epidural question

[mopinko]

so, scheduled for my epidural on friday. get my neuro consult on monday. yada yada.
i have been reading up like a good little patient. from what i can see, either this is no big thing, or you die, or maybe you get some scarring, and bleeding, and you get more pain than you started with. me being me, i suspect i will get door #3. but, my question is, should i win door #1, everything goes fine, what happens exactly? they told me to bring someone to drive me home. looks like they expect to keep me for a couple of hours, total. will i be up and around that night? how long till i am back to my usual miserable self? how long before i know if it helps? and do y'all know how glad i am to have this forum?

[The empressof all]

1. Is this for back pain?

I had one in November and it helped a great deal. You'll be up and functioning shortly after. It takes about 3 days to a week to kick in totally. I got relief within 12 hours.

If you're getting the kind of block I got it's really not bad and certainly far better to endure the very brief discomfort relative to pain you are living with.

[mopinko]

2. this is in my neck

pain shooting down my arm. fun. yeah, i am ready. just trying to figure out if i will be good for anything by the next day, or??

[Warpy]

4. It's an art as well as a science

so if they get it at the right level, it'll give you a dramatic, although temporary improvement. If they miss, you won't get improvement and you'll have the added pain from the puncture.

Are they talking surgery yet?

Everybody is different and your doctor will be your best guide on when and how to increase your activity.

[mopinko]

5. i see the surgeon on monday.

i will go see my pcp after that. i would have seen her earlier, but she has been sick and out of the office. (the nerve!) my desire is- full speed ahead. i am so sick of this pain. i want my f'ing right arm back.
i am just so pissed off at my rheumie. the only thing that makes sense to me for how the whole thing went down is that he thinks i am a head case. i am sure i am coloring that thought process pretty heavily. but he had to know after a few weeks of this shit that there was nerve involvement. why did he make me take that torture test, instead of an mri? only my darkest thoughts seem to have an answer for that one. jesus, i hate having to depend on these people. i have just run out of trust. and am sick of this prone position.

[The empressof all]

7. My SO had one in his neck several years ago

He had repetative motion injury. It worked wonders for him and gave him total relief. I hope it goes well for you. :hug:

[ThomCat]

3. I've had a series of epidurals twice.

Once two years ago, and again two months ago.

The first time didn't go well. After each injection I was bent over in agony for an entire day, but I kept with it because it was supposed to show long-term benefit. I don't know that I got any benefit from it.

I agreed to try this again because my pain managment doctor is fantastic, and he swears that the procedure has evolved and improved. This time, I had only minor pain after the epidurals and I have had significant benefit.

I know that this doesn't give a clear answer to your questions. Sorry.

All I can say is that it might help.

[mopinko]

6. i was just looking for the best case scenario.

the worst i can easily imagine for myself. :P
thanks thom.