IV Lidocaine Experiences

[HarmonicaBlues]

Hi All 👋🏽

My first post here but I do read posts/comments pretty much daily 💜

This week I have been accepted to have IV Lidocaine in hopes it will help with my Fibro pain. (That rhymes 😝). I’m going for an ECG & Bloods on Monday to get the ball rolling. I was wondering if anyone has undergone this treatment? If so what should I expect on the day, aftercare etc too. Basically what are your experiences with it?

I hope your all doing as well as you can under our circumstances 🦋

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

Hello , let us know how you get on , it’s something I am not too familiar with x

[Sillysausage234]

is it specific to fibro diagnosis…??

[HarmonicaBlues in reply to Sillysausage234]

Yes it is?

[Sillysausage234 in reply to HarmonicaBlues]

thanks,I’ve been to pain clinic twice ….will ask g.p. About this …good luck on it

[CarterPain]

Hi

Hope you don’t mind me asking, how did you manage to persuade the hospital to try lidocaine. I’m in so much pain which is getting gradually worse. I’ve done all the recommended things over the years buy it’s got to the stage that I just can’t cope. I really what to try to see if this gives me any relief but I’m constantly fightytnr system which is t helping with the pain or mental health side caused by the pain.

I hope it goes well for you.

Many thanks

[trudym in reply to CarterPain]

I waited over a year for a pain clinic phone call & asked about lidocaine infusions. The Dr said they’ve had to cut back on them due to it taking a couple of hours & needing a nurse, but she’d put me on the waiting list ( 12-18 months) once I’d read up on the side effects. See if you can get an appointment with the pain clinic if you want to try it

[CarterPain in reply to trudym]

Thanks for the reply much appreciated 😊

[Sqweek in reply to CarterPain]

Can I ask which medication you've tried Carter? I have osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, but the medications I'm on have saved my life, I was in so much pain year's ago. I'm on pregabalin and Amitriptyline ( low dose of 20 mg in the evening) and 100 mg of pregabalin in the evening and 75 mg during the day. You hear lots of negative things about both drugs but I've found them brilliant. Amatryptaline in particular really helps trigger points and lessens flare ups.

[CarterPain in reply to Sqweek]

Hi Sqweek,

Until recently when pain has got unbearable I’ve swam. - so exercise. 

I have tried all the following over the years Amitriptyline 150mg didn’t even make me sleepy. Pregabalin, Gabapentin - I’m still struggling mentally with what those medications did to me. Nortripaline, Duloxetine, Citalopram. CBT - 4 times, Hydrotherapy which is the only pain free movement I get. I’m not one to stay in bed or not push through hiding the pain. I’ve done everything Rheumatologist, Neurologist, physios, OT, GP and pain clinics have advised. I’m at my wits end and Lidocaine is something I haven’t tried.

It may or may not work but at least I’d have tried. I suffer with Arthritis which is mild compared to the fibromyalgia, I also have FND too and that has its own issues! I’m so glad that you’ve found something that works for you.

[Sqweek in reply to CarterPain]

Wow it sounds as if you really have tried everything. Your nervous system sounds as if it is in overdrive, have you ever looked at the lightening process?

[DodgeDhanda in reply to CarterPain]

HI CP.

A suggestion if I may , time to harass ur GP as its not right that you or anyone has to suffer the pain but beware as the treatment is hit or miss & no guarantee it will work , it didn't for me. Actually it sort of took away about 70% of the pain for about 3 hours then it was do not pass go do not be pain free then it feel like the dice are laughing at you too.

[CarterPain in reply to DodgeDhanda]

Believe me I’ve harassed and fought the system till so much it’s effected my mental health. I found an amazing GP and things were starting to happen slowly then she moved on out of my area. Thanks for the concern though, much appreciated 😊

[DodgeDhanda in reply to CarterPain]

its more the camaraderie as I totally understand what U mean.

[Braveheart1]

didn’t even know it was a thing “lidocaine IV” I have the patches and put those on, 12 hours on 12 off! I don’t know if they help really

[Merrrm]

Hi, aheumatologist/pain management consultant proposed lidocain infusion after acknowledging there was no other meds I hadnt tried. But this treatment was not available at the hospital he worked in so trying to access it was left for Gp to sort. Well....this hasnt happened as the NHS doesn't want to fund it for me! The local CCG wont cough up the money. I appealed and got a letter back saying no long term benefits or even medium term benefits from this treatment. Loads of other stuff about risks blah blah. I've got a decent supportive Gp but she can't do anything. I've been offered CBT by pain management (which is now outsourced privately). I've attended 2 CBT courses alread!! Fibro is a real medical 'meh' ...no one wants to 'own' it...rheumatology and neurology shrug there shoulders, pain management are bloody useless, psychological therapists cant relieve pain.....if there was an actual conclusive test for it, half the medical profession would want to claim fibro as 'theirs'.

If you do undergo lidocain infusion would you mind posting your experience of it for us here?

best wishes



[Mille21]

hi I have had this but unfortunately it didn't help me as I remember you sit in a chair for about 4 hours I think its not painful or uncomfortable and from what I remember no aftercare needed I hope it works for you in fact I was thinking of asking at pain clinic if I can try it again as it may be different this time and I'm in so much pain

[Cat00]

I've had lidocaine patches but they made no difference and I've had injections up my spine of a similar drug which also made no difference. But there are people on this forum who have had lidocaine infusions bc it's been mentioned before, perhaps you could find their posts using the search function?

[Madhatter20]

My Pain consultant told me that if pain became unbearable then to contact him and we could go ahead with the lidocaine infusion. I did this only to find he’d left and his replacement didn’t agree with them and totally refused me and basically discharged me. I hope you have some lunch with it xx

[PrincessNoo]

I used to have Lidocaine via IV for a couple of years until the finding was removed. The infusion takes about 1-2 hours as it depends on how you react. Your blood pressure and heart rate are monitored closely and I had a nurse with me or close by all of the time. A friend had hers at a different hospital and the nurse wasn’t as close by. I was in a bed. You can feel quite cold during the process. If you have any reactions then they slow the speed of the infusion which is why the time it can take varies. When I had mine I could actually feel the muscles in my calves relaxing as I had the infusion. It was life changing for me and I got about 5 months relief each time so had two per year. Depending on how your body transmits pain depends on how different treatments work or don’t. I think that lidocaine works on the sodium channels. If I recall what the doctor said. You generally need to rest or take it easy for the rest of the day. I found I was more tired than usual afterwards and would need to relax the next day too. The only painful part is when the put the cannula in. I always took a book but was usual to tired to read it. They also talk to you a lot as they are checking your speech and cognitive function as lidocaine can affect that. I hope this works for you and if I was offered it again I would jump at the chance.

[frances8a]

i had this. It did nothing . Take a book it takes a couple of hours. As for aftercare I had it approx 4 years ago. No aftercare no phone call nothing . Supposed to had a review 12 months later. Nothing. I hope it works for you. Good luck.

[Helensumber]

I had lidocaine infusions and for me and several other people I spoke to, it helped with the pain enough that I significantly reduced the pain meds I take, but then funding was pulled. The first time takes the longest because they keep the infusion rate slow, then once they know you cope OK they allow a faster rate. It's certainly worth a try, if I could get it again I would jump at the chance.

Good luck and I hope it works well for you

[Aappp]

i had a lidocaine infusion beginning of July, at first I didn't think it was helping but now that it is wearing off I realise that it did actually help. Its not painful at all. I have a follow up this weekend, and was told by the consultant that if it worked they could offer it again at 8 months,. I will definitely go for it again when offered. Fingers crossed the funding does not get pulled from my

[Gembob75]

Hello,

I have lidocaine iv every 3 months and it has been life changing. I have my last one in December and I’m going to have to beg them to continue them after that.

Mine is over 2 hours, which is the average in the ward when I have it. With mine, you lay on a bed and you are monitored by ecg and blood pressure monitor throughout. Cannula in your hand.

You do get cold and tired, so make sure you either take a blanket or ask for one straight away. I found sleeping during it helps with the after effects of feeling so groggy. Also wear clothes that are comfy and that you can get access for the ecg monitors on your chest and under ribs.

I really hope it works for you. It can be amazing. It seems to last a different amount of time for everyone, but I think any length of days/weeks/months if reduced pain is worth it!

Good luck

[Makie-Uppie]

That was suggested to me, but I have had problems with it during dentistry in the past, so it disappeared. There was a significant change to my heart rhythm, and I felt pretty a sick and that was just an injection as I tried to chew a door frame one day and cracked a tooth.