steroid shots & panic attacks

Hi all,

I may be having steroid shots in two places of my neck on Thursday. The doctor was trying to explain to me what it is like as I was very apprehensive. I have a fear of needles (especially going into the spinal area) I needed an epidural during my first pregnancy and ended up having a grand mal seizure. I was in transition and having a terrible time of it and I must have gotten a painful contraction and moved during the injection because it ended up in my blood stream instead of where it was supposed to go.

Anyway- he assured me that he uses a 25 gauge needle which is so small it causes only this: a pinch of the needle, a feeling of pressure and then a weird sensation that people find hard to describe but it's not pain.
He said that it could cause hot flashes, you could feel lightheaded, and now the word escapes me that he used but I know it pertains to anxiety.

Since I am prone to panic attacks I wonder if I should take a xannax before I go. I guess I should really pose that question to him.

Had my MRI yesterday. Started to feel a little panicky when I saw how confining the procedure was with the bar that was place over my head and neck and the little tube I was going to spend 20 minutes in...but I closed my eyes before I went in and kept them closed the whole time so I didn't know how small a space I was in and did deep breathing and counting and tried to tell myself this could be a meditation moment :) The technician was very calm and soothing. Halfway thru she called in to see if I was ok and told me I was halfway done when I told her I was.

I got a CD but I don't know what I'm looking at. I can pick up the written report on Monday.

Hoping it's nothing more serious than what the xray portrayed.

Hoping I can be feeling better soon because although my new boss seems to understand that I am not feeling well and tells me if I need to close my door and rest - he doesn't understand that I don't have time to rest and that the pain is causing me to feel irritated and frustrated more easily over other people not pulling their weight and making my job harder. He has referred to my personality in a negative way. I forget how he said it-something like in the month I have been here I can see by your personality that....something negative. I said straight out you have not seen my true personality- you have to understand that I have been working in a great deal of pain for an extended period of time. But at the moment he said it I was griping about something I wish I had just kept to myself. I have been finding myself feeling very agitated to the point where I am so frustrated I'd like to throw something or slam things to burn off the feeling. I feel best at home where I am able to change position often and if I take a pain pill I don't have to worry about making an error because I'm having to think and focus.

I don't know what to do.

Good Afternoon WRAS, Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory medication.   .com/cs/paindrugs/a/cortisone.htm"> Cortisone injections are used for the treatment of many different orthopedic problems a pain killer. However, by reducing inflammation, pain often subsides. Systemic side effects of a local injection of cortisone are rare and usually minor. Unlike taking oral steroids, or having cortisone injected directly into the bloodstream, only a small amount of a local injection is absorbed by the body. And since the body actually produces cortisone naturally, most people do not experience systemic effects. Be sure to ask your Dr. what to expect after the injections. I have a daughter who is deathly afraid of needles and used to faint at the Drs. Office and would have vaso-vagal seizures.   Now she always has to be lying down flat, no pillow, on an exam cart and lab comes to the exam room to draw labs from her. By the way my daughter is 48 and we have gone through several fainting seizures over the years.   Very scary but knowing how to prevent the attacks helps. Good for you for making it through the pounding of the MRI machine……………I keep my eyes shut too because when I open my eyes I get this urge to hit the panic   button and run like Wile E. Coyote (the road runner cartoon) I would definitely check to see if there is any reason why you should not take your Xanax prior to the injections.   Just be sure the Xanax does not cause you to feel too drowsy if you are driving.   I am so sorry you are having problems with work ,however, once your pain settles down your anxiety should dip down and you won’t feel so much stress at work.   You should feel relief soon after the shot and after a couple of days hopefully everything starts to feel more hopeful for you. We are here for you so keep on talking with us and sharing helps most of us feel better just knowing other care. Kindly, Kitt

Thanks for your responses. Keep looking at my MRI CD like I am a doctor or something... went on utube and looks like I might have herniated discs...looks like I see discs pushing on my spinal cord- PULEASE-stop it already wait for the written report!

Know what is amazing? I feel better today than I have in almost a month! Did not feel the need for vicodin today. Went back to Advil but only 2 every 6 hrs. Weekends of course are the best as I am not sitting in an upright position for 9-10 hrs. at a desk. If I feel bad tomorrow at work I may just have to find a way to recline somehow while working- yeah right good luck with that.

Maybe I am better?! This would not be the first time that the thought of an unpleasant medical procedure cures me of my ills.