Lidocaine infusion experience

[Maggiet]

Mornin' all. Had my first lidocaine infusion yesterday for nerve pain. Started off on 50ml per hour and it was gradually upped to 125ml per hour. All was well to start with but on the higher dose I felt extremely dizzy and sick and felt like I was going to pass out. I am terrified of being sick so had a bit of a panic on that score! Called the nurse and she turned the infusion off for 30 minutes while I went back to 'normal'. That did the trick pretty swiftly - which was good news all round, not least for a couple of the other patients who didn't understand why a normally sane and sensible 56 year old was wide eyed with fear at the mere mention of the grey bowler hat - sick bowl to you and others! Anyway, this passed and my infusion finally finished - after a flush out - some 11 hours after I first got there. Bit disappointed this morning as the pain is still there but I have been told it takes a) a couple of days to work and b) I'll need more infusions to feel the relief. So fingers crossed - I am hopeful but realistic!

[teadrinker]

Well done, you survived! Don't panic about it not being instantly better, I have botox for chronic pain and it takes a while to kick in.

Good luck.

[Maggiet in reply to teadrinker]

Hi teadrinker - thank you for your reply. It certainly hasn't kicked in yet and in fact yesterday I was in the most pain I had been for ages! Hope fully it will start to work soon and I have to have a course of 4 to see if it suits this old body of mine!

[efilwol]

Hope it works for you. I had IV lidocaine infusion as part of the plan they seem to put everyone through for chroic pain (amitriptyline, pregabalin/gabapentin, IV lidocaine). Unfortunately, it did noting for me except make me very nauseous (but my pain is due to osteoarthritis, so I think it is more nociceptive than neuropathic in origin).

I hope you have better success than I did.

[Maggiet in reply to efilwol]

I can empathise with your plan for chronic pain - how true that is! The infusion did make me very nauseous and I didn't stop feeling sick until after lunch time today - not a good way to be when you're frightened of being sick like me! Anyway, I have to see this through and see if it stops that blooming pain!

[nedd]

Fingers crossed too.

[Maggiet in reply to nedd]

Cheers nedd - here's hoping.

[superannie]

Hi there, feel for you, I am going for my first injection in the spine next Wednesday and am already thinking of not going! I am not scared of needles but am just wondering if It is going to work? Anyway have talked my self in to it, if I can give birth to two,nearly nine pound babies with no pain relief, There was five years between them, I did,nt have them at the same time! I can handle anytrhing! Dont you just get so tired of all the meds, doctors appointments, hospital appointments etc, etc,! Sometimes I just want to get up, take no tablets and get on with the day,then, of course ,the blinking pain kicks in and off I go on this mad rollercoaster ride! Never mind, it could be worse, If you told me ten years ago I would be going through this I would have laughed! Makes me realise that the body should be looked after from day one, anyway after jabbering on for a bit, hang in there, it may take some time for it to kick in, don,t stress about your fear of being sick, I have such a fear of the dentist, you have no idea! Totallyt irrational. I also have a fear of dogs, I liove them if they are my own but after being bitten as a twelve year old, { am 56 now} I have never gotten over the fear, so it happens to all of us, whatever it may be. Stay well and hang in there! Cheers Ann

[teadrinker in reply to superannie]

Ann, don't not go to your appointment! I know what you mean though, I remember waiting outside the operating theatre for an operation on my jaw & seriously considered jumping off the trolley and running away. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that I was wearing a gown and those stupid foam slippers so I wouldn't have got far. And then I passed out so there was no escape and they gave me the anaesthetic very quickly just to make sure!

I have also suffered from appointments fatigue - I am on a mission to avoid them at all costs this year. So far not doing too badly, only two hopsital appointments & one with the GP, but I'm afraid I've ignored the reminders from the optician. I am terrified of the test they do where they squirt air into the eyes (last time they had to do it 3 times because I kept squealing & moving about).

But we have to go for these things because it's a chance to get away from the pain.

Good luck and try not to worry too much.

[superannie in reply to teadrinker]

Thanks for that, will report back Thursday, I went to my corner shop yesterday, ten minute walk, painful and slow and guess what, left my purse at home !!!!! All the way back and to pick it up and off to the shop again, suffering for it this morning, but it is one way of gauging just what I am capable of doing, hope you have a good weekend, Ann

[Maggiet in reply to superannie]

Hi Ann and thank you for your message. I agree with teadrinker - please go to your appointment - you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. And, yes, I so agree with you about the roller coaster of meds, more meds, side effects, more meds, hospital appointments, different consultants...................it just goes on and on, a bit like the pain we all feel really. I came off the Duloxetene before my infusion so that

a) I could see what was helping ease the pain (if anything) and b) becase I was fed up of the side effects. I have decided that feeling the pain is (marginally) better than feeling off balance, having tinnitus, dry mouth, nausea, constipation etc etc. Even though our nearest and dearest can see the pain we are in, only fellow sufferers know exactly what it is like. Good luck with your appointment on Wednesday, I will be thinking about you and please keep us posted on how you go on. As for me, my delicious husband is taking me to The House of Bruar once a year BIG sale! The store has been dubbed 'the Harrods of the North' so it should be good. Have a good weekend. Bye for now Maggie x x

[DirtyDie in reply to superannie]

Hi superannie I've had the injections in the spine several times and they worked for me at first but as time wore on I was told by specialist that it's not worth doing them any more.

I had the nerves burnt n that lasted a year or two before the pain came back with a vengeance.

They now want to try I lignocaineinfusion, I'm a bit weird about this as I've never heard of it before.

I was on 26 painkillers per day, tramadol -buscopan-pregabolin and oratorio. I lost 6.5 st in less than 6 mths because the tablets were rotting my stomach. I'm severe needle phobic n pass out at the sight of a needle but I went for the injections and have to admit it changed my life for a few years. I could walk without sticks n pain-free. It was so lovely to start having a life again. I could pick my grand babies up and give them a cuddle and play games with them, running around the park.

I hope it works for you and you can get some relief from pain x

[superannie]

buy the shop out! Hope you both have a fun weekend cheers Ann x x

[Maggiet]

I'Ve been cashmere-d!! Himself bought me a beautiful full length camel cashmere coat at half the ticket price! Loads of bargains to be had. The place was packed but there was a disabled parking spot by the door so that was good. Have a good weekend too, bye for now. Maggie x

[vivikin in reply to Maggiet]

Hi there I have just seen your comments on the Lidocaine infusion and see it was at t,he end of last year and wondered how you are getting on, I have had about 3 years of medication and spinal injections and now have just had my second Lidocaine infusion the first one lasted about 3 weeks and then I was back in a lot of pain also the day I had the first one I wasn't in any pain so didn't really have a handle as to when it started working, but I had my second one yesterday and I am still in pain today so hoping it is going to work soon, so I thought it would be interesting to see if you have had any more infusions and if it has worked well for you, I also have nerve pain like yourself and my pain is mostly in both my legs and feet from top to toe and all the pain is in the front of my legs. anyway I don't want to ramble on, but would be very grateful if you could give me some info. kind regards Viv

[Maggiet in reply to vivikin]

Hi viv

I'm afraid the infusion didn't work at all for me. I had a reaction while it was being given so they had to turn it off for a bit. For three days afterwards I was in more pain than ever so the docs said there was no point in trying again. I seem to have exhausted all current medications and have now been put forward for a pain management course. I am also trying various natural vitamin support. I hope I don't sound too negative, it's just that I suffer bad side effects from drugs. Even low dose ibuprofen makes me nauseous and one paracetamol tab puts me to sleep!!! I hope you find some relief soon. Nerve pain is a real b***h to sort out, I've even asked for cannabis spray but been told it strictly for MS sufferers. I'd trial it for my nerve pain!! Good luck xxx

[vivikin in reply to Maggiet]

im so sorry to hear your news, you are right nerve pain is awflul so hard to tolerate, you don't sound negative at all just honest, its strange you say that you were left in more pain than ever because when I had the first one about a month ago I had three weeks of no pain and then when it came back I thought it was worse but then thought it must be my imagination and it was just because I had gone from no pain to loads so I will see what happens this time. I wish you well and hope you find something that helps. best wishes xx

[superannie]

well done! I am jealous!!!!!

[docnai]

hi.. About 15yrs ago i tried the infusion, i had a really bad experience while i was having it done after about 2/3 hrs i felt really sick and ended up with a bad migraine, to make things worse i tried to stick it out, so don't be afraid to say something if you feel unwell. Its not for everyone.....take care

[Dream70]

If people are having side effects ask them to slow the rate back down. I had bad experiences with hallucinations but now know not to rush the process. This should help any nausea too. My infusion was for crps and is effective for pain.