nerve root blocker

I have had these although it was a few years ago, at the beginning they helped, but after a little while they made little or no difference. I am a believer in that it depends on the individual, in that we are all different and our pain is always hard to explain to others. We can with fellow sufferers have those that can understand what you are having difficulty with at that moment in time.

I would say if you have not tried them before to consider it as an option to try, it maybe helpful to discuss things with your local Pharmacist reason being they have a more in depth understanding of the drugs and how best they can help or hinder. Where as your GP more or less goes with what is sometimes the cheapest of the drugs that are currently available. The Pharmacist however can be more helpful in suggesting which would suit you more perhaps even making a recommendation on which blocker would be of more benefit.   I hope that what i have said helps you to get some kind of an answer, also it depends a lot on the GP and Pharmacist you have and have to deal with anyway good luck on what you decide to do. I would be interested to know how you get on if you decide to check what I have said..... Alex 

Hiya Alex, it's the consultant at the hospital that is giving the injection as being on warfarin which I have had to cease for the moment and inject myself with deltaparin, so have to be monitored. Just wondered if it was worth all the effort as I know they don't work for everyone.

Lacey

Hi Lacey,  Good to hear from you, as I can see your on warfarin and had to come off it and take injections of dalteparin. Also  having to be monitored because of it, I can see why you're wondering if it is all worth the effort and trouble. All I can say in reply is that when I was given the nerve blockers at first it was trial and error. The second time around for me was fine, this was way back in the beginning of me being diagnosed. As I was not a candidate for surgery I was asked if I would try this approach, they allowed me to carry on working as at that time I had 3 kids aged between a year to five years old. at that that time I would and was willing to try anything just to get some time in my life was pain free. I then seemed to hit a period where apart from the odd pains in my lower back and the pins and needles in my legs got a few good years from it all. Then it came back full circle as they say to being worse right up until was seriously thinking about having the surgery knowing full well that I could walk in and come out after it in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. As luck would have it I required to go through more test and x-rays and scans only to be told that it was no longer an option that would be of any kind of benefit at all for me.

So this was around the same that they began to put restrictions on spinal injections and other things thats when I ended up going on to the opiates and I am on my 3 rd change of these. My last visit to the doctors was told that it was far to soon for me to go further up the opiate intake or strength for all the reason we all know of the dependency factors. Anyway to get back to yourself that is definitely a tough call to make for you. Perhaps like I said having a chat with a Pharmacist maybe able to shed a better light on the pros or cons again at the end of that it comes down to how you feel about going down this route. Whatever way things go I wish you well on it , in the meantime God Bless take care be safe and as well as you can be ..... Alex                                                        

Hi Alex,

Today is the day, will see how it goes later. I don't have the option of surgery as I have spurs growing on my spine- too close to spinal column. This blocker is just to relieve pins and needles and pain in legs. Cannot do anything for back. Anyway hope you are having a good day [few and far between] take care.

p.s didn't notice computer had replaced Laney with Lacey 'cos it liked it better Laney

Hi Laney365. I’m not sure which injections you’re referring to? I have had different ones I have had the 3 pain block ones. Each time I found the first one lasted about 3 weeks. The second lasted only a matter of days and the third one had no effect at all. I’ve had these injections in my shoulder and knees and heals but not in my spine. The injections that I had in my spine began with facet nerve injections I had these for a few years. Initially they were quite effective as I was getting them every three months but as appointments for this treatment became harder to get I ended up with appointments every 9-12 months which weren’t any good at all. I also had injections to kill off the facet nerves. The first time they were incredibly painful and I swore I wouldn’t get them done again. This was effective for 3-4 months. When I returned to see the consultant I was told they should of lasted 12-18 months. As they had been effective he would repeat the procedure although he didn’t know what would happen as he hadn’t repeated them before 12 months. He started to repeat the procedure but had to stop as I began having a reaction. He told me it was too dangerous to continue and wouldn’t be able to try again. Apparently the facet nerve injections had widened the gap and was now dangerously close to the nerve. This could of caused loss of leg functioning and I would of ended up in a wheelchair if they had damaged the nerve. I don’t know if this is of any use to you but I would exercise caution for any long term used of injections near a major nerve like in my case the sciatic nerve.