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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

My Pain Management Dr. Wants to...

DelRi0

DelRi0

Bluelighter
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
434
Hey guys, [mods] not quite sure if this fits in BDD but I think it would so here goes, feel free to relocate if necessary.

I've been seeing my current PM doctor for about 7 months now and he has had me on hydrocodone ever since jump street [which is a whole other issue covered in a diff post] and for the past few months hes been wanting to do facet injections on me, in my neck. I'm nervous as hell about it and so Ive been putting him off saying my major medical deductible hasnt been met yet and hes played along so far. Unfortunately my next appointment is a little under 3 weeks away and I dont think hes going to let me postpone it any longer. Guys, I'm freaking out here. All Ive heard are horror stories about facet and nerve blocks gone wrong and people going through a living hell afterwards so I'm really trying to decide if I even want to go back again or just go ahead and jump ship now and walk away from my script and all. I dont mind sticking myself every now and then with a little tiny insulin needle full of oxycodone but the thought of those huge 3 inch long needles they use for the injection procedures scares the hell out of me. Can anyone shed any light on facet injections? Anybody else out there had them or know someone that has? Please help me put my mind at ease. Thanks guys.:\
 
They usually do it under local anesthetic and fluoroscopic guidance.

You might want to schedule a consultation with a local interventional neuroradiologist to discuss a percutaneous RF rhizotomy, which is a more permanent nerve block.
 
TSLexi said:
They usually do it under local anesthetic and fluoroscopic guidance.

You might want to schedule a consultation with a local interventional neuroradiologist to discuss a percutaneous RF rhizotomy, which is a more permanent nerve block.
Click to expand...


Oh, man,...oh...ow..just reading Rhizotomy on the screen makes me cringe with the thought of having something permanently severed, especially since its in my cervical region of the spine.thanks for the suggestion though at least I know theres at least one other option. 8o
 
DelRi0 said:
Oh, man,...oh...ow..just reading Rhizotomy on the screen makes me cringe with the thought of having something permanently severed, especially since its in my cervical region of the spine.thanks for the suggestion though at least I know theres at least one other option. 8o
Click to expand...

It's actually a pretty neat procedure done by highly-skilled specialized interventional radiologists, and is done under conscious sedation with only an overnight hospital stay.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatme...ncy-neurotomy-facet-and-sacroiliac-joint-pain
 
I've had facet blocks, epidurals, and RFA (radio frequency ablation) and while I know the thought of them is scary as hell my experience wasn't bad. They put me out for every one and the docs are usually highly skilled and use a fluoroscope which is like live x-ray to guide them in the process.

I w it's scary bit I'd just get it done. It can help a lot and if they knock you out with something like Propofol you'll wake up feeling like a million bucks.
 
Johndoedoe.junk said:
I've had facet blocks, epidurals, and RFA (radio frequency ablation) and while I know the thought of them is scary as hell my experience wasn't bad. They put me out for every one and the docs are usually highly skilled and use a fluoroscope which is like live x-ray to guide them in the process.

I w it's scary bit I'd just get it done. It can help a lot and if they knock you out with something like Propofol you'll wake up feeling like a million bucks.
Click to expand...


Ok thats great to hear its stories like that that give me some hope...

Can you feel anything during even with local anesthetic? Like the needle tip deep inside you moving around? If so then omg I'm absoluetly going to need to be sedated 8o

I just really needed to hear from someone that its worth it and they work because the docs seem to want to play it safe and tell me oh theres only about a 50/50 chance its going to do any good...8)
 
The no sedation part doesn't sound good. Everytime they completely knocked me out with Propofol so the only needle pricking I felt was them putting in the IV. Then it was off to lala land so I felt nothing. The facet block is usually sort of a diagnostic procedure as well as a pain relieving one. If you get marked relief from the facet injection they can figure that that is where the pain is coming from and usually will want to do an epidural next in that area to provide further relief.

Maybe someone who's has the procedure without anesthesia can chime in with their experience. I've seen the procedure done on an unsedated individual on YouTube and they didn't seem to be in any pain. They would definitely numb you up good. Talk to your doc to double check if they do put you under or not.
 
Good posts, John and Lexi! Delrio, what you could do is tell your doctor that you're scared just like you told us. I understand your hesitance. Ask him if he would consider doing this in a hospital setting. Sounds like he's insistent you get this done, so see if you can work something out. Maybe this will be what it takes in order for him to prescribe the previous meds you mentioned in your other thread. Hope this helps!
 
These procedures are supposed to be done in a hospital IR suite. Go find an interventional neuroradiologist in your area, because they specialize in percutaneous and endovascular treatment of the brain and spine.
 
Thanks for the replies and input guys (and gals ;) ) My particular doctor I'm seeing now is a neurologist specializing in pain management and seems to be one of the most knowledgeable and genuinely caring docs that I've had so far. With that being said, I feel like the only reason he's hesitant about prescribing anything stronger than hydro is because last summer the DEA showed up around town and commenced to arresting doctors and pharmacists, and as it turns out, most of them were found innocent later on. So I'm assuming all of the PM docs are probably still a little gun-shy when it comes to writing oxy (that was the particular drug the media coverage singled out, go figure). Anyway, the reason I'm having reservations about having it done the way he wants to is because everyone I've talked to about it (including y'all) has said that they've never had it done while awake. Also, every doctor I've consulted with about having it done (3 different docs) have all given me the same risk/benefit ratio of about 50/50. Now here's my particular hard spot I'm at, the right medication controls my neuropathy very well and I have no problem with using that to manage my symptoms, BUT, it seems like every PM Dr I've been to eventually starts pushing the injections on me around the 3 to 4 month mark. I haven't quite figured out their angle yet but I feel fairly certain it has to do with the payout from the insurance companies more so than my particular benefit if medication is managing my symptoms just fine. I'm afraid though that if I keep putting it off because I think it's an uneccesary risk that I'm going to be fired and hung out to dry, only to have to search for another Dr and more than likely repeat the same process :(
 
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