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Misc Lumbar Medial Block Without MRI / x-rays First??? Advice please!

M

midnight11

Bluelighter
Joined
Jun 4, 2013
Messages
107
Hello, I visited a PM doctor today for what has become chronic back and joint pain due to scoliosis and psoriatic arthritis, and was kind of surprised by what he suggested. First off, he gave me no treatment options regarding the pain management, and I fully explained in detail the severity of the pain, the weight shift in my upper body forwards to stay balanced that also exacerbates my knee pain, and what helps / doesn't help the pain.

He basically pushed me out of the door saying he would do a 3-point lumbar medial nerve block (x-ray guided) 13 days from now, without referring me for further diagnostic like an MRI or preparation x-rays to get a better idea.

Anyways, after reading more into the procedure, I'm not very comfortable with the idea of him doing the lumbar medial so soon and without giving me any other options. He seemed incredibly against narcotics, and gave me no advice on how to get any relief beyond the lumbar medial which could then be followed with the electronic "burning" of the nerves (unsure of the name of this procedure.)

Does this seem sketchy / unprofessional on his end, or is this fairly expected and normal for PM patients and doctors? I don't like the idea of him messing around with my nerves or spine too much as a first-line-therapy, as I've been taking NSAIDs at high dosages and doing physical therapy exercises every day for like a year at this point with no success. I have not been prescribed a narcotic analgesic for PM, but have many other times for smaller problems that didn't seem to require them as much.

Any advice would be appreciated greatly. Thanks!
 
personally i'd seek a second opinion, imo injecting stuff into my spinal cord is never an appropriate first line treatment option. a ton of people died a little while back from meningitis (look up New England Compounding Center) due to the use of contaminated medication in procedures such as these. not a pleasant way to go. all because some doctor has a problem with writing a few vicodin scripts? please...
 
Last edited:
alovesupreme said:
personally i'd seek a second opinion, imo injecting stuff into my spinal cord is never an appropriate first line treatment option. a ton of people died a little while back from meningitis (look up New England Compounding Center) due to the use of contaminated medication in procedures such as these. not a pleasant way to go. all because some doctor has a problem with writing a few vicodin scripts? please...
Click to expand...

Thanks - this is pretty much exactly how I felt. I'm not looking to get like oxycodone 80's or anything even similar, just a low-dose opioid medication I can take for the more severe breakthrough pain. I was aware of the meningitis outbreak and deaths due to the compounding pharmacy contamination but never realized it was mostly from similar procedures!!

Pretty damn horrifying, IMO. Thanks again for the advice...I'm pretty sure low-dose opioids could be a better option than a lumbar medial without further imaging and diagnosis first.
 
Fucking PM docs and thier fucking injections....sorry. This is par for the course. No narcotis first visit,and they always will suggest sticking uou with some needle so they can bill insurance thousnads of dollars. However it may work for you. This doc doesnt sound like the best person but they are probably a bit jaded these days. Maybe a good idea to research the tpe of injection they suggest and write down your questions to ask next time. Some docs can get offended by what they call google drs so best to use some tavt and respect when questioning, but most importantly if you dont like this doc just find another, if that is an option. Best of luck.
 
I got six of those injections at once in my neck, worst pain of my life. It's just a money making scam they herd ppl in there like cattle giving injections as fast as they can and bill you $5000 for 10 minutes of torture.
 
thurston said:
I got six of those injections at once in my neck, worst pain of my life. It's just a money making scam they herd ppl in there like cattle giving injections as fast as they can and bill you $5000 for 10 minutes of torture.
Click to expand...

Yeah they forget to mention how painful they can be. Watch out for that.
 
Thank you all so much for your input. I know it may sound heartless, but I truly do respect every single opinion posted on here. I will certainly inquire further regarding the procedure, other possible options, reschedule the procedure at the very least until I can get a second opinion, and hopefully gain a better understanding of what I will go through.

My real issue is not exclusively the procedure itself, but also the way the doctor is approaching it as if it's absolutely nothing. I will continue looking for other PM drs that are less egotistical, as this one is a high-level doctor at a very well respected hospital which means they see patients for 10 minutes per appointment if you're lucky and push their personal agenda for financial incentive.

Again, thank you all for your advice and recommendations based on you experience. I was feeling very marginalized and judged earlier and I am (not happy) but relieved to see others have dealt with similar experiences and that I'm not psychotic for not wanting 3 3.5" 24 gauge needles stuck into my spine as a first resort.

I wish you all the best & hope you are all well
 
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