First Day After Having Shots In My Lower Back.
@UpDownandAllAround (42)
United States
December 4, 2009 10:30am CST
On Thursday Dec the 3rd I went to the hospital for an outpatient procedure where I was given several shots in my lower back in order to ease the chronic pain I have been having for close to a year now. I know there's some fancy medical terminology for the procedure I had, but it's easier for me to just explain what they did. Besides if you have never had this done then me telling you some medical mumbo jumbo would be as effective as someone trying to talk to me in any language besides English. Which in its self is a said thing to admit to, but that's a whole other discussion.
Anyway, the idea behind giving me these, what I believe are called targeted shots. That is the Dr. first looks at an MRI of my back and then decides where he's going to try and inject some kind of steroid, I believe they use cortisone, in what he claims to be key areas of my back in order to see if it will have any kind of affect on the pain in my back. Of course I didn't think about it at the time, but I soon realized that while I was ling on my back, the thought entered my mind, how exactly was he going to know where to put that needle. Well it turns out that there is this rather large x-ray machine hanging over my back and this was his means of guiding the needle into the various places that he shot the cortisone into my lower back.
Well the procedure was only about two to three minutes long, however; once the pain medication kicked in, which wasn't until about thirty minutes after the procedure, did I fall into my bed and slept for nearly the rest of the day. Even though the I was dead to the world, the pain from the shots slowly began to make their way to my conscious mind. Which at first it wasn't so bad, but by the middle of last night or early this morning my entire back was so sore I didn't think I would make it through the night.
Well as it is going on twenty minutes past 10:00 am CST USA, I am finding it quite difficult to write this, which is frustrating because I wanted to talk more about what led me to even seeing an orthopedic surgeon in the first place. Anyway I hope that as the days go on I will be able to finish my writing and post more information on how things turn out. I also want to continue with my writings about my headache and discuss more about my feelings and thoughts on mental issues. And maybe even talk about some more positive things, however, at this moment I am about to pass out from the pain, or at least try and find a more comfortable position to be in. If anyone cares to share their stories on this subject, or have any suggestions as to what might have worked for your back pain, please leave a comment and I'll try to get back with anyone that does or just has a question as soon as I can.
1 person likes this
2 responses
@PeacefulWmn9 (10420)
• United States
4 Dec 09
Hello.
It sounds like you've had a selective nerve block? I had to have several before finally getting relief via surgery. The sciatic nerve was pinched for that long, and now, though the pain is gone, I still have permanent nerve damage. Even the MRI didn't show the extent of damage, and like you, I put up with that pain and increasing debilitation for a year. The surgeon went in to do a discotomy, but ended up having to do a partial spinal fusion instead. But the relief was well worth it all.
For your injection area, ice packs, 20 mins. each hour, really help a lot. In a few days, that pain should be much better :))
Karen@UpDownandAllAround (42)
• United States
5 Dec 09
Thank you so much for the advice Karen. I will try that and see how well it works. Right now on day two my back is feeling a little better in the injection sites but my upper back where I had been having vise griping spasms is actually getting worse. Well I should say, worse than before the shots but not as bad as they were the day I was taken by ambulance to the ER a few weeks back, which is what prompted me to go and see the surgeon.
My regular Dr. had already ordered the MRI of my back and I had an apointment with him the upcoming Tuesday after going to the ER on Sunday. Which I have to say was a great waste of time, because all they would do for me was give me a shot of pain medication and a pill for the spasms. Then after waiting to be seen for over 20 minutes they were ready to discharge me five minutes after giving me the shot, which I understood that they couldn't do anything else for me, but I still pleaded with them to allow the medicine to at least give me some pain relief. Instead they called in a nurse who was more like a drill sergeant. So there I was in dire pain with this loud mouth nurse along with my parents, two security officers and two more nurses trying to get me in a wheel chair. I have since sworn to never return to that hospital again, which is a hard thing to do, seeing that there is only one other hospital around and they are not much better.
Anyway, at least my new back surgeon works out of another hospital, even if it is 20 miles away. At least the people working there were very nice to me and the building itself looks to be clean. Unlike the two hospitals where I live, which there used to be three but the third one is slowly closing its doors. I think it is a real shame that we are so far behind in medical care in this country, you can guarantee I have more to say on that subject and a whole lot more when it comes to how people get treated in the American Health Care World.
1 person likes this
@PeacefulWmn9 (10420)
• United States
6 Dec 09
What a nasty experience you had at the ER. Some people, even in the field of medicine, seem oddly lacking in compassion. If it's not their pain, they cannot seem to empathise. Chronic pain is hard work!
I hope you're soon doing better.
Karen
@whatrow (792)
• United States
2 Sep 11
I am interested in staying updated on your situation. I also am considering shots. I have had back pain for so long now that I really do not remember what it feels like to be without pain. I have heard that shots can relieve pain for 6 months! Once, when I was standing outside a pain-doctor's office waiting for a ride. A woman pulled up to the curb with her mother. The mother was obviously in a great deal of pain. She was barely able to stand or move. I didn't know how she could be expected to make it as far as the door without a wheel chair. But, she did make it. About 10 minutes later she was done and went back to the car. Well, I was astounded at the transformation. This same woman was now moving around with all of the strength and speed of an olympic athlete. Maybe I will give it a try.
