Facet joint denerveing in lower back

[Foxy07]

Does anybody have any hot tips on how to recover after the treatment. I understand I am going to be in pain and as I haven't found any painkillers that help me I thought I would ask for help. I currently take magnesium & tumeric to help my muscles relax. I also suffer with fibromyalgia, I try and do half an hour of pilates twice a day and have found this helps. The pain in my jaw often becomes unbearable any advice would be welcomed.will the fibromyalgia go once the pain in my back has gone?

[Cmc43]

I'm interested in your story. I have had facet joint injections and a nerve block. The effect has been brilliant but I know the effect is not permanent. I have been advised that ultimately I wIll be offered ablation. I hope you are not in too much pain.  I had hoped that after the treatment there would be no pain.  Good luck

[carol-1966 in reply to Cmc43]

Please dont have the ablation the nerves do re heal then you are back to square one ive suffered many years with degerative discs im waiting for a spinal fusion all you get is being fobbed off with cheaper treatments request to see a spinal surgeon im under queen elizibeth,l had all the tests put me on propper medication still in pain but its bearable while i wait for the op hope this helps you 

[8sandylou in reply to carol-1966]

Please don't have spinal fusion until u have exhausted every single other option as fusion just introduces more scar tissue and damaged nerves and most likely won't work...(I shattered mine sheering heads of screws on supporting implementation five yrs after surgery ......left with 30 yrs complications due to surgery 😁😁😁

[Cmc43 in reply to Cmc43]

I am under the care of a Spinal Surgeon. He's great, even though he described parts of back looking like atrophied steak.  I will take on board what you have said about an operation but there may be issues around my having a general anaesthetic. I ended up in High Dependency when I last had surgery (unrelated to my back) and my kids have expressed their worry if I ever had another.  

Thanks for your advice. I hope you have your surgery soon. I am just celebrating my pain free back.

Yours Carole

[carol-1966]

I have ddd im on a cocktail of drugs gabapentin for the nerve pain which is brilliant 20mg twice aday morphine tablets amytriptaine diclofenic im having physio every month waiting to have a spinal fusion ask about gabapentin its brilliant 

[hagnes in reply to carol-1966]

Hi I've been on gabapentin for a few years now maximum dose 400mg 3 times a day , oramorph , baclofen , diazepam, 75mg morphine patches and am still in so much pain , I've had one hip removed and I have arthritis all over me as well as fibromyalgia and glucoma, am out if options now .

[derk28]

Hi Foxy,I've had nerve block injection's on 4 different occasions and they never helped me I then got lower lumber fusion and yet again no joy I'm now taking  BuTran path 20mmg ,you put a new patch on every week as well as lyrica,meloxicam,cocodamol and diazipam so quite a list,don't expect a miracle just hope the nerve block works,its a simple treatment just takes a few minutes and you will get out about an hour later with instructions to rest for a day or so,hope it helps you.I'm 56 now and was laid off work 10 years ago and still have severe chronic back pain I have tried everything possible to find a cure I have spent a small fortune getting different procedure's without much success,have you tried acupuncture?,it does work but not for long.I hope this was useful.Take care.

[8sandylou in reply to derk28]

I soooooo utterly relate to your situation and say an emphatic DITTO😡😡 Surgery is almost never the answer....due to the body rejecting the trauma and growing all sorts of barnacles and crap trying to expel it!!!! 😄😄

[Foxy07 in reply to 8sandylou]

Huge thanks for the comment I do agree I believe that movement when possible is the cure. That is the only reason I agreed to the denerveing to enable me to move more, get fit and strong again. I know it's a long road but better that then being stuck permanently in a culdesac!! I had my proc dire on Friday and I am in very little pain and am already planning for my future. Something I wasn't able to do before.

Many thanks

[Foxy07 in reply to derk28]

Hi gosh that really is a cocktail of drugs, I have tried so many of these with no luck. They either made me very sick or offered me no pain relief at all.

I now take magnesium and tummeric tablets and have a hot magnesium salt bath every other day. I also swear by the tape you see sporting people wear. I had my treatment on Friday and put this on my back the following day and I am in very little pain.

I just hope my fibromyalgia starts to calm down that my back pain is controlled.

[beauty96]

I have no painkillers cos of allergies to them.  I have a massage once a week and also practice Tai chi.  If you take this path make sure you find a leader who understands your condition.

[Foxy07 in reply to beauty96]

Have you ever tried magnesium tablets? I also have so many issues when taking any medication but I have found these really help relax my muscles especially when teamed up with magnesium salts in my bath and tape on my back. This combination is really wort trying.

Good luck

[8sandylou]

Indocid antiinflamatory Suppository?  Very gentle on system as absorbed by fine blood vessels instead of oesophagus ..... Electric heat pad......ice heat alternated .....Graded Motor Imagery.   I wish you well and wish my Neuromas could be excised 😄

[Foxy07 in reply to 8sandylou]

Sadly my doctors don't prescribe any suppository pain relief such a shame because I would definitely of tried this, they said it was not very well accepted and that not all patients are open minded about medication.

Thank you for the suggestion 

[Palioly]

Do you mean having injections or is it a denervation procedure ?   I have had both.

The injection effect lasted me 3 months, while I'm told tmy very recent (pulsed radio-grequency) denervation effect last might last 7 to 12 months.

[Foxy07]

I had my denervation procedure on Friday and it was unpleasant but not as bad as expected. I am a great believer of the tape you see sports people wear I applied that to my lower back on Saturday morning and it has been pretty good.

My consultant told me he hoped it would keep me pain free for six months giving me time to strengthen my core again and get fit.

When did you have your denervation procedure and are you still pain free?