stopping blood thinners/antiplatelets for steroid injections

[Harefieldfan]

Hi all!

I saw an orthopaedic surgeon the other day for an ongoing painful back problem -- bulging disks, spinal stenosis, spondylosthetis (sp?). He said I didn't need surgery (whew!) as I'm completely mobile and active so he offered steroid injections into the facet joints. He has to stop the blood thinners to do this (aspirin 75mg and ticagrelor 90mg twice daily) and is going to check this out with a cardiologist. Problem is I also have a trigger finger that needs injecting and may be referred for shoulder injections because of a rotator cuff injury that makes playing my violin excruciating. Question: is it safe to stop blood thinners so many times? I know others have had this kind of experience, and the third one may never happen, but would just like to know what anyone thinks about this. How long do they get stopped for?

Thanks!

[Hidden]

Hello

I was on ticagrelor and Aspirin after my heart attacks and Bypass operation

I had a shoulder that needed steroid injections but because of the ticagrelor and the fact I had Bypasses they said I could not have them till I was of ticagrelor and 10 months post Bypass op

I am nearly a year post Bypass op and have been of ticagrelor a few months now but still on 75mg aspirin and yesterday I finally got my injections which I ended up having one in both of my shoulders but my Surgeon gave the all clear it was safe to go ahead and I would make sure either your Consultant or surgeon gives you the all clear before you go ahead or stop anything you are taking as they are the experts and you could ask them how they felt if they said yes if you were to do it again ?

Let us know how you get on , I know pain is not nice to deal with I have been drugged up on Gabapentin to deal with it which I can now wean of but we need to keep the heart safe first x

[Harefieldfan in reply to Hidden]

Thanks BeKind. The ortho seemed very cautious and won’t do anything without checking. Anyway, the referral is bound to take ages.

[Hidden in reply to Harefieldfan]

Are you expected to come of ticagrelor in the near future ?

If so they may ask you to wait till then but see what they say and I hope eventually you are able to have them as I know what having pain is like and it would be nice to be able to ease that for you x

[AndyG64 in reply to Hidden]

Hi I’ve just had a minor op and had to stop my thinners 5 days before the procedure and restarted 2 days after i also have back and neck arthritis and have had the steroid injections followed by RF ablation in the neck and back I’ve been on my thinners for around 9 months I was concerned stopping in case my stent blocked but was reassured it is very uncommon for that to happen hope that helps I found the steroid injections only gave me a few days pain relief and then had the ablation it helped the pain for around 16 months and waiting to have the nerves ablated again so I can continue a normal life

[Hidden in reply to AndyG64]

Hello

I am sorry the injections only lasted a few days of pain free I hope I might not get that issue I have waited so long now before I could have mine done

I think the advice we are given is all to do with what is wrong with our hearts how long we have been on blood thinners and so on obviously only our Consultants can make that decision knowing how our hearts are etc and it can vary from person to person this of course is why we need to make sure they are happy with us coming of them

I hope you get those nerves ablated soon as it must be awful to have to deal with this and you soon have your normal life back x

[AndyG64 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks the good thing I was told when I had the steroid injections was if they worked and reduced my pain even for a short time would be a good thing as it meant ablation would give me long term pain relief which it as my main concern was that I worried that my stent would block after coming off the presagrel but everything went well hope your injections give u pain relief too

[Hidden in reply to AndyG64]

Thank You x

[Harefieldfan in reply to AndyG64]

Thanks.

[Harefieldfan in reply to AndyG64]

What’s RF ablation?

[Yogi1950s]

Hi,

Firstly I am sorry to read of your issues.

I know my experience pales into insignificance compared to what you are looking at, but I recently had to have 4 x dental extractions. Being 8 months down the track since my HA and on aspirin and ticagrelor my surgeon wouldn't do anything without instructions from my heart consultant.

The result was that I stopped taking the ticagrelor 5 days before the first surgery and didn't resume until the day after the last one. In total 3 weeks without taking ticagrelor. I experienced no issues.

I hope all goes well for you, but if you are able to I would consult your heart specialist before going any further

Take care

Yogi

[Harefieldfan in reply to Yogi1950s]

Thank you.

[Hidden]

I only take precautionary for-life low dose aspirin post HA, and have temporarily stopped my daily dose on at least three occasions for steroid injections and surgery. As far as I am aware in my case and others like me it just increases the risk factor for a few days, but that's all.

[Harefieldfan in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. Encouraging

[Qualipop]

OH wow I also have spondylo lysthesis and am in agony. I really feel for you. I can't help about the blood thinners but I do hope the injection helps you. I can't get anything done about mine at all even though I can't walk for the pain down my legs. I've seen one useless surgeon and have just been given a list of 4 hospitals and told to make an appointment. NO information about he surgeons whatsoever. How do I decide when I know nothing?

[Harefieldfan in reply to Qualipop]

Where do you live, Qualipop? I live in north London and went to the Whittington. You have to be referred by your GP.

[Qualipop in reply to Harefieldfan]

UP in Lancashire. Had GP referral but the surgeon's report was a pack of lies. He insisted I'd walked a long way ( I was in a wheelchair) and that I'd asked to see a pain clinic which my GP knows I'd never do as I've tried 6 pain clinics over the last 30 years. All were useless. He j ust kept saying " I am a surgeon you know- I don't "do" pain"GP has asked for a second opinion but all they send is a list of local hospitals ( well actually miles away) but no information on he surgeons or hospitals or even whether they have anyone who treats it. The GP's secretary says they can't recommend anywhere in case they get it wrong.

[Harefieldfan in reply to Qualipop]

Guess I was lucky. I’ve also had surgeons saying if I didn’t want surgery they’d discharge me. I hope you find some relief!

[Qualipop in reply to Harefieldfan]

Thank you, it's been so bad for a year now I've only been able to leave the house for hospital appointments which crucify me. Had an x ray yesterday and couldn't get downstairs until noon.

[Harefieldfan in reply to Qualipop]

Sorry to hear (read) that, Qualipop. I hope you find someone who can ease the pain.

[Qualipop in reply to Harefieldfan]

Thank you. I don't hold out much hope.