I injured my wrist in Dec '03 and after 17 weeks my ortho has finally referred me to a pain mang. Dr. He's doing the first nerve block on Monday. What should I expect of this? Does anyone know exactley what it will presist of and what I will experience from this? If anyone has any advice for me or what steps I should be taking it would be much appreciated. I'm still very confused about this whole RSD thing. All I know is what I'm feeling and how it is affecting my life. I do thank everyone who responds to my threads. You have all been such a great help..So any advice or information you have for me would be of great help. Thank you all.
Good luck at your first Block, I hope it brings you some relief! (XXX fingers crossed!) Since my husband's RSD is in his foot, he had Spinal Lumbar Blocks which are at the bottom of the back instead of the kind you will be getting which I don't really know anything about, sorry.
I just wanted to advise you to tell them you want sedation, going on the assumption that it could be painful like the Lumbar Blocks, and at Joey's first one they didn't offer him any sedation and he was in agonizing pain! When he told his other Dr about it, he advised him that YOU have to be the one to tell them you want sedation, otherwise they don't just offer it, they're too cheap~! (This I don't understand...you'd think they'd be pushing as much as they can so they can charge the insurance????? Not to mention humane patient care???)
This lesson has come in handy many times over the past year...that YOU are the one in the "Drivers Seat", and that YOU must be the one to TELL the Drs when you want or need different treatments or medications (Don't ASK meekly....remember that YOU are in charge and you DESERVE to be in the least amount of pain possible!)
I've had 12 stellate ganglion blocks for the RSD in my wrist/hand. It was performed in the out-patient surgery center. Every doctor does it different it seems. Mine offered a sedative IV during the procedure which I gladly accepted. I was prepped as if I were having surgery - nothing to eat/drink for 8 hrs prior, dressed in a gown, IV put in place. I was wheeled into the OP room, sedative added to IV, adhesive thermometer put on BOTH hands (left hand not effected), my neck was extended so the doctor could feel the place to insert the needle, meds injected, arm would warm up as the temp would rise on the effected side, wheeled into recovery and monitored for 30-45mins. The entire procedure lasted about 5 mins. Afterward, you can get a myriad of experiences including an eye droop (Horners syndrome), stuffy sinus, sore/raspy throat, difficulty breathing, arm asleep. Not all those were experienced at the same time, that's just what I've experienced over the course of the blocks. Everyone experiences something different, and every block is different. Best of luck, I hope they work on you as well as they worked for me! Keep us posted. - Shelley
Hi Justine,
I know each doctor does things a little differently. Some do a block in office (like mine), others do them in the hospital. Some use a flouroscope to carefully watch where the needle is going and others do it by feel (like mine). So I'm only sharing from my limited 3 experiences, but this is what happens in my blocks:
I put on a gown and one anesthesiologist administers the sedation and monitors my vitals while the other performs the block. A nurse is also in the room assisting. My neck and face are covered with a sterile paper sheet with a hole in it to do the block. The actual injection only takes a couple moments (lie still!). The injection of marcaine is through the front of the throat into the ganglion nerve bundle next to the voice box.
The doctor doing the block stays with me and watches me closely afterwards and keeps checking my skin temperature on my face and hands and monitoring my BP. I get a droopy eye on the side of the block (and blood red eyes) that last less than a day. My sinuses are a little miserable for a few hours and my 'swallower' didn't work well for a couple of hours afterwards this last time (be careful about your first sips after a block). My blocks have been very effective each time, lasting about a month.
Ange is absolutely right about requesting the sedation. They don't always offer it and it makes things a lot easier. If you are going to ask for sedation, make sure you don't eat anything for 12 hours before the procedure.
I hope you have a lot of success. Please keep in touch.
First Block on Monday???????? 
I injured my wrist in Dec '03 and after 17 weeks my ortho has finally referred me to a pain mang. Dr. He's doing the first nerve block on Monday. What should I expect of this? Does anyone know exactley what it will presist of and what I will experience from this? If anyone has any advice for me or what steps I should be taking it would be much appreciated. I'm still very confused about this whole RSD thing. All I know is what I'm feeling and how it is affecting my life. I do thank everyone who responds to my threads. You have all been such a great help..So any advice or information you have for me would be of great help. Thank you all. 
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