I had one of these done this past Friday (this made my 5th one in a span of 2 years) and I don't think it "took". Normally by now I feel so much better, but now I am still in pain and now my right leg is cramping and numb feeling and my toes are tingly. I woke up this morning to awful an awful leg cramp in my right leg. My question is, have any of you experienced these symptoms from a flourscope epidural (not sure if this is the same as an ESI)? I will be calling my PM doctor tomorrow as well if this doesn't improve tonight. I have felt this in my leg since right before back surgery in 1995. *sigh* I am so tired of pain.
BTW, I am a newbie to this board. Thanks everyone in advance.
Since you have had to do more than one of these, you have something that is mechanically causing inflammation. Have they figured out what it is? What does your MRI say?
Welcome to the boards. What was your surgery done for? Condition?
When my husband had his surgery done, he had to sign a piece of paper that said, the pain may be less, the same, or more, after surgery. The nerves are really tricky things. It is depressing.
They use the shots to rule out what it is or isn't. Getting relief is a bonus. Since the shot didn't *take* they can now move onto some other form of helping you find relief.
Hi there,
First off, Welcome! When I had my shot I had terrible pain for about 4 days, I thought that something had gone seriously wrong and I was quite concerned. But it slowly did get better. If this is concerning to you I would definitly call your PM first thing tomorrow and see what he/she has to say. Good luck, I hope you start feeling better real soon. Let us know how you are doing and what your PM says. Take care. Kristy.
Hi Betty! Let's see, I *had* at the time of my surgery in 1995 three herniated discs (L3, L4, L5). L4 was pressing on a nerve causing the odd sensations/pain going down my right leg. After 75% of that disc was taken the other two went back into place. I did pretty good for a few years after the surgery, but 2 kids and pounds gained have not proven to be good for my back at all. Cold weather and rainy weather are horrible for me. There are sometimes where I can move slightly the wrong way and have a certain feeling in my back that tells me I've hurt the area. I am restricted to lifting only 25 lbs., but my 2 yr old is 28 lbs and he still loves to be picked up.....of course, I pick my child up and then feel a *catch* in my back. I would have the Epidurals to reduce the inflammation in the area and they usually work great for me for 6 months to 1 year. This time, however, it hasn't worked. My PM doc is out of the office today so I will be calling her tomorrow to schedule another one soon (I hope). I haven't had a MRI in about 2 years.
I try to walk for exercise to lose weight and my legs go numb or my lower back aches so bad, so it is a double edge sword. ugh!
My orthopaedic surgeon prescribes Soma, Lortab and Bextra for me. The Bextra's do pretty well at reducing the inflammation, but when I have "overworked" my back nothing helps.
I need to get a new TENS unit as that helped me as well.
Thank you Kristy! My PM doc is out today, but I will be calling tomorrow. When I had my first epidural this way, I hurt for a few days after, but my later ones didn't feel that way - I seemed to recooperate quicker. This one *felt* differently when she did it because she had to go in a different area. She said the spot she needed to utilize was right where my scar is, so she could either go beside it, or underneath it. Normally she goes beside it, but this time she went beneath it. Before when I would have these injections I felt so much pressure in my rear end and the feeling that my legs were going to "blow" off my body, but this time I only felt the immense pressure in my rear end. I know that there is always that chance that these injections will not "take" and I think this is one of those times.
