My doc is pressing for a 4 level discogram - I understand they can hurt like the dickens - what's the worst/best case scenario for time in pain/time off work to recover?

Hi rmurf,

Jeez, 4 levels. That's pretty high. They're doing that prolly because one of them is the disk they compare it to (they have to have one good one to show that the others are bad). They are attempting to re-create the pain you have been experiencing to-date. So yes....it is gonna hurt. However, they also give you pain relief immediately upon noticing the pain level. My pain hit 9.5-10 according to my doctor, but the moment it hit that level, they injected some "caine" stuff (or whatever it was to lessen the pain). Yes you are awake, you have to be to guide them and let them know where it hurts and stuff.

Now afterwards. You could be fine right after the discogram...or you could hurt for 3-7 days. OR you could be in so much pain that you no longer walk. That is what happened to me. Had to wait 2 months for my surgery too (after my discogram). I have heard of some very good outcomes though, so don't use my story as gospel. I'm just giving you an idea of what can happen.

But let's say it this way. What will happen if you DON'T have the discogram? You will get worse as time goes on and the pain will never go away. The discogram is VERY VERY worth it's weight in diagnostic gold. Try telling yourself that you will feel what you need to feel during the procedure, but you will not remember anything after the procedure. For lack of a better way to say it, give yourself a post-hypnotic suggestion that you won't remember anything. It worked for me. Even though I couldn't walk anymore, I couldn't remember ANYTHING about my discogram. I still can't, and I don't really want to either! hehe The doctor told me I screamed so loud, I scared some patients in the waiting room (down the hall, over the river and through the woods......I got me some good lungs). hehe oh well. Because I couldn't remember anything, I thought I had passed out and would have to go through the ordeal all over again! But they said NO....they got the information they needed, thank you. hehe good. they got the message that i was hurtin' :D

Anyway....I hope this doesn't scare you away. But it is the only way a clear picture can be seen of your injured area and the only way they can give you a diagnosis that may help you in your search for a cure. Good luck to you.

Success -- what kind of surgery did you have? You are pleased with the results I am am glad to hear.

I've got one word for you. DRUGS! Do NOT do this test unless you go to someone who puts you out. You will be brought back around as they do the test, but that part won't be a big deal. You DO want to be out when they insert the needles. My doc said there's two ways to do this test. The John Wayne approach or the gentle approach. I freaked prior to mine and afterward found out that it was no big deal at all. Definitely go to a place who uses anesthesia. Good Luck.

TXhunni,
If you use drugs or are put under with this, how can they mimic the pain? I have never heard of them using drugs for this procedure.

:confused:

Injured Betty: :wave:
This is how the place I went to did it. I hear it's becoming more and more common to do it this way. First, they gave me meds to relax (which they should have given me about a week prior to all of this HA). Then they inserted the IV (might have hurt, but the relaxing drugs made me not really care). Then they took me into the "discogram room" (you've gotta know anything with the word disco wasn't going to be good). The anesthesiologist pumped the drug to put me out into my IV. While I'm out, they inserted the needles in the discs they needed to check. To me, this would have been the most horrifying part to be awake for. The needles are large and not any fun at all. After all the needles are in place, the anesthesiologist brings you out of your "sleep" and the doc starts talking to you explaining what he's doing. He'll be injecting the dye and watching on camera where the needles are and where the leaking is. At this point they start injecting the dye, doing one disc at a time. If the disc is without issue, you feel nothing. Nothing! If the disc has a problem, the pain you feel will depend on the severity of the problem. I had one disc where I felt it, but it was no big shakes, just a small pressure pain feeling and uncomfortable. I had another disc that made me scream out - at which point the doctor immediately stops. Immediately stops! They ask you on a scale of 1-10 where is your pain in relationship to the pain you feel on your worst "back pain day". When I told them 12 they wouldn't accept my answer.
Once I told them 10 the whole thing was over with. The anesthesiologist put me back out and the next thing I knew I woke up in the Xray area. Xray was no big deal at all, maybe because some of the anesthesia or relaxing drugs were still in my system.
When I went home I really felt ok. I sure didn't feel good enough to go back to work or go shopping, but I wasn't miserable. I even took the next day off from work, just to be sure I was ok and I'm not so sure I needed to (but what the hey). I felt tender where the needles had been inserted. Felt a little weird from having such an ordeal done, and maybe a little stiff in the back area, but nothing that was as bad as some of the pain I've had from my whole back trouble.
In all honesty... I would do a discogram this way again before I'd EVER (EVER!!!) go through another myelogram. THERE is a test they need to fix!

Hi, I had a three level discogram and went back to work the next day. It was done at 8:00am, though. I was put to sleep, a needle was placed in each of the three discs, they woke me, injected each disc in which one reached a level 10 on the pain scale, was put to sleep again, the needles were taken out, I was awakened and give Demerol intravenously and then sent for the cat scan. It only hurt when I walked (i.e. to the car, to my door, etc. and was about a 6-7 on the pain scale. Once home, I slept all day and was fine when I woke up later that evening. Thereafter, I did not have the pain from the discogram; just the low back pain. I really thought it went pretty good compared to what I read. Hope yours goes well too! Let us know. Blessings, Susan