[KarenSue]

Hello everyone. I was in an auto accident on 9/8/2016. I went to my GP 4 days later (happened on weekend).

I have since seen a Chiropractor (one who does not do "manipulations") 3 times a week at the behest of my lawyer. (Dr's name is Bruce Lee, I kid you not! Now I can say I've met Bruce Lee, ha ha)..

I have gone to a Pain management practice twice, where I got muscle relaxants and prescription anti-inflammatory.

My next step is to go to an appointment for a medical treatment center on Friday 11/11/2016. They have already told me I can come in for a consult only, but the injection can be done on the same day (Fri).

The only anesthetic I will receive is a local anesthetic (scary), and I was told I would have to not take ANY medications for 6 days prior, and no food or drink for 6 hour prior. (I'll get with my psychiatrist on the 6 days off meds.)

I really need someone who has gone through a similar treatment to share their experiences with these injections. I do not wish my only option to be to go on the internet. I trust people here to tell it like it is, so please, if you have had this treatment I'd appreciate if you could share. PM if you prefer.

I know nothing about these injections except that I will only have a local anesthetic, and don't understand why I can't take any medicine for 6 days prior due to just a local. I would assume a "local" anesthetic would not interfere with regular medication. I'm very confused, as you can see.

I look forward to any help you may have (your experience, a friends...).

Thanking you in advance for replies. I am,

Gratefully yours,
KS

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[Nammu]

I've had a number of injections both in the lumbar and cervical spine but I've never been told not to take my medicine. I've been told no aspirin or NASDs but that's all. The local anesthetic is all they used at it was fine. I've had the injections at a hospital and also at a pain management office, they used a machine( Mir I think it was) to locate the exact location to inject the medicine. It didn't hurt it just felt funny. The injections helped a lot.

[Fresia]

I would contact them to confirm about not having having to take ANY medications; be specific when you call about each med you can or cannot take.

I was told not to take certain meds 6-7 days prior: no pain medications or anti-inflammatories: NSAIDS (motrin/advil/ibupfrofen, naproxen sodium/ aleve, aspirin) beforehand but that I could take everything else including my psych meds; as you mentioned, no food 12 hours prior the injection and no liquids or anything else 6 hours prior either. However if anxious, you can ask about anti-anxiety medication/sedative to help. Ask where you are getting it to prescribe it. The other instruction (sedative or not) was to have someone drive for you especially after the injection.

The local anesthetic did the trick and did not feel the injection. It is an odd feeling once in, but is brief and is not painful.

I know the injections are a godsend for some and for others they may not help as much. I was told if they reduce the pain by at least 20% the first time is a sign you are a good candidate for better relief in the future, to not give up on them, but to go for additional injections. It can be beneficial. I was not so fortunate with no relief (about 3% of the population) but know of many others that swear by them and have profound relief. If recommended by your doc, it is worth trying.

I hope you find relief soon.

[KarenSue]

Thank you so much, Nammu and Fresia. I DID give the staff member a list of my psych meds and she said she would get back with me on that. (Of course, everything seems to happen late Friday afternoons b4 a weekend!)

In the meantime, I will stop the anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant tomorrow (6 days from treatment) and still take my psych meds. Maybe I can take them. If not, I will get with psychiatrist to see how to cope with a sudden drop of those meds.

You both have been so nice and I feel so much better about the injections. I thank you both very kindly....means a lot to me.

[KarenSue]

Originally Posted by Fresia

I would contact them to confirm about not having having to take ANY medications; be specific when you call about each med you can or cannot take.

I was told not to take certain meds 6-7 days prior: no pain medications or anti-inflammatories: NSAIDS (motrin/advil/ibupfrofen, naproxen sodium/ aleve, aspirin) beforehand but that I could take everything else including my psych meds; as you mentioned, no food 12 hours prior the injection and no liquids or anything else 6 hours prior either. However if anxious, you can ask about anti-anxiety medication/sedative to help. Ask where you are getting it to prescribe it. The other instruction (sedative or not) was to have someone drive for you especially after the injection.

The local anesthetic did the trick and did not feel the injection. It is an odd feeling once in, but is brief and is not painful.

I know the injections are a godsend for some and for others they may not help as much. I was told if they reduce the pain by at least 20% the first time is a sign you are a good candidate for better relief in the future, to not give up on them, but to go for additional injections. It can be beneficial. I was not so fortunate with no relief (about 3% of the population) but know of many others that swear by them and have profound relief. If recommended by your doc, it is worth trying.

I hope you find relief soon.

Sorry you are in the 3%. Will surgery be in your future, you think? My husband recovered very nicely from surgical removal of a herniated disc back in 1989. Lower back, 6 weeks of staying in bed, and he was good as new. Maybe surgery (with you sticking to the restrictions post surgery) will help you too, I hope. I do have someone driving me, that was also a restriction that the person making the appointment made. ((Hugs))

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[Fresia]

Originally Posted by KarenSue

Sorry you are in the 3%. Will surgery be in your future, you think? My husband recovered very nicely from surgical removal of a herniated disc back in 1989. Lower back, 6 weeks of staying in bed, and he was good as new. Maybe surgery (with you sticking to the restrictions post surgery) will help you too, I hope. I do have someone driving me, that was also a restriction that the person making the appointment made. ((Hugs))

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The herniation is in my neck and I am concerned about the risks for surgery there. So I want to try all non-surgical treatments first. I was on gabapentin; it helped some but the side effects were troublesome. If responded to gabapentin, some people do better (some worse) on Lyrica. I just started it, actually yesterday as I finally got insurance approval, to see if it might be a better alternative. Perhaps I will have fewer side effects, or not, we'll see. Hoping for the best.

I am glad to hear they are checking on the psych meds. I know stopping them suddenly without tapering can be harmful. I cannot imagine they would interfere and will hope that is the case. Please let us know how it goes. You will be in my thoughts.

[KarenSue]

Thanks again, I don't have my consult or first treatment until Fri, Nov 11, 2016. I have that appointment at 12:15pm and a scheduled psychiatrist appointment at 3:00 pm the same day. (They are 30 miles and oodles of downtown traffic between!) I believe I will keep this first appointment as just a consult, and schedule the injections the next week. I've concluded that will be my best bet. I was offered just a consult to begin if I want to, then treatment on another day. I've decided to take that route. So...it may be a week at the least b4 I will have any news. I'll come back here when there is something to report.

Thank you!

[KarenSue]

I forgot to mention that I have 2 herniated discs in my neck and 2 herniated discs in my lower back. I believe they will begin the first treatments on my neck.

[Unrigged64072835]

I don't remember having any psych med restrictions before my nerve block on my lower back. Just as was said, no NSAIDS for 6 days and no food or drink for 8 hours prior. I did feel a poke but not much else. Unfortunately it didn't work for me either.

I have had them several times over the past two years. It was easy and no problem, nothing scary. I go into the center, it takes about 30 minutes to get "prepped" - answer all the silly questions,
NO paracetemol/ aspirin for a week beforehand. discusss the health stuff. they take me in a cold room, i get an IV drip put in, they start the anasthetic, two seconds later i am asleep and waking up in recovery.
i cannot walk very well for two days, so thats something to be mindful of. i camp out on the couch for two days and its an excuse for my husband to take care of me for a change.

[Travelinglady]

Are these cortisone injections?

I had a shot in my spine for hip pain/inflammation in my Si joint.The shot hurt very, very much. No numbing agent.

http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/si-joint-back-pain

[Baker#88]

I have numerous shots in the spine, nerves, etc. I never get any type of sedation done. With all I have been through a needle prick is nothing. If you have a fear of needles, you may want the sedation. I have had 9 in my right hip, 4 up around my aortic artery and about 20 in the spine.