Really? No Pain?

I went for an epidural yesterday, to Pain Management, an anesthesiologist for my lower back that has been awful for years - can't even tell you how long, as long as I can remember. Pain meds that I take do not take the pain away, only lessen it a bit. After a complete history and then a little discussion, she decides to do the epidural, which normally takes less than 10 minutes. I go into the procedure room, oh and she does it fluouroscopically, so that it is a lot more accurate. The others I have had, which total 6 or 8, don't remember, were never done under x-ray. Long story short, ONE HOUR LATER, I emerge from the procedure room and I was a mess. The pain was unbearable. She told me it is because I've been taking narcotics for so long for all the pain, that my body has stopped producing hormones or chemicals to stop pain. All I know is I saw stars. The reason it took so long was she kept stopping and giving me more numbing agent. She    was truly wonderful, very patient, very, very good.

Bottom line: I woke this morning to NO PAIN in my lower back, for the first time in years and years! I don't know how long this will last, but I am headed out the door for a pain free walk (God willing). I have been up now for 40 minutes and have yet to take any kind of pain med...this has not happened in 22 years!

Just had to share,

Miriam

Miriam, that is wonderful news!!! Like Sherrine said, "I'll be praying that this is "forever"!"

Hugs, Robin

Wonderful Mariam!!

You had a nice effect from the local anesthesia, but the steroid has not had time to kick in yet. Keep it iced for the first 2 days, and don't do too much. Walking is for later in my experience. It can take a week for the injection to help, but you usually know if they got the right spot within 3 - 4 days. These things are rarely permanent, but my first one, an epidural at L5/S1 lasted most of a year. I thought they were pretty much always done under fluroscopy nowdays, as standard care.

I have not had much luck with facet joint injections. My last injection was a caudal, right in the tailbone, and it stopped pain in my legs and the lowest part of my back immediately. It's lasting so far, but I'm only a few weeks out. I still have a few zinger needle-like stabs in the feet, but nothing like before! Caudal is supposed to be the easiest to do, hits a bunch of nerves that run down into the legs and feet. It hurts right at the tip of the spine for a week, but seems so far to get rid of the horrible pain. An ice bag with padding is very helpful. You can get good ones that can go right next to the skin and hold about a quart from a medical supply or ask your pharmacist to order one.

I had muscle spasms right next to the spine that were injected with amazing results also. I didn't think it would work, but it broke the cycle and allowed me to stop diazepam (which is a great muscle relaxant).

Thanks everyone.
Yesterday, I took 20% less pain meds than I have in years. Today, I waited to take any pain med until FOUR hours after I got out of bed, which is just unheard of in my life. That is the first thing I do, go for the pain med. Besides being nearly euphoric, it also gives me a wonderful feeling to know I am not just taking the medication out of dependancy, which has been suggested by a few doctors in the past. You begin to question yourself, you know? I know I am not addicted, because I have never taken more than what has been prescribed to me. But after today, seeing that I can get up and not reach for the pain meds, I know I was taking it for the pain, and no other reason. My fibro must be "in hiding" right now, no major flares, thank goodness. It's been my back pain that has been so awful. I realize this isn't a permanent fix, but if it continues to work this well, then I am willing to go through the discomfort of the injections every few months, if they will continue to give them to me.
fingers crossed!!
Miriam

But your body can become dependent on it and, if you don't need it anymore, you still need to be weaned off the medication or you will have withdrawl symptoms. 

 

Sherrine

All these medications have different withdrawal "times", I think.  I checked out Vicodin and it said if you stopped it abruptly, the withdrawal symptoms would start within six to twelve hours.  You only stopped one pill and took another one four hours after you got up.  So that's probably why you haven't had any reaction.  Some drugs are more difficult to wean off of, too.  So maybe this is what happened with you.  But, I'm very glad to hear you could take less!

Sherrine 

I was weaned off of two medications a few years ago with absolutely no problems. It is not like we are heroin addicts, and even they do not suffer much if their withdrawal is handled competently.

Not taking a med for fear of having to wean off of it does not always make sense. I had to wean off of sugar and other bad foods last year because I needed to lose weight.

Now that was suffering. lol

I am still drinking coffee though.

Donnaeil