Anyone had successful RFA after failed back injections?

[Maria31]

I’m booked in to have pulsed RFA next month on my back. Two separate procedures as I have longstanding symptoms on both sides of my body from L5-S1 prolapse. I recently had a lumbar medial branch block and caudal epidural but this seemed to just cause a nerve flare-up. Am going ahead with RFA as not sure what else to do!! Main problems are sitting due to pain in buttocks/sit bones/glutes and standing as that then triggers backache. Have nerve pain in both feet and left one is numb down outer edge. Help or advice appreciated.

[misty14]

Hello maria, i just thought id reply to your post as i have regular RFA injections for a leg nerve problem. It so helps me with the pain as without it id never function. The benefit for me is lasting longer each time too.

Im so sorry you've had failed injections and treatment for your back. I really do hope that RFA is successful for you. Have you an appt soon?. Im having mine on monday.

Ask me anything your not sure about if you'd like. Good luck. Xx

[Maria31 in reply to misty14]

Thanks so much Misty. I guess I'm just scared that it won't work. My appts are August 11 and 25. I'm also going to ask GP for a neurosurgical referral. I can function but at a pretty low level compared with where I was 2 or 3 years ago. Good luck on Monday. If you have time it would be great if you could let me know what to expect both during procedure and afterwards. Dr says pulsed will 'stun' nerve rather than burn. x

[misty14 in reply to Maria31]

Hello maria, thanks for your good wishes for my RF which i had yesterday. Your previous reply Springersrule ,was so right saying that we have test injections first before the treatment. Id forgotten this hence you having two appt's in Aug?.

I have a nerve block as well as the RF as that helps straightaway before the RF kicks in. It takes awhile to work so don't stress if you have pain afterwards. Its awful i know thinking it hasnt worked!.

I also get backache afterwards and that takes a few days to settle as well.

I think ive had a good take again and this time my consultant gave extra to see if it will last longer. She'd been to a conference on RF and wanted to try it. Hopefully your consultant will have been to it too.

Good idea to try for a neurosurgery rreferral. Its always a good idea to have options , things to try as it helps keep us going. Im sorry you've deteriorated in the pandemic. Sometimes though ops are not the answer, specially back ones. They seem to set up more problems when trying to help original problem. Hope you've gotten on the list. They will be pleased im sure that your doing the RF with the pain team.

Do let me know how you get on and if you have any other questions please ask. Hope what ive written is helpful and 🤞you get a good result too. Xx

[Maria31 in reply to misty14]

Thanks so much Misty and glad you seem to have had a good response. I have bilateral problems hence the double appt, I think she will do each side separately although will check. The test ones didn’t work, hence my original post, but feel I need to try. I’ve now asked for neuro referral so hopefully that will go through. I did see a private spinal specialist a while ago who said I didn’t need an op and that might be true but I want another opinion on NHS so I have options, like you say! Don’t want an op but it’s hard to know what to do for the best x

[misty14 in reply to Maria31]

I forgot to say maria in my last reply that i had the pulsed RF yesterday and have always done. The 'burn' is pretty drastic and can cause other problems. Its not always suitable!. Its interesting that nerves don't like electric currents which is why its so successful.

Im so sorry you have bilateral problems and that your test injections didnt work. It sounds like you have a good pain consultant like i do. There's no reason why the RF shouldnt work for you so ill keep 🤞for you next month.

Your so right to be keeping options open and also finding out as much as you can about your back problems. It will be invaluable when you see the neurosurgeon.

All the very best and do let me know how you get on. Xx🤞💕🤞💕🤞💕

[Maria31 in reply to misty14]

Thank you and interesting that you've had pulsed all along. Perhaps Drs don't always mention it to patients. Thanks again and I will let you know how it goes x

PS. Just had a text from GP to say neurosurgery referral has been done.

[misty14 in reply to Maria31]

No, i don't think they do maria. Ive learnt a lot getting to know my consultant over the years!. You must be very relieved to know your neurosurgery referral has been done. I hope you don't have to wait too long for an appt. 🤞All the very best. Xx🤞💕🤞💕🤞💕

[Maria31 in reply to misty14]

We just have to trust them, don’t we! Am relieved but apparently paperwork I have to pick up, perhaps choose and book, not sure! Anyway, wishing you all the best too and will keep in touch xx

[springersrule]

Hi Maria, I don't know what pulsed RFA is but i had RFA on 6 nerves (3 on the left, 3 on the right side of my spine) between L5 and S1. I had sciatica down both legs from bulding discs, one vertebrae that is out of alignment and arthritis. I had the left side done first in 2015 and the right side done 6 months later in 2016. They say is usually takes a minimum of a year for the nerves to regrow at which point the hope is that the nerve receptors have switched off and therefore the pain doesn't start up again. I had a series of injections in different parts of my spine so they could isolate the problem areas before having the RFA's.

It was and still is the best thing i've ever done for my back. I still have no pain in my back and legs. I've had the odd muscle spasm issue that is rectified with diasepam for a few days.

The RFA's gave me my life back.

I wish you the best of luck. xx

[Maria31 in reply to springersrule]

Thank you! Gives me some hope. Pulsed RFA is something newer and apparently safer, they pulse rather than a straight burn. But same principle. Did the injections you had before the RFA help at all?

[springersrule in reply to Maria31]

Isn't it good that treatments move forward quite quickly

Some of the injections worked - they were injecting all over the place for about 6 months to pin point exactly where my problems were coming from nerve wise. My problem is that injections don't last very long for me. I've had them in my knees, hands, fingers, back and hips and the best one was one in my hand for trigger finger which actually lasted for 3 whole months. Everything else seems to wear off within a month xx

[Maria31 in reply to springersrule]

Ahhh I see. No injections have ever worked for me, but not had that many. It seems like I’ll just have to try the RFA and see. Thanks so much for replying x

[springersrule in reply to Maria31]

Sorry to hear the injections don't work at all for you. I hope you have as much success as i have with the RFA's. Please come back and let us all know how you get on ❤️ xx

[Maria31 in reply to springersrule]

Will do! X

[giraffegal]

Maria, I have been treated with RFA on my lower spine L4-5 and S-1,S-2 and also my cervical facet joints. It has been very helpful. Do ask your medical specialists to test your thyroid TSH. FT3 and FT4. Often overlooked is that low thyroid can cause tendonitis and contribute to spinal pain.

[Maria31 in reply to giraffegal]

That’s really interesting about the tendinitis. Can you give me any links? I have separately seen a rheum who has diagnosed me with fibro, pending results of a two-phase nuclear bone scan I had on Fri. However it feels like multiple areas of tendinitis/bursitis - hips, bum, wrists, arms, shoulders! But all my blood tests come back fine, inc. thyroid.

[NikkiNix1]

Hi Maria, I’ve had 12 facet blocks (really really helped) then had 8 RFA. Cervical spine wasn’t that great but the Lumbar and Sacral were great. Wishing you all the best!

[Maria31 in reply to NikkiNix1]

Thanks NikkiNix!

[Sorohan]

What is RFA

[springersrule in reply to Sorohan]

Radio Frequency Ablations. x

[Dback]

Hi, I used to get cortisone injections until they stopped working . Now have been doing RFA for years now and I have a disc issue st L5,S1 with bad nerve pain, especially in R hip, calf,heel. This treatment keeps me going, in my case,nerves grow back in about 5 months and I get treatment again...BUT, we are all different...it can last longer ....hopefully it would for you. I also get facet, SI joint ,sympathetic nerves...and recently a upper neck(cervical) treatment that has saved me from bad pain from disc issues there. I always do mine under light sedation so I'm asleep...I don't care for being awake for those..I have PTSD...No need to be scared...I hope you get relief!.you can have pain from procedure...go to web and look up procedure to see what to expect afterwards. Spineuniverse is a great resource

[Maria31 in reply to Dback]

Thank you Dback! Appreciate this and will look at Spine Universe. Glad it works for you.

[Dback in reply to Maria31]

Yayyyyyyyy..🙂

[Emma2017]

Hi, not had the pulsed ones but had three non pulsed ones. They were uncomfortable but the short lived pain at the time was well worth it. It helped quite a lot so was worth having.

[Maria31 in reply to Emma2017]

Thanks Emma!

[Maggie153]

Good morning.

I’m going into Hosp to have a Racz procedure done. I’m anxious as not met consultant all done over the phone. I’m very nervous about this and the outcome. Has anyone had this procedure and what was it like afterwards?? Thank you.

[Maria31]

Hi Maggie, it might be better to start a new thread as this seems to be a specialised procedure, at least I'd never heard of it. Good luck and hope it goes well.