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Help: Opinion on steroid injections

Kerry - i'm 47 female - i had the steriod injections too - unfortunately my problem was more sever and they did not help -

I don't remember having any side effects - but you can research that on the webmd - do you have the exact name of the injection? that would help - you would be able to see what it does and the do's and don'ts -

Good Luck and keep us informed -

God Bless -

Joy 2007 DDD 2/25/08 Anterior Lumbar Fusion L5-S1 - 6th week post op and 100% fused!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! New problem - L4-5 is bulging - nucli is larger

Just for some more information, I've actually already had surgery on this same area- a micro-lumbar-discectomy to remove disc matter after this same disk ruptured in 2003.

One disc directly above L5-S1 is also protruding, but it is doing so in the center, and doesn't seem to be causing any nerve compression (yet).

The specific injection I am being given is called Kenalog, if anyone has had any experience with that specific steroid.

Kerry

Kerry Hi and welcome to the board, I received that injection yesterday in the same location and a I will be honest with you right after the shot I felt pretty good (they also gave me a numbing agent that was supposed to last a while longer than it did). Last night I was hurting worse than normal but when I woke up this morning 4 hours of sleep I have to honest I feel like a new man. I don't know how long it will last but I am going to say I think it is worth it even if it only for a week just being able to stand up straight and walk like a normal human is priceless. Now like I said I don't know how long it will last. I can't speak for everyone and I don't know about the nursing aspect but it is not a shot that goes into your blood it goes in your back and surrounds the nerve that is giving you the problems. I can't believe that it would be a problem with nursing your baby because women that are giving berth get a spinal block and I think it is kind of the same thing although I don't know what that consists of but it goes in your back also. Whatever you decide to do I hope and pray you get some relief from the pain.

I said I feel like a new man but I still have a little pain in my right side but nothing like it was I think it is really worth it. Good luck to you in what ever you decide to do.

Rich

Hi Kerry and welcome. Did you ask the Dr. who ordered the inj. if it was ok if you were breast feeding? If not, I would let him/her know just in case...

I hope they will work for you. It must be awfully hard for you to take care of a 3 mo. old...and get a handle on this back pain at the same time.

Good luck. Hope you will come back and let us know how it went... See ya later, Mammy

Hi Kerry....I know a lot of people that the EPI's have helped but I wasn't one of them. When I have any kind of steroid I get a really flushed feeling. My face and neck get SO red. I also have an increased appitite. Other than that, I haven't noticed any other side effects.

Of course meds work differently on each person. As long as the ped. gives his ok, I wouldn't worry about the breastfeeding.

I sure hope you get some relief from it. Let us know......Dot

Hi Kerry and welcome.

I would first call my doctor to make sure it is ok to have the injection while breastfeeding.

I am going in for my third nerve root block on Monday. I have had success with the injections. However I am not without pain. I have had to cut back on my hours at work. I now work 15 hours a week., but I am able to get off the couch and walk some, fix dinner, sew etc.

I have a bulging disc at L3 and two herniated discs at L4 and L5-S1.

Call the doctor to find out about the breastfeeding. Let us know how it goes.

Take care of yourself.

Jan

Welcome Kerry..

Well I have to say that I've had over 12 epi's now and NONE have worked.. The only thing they do to me is jack up my blood sugar cause I'm a type II diabetic and I'm up all night in the bathroom.. The 1st set of 3 that I had gave me total relief for ONLY 4 weeks.. I thought I was cured and when the pain came back, I was so devastated it was horrible.. It was alot more pain than to begin with but they said that would go away after about 3-5 days..

Needless to say I'm not a big fan of these and the true of it is they hurt your bones even more.. I've heard that it makes your bones at the inj site more fragile.. Well I'm not a Dr but thats just things I've heard about them.. And if its true, there is the reason I'm hurting so bad now..

Come back and let us know what happens ok?

Tig

Hi i wanted to let you know i had the two same bulging disks about 2 months ago. I had the EPI and have had little pain since then. I would recommend it! I am just now starting to feel soreness in my back, and I have heard from some people that 6-8 weeks is when you might start feeling some pain...I am meeting with my doctor next week to discuss possibly getting another injection if needed...

after the injection i did have a great headache for about 2 days and being tired, but not enough to keep me from doing normal things, and sleeping fine.

Kerry, I wanted to tell you that when a woman has a baby, her pelvic bones have to really stretch to accommodate the baby. It takes a while for things to settle down.

I read it actually takes a woman's Uterus 2 years to go back in place. That's a long time. Besides having the protruding discs, your pelvic bones having been stretched to the limits are probably also causing you some of this pain.

I am hoping the EPI (epidural) will help you. Make sure they are doing it using Fluoroscopy...that's like an x-ray machine that allows the Dr. to see into your body so he will know the exact spot he wants to inject. Request/Demand they use it....

In the meantime, if you can stand the cold, I would put a ice pack right on the area of the tailbone (where the crack begins). A bag of frozen peas works great.....If you don't have any frozen, but do have a can of them, then drain the liquid, place the peas in a baggie and into the freezer. They should be ready to use after a couple of hours. Each freezer is different, so yours may vary...Cold air falls so put them toward the bottom of the freezer if you can...

Gosh, did any of that make sense...lol...If not, tell me and I will try to re-word it

Below is a site that has video of getting a EPI....View only if stuff like that don't bother you. Some folks can't stand the thought of a needle. I had a multitude of them over 20+ years and I never had any of them hurt me...

http://www.seacoastpain.com/patient_education/index.htm

This site also has other videos of procedures concerning the back and neck. You might enjoy watching all of them....Surgery is always the last thing you want to do. I am back off here for now. See ya later, Mammy

Hi Kerry and welcome to the board. I would do a bit of research on breastfeeding/steroids and see what comes up.

As far as how much do they help? It varies from person to person. I have had kenalog used and notice no difference in it from any other steroid. Much of the time I get relief; a couple of times I have not had much help. The thing is you need to watch how much steroid you take in a 12 month period. You shouldn't have more than 3 rounds (oral + injectable) as more than that can cause problems such as high blood pressure, bone thinning, cataracts and more; however, I haven't heard of them causing problems with your period or causing depression. More likely, the person is depressed from the chronic pain!

Have you had a recent MRI on that L5-S1? If not, having one is a very good idea. It isn't at all unusual for a disc to reherniate after the kind of surgery like partial removal of a disc; it sort of leaves that disc vulnerable. If you're having burning, numbness, or tingling, it's especially important that you see your surgeon for follow-up because those are signs of nerve compression.

Congratulations on the baby (Boy, girl?). It must be difficult tending to a newborn when you are in pain. I hope the injection gives you some much needed relief.

Carol