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Radiofrequency Neuro Ablation

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 8/30/2012 1:56 PM (GMT 0)
I am 48 years old and feel like my life has been robbed from me due to my chronic illnesses. I have not worked for 1 year now . I recieve SSDI and a company pension. I was a nurse. I am going through the grieving stages of chronic illnesses. I have been depressed on day and accepting the next. I am in alot of pain. I take over 27 pills that include supplements. I take gabapentin for nerve pain- this has recently increase to 900mg three times a day. I also have two fentanyl patches on 12mcg/hr. and I take percocet 5/325mg every 5 hours.for breakthrough pain. Two weeks ago I have a radiofrequency neuro ablation( nerve burning) done on the right side of my spine. That was the side that was the worst side prior to the procedure. Yesterday, I had the left side done. The left side didn't bother me as much. I spoke to the doctor prior to the 2nd procedure and asked him if it was normal to have all this pain yeat after two weeks and he thought  if I got 50% a decrease in pain then I probably reached my baseline. Somedays it doesn't feel like I reached 50% at all. I have so much pain. I am wondering if anyone of you have had this done and the results take longer than 2 weeks. To me I could call it unsucessful for the amount of pain I actually have. I am hoping it takes some people longer than 2 weeks for the nerves to die. I think the increase in the gabapentin will help in the short term but I still get alot of pain especially when I am sitting down. Any suggestions? How long before any one has felt relief after the procedure?

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 Osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, generative disc disease cervical and lumbar spine with MRI confirmed L1-L4 bulging disc, L5-S1 very large herniated disc with displaced nerve root. Anxiety, PTSD and BipolarII

Posted 8/30/2012 2:22 PM (GMT 0)
 

       ...morning millymilan!

             Sorry you are in that much pain and that the procedures are not helping much. I do have a question....what are the OTC supplements that you take and is B12 one of them? I saw a good show on it yesterday and Mrs. Scream and I are thinking about trying it.

      I'm also curious about the patch you are using...wondering why two..instead of the 25mcg...and how often are you changing them out? I saw one of our new members changing them out every day...and it has sparked my interest...if it was done on a low dose. I have problems with the delivery system, and most all of it dumps within 32hrs or so.

The cost to the insurance company was not that much, and I believe they would approve it like this..and at a lower dose...I don't think there would be much risk involved. I could be wrong though...as I do not have that much experience with them. I was only on them for 3 months or so.

      I'm like you and getting desperate for something that will give me some relief. So far, I have not had much luck with pain meds, and have also tried the nerve meds as well. It is a very tough road, and I sympathize with you, in that you are struggling to find something that works around the clock. It's just a horrible way to live for sure.

     I think many of us keep holding on to some sort of hope...at least I do, and coming to grips with the fact that we may live in pain for the rest of our lives is very hard to do. I think about pain all day long...until I go to bed, and as soon as I wake up. My only relief from that mental struggle is watching a good Tv show or surfing the web for entertainment that helps to cancel out some of the pain and or reminder of my situation I live in.

   Take care,

     SE wink

Posted 8/30/2012 2:32 PM (GMT 0)
The patch I am using is a fentanyl patch. I was on 12mcg. then it was increased to two . Since I already had the one strengh they told me just to double that. I have to change them every three days. I use fish oil, B12,Vitamins C and D, and magnesium.
Posted 8/30/2012 2:42 PM (GMT 0)
 

         ...Thanks! You are still on a very low dose of the Fentanyl, even while it is doubled. Might have to move up to the 50mcg and see if that will work better. Also are you getting releif on the third day as well?...maybe move to the 48hr change. Have you tried other meds...like MsContin or Dilaudid...and Opana?

     SE wink

Posted 8/31/2012 11:55 PM (GMT 0)
I was just reading your post and I thought I would put my 2 cents in for what it's worth.  I've been on fentanyl patches for 4 years now.  I'm up to 75mcg and I have to change mine out every 48 hours but what I do is leave the last one I put on on and then put a new one on.  In other words I have 2 on at a time but instead of pulling the old one off I just leave it on until it's time to put another new one on.  I don't know if this makes since to you but the reason I do this is because it takes at least 3 hrs for the new one to kick in so instead of being without I just always have 2 on.

The depression is one of the hardest things to deal with in my opinion.  I went to a specialist for my fibro and she put me on Savilla.  This is suppose to help more with the fibro than it does with depression.  Well I was already taking 20mg of Prozac and after 2 weeks of taking both I went into MAJOR depression!  I think the Savilla was working but it cost more than my Prozac so I had to choose the Prozac for now.  (I'm in what they call the donut hole on my Medicare)  I have been looking into Prolotherphy but I can't find enough info on it to jusitfy having it done.  The Dr. I spoke to said he felt like it would help me but at $500.00 a treatment I want to be absolutely sure before having it done.

Has anyone else had Prolotherphy done and what has it done for you?  Any infor would help.

As for you millymilan I do hope you find some relief.  I'm on the Fentanyl patches and 10/325 lorcets for break through pain.  I've tried oxy but didn't seem to help. I also take Tizanidine 4mg for a muscle relaxer which helps more than Soma or Flexeril for the fibro aches and pains.

One more thing for those of you that are on Fentanly patches DO NOT ever get a nubain pain shot while on these patches.  It will send you into withdrawal immediately!!!  I found out the hard way.  It was not a good thing to go through for 5 hrs.

Just remember your not alone!

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