Come out , come out where ever you are!!! ;) How are you today???

Please keep me posted, I am having the procedure done at the end of September. After reading your post...you kinda of scared me.

Can I ask what history of back problems lead up this???

I am just sick of being in pain and really do not want to cause myself more pain. I want to be done with pain meds, they whack me out :jester:

I want my life back, my old self!! This has put a strain on my hubby, my job and the wallet for sure.

I hope your doing better!!!!

Hi Reyne, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm in awful pain again today, now yesterday was better, but not today I don't know what happened between then and now.

As for my back issues, it all started about 3 years ago I felt the first effects of what was sciatic issues, did stretches and it helped and then it just got worse and worse, started out with just one simple disk bulge two years ago, to today L4-5 is a cicrumferential disck bulge which is causing narrowing to both neural foraminal stenosis inferiorly, and mild effacement of the ventral thecal sac. L5-S1 broad disc bulge with posterior hypertrophic change, plus as of last week having the procedure things are starting at L3, and supposedly I'm loaded with bone spurs very badly all on the right side, so bad that my doc. had trouble getting the needle in to certain areas, he said he would discuss all of this with me when I see him at my next visit.

I to am sick of pain, and the reason I went through with this is because I was having alot of facet joint pain, so I thought if I could help that part of my issue maybe the rest won't be so bad, but who knows with me. I'm usually the type of person that doesn't do well with injections they usually don't work very well with me, but I was willing to give it a go because I really don't want surgery, I just am one year out of my neck fusion and I just can't go through another so soon.

I'm just like you with meds, they wipe me out also, and I'm so sick and tired of being doped up all the time, my problem with this is I suffer with sjogrens disease and having this has caused me to be more sensitive to medication so all my docs call me a light-weight because I can't handle meds like a normal person so it's very difficult to medicate me, even when I've had surgeries they have a tough time with me, and anesthesia and me don't mix very well even for days afterwards, my last round of surgery they had to treat my nausea this is what happens with anesthesia like I was a cancer patient for several days afterwards so I wouldn't become deathly sick from it. Even taking one 10mg tab. of oxycontin hcl does me in and that just doesn't touch the pain, so when I take three of them a day I'm down and out on the couch and can't move because of the side effects. So I'm a tough one.

It does put a strain on those we love and especially the pocket books, but you do what is best for you and your situation, there are many who have been helped by these injections so don't let my situation change your mind, you do what you need to do, and talk to your doc.

If you don't mind me asking what exactly is going on with your back?

I'll check back later on you, ok.
Tulip

No..Tulip you did not scare me. I know that everything or procedure works different for everybody.

Actually I did not know I had back problem. I was sitting in my chair at work and I had a horrible, painful, black out pain coming from my left groin area. I thought.... female problem. After ultra sounds, blood tests, ct scan, laporscopy looking for endo and even a colonoscopy just for fun :D I have been on antidepressants, IBS meds everything under the sun. This "groin" pain started in Dec 2006 and back pain did not surface till April. So I never thought it was my back.

In April this year I also had a not sure what but there is a small hard bump appeared in the groin area crease. I have had Dr's say hernia or lymphnode to some saying it is in my head. I have been to hernia specialist and not one Dr can tell me what it is to this day.

The only Dr who I trust this far is the Pain Doctor. He ordered an MRI and I have a bulge in S1, L5 with degeneration of hips and lower spine. He did not know what was causing the groin pain since there are no nerves that showed to be affected. I went to a nuerologist and no nerve problems but thinks that it my back and deffering to my groin. He says I have hips of a 70 yr old woman.

So here I am and now the Pain Doc wants to do this procedure. I have pain daily. I cannot sit for long and when I do sit I have a heating pad on my back. I take Naproxen, Vicoden, Zanaflex and Flexeral. All at the age of 36...I take more meds than my parents!!!! I work out daily, suffer with the pain and by the end of the day I am on so many pain meds and in pain....I am just a joy for my hubby!!! :D

I just started reading your experience with the radiofrequency and wondered if you got relief!!

Sorry about the short novel but I hope maybe someone has had this kind of pain. The Dr's really are stumped!!! And so am I!!