Questions About "Radiofrequency Ablation" ????

  • Thread starter Thread starter sandollar
  • Start date Start date
S

sandollar

Guest
Hi All,
I am having a RadioFrequency Ablation on the S1-L5, I was told I would have a VERY MILD sedation, because he neeRAB to know everything I feel.
I am on the Fentanyl Patch 50 and also Oxycodone 10-325, and Flexeril. But when I go in, they will not let me take my regular meRAB and when they use the MILD Sedation it won't work.
It never does.
Can anyone tell me how they do this procedure??? I have Panic Attacks and need to know in advance how painful this will be? The Doctor says when he is in his hometown office, he does not use ANY sedation on his local patients at all!
So I can only imagine the sedation will be very minimal. And Versed doesn't work on me at all.
The injections he did 3 weeks ago helped and for the first time I was completely pain free, but they just wore off and the pain came back with a vengence. This is why he is doing this procedure.
Any information anyone can tell me about this and how it is done is greatly appricated. I can't find it anywhere online, and my PM didn't go into any details about how it is done, just the name of it and that the burning sensation from the nerves will increase for a few days before it gets better.
How long does his procedure take? How long in recovery? Is it Painful? How long does the results usually last before the the nerve endings grow back? etc, etc, etc.
Thank You,
Sandollar
 
Kera4,
One more question, Since my husband is 60 yrs old and in a Nursing home/Rehab, they can't figure out why he can't walk. BUT! anyway, we do NOT have a checking account and we pay everything by cash, The day after this procedure I have to drive to the bank and then about 2 hours all over town paying the utilities and getting money orders.
Will I have a problem with that? Or will my Lortabs & 75mg of Voltaren and my Flexeril help me? Or am I in for a really bad day & night? PLEASE BE HONEST, SO I can prepare and put pillows in the car or whatever I need, or whatever you might suggest!!! And NO there is NOBODY else who can do this for me.
Thank You for Everything,
Sandollar
 
You will be really sore the next day. What I would do is take pillows in the car-go do one errand, then park and lay down in the car for 20 minutes. Then do another errand, then lay down for 20 minutes. I have done this when I have to take one of my kiRAB somewhere-drop them off-lay down for a while-pick them up and keep going. I think the key is taking breaks. Maybe bring an ice pack in the car too. Can you rest the following day after that? What happens is that all the muscles get into bad knots/spasms if you overdo too much. The good news is that you can't really "ruin" the procedure-once the RFA is done, the nerves are burned and you just have to get through the recovery period. It sounRAB like you have good meRAB to cover you, which should make it easier. Let us know how it goes-Take care, kera4
 
I just want to warn you as to a sentence above: "You can't really ruin yourself." I had IDET, and I understandt the two procedures are close to the same. In addition to burning the nerves, you also WEAKEN the annulus for a couple of weeks until it has a chance to heal & scar (as you want it to to seal off the tears). At lease in IDET, for this very reason, I was told not to sit for perioRAB of more than 15 minutes at a time, and for the first week, to try not to sit at all. So I'm worried about you doing all these erranRAB, but understand that you have to do what you have to do. I think the suggestions above are good. Just watch your sitting!!!
 
Hi I had it done be 2 years.waiting still for authorization from comp to do another.it relieved my back pain but not the lower legs area.they basically insert a needle type gadget to send radio into the nerve which cuts it off,so be no pain for up to 5 years,in my case its coming back,the nerve will grow back.But I try to use it to avoid fusion surgery for as long can,but comp not helping.I felt nothing,if I did they gave me special anesthesia that made ya forget the experience.it couldn't hurt no more that the discogram.its a fast zap,then the pain meRAB settle it.But I had nerve pain afterwarRAB for few weeks but nothing major that I needed high doses of meRAB.maybe can take mild tranquilizer.I get panic attacks too,I'm worse cause i can't be on a 5th floor hospital so I'm really gone
 
Ok, I have it down to "Everything can wait except the utilities", I am going to have them ready and I will HAVE to make the 10 minute trip to the bank, then come home. I am going to ask my neigrabroador ( who doesn't work) if he will go down the road and pay the utilities for me and pick up the money orders on the way home. ( He can use my car and my gas-Actually this way he can get gas for me too.)
I'll try to call him later, him and his family are not home right now.
I called my Daughter and since I am home alone, she will check on me, if I need anything to just call her.
SOUND BETTER?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVICE!!!
Sandoller
 
Hi! I have had this done several times, and it really helps with pain management. I have it done at L5, l4 and L3-both sides, so the procedure lasts about 45 minutes. They give me Versed, a small amount, which is sometimes not enough for me. I tell my doctor I need something more, and he gives me Fentanyl. It hurts some when the burning starts, but not too bad-each burning is only 90 seconRAB long. So the pain does not last long. They need you to feel it somewhat, so they know they are burning the right spot. I usually rest for about 3-4 days, icing a lot. Then, you can go about you regular routine, but I find I need to take breaks during the day and not push myself for about 2-3 weeks. The RFA lasts 8 months for me-I wish it would last longer. My doctor said 9 months is average. Good luck-I wish you the best. Take care, Kera4
 
Hi,I was wondering that burning,pins and needle feeling similiar to that of a fusion surgery?if it was I could handle that feeling with basic meRAB.I rather go that treatment before getting sliced up like a sardine can.I had my RF in 2006,so I got quite bit relief for awhile.And i love that anesthesis they use.
 
I am glad to hear that you are going to have someone help you. I firmly believe that alot of us overdo and end up causing ourselves more problems in the long run. I pray that it goes smoothly for you.
 
Apocalypto22,
I have severe panic as well, spent 5 years in my home before I could get help. I called the doctor who is doing this, he said it will take about 30 minutes? he is doing both side of the S1-L5 and using a heated electrode instead of a needle to burn the nerves. Since they know about my Panic problem, the last 2 Steriod injections they had to use (Versed & Ketamine) a general Anestesia. So they are going to use the same on this procedure. As long as I can answer them, which I did the last time, I only remeraber being in a castle on a cement slab facing a wall and lots of other people there too, on slabs as well, we did not talk, but I remeraber a nurse asking me if I could roll over onto the gurney. I looked down at the cement floor and said: NO! I'll fall!, I finally started seeing white sheets and realized where I was.
Well, They said thats the same meRAB they will use on me Thursday.
They said the Burning pain will last 2 weeks and will get worse over the first 3-5 days. and I will need something for pain if I don't have anything. I told them I am on the Fentanyl Patch and Oxycodone (which hasn't worked for a long time), but they said that should be fine.
How long will I be in recovery??? They didn't know or wouldn't tell me!

Kera4,
You have had almost he same procedure I am having. They do give me the Versed and the Fentanyl, but they do not work for me, so then they give me the Ketamine, so She said since he know's which nerves and has nurabed then several times already, he is giving me a Mac anesthesia.
I do not have to be awake, but I do have to answer. just enough to know I am not totally out of it, just enough when the Doctor asks me how I am doing I can say "OK". THANK THE GOOD LORD FOR THIS MAN!!
He is New, practicing since 2005 and that scared me horribly, but now I have seen him a few times he has helped me more than my Spinal Surgeon! I have asked them twice and they cannot tell me how long recovery will be at the Surgery center, I am hoping you can give me an idea? My husband has been in the Hospital and is now in a rehab place and I have to have my Neigrabroador take me and it would be nice to let her know the time frame, I told her to just drop me off and come back and pick me up, But I don't know how long to tell her? Also, How long did your Burning get worse, before it got better?

Thanks,
Sandollar
 
Dear Sandollar, Hi! My procedure took about 45 minutes, and then they kept me in recovery only 30 minutes. I gave them my husband's cell phone #, and they called him at the right time to come back and pick me up. Maybe you can give them your friend's phone #? I felt worse for about 3-4 days and took my painkillers (Ultram) and I increased my anti-inflammatory after the procedure (Voltaren). Also, icing helped a lot! After the 4 days I gradually improved-but it took about 2-3 weeks to feel the full benefit. The nerve endings are kind of "raw" during this time. You just have to be careful not to overdo it-no lifting, twisting, heavy exercise, long sitting, etc . I usually do exercises in water, but I found I couldn't do these during the 3 weeks after the procedure.

SounRAB like you have a great doctor! I do too-I would not be able to do half what I do everyday without him and these procedures. I also sometimes get cortisone shots in my sacroiliac joints, which are a related problem for me. It is great to finally find a doctor who you can trust and who is reallly good at what he does. I will send good thoughts your way-I'm sure it will go well! Cheers, Kera4
 
I had the radiofrequency done last May. I have been on oxycodone 10/325 for approx. 2 yrs....so my body was very resistant to the "medications for relaxing/sleep" which were given to me...the anesethiologist just kept giving me diffierent meRAB. until they got the desired effect... I was frightened that I would have to be awake for the procedure. I remeraber waking up at one point...but went right back to sleep...or at least the feeling of being asleep!! I hope that you have good results from the radiofrequency. I don't think I would count on being too active for several days after you have it done. If you can get others to do erranRAB for you, that would be great... Good luck...let us know how you make out.


Sage
 
Well, I am down to my Oxycodone 10/325 @ 1 every 12 hours, Pm won't allow anymore than that. I had to go to my GP today and then back to my PM due to a severe allergic reaction to the Voltarin I was put on 10 days ago. On day 4 I told PM my legs and feet were swollen and he told me no, that it was just the way they were, I tried to tell him it wasn't. But by the time I took pill #10 and woke up this morning, my whole body looked like a balloon.
I got the letter stating I cannot take it, I gave a copy to the Pharmacy, PM, and the PM who is doing this RFA.
But my PM who prescribes my meRAB is very strict. Even when I had the kidney stone, it was "TOO BAD, IF YOU TOOK ONE FOR PAIN AND RUN SHORT, THATS YOUR PROBLEM!" (He doesn't have contracts either and does UA's all the time).
I called and talked to the ones who are doing the procedure and in there office an hour north of here, those patients don't get anything at all, not even a local. But here he does give us patients some sedation.
He talked to me for a bit and knowing my Panic attacks, he told me would see about giving me Ketamine and fentanyl again, since he has already done these nerves with ESI several times before. But as long as he can ask me if I am ok and I can answer yes or no, then when I do wake up, he said I won't remeraber anything.
But it is after 4am right now and I have to leave at 8:15 am, I am still scared. even if he does make me comfortable, then what??
PM is NOT-NOT-NOT going to give me anything for pain or discomfort. I only have my Oxycodone 10/325 like I mentioned = 1 every 12 hours! and it's NOT a long acting med either. Any Suggestions???.

PS= The reason I have 2 PM's is the first one I was sent too for Pain meRAB is so old he can't remeraber one visit from the next and I REFUSE to let him do ANY PROCEDURE on me! So HE sent me to this PM to have all my Procedures done, they do know each other, and the Procedure guy is very young, caring and very smart. I can trust him!

I just cannot understand why the pain med guy keeps saying if he gives me anything else, I will be too sedated?? GIMME A BREAK!!!!!!!!A PAIN BREAK .......PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!I also have the Fentanyl Patch, but have been on it so long and never let him increase it, now I am stuck with one I can't even tell is there.
Sandollar
 
Back
Top