In article >,
"Dave Bugg" > wrote:
> As I understand it, corticosteroids are injected to try and reduce swelling
> in the nerves in the affected area. It doesn't do anything for disc bulgings
> or herniations. In many cases discs bulging disc will settle down on their
> own and reduce back to where they need to be all on their own. The
> injections are designed to be used as an interim solution to help the nerve
> swelling from the irritation until the bulging goes down. Herniations are a
> whole 'nother issue.
I know. I mis-stated it originally. As far as I know, there are no
actual herniations, yet. Just bulging into the areas where the nerves
from the spine are coming out to the shoulders and arms.
>
> Prior to surgery, I used prednisol (oral) in 10 day decreasing doses. This
> was done three seperate times. The first time, it significantly relieved the
> pain, but once I stopped taking it the pain returned within two or three
> days. The other courses, done one month apart, were increasingly
> NON-effective. The last prescription had no effect on the pain.
The Medrol pack he prescribed on Wednesday has provided a considerable
amount of relief, but he did warn me that it'd be temporary. He just
gave it to me to give me some relief until the procedure on Thursday.
>
> My surgery was successful in he sense that the herniated disc material in
> two seperate lumbar spaces was removed and stenosis from some intruding
> spurs was removed. I had no post-operative pain from the surgery whatsoever.
Cool. :-)
>
> The first week post-op, I noticed a decrease in pain (from a 9 to a 7+) and
> a definite resolution to the muscle weakness to my legs; I no longer worried
> about my legs collapsing out from under me.
>
> At this point (about 5 months post op) the nerve pain has not resolved, and
> by the end of the day will be a 7 or 8. The pain is all engulfing at that
> point. To me, a 10 on the scale is when you develop tunnel vision and pass
> out. I had a post-op MRI done 6 weeks ago, so there is a great picture of
> the 'before' and 'after'. The last MRI shows that the surgery accomplished
> what it was designed to do. The neurosurgeon was an artist++++. The MRI does
> show two other areas of possible nerve impingement from 'bone spurs' that
> have created some stenosis. The Doc who did the surgery, and a different Doc
> that I had do a second opinion, both independently conclude that there is
> simply no way to definitively know if another surgery will take care of the
> pain.
>
> That is why I'm facing steroid injections. The docs seem to think that there
> is a possibility that my nerve trunk is still aggravated and extremely
> grouchy from having been severely impinged prior to surgery. The steroid
> injections may sooth and decrease any swelling in the nerve so that there is
> no more impingement. A nerve that is no longer swollen will have plenty of
> space around it and go from being irritated and angry to non-irritated and
> happy. This approach seems reasonable to me. It is far simpler and less
> costly than surgery. It is like making sure that a stereo, which will not
> turn-on, is not unplugged before opening 'er up and digging around the
> circuit boards.
I hope it works for you Dave! I totally understand your pain.
>
> BTW, I am taking neurontin, robaxin, and ibuprofen every 8 hours. This makes
> the pain tolerable during the day, but I have very limited activity. I am
> doing physical therapy and doing exercises at home. Although I have
> hydrocodone, I limit taking it until a half-hour prior to bed. It really
> helps reduce the percieved pain level to a point which I can get about 3-4
> hours of sleep each night. About once a week, I am soooo desperately tired
> that my body lets me sleep for about 8 hours before the pain breaks through
> the exhaustion and wakes me up.
I have Tramadol on hand but seldom take it as it worked for the torn
rotator cuffs, but does squat for nerve pain. I'm happy that the medrol
is currently helping me get some sleep. This crap only started up a
little over 2 weeks ago, but I have a past history of it from earlier
this year, but it affected my right arm. Cervical decompression
treatments took care of that, but not before nerve damage was done. I'm
still weak in the right arm but there is no pain except for pain from
the torn Supraspinatus tendon in the shoulder.
I have more than one issue going on. :-P
>
> I hope this helps; maybe what I wrote will strike a cord of something
> similar. This is, of course, my perspective and your issues certainly are
> going to be different.
>
> For me, it isn't just the pain that make things suck. It is the inability to
> function normally and to be able to get back to work and be productive.
For me, it's being f-ing WEAK. I'm not used to that.
Nerve impingement is no fun...
I hope you are able to get some help! I'll be sure to report what
happens.
--
Peace! Om
"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein
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