another one that has lasted a few weeks. Since they did work I'll probably end up getting radiofrequency ablation. I'm just waiting for the MRI to be read.

Interestingly, I've read several places, all scientific papers, that neck problems can cause leg pain. Cervical spine has nerves that go to the legs. If they are pinched you can get the feeling of leg pain.

My lumbar facet joint injections must have travelled up to the neck because my arm and shoulder pain was gone for a couple of weeks. I see the shoulder surgeon next week, will ask about that.
Posted 4/2/2013 4:38 PM (GMT 0)
For those who are able to get relief or benefits from injections it varies from person to person as to how much relief and how long it lasts.

I know people who at one end of the scale are able to go month without needing another injection or pain medication and at the other end pretty much still need their normal daily dose of medication but their overall pain levels are less and they have fewer "bad" days and everything in between.
Posted 4/2/2013 9:18 PM (GMT 0)
…how many Epidurals did you get in that area? 1? 2? 3?

if you have only had one, and you have gotten some relief, then you may want to follow up with a 2nd one.

It is possible to get enough relief, that a patient may be able to reduce their pain meds, and I have a friend at work, who has had such luck. An Epidural reduces the inflammation of the tissue, thus providing possible relief.

SE
Posted 4/2/2013 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
Shaw that is my experience with them. Sometimes they help some and sometimes more and some not at all.

I do use them for pain management from time to time and hope for the better outcome.

Vickie
Posted 4/2/2013 11:50 PM (GMT 0)
This was my second series of 2shots (two shots each time I went)
Posted 4/3/2013 9:44 AM (GMT 0)
Shaw my Dr is a series of 3 kinda guy. So it varies there as well. Hang in and maybe you wi see some more relief. I posted about this on another thread too about how which ones work better and done by fluroscopy is my best.

Vickie
Posted 4/4/2013 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Shaw, I hope you continue to get relief. Most eppies are done in a series of 3 injections spread out over a few weeks time in between each injection. I do not know of anyone that was able to reduce their meds afterwards. Maybe this will help you reduce your meds. Take care.....Susie
Posted 4/4/2013 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
I have had success in pain reduction with esi's, but not enough to stop medication, though I have tried. I have had about 6 lumbar and 1 cervical. All of them have provided enough pain relief to make them worth it. I am now about to try nerve ablation...I have facet joint syndrome so the esi's relief only 1 part of the pain, and hopefully with the ablation I can get even more relief...
Posted 4/4/2013 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
I thought I would add also that my pm is wanting to try the ablation (well, testing first) to see if I can get more widespread relief because of the facet syndrome...as you can see from my signature, I have a whole plethora of spine issues to try and tackle, so multiple treatments, meds are probably what I will be looking at for the rest of my days...and I am 35, have been dealing with these issues since early 20's, and no injury to explain why I have all of this fun going on...
Posted 4/5/2013 12:56 AM (GMT 0)
I had no luck with the injections. The first one did nothing, the second made the pain worse. I didn't go back again.
Posted 4/5/2013 5:08 AM (GMT 0)
These injections are also good for diagnostic purposes. I have had several neurosurgeons ask if I have had epidural injections, and what the results were. One neurosurgeon that did my ACDF at C5/6 told me that by having the injection, and getting relief from it, even if it was only a couple of weeks, that it confirmed that the area of the herniated disk was indeed the problem. And that surgery could help. The herniated disk was pressing on the nerve thus causing inflammation of that nerve root and the steroid relieved the inflammation thus reducing the pain. At least that is how the surgeon explained it to me. I have never had allot of luck with having any long term pain relief from having these injections. most of the time it is three weeks or less. And the pain relief that I have is never enough that I could go without taking my pain meds.

White Beard
Posted 4/7/2013 5:56 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with everybody before me had to say. I just had the second in a series. Of which I have had many since 1996. What all of the doctors either forget to tell you, or they are trying so hard to make you whole again with the help of medicine, but the truth is the injections, when overdone, cause a different kind of disease, I was told once what it is but only remember it was similar to necrosis which might actually be what it is called, it means the death of living tissue.

Goes to the old saying to much of a good........They are using steroids, again when used as they should be are helpful, watch any football game, when they take a player who has been hurt on the field, they are taken behind closed doors or curtains and given a shot of cortisone. They come back and play the rest of the game. No one tells them that all those shots, down the road could be hurtful. Its about money for them.

Anyway, I was drifting away from the subject. Be careful, read up, read anything you can, ask questions, it is your right, it is your body and your health.

Take care all,

Kathy/nini
Posted 4/7/2013 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
I've had two epidurals. One did nothing and the other was associated with a few weeks of increased pain. So yes they've resulted in a medication change, just upwards rather than downwards.
Posted 4/8/2013 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
Im glad the epidural helped you. I had one last month and it failed now the os is considering doing the back surgery.
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