i have numbness and weakness in both legs my hands also started to feel numb sometimes I've been using lyrica for more than a month, so I decided to change my doctor. The new doctor said I have to take a steroid epidural injection, he also gave me another steroid injection to take. My question is will this injection be effective and worth the pain ? And if anybody has tried another thing that would be more effective
I had these last month and it lasted for a total of ten days but not everyone is the same. The next treatment is to have stuff injected into the vertebrae to expand it.
Yes same for me I should be habing the vertebral injection this Tuesday but I'm thinking whay would happen if I didn't have the injection and tried a stronger painkiller only?
I'm sorry you are having this pain too
Response to epidurals are varied. Some folks get relief that lasts for a long time and others do not obtain relief. It is worth a try. Usually there is not much if any pain associated with the injection. I say usually because my psyiatrist injected into a nerve by mistake, but that is not the normal experience!
I had very little pain having the injection but for some reason when the sicatica pain came back it was worse than before for a few days. You may be one of the lucky ones Rawan like my sister in law, never had any pain since. Yes they are worth trying as is anything when you are in this much pain.
I didn't take a decision yet about the injection I can't bare the cortisone effect, I will try seeing another doctor first. Thank you for your replay and get well soon
Rawan, the answer to your questions is born of uncertainty.
Understandably so. I have cervical stenosis for decades now. It began
after a traffic accident at C3-C4 in the 1980s and has now evolved down to include the levels of C6-C7. In those 25-30 yrs I have had major nerve
pain and numbness twice. The first was lasted 6 months of constant
pain after the traffic accident. I refused ssurgery and it subsided..I was
30 yrs old. Fast forward 30 yrs of bedside nursing and severe pain
begain at a different area of same arm indicating a different set of
nerves. We tried an epidural steroid injection that was ineffective. I took Physical Therapy 3xweekly for 3 1/2 months which
included deep tissue massage after warm packs followed by mechan-
ical cervical traction and have been pain free for 3 yrs. On to the lumbar pain. I began having low back pain Sept 2013. It was really a bad
backache that I though was a pulled muscle or a srain. I knew it was more when it never got better. MRI showed Stenosis at L4-L5. I kept working and the disc herniated at some point. I went back to the neurosurgeon in April of 2014 (7 mo)..more Xrays were taken, the result being the discovery of the disc and worsening stenosis. Pardon, I saw the NP at that point. She made an appt with the neurosurgeon. I saw him in late Sept and He wasn't able to get me in for surgery until 11/11/14. So you see, the process takes time and they will attempt conservative treatment first. Lyrica is a really strong med. I am not surprised that it isn't doing much for you.
Narcotics are more effective for acute pain and less effective for chronic pain issues.plain old Over the Counter Ibuprophen worked for me. I took 600mg every 6 hrs days that I had to work and every 8 hrs on days off.
Ice packs and a good back brace also provided relief. I always hurt but
let's say that those methods made it tolerable.
Good luck in your journey, I wish you well.
Patricia