Back Pain Support Group

I went through 3 epidural shots and did get some short term relief. It may be that, if you are getting better anyway, the epidural might put you over the top as far as pain relief is concerned. At least, my pain doc explained the epidural shots to me in that way. Unfortunately for me, the epidurals were just a pit stop to back surgery. For you, I hope that they work well...

Take care...

I am scheduled for steroid injections on this Fri. I have talked with alot of people who have had them done and it seems to me that it helps some and not others. If you are like me I have had two surgerys in the last year and a half and they havn't worked and this is the next step that everyone says they try. So to me it is to play the games to find out what works and this is the first step of many that my come. But if you are like me I am going to think positive about it and hope for the best. They are going to try two sets two weeks apart. Alot of people say they had three shots two weeks apart. Anyway I will hope you the best with them as I hope they help you and me too. Moep59

I had 2 injections, and my second one gave me a spinal fluid leak, which gave me the worst migraine I ever had for over a week. I went to the ER, they gave me a blood patch to stop the leak, but it didn't help. So I went back a few days later and they gave me morphine and fluid, and it went away. They say there is only a 2% chance of that happening, that's my luck! I didn't get any releif from the injections either. Good luck.

My first one hurt like hell and did not do anything for my pain. My second one hurt much more and the next day I ended up in the ER and on morphine because the shot increased my back pain so much. Never again will I do these.

I was at first adamantly against having anything this invasive done. But as time goes on my tune changes. I now want to try it if for nothing else than to get my gardening done. I am already at a high level of opiates and don't need any increase as long as I keep my gardening under control. That means a maximum of fifteen minutes per day. It is a crazy situation. I have to "bank" some of my pain meds for things like traveling or snow clearing. I am starting to view pain meds like money. You spend most of it as needed and save some for a rainy day.

I had one earlier this year. I was scheduled for a series of 3 injections however I did so well with the first one that they are waiting for the next set of injections, its just starting to hurt again, about this last week so the shots lasted awhile. I know surgery is in the cards and this is just delaying it. For me the shots have given some relief.

i was having epidurals for a few weeks and eventually it just stopped working.it wasn't worth 2 days of pain just for 2 days of relief.i went due to bulging discs and stenosis.i went to another pain clinic and got trigger point shots,that too,soon was wearing off even with the neurontin.i amd scheduled for surgery 8/24----good luck to you:)

it's amazing this forum still doesn't have "sticky" subjects to pin to the top of the forum. You can find 50 or 60 threads on epidurals in the archives of this forum but all told epidurals are of very minor benefit, if any, and for the most part you will find most people (on average) would avoid the headache and expense for such minor relief. And as mentioned above, sometimes epidurals can actually cause more damage to you over all situation.

that surely doesn't mean you won't get relief. But on average if you read through the other threads I think you'll agree epidurals are just one level above useless.

Look into fibrin-sealant for degenerative discs . It's helping far more people than simple steroid shots

I totally agree, of course cause my experience was awfull, and I got no releif at all. Even after I got that horrible migraine, I even tried it again, had another doc do it. Didn't get a migraine that time, but I was wide awake, and felt a horrible pain down my leg the rest of the day. Once again, no relief afterwards. So in my opinion and experience, they are worthless to me. Does anyone know if they cause scar tissue at all? God bless, Wendy.