alwayswondering Posted August 7, 2006 Posted August 7, 2006 Hi, has anyone ever had an epidural steroid injection? I am having one in a couple of days. I am scared to death. I am expecting it is going to hurt terribly! I have a ruptured disc in my lower back that is pressing on the nerve down my leg and I am in excruciating pain. I am hoping it helps to avoid surgery. Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
ThumbingMyWay Posted August 7, 2006 Posted August 7, 2006 I too have a bulged lower disc. Pain is in lower back, lower buttocks and calf area. Dif disc affect different areas of the leg. I have had 3 epi shots, all about 3 years ago. I was VERY nervous too. I had the option of taking a "memory drug" so i wouldnt remember the procedure. Well that didnt work...hahaha. Anyway, the first shot when great, but pain was still there in my back. Second shot was very bad....the doc hit the nerve instead of the canal space. Jolted my whole body....unlike anything I ever felt. 2nd shot revisted went well and the third was a pice of cake. Basically, they used a local anticethic which is no different that a reg shot in your arm...but in your back...some minor pain and burning...no big deal. Just to numb the area where they out the epi needle thru the skin. Then they put me in a 3D xray table thing....so they could actually watch the epi needle and direct it to the exact location in my spine to administer the meds. After all 3 shots...my pain subsided for a while. I went on PT and exercises. But unfortunaty....lower disc problems never go away fully. It is a lifetime injury. Over time I have learned what I can and cant do. hope I didnt scare ya....but I am just being honest in my experince.
Author alwayswondering Posted August 8, 2006 Author Posted August 8, 2006 thanks! I appreciate it! I am just scared it's not going to help and I will have to have surgery. I am scared of the pain, just the thought of a huge needle going into your spine. I am also concerned about how i am going to feel the rest of the day and the day after. I am i nso much pain right now though, honestly I am at the point of doing anything to help it. I hope yours gets better! Best of luck!
Miss Mary Mac Posted August 8, 2006 Posted August 8, 2006 After a bad car accident I had terrible pain in my neck and lower back. Went through months of docs, meds and therapy and was diagnosed with herniated & bulging discs throughout my spine. Eventually my lower back healed but my neck worsened so I started steroid injections. I remember being scared to death so the doc gave me valium to take right before the 1st shot. I've heard cervical injections are worse than lumbar but it honestly wasn't that bad. The valium didn't take away pain but it did calm my nerves. Unfortunately, the shots didn't work so I had a cervical disc fusion last July. That surgery alleviated much of my pain but I still had problems with my shoulder/arm. This began a bout of more steroid injections into the shoulder (5 in less than a year). These really helped but only lasted 1-2 months each. I had arthroscopic shoulder surgery about a month ago and the pain now is unbelievable. Therapy is slow but they say I'm making progress. I've been told the pain may not subside for another year. One thing I've learned is to be very specific about all of the pain/problems you're having. Sometime's it gets very overwhelming but it's important to be specific to your doc, therapist, and everyone involved in your care. Also try different things...ice, heat, meds. Some things work better at different times. Best of luck.
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