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Had the Ketamine infusion

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Posted 12/12/2014 2:31 PM (GMT 0)
Meh. I didn't have any problems during the infusion except for feeling drunk and in a fog. I didn't really sleep, I don't think.

But I'm not sure that it gave me pain relief. I woke up this AM in the same amount of pain that I'm usually in, but, I think it may have made my IR med (Morphine, 15mg) work better or faster or something, I'm not sure.

I don't think that I'd do it again though. It was just ... I don't know, I didn't like it. I had to take the whole day off work, plus I was just KNOCKED OUT afterward. I fell asleep on my bed, woke up at 6:50 PM and it was dark, but I thought it was the next morning. I was definitely confused for a while after.

This is the fourth procedure I've had with this PM doc. Three nerve blocks and now this infusion. I don't want to do it anymore; nothing has helped so far. He recommended we try an SCS next, but I can't have anything in me that will prevent me from having MRIs in the future due to my acoustic neuroma that has to be monitored.

I'm just really frustrated. I've done anything that every doctor has told me to do and no results. I guess I just have to be patient and hope that the PT I'm having will help. Though the therapist has said to me twice that she's not sure how much the PT will do for me because it's not a muscle or tissue issue, according to her. :(

Post Edited (Backtolife) : 12/12/2014 7:55:11 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/12/2014 3:48 PM (GMT 0)
BTL, sorry you don't seem to have had the result you were hoping for. Hope you recover from it quickly - it's pretty common to be a bit wiped out by it...has usually taken me a good couple of weeks for the extra tiredness to start wearing off.

Re SCS & MRI - not sure off the top of my head which type or manufacturer it is (think it's Medtronic, but don't quote me on that), but there is at least one type on the market now that has been safety tested and approved for compatibility with MRI.

Obviously SCS isn't a decision to be undertaken lightly - but if your doctor feels you're reaching that point in your stage of management and it's something that could potentially help it would be worth trialling if he can work with that system.

Laura
Posted 12/12/2014 5:29 PM (GMT 0)
Laura, yes, he mentioned a trial.

However, right now I'm working with a uro-gynecologist and a Physical Therapist, so I'd have to get the whole team involved before doing anything.

And yes, he did mention the medtronic unit, but I get really nervous about 'new' products like that. I see too many commercials for lawsuits against new treatments.
Posted 12/12/2014 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
BtL, Sure wish this had worked for you... you deserve some relief. At least you got some rest. Maybe this result will mean something to the dr and clue him into what's going wrong.
Sending hugs your way.
Posted 12/12/2014 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
Daesin, thanks for the good wishes.

My uro-gyno, his NP and my physical therapist are working in the belief that I have pudendal neuralgia or pudendal nerve entrapment, it's hard to tell the difference. Either way the damage has been isolated pretty much to the pudendal nerve.

I'm scheduled to have a pudendal nerve block on 12/26, with a PM doc at the hospital where the women's health unit is that I'm using now. My PM doc doesn't do pudendal blocks, they're pretty specialized, so I'm getting it done by a PM doc that does them as a specialty.

We'll see ... if that doesn't work, it's definitely the last procedure I'm doing for a long time.
Posted 12/13/2014 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
BTL,so sad that you didn't get good results, especially since you went through all the that time checking on the procedure. I wish I had something more helpful but commiseration sent your way . . . Q
Posted 12/15/2014 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
if that nerve block works, I wonder if they can do an ablation of that nerve???
I"m sorry you didn't get the relief I know you were so hoping for.
Hang in there.
Posted 12/15/2014 1:49 AM (GMT 0)
Interestingly, there have been a total of ONE (yes, that's right, ONE) pudendal nerve RFA procedures that are on record in this country.

I think because the pudendal nerve has so much to do with bladder and bowel function they are pretty careful about using RFA-type treatments on it. I could be wrong though.
Posted 12/15/2014 9:24 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear but I didn't have high hopes because I have not seen many results from using ketamine other then anesthesia of the short term kind. Maybe step back and take a break from the procedures for a bit, catch your breath and let your body rest and regroup and decide where you want to go next. Do your homework on the SCS read here especially. Just try to enjoy Xmas with your baby's and family and start with a new plan in the new year.
Posted 12/15/2014 12:00 PM (GMT 0)
*sigh* Vickie, I do wish I could do that. I already have the PN block scheduled for December 26. Since there is literally only ONE guy who does them in this whole metropolitan area, I'm not giving that appointment up for any reason! It was hard enough to get. (That is the doc who looked at my Linked in Profile, btw.)

Like I said, there will have to be a lot of discussion between a lot of folks before I did get any kind of stimulator trial or ultimately implant.

I think I mentioned that my PT doesn't seem optimistic about what she and I can do for me. We'll do a re-eval soon and then another consult with the doc before going forward on my PT path as it is now.

My PT isn't the traditional kind, I don't do any exercise. She does massage and trigger point manipulation, cupping, uses TENS, that kind of thing. A few things I have to do at home but nothing overwhelming and I do it all religiously.
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