epidural injections?

Just left the dr office and he is suggesting epidurals for some pain relief.  My shoulder and neck are really in a bind right now, (nothing new, just constant).  My question is , are they worth it?  Do they really help?

Just speaking for myself, when I was at at my worst in 2006, for the most part, bedridden & homebound for four month's, not knowing what it was yet, I went to pain management & had a series of 3 epiderals, each a month apart. The first one gave me about 30% relief, the second, 60% & the last one enough relief that I could feel partly normal anyway & able to function.
I don't know what would have happened had I not tried this. I havn't had to have anymore so far.
To back up a bit, those worst 4 months were late summer, early fall & by December I was finally diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. That doctor agreed the Fibro was what I was experiencing.
Like aux433 said, everyone is different, but I would give it a try if i were you. ~Sande~

To momofmany,

I have had several cervical epidurals with good relief of pain. I am scheduled for a thorastic epidural next month. I've had four cervical spinal surgeries and have lots of headaches and pain. Just ate up with arthritis and degenerative disc disease. I hope this epidural works as well so that maybe I can start driving again. Right now everytime I drive I want to vomit. Isn't life grand?

Hope things go well for you.

Nurse2

 

Epidurals....had them about 3 years ago. I had a couple in my lower back and a little time later had them in my neck and mid back area. I was told once by a ortho doc just over a year ago I was nuts to get injections in my neck. Hey, I was trying to get rid of all the pain I kept having....still have. I found NO relief with any of the injections I was given, had some flushing after the last ones I had though, that was wierd.

The Pain Clinic docs recommended for these injections, one in my lower back was done by one, then the neck/mid back area injections were done by a different clinic doc. I found that the pain clincs I have worked with didn't quite grasp my problems/symptoms. Neither were able to confirm that I had FM.

I guess I should just say my experience with Pain Clinics were not very good.

Maybe they will work for you, give it try.... if your insurance covers it, great. I wish you well. Sorry if I sounded a little negative. My apologizes.

Take it easy,


I hope they work for you...

I had a series of three epidural injections, with no difference at all. A friend told me before I had them that they would make you lower back much weaker after you had them and she was right. I also had a doctor that did "blind shots", which means he just aims and shoots.....I was not under an xrax machine or anything to show him where the needle was located.

The second shot I received....the doctor asked.......can you feel that in your left leg and I said yes.........all the way down to my toes and he said OOPS.....I need to move over a little bit.

Well.............needless to say.....I freaked out.

My advice (but it is totally up to you) is DON'T HAVE THEM if there is any way out of it.

Best of Luck

Nan

Danielle, the kind of epidurals I had (aside from childbirth) were steriod/cortisone epidurals.  I have had several to try and shrink tissue and reduce inflammation due to herniated discs (lumbar).  Unfortunately, they didn't really work very well for me, and I had to have surgery (twice) anyway. 

 

I would try them again, though, to try and prevent surgery.  Recovery from the spinal epidurals was a walk in the park compared to surgery.

 

Momofmany, what kind of epidurals have been recommended for you? 

 

Hugs - Austen