Epidural Injection #5 tomorrow

[twodog max]

I have been dealing with severe sciatic pain for over 2 years 24/7. It is caused by damage to the nerve caused by a cyst. I have had every treatment on the books with zero relief.
I have found a pain doctor that come to our are that does spinal cord stimulation which is about the last resort. However he insists the first 4 injections were done incorrectly but he is better and will get me relief. I have heard that before.
So tomorrow he gets one and only one chance to prove his point. if it does not work, and I have no reason to think it will, after 4 failures I will insist for the SCS trial. I might anyway as the side effects from steroids are rough for me.
If this doctor won't do the SCS then off to pain clinic number 3.
As Jerry Clowers said we got's to have some relief.

 

[ladder13]

May you find some relief.

 

[Heinz]

Best wishes for relief, and a prayer.

 

[Narragansett]

I am hoping that you find relief. Fingers crossed

 

[Bald1]

Can you not have cyst removed? Injections are hit and miss. They did not work at all for me because there was no disc left. My surgeon said “I’m just pumping medicine into the wind” as he was giving me the injection. I was watching on a monitor. If surgery is a viable option you should research it and not buy into all the horror stories. Medicine has come a long ways.

 

[twodog max]

Can you not have cyst removed? Injections are hit and miss. They did not work at all for me because there was no disc left. My surgeon said “I’m just pumping medicine into the wind” as he was giving me the injection. I was watching on a monitor. If surgery is a viable option you should research it and not buy into all the horror stories. Medicine has come a long ways.

Yes they could but the neurosurgeon said it would require spinal fusion with pins, plates and screws because the cyst is right next to the spinal cord it was also a delicate operation. As the cyst has shrunk he said his surgery would create more pain than it would solve. He showed me on the MRI that the nerve is pinched and damaged.
Injections have not worked for me either and this is my very last one unless a miracle occurs

 

[03hemi]

the only relief I found to work with 2 blown disc and degenerative bone loss is a daily dose of Tumeric!

 

[Bald1]

the only relief I found to work with 2 blown disc and degenerative bone loss is a daily dose of Tumeric!

I’ve had very good results with a daily dose of Wild Turkey 101.

 

[jeffrefrig]

The cyst is a problem i HAVEN'T had in my back...yet! I stated in another recent thread on the subject I had the laminectomy on the bottom 2 discs to alleviate the sciatic nerve group pain. The surgery was about 1 1/2 hours. I gues it's a delicate area. He basically took the arthritis out of the passageway from my spinal column around the discs that were playing torture games with the nerves. The operation was very painful for about 2-3 days but it fixed that part of my back pain, probably 4-5 years ago.
I used to get injections for my spinal stenosis but they quit working, so, as they say, better living through chemistry.
The cyst thing is obviously a different animal. I wish twodogmax the best of luck. Also, if you are able, have them prescribe some painkillers so at least you can be comfortable somewhat. (unless you already have them.) I know there has been a lot of bad press about opiates, etc., but taken the way you're supposed to, you should not be standing at a city intersection with a cardboard sign. Believe me, if I can control my pain meds anybody can.
Good luck, and don't give up on doctors.

 

[twodog max]

I take pills for pain several times a day, no opiods, but other than helping me to sleep the pain is the same. The pain doctors solution to that was to greatly increase the dosage. That made me so doped up I was almost non functional. Having pain is better than that. So I told the doctors NO and weaned down to the bare minimum just as a sleep aid. The big problem with pills is they do not fix anything just mask the symptoms.
I guess at the risk of ranting I and all other pain sufferers want the problem gone not covered up

 

[johngalt]

Good luck! I've known a couple people with sciatica, they were miserable when it hit them.

 

[twodog max]

The procedure is done and I must say it was done much differently than the first 4. Of course time will tell if it proves effective but the positive effects, if any, should start in about 2 days. Instead of one fast injection this was multiple injections of larger volumes so we shall see.

 

[03hemi]

I’ve had very good results with a daily dose of Wild Turkey 101.

Problem is your liver isn't a big fan, but it loves tumeric!