So .... I had to prepare.... no food six hours before......no clear fluids two hours before (on one of the hottest days on record!).......appointment time 1.30 pm. With small suitcase on wheels in hand trundled through the building site and successfully (eventually) found the correct part of the building 'The Pain Management Day Clinic'.
I was going for a medial block procedure. This was arranged by my Rheumie, since I have been stuck at 7mgs Pred for a year. Whenever I taper the pain at the base of my neck and across my shoulder blades forces me back to my previous dose, so my Rheumie wanted a solution to remove this barrier.
The consultant performing the procedure was surprised it had taken me a year to get there following my appointment with him, but hey, these UTIS messed with the prep procedures for my original appointment in Nov 18, then the shoulder replacement following a fall at Christmas....Well these little niggles can mess with ones plans can't they?
So, what with having to lie on your stomach and basically 'not breathe' for 20 minutes for fear that any movement may mean he hits vetebrae in the spine, 'twas all a bit tense.
Being well prepared out came the V pillow from the suitcase - if anything could make me comfortable that can! Then undressing - not an easy task with just 20% movement in one arm / shoulder. I was at last on the bed having had help with the light weight dressing gown (adorned for purposes of dignity even though it was stinking hot!) I was evenutally wheeled into my fate at 4pm - no fluid for four hours!
To my dismay, once in the procedure room, I had to change beds again! 'How long have you got?' I exclaimed. So they helped remove my dressing gown and flip flops. I was so awkward becoming tangled in the hosital gown I asked them to remove that too! I put my v pillow on the bed and very carefully, since I also have positional vertigo as well as PMR and a Wookey arm, started the arduous task of changing beds! Well suffice it to say it all took a while.
Since it was near spine the injections were scan led. There were six in all. I remember crying out ' S**T on two occasions when the injections hit their mark. Painful or what!
My ordeal was finally over! So I thought. But no they then asked me to swop beds again! Oh the indignity!
So has it helped with the pain - No, but it can take up to five weeks to make a difference (or can make no difference at all). So two days on ........ I apparently have six visible puncture marks and bruising across my back but....... the bloating body at tops of legs, arms, and neck I went in with seems markedly reduced! So it does make me wonder whether these 'steroid' injections has circumvented a possible PMR flare ?
If so.......... maybe it was worth it! Watch this space.......
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Marilyn1959
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Hopefully it has been read with humour intended. Today am starting to feel the benefits particularly in movement of the Wookey arm strangely. Thank you for your best wishes.
Feeling positive it is going to make a difference! Even tops of thighs, which have been constantly aching since PMR diagnosis, seemed improved today. So fingers crossed.
You do seem to have gone through such a lot Marilyn but come out positive. Considering the last year I think personally that 7mg is pretty good. Let’s hope as you say that it finally proves to be a successful procedure and has stopped anything else occurring too. All the best- let us know how you get on.
I've been wincing reading your post! Took me back to when I had spinals with two of my babies, many years ago! The trainee anasthesatist missed the mark the first time, and God did it hurt! Never forget that pain. Needless to say the experienced one then took over! I think you've been very brave!! All the best and hope it makes a big difference. X
Hi Purplecrow. Please take my post with a pinch of salt! It was intended as semi humorous. My main issue was not the procedure itself, but the flapping about trying to lay down on my front and swop beds when thinking about shoulder injury, positional vertigo and PMR whilst semi naked as the gown was restrictive. It was indeed quite amusing at the time. I have to say today I feel some improvement, particularly in my 'gammy' arm, as the injections seem to have had a knock on effect of reducing inflammation of the muscle. For the first time since my accident in December I can raise the arm, unassisted, by 90 degrees! Every cloud has a silver lining eh?
My pain threshold is very low and the two painful injections only lasted for milliseconds. The other four I didn't feel at all. So please don't anticipate a horrendous experience. I wish you well and hope your procedure makes a positive difference.
Dear Marilyn, I got your humor, and do not feel anxious about my upcoming procedure. I have been having these things for years now...and with luck, this one will give me a few months of relief.
I hope you got some relief from your procedure. As it is told, the treatment may not (will not) be permanent, but even a few months looks good to me.
Please keep me updated with your outcome...I am interested.
You poor thing, but very brave. Still wondering why you had to keep changing beds so often? What an ordeal! I do hope you eventually get some relief, and that you will let us know. Seems to me they should have given you some light sedation, but if they did, they probably knew, you wouldn't be able to do all that bed hopping. Your description sounds like fodder for a medical horror show or a medical sit com. I don't know which.
Sounds like no privacy or dignity at all! If you are better in 5 weeks or less, it will have been worth it. And, if you are, how long is this relief expected to last?
A medical sitcom definitely! It made me laugh at the time. The poor medical staff must have thought I was mad or on happy pills. I did accuse (with humour though no laughter since I didn't want to risk the consequences of any movement) the consultant of lying to me when the two injections hurt! I said, 'what are you doing now? That b****y hurts!' To which he replied,' giving you the injections we agreed for pain relief'. 'How many have you done?'I asked. ' 'Four, another two to go', he replied. 'Six?' I exclaimed. 'Yes six', he affirmed.
'You lied to me!' I accused. 'No I didn't', he denied. 'Yes you did! You said two! ' I argued. 'No I didn't I said two vertebrae not two injections', he clarified. 'I think you did lie to me', I reaffirmed. ' Job done!' he stated.
Causing me to think (as I am sure he did too) 'Thank **** for that!'
In hindsight since I couldn't laugh out loud and the consultant couldn't see my facial expression he may have thought I was serious! Whoops!!!!
P.s. They did give me dignity. It was me who decided life would be easier to strip off!
Yes, how about a PMR sit com? I am sure with the combined experiences of this group, it could be done. My first and close to last visit for physical therapy, the therapist said, "Don't doctors say the stupidest things?" As we all know, laughter is the best medicine.
Agree with a site sitcom! What a great idea! I can see a huge tv deal raising much needed funds for PMR / GCAuk. Casting might be an issue, what with members clamouring to play a role. Certainly we could give 'Off Their Rockers' programme a run for their money. Script writing would be a piece of cake with input from this Community!
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