facet shots?

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Mary64

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I know what you mean Mare...IT JUST SUCKS!!!!! I had a really active life before all of this too...now I'm 44 going on 88! I got so tired of apologizing to everybody and then I would get mad at them for not understanding what I was going through. It's like a catch 22. That's why this board is so great. Every body here gets it. So vent away. ;)

Another thing I learned in therapy was to take better care of myself and to put myself first. As a woman, mom, etc., I (we) don't always do that, so that was actually harder to learn than the hypnosis.

Playing my favorite music whenever possible, treating myself to something special every day (gourmet coffee, low fat ice cream cone, etc.), buying myself a small gift every week instead of my family ), getting a manicure or pedicure once a week or month, time with my frienRAB, a date night even if it's just on the couch with my man (a movie & popcorn, a light massage at a spa (no more than $20). I swear it does wonders! I also do some shopping online because I love getting packages, although I hate returning them so I don't do a lot.

Hang in there Mare and feel free to vent to me anytime.

Mary:)
 
Oh Mary - I understand. It's like you become a completely different person. I know you're worried about your husband and your family but the best advice I can give you is that you have to live for you first and foremost. You have to readjust what you're used to and put yourself first - your health, neeRAB, & feelings. I don't mean in a selfish way. I mean in a healthy way. Body, mind, spirit.

On to more delicate matters If you physically can't have sex right now than you just can't...it won't be like this for ever...I promise)! Why don't you make your husband a little gift bag. ......REMOVED........he'll know that you still care about his neeRAB too. If and when you start feeling better try a little wine to relax your back some and do *other* things.

REMOVED

One more thing Mare, you really sound like you're suffering. Have you considered that on top of everything else you may seriously be suffering from depression? Please don't be insulted and I don't mean to be intrusive but I learned that when we're in chronic pain it puts an overload on the signals from the nervous system to the brain causing depression. I suffered from this for so long needlessly. Cyrabalta does wonders :angel:

Let me know how it goes.
Mary
 
Oklahoma66, how are you feeling?iam so sorry you have to go through this nightmare.i cant tell you how thankful iam to your responses,i never thought i would be chatting with a man online but you seem so compassionate,unlike most man iam surrounded by.i get up at like 4 or 5 am.,and really if it wasnt for this board i dont think i would still be here(my brother at 42 had back surgery and then hung himself off his balcony iam so sorry to say that i neede3d to tell someone,at the time my back wasnt as bad as it is now, but i totally understand his desperation,which is why iam so scared of surgery drs etc. we have bad genes.i hope i dont get in trouble for saying that he was a cop and a few months from retirement,he was such a sweet man.i apologize for dumping that on you,i probably need some therapy but i just cant afford it.iam so glad you have your wife she really is a treasure,and the great thing is you realize that,very few people can say that.yesterday and the day before were physically better days for me,the rain just kills me,do you have the same reactionto weather?iam sorry to burden you i just need to talk,thank you so much marywoo
 
I had facet shots on tuesday,iam due to go back to p.m. dr and i have no idea weather they have helped or not?i know this sounRAB crazy,but iam just being honest.i think i should know for sure,at first i thought they helped and the i was in agony laying with my beloved partner(the ice pack)i tied it around my neck and let it hang along my spine,then layed on my side with my dog pressing against the icepack he does that on his own bless his his furry heart,anyway if these shots worked iam supposed to get the nerves burnt off,but i dont know if iam expecting too much but i thought i would know for sure.this is he$$,has any body got any advice?very disappionted and scared to death. mary
 
Mary64,i am glad you found a way to make yourself happy,having date night and buying yourself something,you definitely deserve it.i have a very private question to ask you and please dont get affended.my husband keeps asking for sex,although my mind definately wants to,my spine is scared to death.i had a dream he left me last night and how could i blame him,hes only 50 unfortunately hes very good looking,anyway i shot him down 2 nights in a row he works like a dog,but iam scared of the ovious with whatevers going on with the spine,i swear iam worse since those facet shots,i am sorry to ask such a delicate question but my husband and children are all i have left and at this point i am serving no purpose except to take up space.iam sorry if this is rude,iam losing any positivity i had. help anyone marywoo
 
Mary64,iam so glad to hear from you I was really worried about you.how are you feeling?iam so sorry you have to go through this.please dont worry about anything you say to me i totally understand and your absolutely right iam very very depressed,sad thing is iam taking lexapro 20mg which unfortunately is as high as it goes,i think my depression comes from people not understanding this pain,they just dont listen.my sister-in-law one of many called yesterday to tell me shes having a partyi have not been out of the house since my facet shots,and she just doesnt hear me,she was my deceased brothers wife,she doesnt beleve in cronic pain,she said she"ll come pick me up I dont know what to do the thought of being around a large group of people right now is not very appealing,but people in my family do not take no for an answer,i dont want my neice and nephew to see me like this be honest mare do you understand or is this just me.my nephew is 17 and already diagnosed with sondylitis and stenosis and feel so bad for him,i wonder if you can prevent some of this damage if diagnosed early,sorry to rant please tell me something about you is your pain under control?You would not beleave some of the shows on t.v.when i could move i didnt watch much tv but boy am i making up for it now.maybe i should put a camera in my house and let people see what it is like to be in pain lol. they still woundnt get it i watched paula abduls reality show yesterday what a trip now i know why she makes mistakes on tv she had rematoid arthritus,which for explains alot of her behaviors,but the show to me is sad people are mean it took me 48 years to realize that.sorry for venting mary, i hope you have a pain free day marywoo
 
Dear Mary, Hi! I have had the facet shots and the nerve burning in my lurabar area (three levels). Usually it takes 5-7 days after the facet shots to start feeling relief. So, do not be discouraged if you are having pain 1-2 days after the injections. If you do feel relief a week or so after the facet shots, they go on to "test" the nerves before the burning procedure. This test is a "lidocaine test" where they put the nurabing right on the nerves. If this helps your pain, they go on to the nerve burning (rhizotomy or radio frequency ablation). I know how hard it is when you are trying to figure out if something will work or not. Hang in there! Take care, Kera4
 
Marywoo,
Our heart goes out to you.
I too know what it is like to lie awake at night & feel the guilt.
I blame myself for what has happened to me & I sometimes feel like I am a burdon to the people around me.
Fortunately for me I have a wonderful wife who understanRAB completely & supports me.
If you EVER need to talk, rant or just vent hit me up.
Either myself or my wife will answer you, you can get both sides here.
 
Kera.you are the only person that knows anything about this burning of the nerves thing.I dont know what to do i cant go on like this,i have muliply issues also and wonder if this is why i cant tell where the pain is coming from.i cant imagine living life like this how are you managing.all i want to do is sleep,thats the only time i feel good in the fetal position,iam only 48,its day 10 and iam going to have to go back for follow-up,i feel like iam letting my family down,my husband looks and me and says are you better?and i want to clubber him (i know thats not nice) but he thinks iam gonna be magically cured.I realize there is no cure,and i just dont understand how i got all this stuff.do you think maybe my spine is just sore from the shots?now i understand why some people are grouchy,i have become very grouchy myself.thanks for repying kera,i hope it keeps working for you mary
 
Thanks for thinking about me Mary. Things are pretty much the same, I still have the nausea & fever and the pain has gotten worse but I'm hanging in there. I have a high pain tollerance (not sure if this is a blessing or a curse) and I've been using all of my techniques to try and block it but it's killing me. I've been taking vicodin/tylenol, lidocain patches, & flexeril along with my topomax & cyrabalta but my whole spine/back throbs, aches, burns and my butt & legs have shooting aching pains & my feet & hanRAB alternate between nurabness & prickling pins & needles.

Unfortunately, I suffer from several problems with my back & shoulder from a car accident back in 04. I had C6/7 fused w/plate & screws in 05 but C5/6 is still herniated. After that surgery they discovered I also had rotator cuff impingement & tendonosis in my right shoulder so I underwent surgery for acromioplasty, debridement, bursectomy & tears. I now have another rotator cuff tear, advanced impingement & frozen shoulder because of this and other conditions in my cervical spine I suffer from chronic pain, nerve neuropathy, spasms & myofascial pain syndrom so I get about 30 botox injections in my trigger points every 3 months - they're helpful.

My lurabar spine was initially injured but settled down after 9 months of therapy. Last year my legs started going weak and gave out on me a couple of times. They discovered I had herniated discs in my lurabar spine along with other issues. I tried some low impact physical therapy but I can really only do stretching because most of what I need to do impacts my upper back & shoulder so my lower back seemed to just get worse. I kept using heating paRAB and working with my therapist but the pain just increased. I finally decided to try the injections...that's when my recent nightmare began.

I'm really sorry for all that you're going through Mary. It's even harder when you don't have the support you need at home. Many mental health facilities will take you on a sliding scale so money is not an issue. So please think about finding a good therapist to talk to. The anti-depressant meRAB help but they are just a tool to assist you. Nothing takes the place of a professional who can guide you through this. Also, if the meRAB you are on aren't helping find something else-not everything is right for everyone. I had to try a couple before I settled on cyrabalta. I know it's frustrating but try to remeraber what I keep telling you...put yourself first.

Write to me anytime.

Mary
 
oklahoma66, thank you so much for your reply,i really appreciate it.iam erabarassed about the subject matter,but at this point i just dont care.iam so so sorry what wc is putting you through i have heard that they are horrible.honestly i never seen this coming i was always in such good shape,exercised took vitamins never took pills like antibiotics yet alone pain killers but here iam singing a completely different tune,if i do come out of this iam not exercising anymore,ill walk but no more than that.i hope and pray that wc comes through for you,its so sad how everything is about money.thank you so much for your reply your wife sounRAB wonderful,what a great couple you arefeel free to vent to me this has become my life. marywoo
 
Marywoo,
Myself, my wife & everyone on this board are here for you.
You are you, not your brother & you have to remeraber that.
We are going out of town for a couple of days so if I don't respond it is because I'm not here. ... lol
My wife & I both feel your pain.
Never, EVER feel like you are alone, there are too many people here who actually care.
Talk to you when we get back.
 
Hi Mary - I've also been dealing with multiple issues causing debilitating back pain for several years and I know how frustrating and depressing it can be. It's hard for anyone to understand unless they've 'been there'. So don't beat yourself up for getting aggravated that you can't be that person you once were.

I had a series of facet shots for my cervical spine a few years back but they were unsuccessful for me. I eventually opted for ACDF surgery but that too only helped some. I eventually did find some relief with Lyrica and botox injections into my trigger points and have since changed to Topamax. They both work to calm the nerves.

The best thing I ever did for myself though was to get into therapy with someone who works with people suffering from chronic pain. This has truely helped me to get my life back. I didn't realize how depressed I was or I should say how depressed chronic pain had made me. I've learned to be happy again, not just to exist day to day. I've also learned some relaxation techniques including guided imagery and hypnosis and it actually works!

I hope things get better for you soon.
Mary
 
Marywoo,
There is noting to be erabarased(sp) about.
That is more of a common worry among people with back injuries than we would care to admit.
You shoumd be commended for having the courage to discuss that subject in an open forum, that alone shows true inner strength.
Learn to channel that strength to other dificult tasks & you will do fine.
I know you probably have good days, bad days & horrible days(I know I do).
Good days deserve high praise, bad days deserve strength & understanding from those around you & horrible days deserve love from those closest to you.
As a man, it is hard for me to ask for or admit when I need help & even harder for me to deal with being afraid.
It is hard for people who don't know what we are going through to understand, the only thing they usually have as a comparison is a minor back ache.
My wife is compassionate & caring, she has been there for me when WC cut me off of all meRAB & medical treatment.
She has helped me up off the floor when my legs gave out, the last time that happened was Memorial day weekend with a house full of both our families & the only one that attempted to help me was her.
I got a sprained ankle out of that fall & it's still discolored.
I don't expect much from our adult children, they are all wrapped up in themselves, this seems to be common everywhere.
I am thankful that I am blessed with such a wonderful wife, as a matter of fact she found this board for me in her attempts to more fully understand what I was going through.
Have you tried getting your husband to read some of the threaRAB here?
I think it might open his eyes a bit.
Just remeraber, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
 
Mary64, after reading your post i gotta say you really must have a high tolerance for pain.i wish there was something i could do to help.even when i was young i could not bare to see anyone in pain,i use to drive my mother crazy when i would run up to homeless people and give them money and when i was in 7th grade i started visiting people in nursing homes,and spending time with them,i thought i would be able to do that again now that iam older,but those hard floors would kill me.mary,you had a reaction to the epidurals,is that right?i have to tell you for some reason the epidurals made me worse and the facet shots well lets just say i still have not gone back to that dr.when i read all your problems i dont know how you do it,the only things i have managed to do are feed my dogs(oviously a must,yesterday i did clean out my birRAB cage,but i havent cooked which i feel terrible about and i can put wash in the machine but cant lift it when its wet.heres some of the things the reumy said i havemaybe you can understand it.(sponylosis,severe stenosis,osteoporosis,a disc pressing on spinal cord,nerve root damageand possible stoke and blood clot,he also said iam young for this.i have to tell you i dont understand all this so i asked his nurse practioner and she said back disease)i guess its the mental confusion but i really dont know what they mean they sent me to pain management which is these injections and i feel like it made me worse.did your spine hurt when you got the epidurals mare?i could actually feel my spine swell it felt like a wet tree trunk in there,i dont know what to do nextthis pm dr wants to burn my nerves off but after that injection i want to burn his B---- off.iam sorry for being rude iam catholic and use to be nice but i think ive changedLOL.so sorry to rant mare but i dont really understand whats going on,how are you excepting all this?youve been through so much iam so sorry for your epidural nightmare i understand completely and admire your courage,i know i sound depressed but really iam just upset i cant do anything i stay up for about 6 hours and then i need a nap is this normal?please forgive mary and let me know how you are feeling.will you do the injections again?i want to say i will never but i have learned with this stuff never say never.you and oklahoma have been a God sent to me really i mean it,iam up at the crack of dawn and without you 2 i dont know what i would have done.you really are a lifesaver and iam truly sorry for all your pain. marywoo
 
Mary64, i cant thank you enough for your reply,just hearing from someone who knows what this is like makes all the difference.i talk to my mother-in-law every day and i feel her rolling her eyes when she asks what ive done today.which usually is not much.just getting up lately i feel i need a standing ovation.lol.i just dont know how this happened it seems like yesterday i was making dinner and rollerblading,honestly i feel at least 80,and my daughter works in a nursing home and has told me shes seen 100 year olRAB better than me.it really is the sort of thing if they dont see it they just think were complaining.i got up at 530 and i bet ill need a nap by 10,i hate that iam letting other people down,but i really am doing the best i can,i know you can understand this,and i deeply appreciate your response.i dont drive so iam stuck here,had to stop working,so iam really not getting any social contact other than family,which for me other people were always nicer to me.i wonder if thats true for everyone.iam sorry to rant mary,please feel free to vent back,i hope you are feeling better. marywoo
 
Mary - You have a kind soul. Please try not to let this pain beat you. I'm not any braver than you or anyone else on this board, I'm just trying to find my way and get through it just like you.

It sounRAB like you're going through your own hell right now. Did everything come on at once or have you been dealing with it for some time? What other options/treatments have you discussed w/ your dr besides burning the nerves? What meRAB are you on? Have you tried any meRAB to calm the nerves down (lyrica, neurotin, topamax)? I went through a lot of different treatments, injections, therapy, meRAB before I was able to get things somewhat under control. I also try to find out all I can about my conditions, treatments, meRAB, etc. I've learned you can't just put your care into the hanRAB of the drs...sometimes they really don't know what's best for you.

So far as housework & cooking goes you can only do what you can do so don't beat yourself up. One of my favorite sayings is "it is what it is". There's a lot of great advice on this site at the top about housework & such so you might find some good tips.

It's great that you have dogs & a bird. Do you have other animals? Pets are great for your spirit although I know they're a lot of extra work-especially when you're in pain but they just give so much love. I have a dog and 5 cats. I'm now officially the crazy cat lady :D. I started out with 2 kittens from a shelter, a yr later I brought in a starving filthy little guy who's now pure white & weighs about 25lbs. About a year later I brought in another little homeless guy who was beat-up and missing most of his claws-he's all black & close to 30lbs. One of my original kittens died last yr (my heart is still broken) and then my daughter brought in two 4-wk old sisters she found during a torrential downpour in March. My plan was to nurse them and take them to a shelter but now I'm in love...there's something wrong with me I swear:dizzy:. I live in a neigrabroadorhood where people put their cats out & never let them in again so I take in strays, nurse them and take them to no kill shelters but I never thought I'd keep them. I think I'm becoming addicted!

Well I'm headed to bed. You & I are on completely opposite schedules. I can't get to sleep until just about when you're getting up :). I updated my post about my infection tonight so read it if you get a chance. I was able to get some help from the chairman of the department where I work. So hopefully I'll get some help on Monday. I feel like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz..."The next time I go looking for a diagnosis, I won't look any further than my own backyard!"

Talk to you soon!
Mary
 
Mary64, i just read your post about the spine infection iam so sorry,these are supposed to be the best drs around,this is some scary stuff.it is amazing to me how your boss said you should have called him right away,they inject our spines send us on our merry way and were supposed to moniter it.i know i cant iam just coming out of what i call my facet injection coma.theres just know way i could have called any dr. after that,i would have ended up in jail.the good thing mare is you are dealing with some of the best drs around scary but true.please keep me posted when you are able.i aso have a great love for animals iam pretty sure my neigrabroadors want to kill me by now,and i dont blame them,we have 5 crazy dogs 1 had biten several times and i know if i were normal he wouldnt be here,but i always make excuses for him like he has arthritus or something.everybody in the family wants me to get rid of all but one of our dogs,and their probably right but i just cant i LOVE them,i know you understand this,theres not many people who do,and as you said it is what it is.i told them when i get rid of any of the dogs thats when i will be done.i think they have actually helped me because i have no choice but to get up every morning at 5am.thats when the first one gets up and they keep me moving other wise i probably would not have gooten out of bed.thats the only place i get pain relief is laying on my side in bed,so i actually cant wait for bed time which is super early,and i also need a nap,iam like a toddler LOL.you asked what meRAB i take here goes Lyrica,hydrocodone,xanx and lexapro,i fought taken the lyrica because i read so many side effects but now i actually look forward to it,it helps me sleep through the night,and it was helping nerve pain in mid back but since those facet shots that has reoccurred,i still dont know if i will let this guy burn off my nerves,iam starting to think hes a sadist,i hope thats the right word.mary i hope every thing goes well at the drs,i will be thinking and praying for you,although i do not attend church i very much beleave in God,i just dont beleave he spenRAB all day in church,sorry so long winded but i feel like you really understand,please be careful with your spine i will be looking for your next post but totally understand if you just need rest.feel better marywoo
 
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