30 Days of tremendous pain and no relief - Epidoral question

[user904]

Hi,

I have had 30 days of excruciatiang pain and had an epidoral on 11/11 and I still can't sit without excruciating pain when I get up and try and walk. It has been 7 days since the epidoral and I have no relief what-so-ever. I had an MRI done on 11/4 and the preliminary report said that I had a herniated disc at L5-S1 and right nerve root compression at L5-S1 with bulging disc at L4-L5 The herniated disc is no bigger than it was 4 months ago when I had my other MRI done. I do not have any leg pain, just severe low back pain. Just sitting puts so much pressure on my spine that the only relief I have is actually sitting on the toilet. Has anyone ever had severe low back pain without the leg pain and had epidoral injections help them. I have had no relief with the 1st one and fear that the 2nd one will not do anything either. I cannot function at all and have been out of work since Oct 19th. I am housebound and can't go anywhere because I can't sit anywhere or walk long at all or stand long. Has anyone been through this at all where the pain is so severe and you are not having leg pain and the 1st Epidoral shot didn't help, but the 2nd one did. My Pain Management Dr. said that I need to give this two full weeks to see if it works, but today is day 7 and I am not better what-so-ever. Please, any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[ibake&pray]

It does take time. I had slipped backwards in regards to my pain levels and my PM recommended that I have a caudel injection. I can't have epidurals as I am fused from T9 to my sacrum. suo he went straight up my tailbone into my spine. What fun. I didn't feel any relief. I felt the meds go in and I could feel them going down my legs, but could not feel any help. It took me a good three weeks before I got any relief from the injection, and it was 4 before I could say that there was significant help from it. So your doctor is right. Give it time to work. If you are that inflamed and irritated, it will take more time for it to work and settle in where it needs to be before you will see some relief.

[user904]

Thank you so much. I spoke with my PM doctor today and he said he wants to see me tomorrow. I asked if there was any way that I could get the 2nd shot the Wed. before Thanksgiving, but he said that my insurance might not authorize it that soon. It would be exactly 2 weeks since my first. one. He said that he will examine me tomorrow and see if they can get authorization for the 2nd shot, but again told me that I still had time to see if it will do anything. He did say that if I get no help, I will need to go back to the surgeon. I pray that he can get my insurance to authorize this so that I can get the 2nd shot and I pray it will work so I could avoid surgery.

You gave me hope by saying that because it is so irritated that it may just be taking longer as I believe that may be the problem because I have had 30 days straight of pain with pain levels going from 6 to 10+++ every day. The one thing I can say is that 3 days prior to the shot, I couldn't even get out of bed, the pain was unbearable with 10+++ for 3 days straight and then after having the epidoral, I can at least walk but I can't sit or turn and going up and down steps is not good. Again thanks for your input.

Today, I even tried taking meds. Tramadol, Advil and muscle relaxers and I sat for one minute on a donut on the kitchen chair and when I stood up I couldn't walk and had to stand it out for a few minutes before I could move. I have been eating all my meals standing up and then the pressue in my spine is too much with the standing so I then lay on the sofa and finish my meal laying down.

Again, thank you for your response as it offers me hope. Bless you and everyone else on this site who has any type of medical problems and I pray for all a quick recovery.