Nerve blocks

[Alexandria]

I have just had my second nerve block to help with my Fibro/Lupus. They really do make living these these conditions more tolerable. As anyone had these for a number of years and can you tell me if they are still effective or do you wear off more quickly the more you have?. Would welcome any comments. Thanks

[Barnclown]

hello there

to answer your question i think i need give some background: in spite of all lifestyle management techniques, Rxs, physio, exercise, the alexander technique etc etc i have suffered from considerable chronic cervical and lumbar spine pain much of my life. i am now 58. in '98 the NHS offered me a double cervical discectomy, which i refused in order to let my NHS pain consultant try nerve blocks to treat what he thought was spine facet joint pain due slipped discs etc - the effects of several childhood accidents combined with my hypermobility. i could choose to avoid the descectomy because MRIs indicated that my spinal cord and nerve roots were not compressed by the slipped discs. but at the time, although my SLE was also very significant in my pain mix all my life, unrecognised by any drs, it went untreated until last year.

over the years my nerve blocks have been of 2 types, both been very effective, up to a point. First my pain specialist uses standard nerve blocks (the temporary sort) to establish that a nerve block will help reduce my pain. he calls these diagnositic blocks - in my case these blocks have only reduced the pain for say a week or so, long enough to prove that a more permanent block could help. next he does what he calls 'facet joint denervations" under heavy sedation in an operating theatre. these are definitely much more permanent, but commonly patients have to have them repeated at least once, say 3 or so years later because nerves will try to reconnect. my treatment has been very successful, but recovery from the full on denervation procedures each time took approx 1 year till i knew how effective treatment had been, where as the more temporary diagnostic blocks were effective immediately.

well, now i have been on plaquenil since june 2011. for sure this has helped a lot to reduce pain in my all my joints and soft tissues, including pain that lingered after the denervations in my neck/shoulders area and my girdle/hips/lumbar area. so, it seems clear to my consultants and me that plaquenil has combined with my permanent nerve blocks (denervations) to reduce my spine pain considerably and consistently over long periods. of course the way plaquenil has helped has been a revelation to me! i know it doesn't suit everyone. but now the pain in all my soft tissues and joints throughout my body is considerable less. i am sure i needed all my nerve blocks, and i am glad to have undertaken them, but the plaquenil has gone that extra mile for me, whereas, for me, years of Rx NSAIDs and pain killers hardly helped at all with any of my chronic pain

i hope this helps, and i wish you all the best

[Alexandria in reply to Barnclown]

Thanks for this, I find that my nerve blocks last for about five months at a time and I am grateful for the relief from the neck and shoulder pain. I really couldn't manage without them. I take pregablin, meloxicam to control the rest of the pain and am just about managing to get by..... for now.

[Barnclown in reply to Alexandria]

that's good: am glad the Rx is helping! my pain consultant has me keep clonazepam & meptazinol in my cabinet in case spasm sets in. i know very very very well how agonising chronic, flaring neck & shoulder pain can be. and i feel for you big time. take care

[Barnclown]

PS just remembered: even so, i continue to learn everything i can about nerve blocks and pain control generally. partly, your ? touched a "nerve" (HA) cause recently reading some legitimate SLE research info, I found out that in lupus patients repeated temporary nerve block injections (eg corticosteroids) can negatively effect soft tissues in the injection area (ligaments/tendons etc). apparently this effect is significant enough to take seriously. perhaps this is why pain consultants like mine use permanent denervations in chronic cases: next time i see him i'll ask. perhaps you have heard this too, and this is partly why you are asking your ?.

take care, be well as poss

[Alexandria in reply to Barnclown]

Was unaware about the negative effect on tissue in the injection area will discuss with my Chronic Pain Consultant when next we meet. Stay strong and thanks again.

[Barnclown in reply to Alexandria]

hope you'll let me know what you find out: private messages are fine with me! good luck