Update on Reaction to Canual Epidural Injection

texassunflower · ‎06-15-2015

I saw the NP today about the canual steriod epidural I received last Wednesday. She was surprised I had such a strong reaction to the injection and no reduction in pain. Agreed that I was having an odd reaction to steriods. I was offered another type of epidural injection that would inject at a different site. Epidural would involve steriods. I told her I would have to think long and hard before I would have another epidural. She said this one might do the trick. She asked if the pain meds work. Yes, Tramadol works but I agreed to epidural so I would not be rely on them. We discussed the fact that I needed to change my attitude about pain medication. She increased Tramadol and Gabapentin for nerve pain. She wrote script for up to 4 Tramadol a day. I hesitate to take one much less four pills. Hopefully, over the next couple of weeks the pain will subside and I can go back to just taking Tramadol a couple of times a week. Frustrating visit and I teared up several times. I see her again in a month about additional epidural.

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

@texassunflower. I hope you get this resolved and feel better soon. Have you tried a brace for your back? It might give you support so you can sit for longer periods. Just a thought....

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

It's good to hear that you've seen the nurse and there is plan. The thing with pain control and and especially the injections is that not every reacts to them the same way and they aren't effective for everyone. The spinal injections worked immediately and wonderfully for me but my co-worker who also had back pain due to spinal stenosis was not as fortunate. The first round injections didn't help, the second round gave her a little relief but she was advised to go for a third round and that worked for her. Eventually she had surgery. I haven't had the spinal injections for over a year but I do take Gabapentin and that works. It also helps with my neck pain which they say is not cervical spine issue, not a shoulder issue. They don't know why I have neck pain. I'm just glad for the Gabapentin. Yes, like a lot of people, you must think of pain medication and other pain modalities as good things. We hear so much on the news about pain meds that people get scared when there is absolutely no reason. And too many suffer needlessly. So, please. Take the medication...as prescribed. Don't take less, don't take more. Take them on schedule. You need it.

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@texassunflower wrote:
I saw the NP today about the canual steriod epidural I received last Wednesday. She was surprised I had such a strong reaction to the injection and no reduction in pain. Agreed that I was having an odd reaction to steriods. I was offered another type of epidural injection that would inject at a different site. Epidural would involve steriods. I told her I would have to think long and hard before I would have another epidural. She said this one might do the trick. She asked if the pain meds work. Yes, Tramadol works but I agreed to epidural so I would not be rely on them. We discussed the fact that I needed to change my attitude about pain medication. She increased Tramadol and Gabapentin for nerve pain. She wrote script for up to 4 Tramadol a day. I hesitate to take one much less four pills. Hopefully, over the next couple of weeks the pain will subside and I can go back to just taking Tramadol a couple of times a week. Frustrating visit and I teared up several times. I see her again in a month about additional epidural.

@texassunflower

I think she is right ... and this is about your quality of life. Pain is very wearing on the body as well as your nerves. Why are you so reluctant to take pain meds? Afraid you'll get addicted? Some other reason?

I have chronic pain from both RA and fibromyalgia. I'm pretty satisfied with the aspercreme and pain meds I use, but now and then I have a big flare-up and everything just hurts and won't stop. This time I mentioned it to my Rheumatologist and she prescribed a short term barrage of prednisone to get things under control, and it's working faster than I suspected. I go back to normal course in a couple more days.

Remember .... pain management is a trial and error process until you and your docs figure out what works best for you. Some days joints, etc will hurt more than others, and having both a Plan A and a Plan B for dealing with chronic pain is really in your best interest.

You are still in the learning curve, but you still need to determine what will work best for you on an ongoing basis. Have a little patience.

Please .... stick with it and things will work out best if you don't "chicken out". JMO

skatting44 · ‎07-26-2019

For chronic nerve pain an approach by not only an Ortho surgeon but a Physical Thereapist , a Neurologist or Rheumatologist can be helpful . I would hope that she has prescribed physical therapy , if she 's cleared you to participate in it. Are you sure that you had a 2nd opinion and your condition does not require surgery ?

From experience I've seen these steps employed : 1) oral steroids, anti inflammatory medication , 3 steroid injections in total , physical therapy & teaching use body mechanics that aggravate back pain, and use of Gabapentin or Lyrica. Neurologist at Johns Hopkins usually slowly increase Gabapentin - I think the limit is 3600 mg/ in 24hrs .

Good luck and wish the best for your recovery !

texassunflower · ‎06-15-2015

@Kachina624 I have not tried a back brace. I have a posture cushion I use when I sub. I also have a cushion that I use only at home. The tailbone portion is cut out. I usually sit with my foot underneath me to take pressure off my tailbone. I watch how long I sit always. I do much better in a hard chair than a cushiony one .

texassunflower · ‎06-15-2015

@Tinkrbl44 I am afraid of becoming addicted to pain meds and having to take more and stronger medicine to control my pain. I don't tolerate medication well and I am surprised that Tramadol works with few side effects. Gabapentin took forever to get use to but it's in my system now. I may tolerate the increased dosage. I agreed to the epidural to see if it would help. I never dreamed it would make my pain worse. I thought it would either work or not. I am just upset about the results of the epidural. I am worried that another epidural will increase my pain once again. It's only been a week and I hope that things will settle down. I was managing with alot of accommodations for my back before the epidural.

texassunflower · ‎06-15-2015

@skatting44 I have had physical therapy to strengthen my back. I am faithful with the exercises. MRI show 2 bulging discs at L5-S1 and L4-L5. The L5- S1 disc was herniated in 2012 but the herniation no longer shows up on a MRI, just the bulge. I have not seen a neurologist or rheumatologist. I am currently taking a very low dose of Gabapentin (300 mg) which has been increased as of today. I have had one canual steriod injection which increased my pain. It was a week ago today. PCP sent me to pain management based on my MRI.

skatting44 · ‎07-26-2019

@texassunflower wrote:
@skatting44 I have had physical therapy to strengthen my back. I am faithful with the exercises. MRI show 2 bulging discs at L5-S1 and L4-L5. The L5- S1 disc was herniated in 2012 but the herniation no longer shows up on a MRI, just the bulge. I have not seen a neurologist or rheumatologist. I am currently taking a very low dose of Gabapentin (300 mg) which has been increased as of today. I have had one canual steriod injection which increased my pain. It was a week ago today. PCP sent me to pain management based on my MRI.

I'd find another Ortho surgeon for a 2nd opinion as there is a realtive less invasive surgery now a days to remove a herniated disc . The disc that's not seen any more " may have dried up or degenerated and Maybe is it pushing on a nerve , sometimes a hemi laminectomy can be performed to relive pressure on a nerve .if this is the case , a qualified ortho surgeon or neurosurgeon can explain your options .

Maybe your doctor is wanting to exhaust the conservative measures first , but prescribing Tramadol can lead to dependency on a controlled substance .

I'd find another Ortho surgeon . Also see a Rheumatologist to address the pain. Many people have chronic back pain and are not needing Tramadol which is just as bad long term as opoids. .

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@texassunflower

Well, I hope the disturbed nerves settle down and you can get by with minimal pain meds. Based on what you said, you seem unlikely to become addicted, unless there's a strong hereditary factor influencing your system. JMO