Doesn't knock me out - but my former pain management specialist used to use some kind of local anaesthetic and wouldn't let me drive afterwards so Bruce always had to drive me. He drives me now, but only because I haven't been able to drive for the last 5 years.

And I just realized it was In October I last had the injections so I have to wait a couple of months before I get them again. So will be using the Lidoderm patches and Lortab!

I'm sorry that you are going thru this. When you have alot of pain it's awful. My friend had the epidural injections and it helped her and after she told me, my husband went to a pain management dr and he got them. He had been out of work for 3 years with a bulging disc problem. I hope you find relief.

Thanks, Im glad I have Pnut, my little furbutt has been great company when I am on the couch in pain! :D

The Dr said something about the Tens Unit, I was thinking in my head, Wow what am I a rat or something!! haha but I might have to get one of those!

Ok, its offical you scared the crap out of me now!! I believe they are going to put me under when they do the shot bc on my paper it says "anasethia" (sp) so thats probably why they said no work and a ride home! eeeek I am scared now!

The Dr told me about Accupuncture as well... I am going to look into that!

Im glad they worked for you! I am trying not to stress about it.. I just want to feel better and not have to be druged up my whole life! I am too young for this, but I also have a Sacroiliac strain on both sides, not really sure what that is when she explained it, its something to do with my pelvis.. I have to research that a little more.

I just realized the nurse wrote "anasethia" on my apt card, and when I was talking to him he was telling me dont worry he is an anastheiaolist (sp) he is very good... so I know thats why the Dr said take the day off work and get a ride home! They have to put me under! eeekkk! I am getting nervous! But I am sick of dealing with this pain. My SIL in law had the same thing she was in a car accident, well she got a bone infection from the Epi shots! But I cant live like this I have to try what the Dr is telling me to do! So I hope it works on me!!

I swear by the TENS unit and have gotten several colleagues with back problems to ask their doctors about them. All of them have gotten relief -- from only a small measure to complete relief. It's only temporary because once the unit is turned off, the pain eventually returns, but when you have chronic pain, even getting a few minutes of relief is a big thing.

What I like about it is that I can control it -- I can move the patches to different locations based on where I'm having issues, and I can change the intensity and wavelength of the pulse. Some days I just need a little zap, other days I need to ratchet it up. But as I said, the only time I need to use it these days is when we travel and I can't sleep in my comfy adjustable bed.

Thank you all for your comments and your support, all of you made me feel so special!! I don't feel as depressed hearing some of your stories knowing I am not alone. :D You guys are awesome.

I hope you start feeling better soon.:)

Many pain management doctors are anesthesiologist and use what is called conscious sedation. You do not, shall we say, go to sleep you just don't feel anything and don't remember the procedure. Many practices have 2 physicians involved. One does the procedure the other monitors the sedition. Most do an excellent job of keeping you comfortable while the injections are done. If they work for you it is like a miracle. The pain is gone. Good luck.

A friend has a unit surgically implanted in her back...works well...another got a morphine implant and she said she functions very well.

My husband tried many things and simple PT has worked the best..better then drugs....go figure!!!

Acupuncture is good. I used to get it on my feet. Took several treatments to make a difference. I also used to get acupuncture for my migraines.

No need to be scared!!! My last pain management specialist used to use a sedative - they do it through an IV. You won't feel anything and they won't let you leave for about 30 minutes (maybe longer) after.
I don't have the sedatives with my current pain management guy, and all I feel is a prick and it is a little uncomfortable for a second or two.
He is always apologising for the discomfort while he is giving me the injections, but it isn't that bad.

I've done the injections in my back and in my wrist. My experience was that you feel better for the first few hours (due to the lidocaine), then you hurt like heck the second day. By day 3, you start feeling some good relief.

Sorry, didn't mean to scare you but too many Dr's don't tell you these things and too many try to do things that they have no business doing. I spent 3 yrs having Dr's tell me that the pain in my left buttock was coming from my back, even though I told them all that I felt a horrific burning tearing sensation one day when I squatted down to pick something up. Well nov 17th I had surgery & NoT on my back, I actually tore my piriformis muscle & when you tear that muscle the sciatic often jumps inside the muscle & becomes trapped being squeezed EVERY time you move your leg . Piriformis entrapment is Very often misdiagnosed as a back condition because it often makes you have lower back pain from the sciatic being squeezed & pulled on by the muscle it is trapped in. One Dr sent me to the pain clinic for injections in my spine & at that time me piriformis was swollen 4 times it's normal size so I showed it to the pain clinic Dr and he's the one that finally made the correct diagnosis & gave me a shot in the muscle instead of my spine. Then he said come back in a month & if it wasn't better I would need surgery to repair it. I went back in a month & he decided it wasn't my piriformis & said it's my spine & he wanted to go in & shave one of my discs:eek::eek::eek: I DON"T THINK SO !!! So I spent the next year going to more Dr's for diff treatments on my piriformis & ended up in Seattle where the pain managment Dr told me I should have NEVER let that Dr give me the injection without guided needle injection & that spinal injections should Always be done that way because there is too big a risk of hitting a nerve. I believe he's rite because a couple of years ago my Mom was having spine injections, the 1st one worked the 2nd didn't and the 3rd left her in severe pain for almost a year & I believe they hit the nerve on that one. So you should ask if they will be doing your injection be Fluoroscope or some other form of picture guidance. Also you can check out Dr. Fillers website at www.Nervemed.com as I said I have been researching Dr's for 3 yrs & he's one of the top spine & nerve Dr's in the US. He's written several books & I believe the name of one is ( Do You Really Need That Back Surgery ) He's not into doing spine surgery unless he can't fix you with something less invasive. He's actually the Dr who developed the Piriformis surgery that I just had, with a 3 day recovery time instead of 8 to 12 month recovery.
I will never let anyone give me another injection like that without it being guided by some form of picture as I saw my Mom go through Hell from that last shot & have heard similar stories from others who didn't have guided injections. It's just too risky.