Polymyositis & Dermatomyositis Support Group

Polymyositis (PM) is a type of chronic inflammation of the muscles (inflammatory myopathy) related to dermatomyositis and inclusion body myositis. The inflammation is predominantly of the endomysium in polymyositis, whereas dermatomyositis is characterized by primarily perimysial inflammation.

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Muscles & Bones
/ Polymyositis & Dermatomyositis Support Group

Caudals

brendacaytonwhite
brendacaytonwhite
Hello my friends. I seem to have disappeared lately. No, I have just been having a little too much pain lately. I had a caudal done last Tuesday and will be having another one done tomorrow morning. The first helped my back a little, when I sit but not my thighs. It also seem to relieve some of the tingling in the fingertips of my left hand. I had never heard of a caudal and still do not understand it completely, but I know that the pain mgmt physician inserted steroids into my spine. I never thought I would allow anyone to do anything to my spine, but this new pain is more than even I can handle. I am noticing some changes in my overall pain locations. The pain in my thighs seem to have moved to my knees. I still have a dull pain in my thighs, but it is not as noticeable as the pain in my knees, which are also very stiff. I have to taper my Prednisone again in a few days to 25 mgs per day, so I am expecting even more pain. I am also getting a Tens unit. It was ordered last week, but the company that is supplying it didn't contact me and while I was at the doctor's office today the salesperson left, so I have to get it next Tuesday. I am trying to get everything taken care of before the end of the year so it will all fall within this deductible year. He also placed me on Lyrica for the tingling. UHC is going to love that. I checked their website and my copay is $50.00 and the UHC is paying $517.00. That is just unbelievable. I am keeping my mind positive, so that I can have a good Christmas. I plan to do a lot of cookie and cake baking this week. I am looking forward to 2012 so that I can get my home based businesses started, plus we are moving to a larger apartment on the first floor, so I can get outside more often.
nanny1611
nanny1611
I had never heard of a caudal procedure, so I looked it up. Here are websites with illustrations, plus some informational.
http://www.advancedorthopain.com/pain-procedures/caudal-epidural.html
http://www.spineuniverse.com/treatments/pain-management/caudal-epidural-injection-information
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x9f3pVQZyQ

I hope that these things work for you, as it is so discouraging to live with constant pain, especially when the pain reaches a certain level. Prayers and best wishes that these protocols will work successfully for you. Keep us posted.
trpt1
trpt1
I am so sorry to hear about your pain. I will pray the caudals will work for you. This disease is different for everyone and I hope the doctors will find inexpensive ways to fix the issues that you must face. The home based business sounds like a terrific idea. Let us know what you will be selling. Have a great Christmas.
deleted_user
deleted_user
So sorry to hear about your pain. I hope these procedures/drugs help your pain. I hope you have a wonderful Xmas with your family and that you will be feeling better.
Love hugs and prayers :-)
brendacaytonwhite
brendacaytonwhite
The caudal only helped a small part of my back, so I went back in yesterday and had steroid injected into my lumbar area. Now I don't like the idea of anyone working around my spine, but I had being praying to God for relief and just maybe faith and the belief that God sends his answers via various avenues, I had to believe that this was an answer from Him. So far so good. My back isn't as painful, so I believe that it is working. I was told that it takes a while and I am being patient. I would love to be able to get in and out of bed without waking the dead with my moaning. I did have some problems with my diabetes while at the center. I had fasted and when I got there for my 8am appt the waiting area was full and instead of the receptionist taking everyone by appt times, she took them by sign in times and some were a lot earlier than their appts, so I was the last to go in and my glucose level dropped to 48 and when they gave me sugar water via an IV, I got faint and my blood pressure dropped so low they had to do some special procedures to bring it back up. I think it scared them more than it did me. I just talked to God and thought good thoughts about my grands and all was okay. I know that anything can happen at anytime and I can't live in fear. This is going to get better. My legs are stronger. Of course they hurt worst as the Prednisone is decreased, but there are worst things that can be happening. Every time I am sent for more blood test, I hate it, but I know it has to be done. Every time the doctor tells me to come back in a couple of weeks or sends me to see someone else I automatically think another $25.00 copay, but then I am grateful that I have insurance. I have a medication that was ordered and I have a $50.00 copay, but the insurance is paying $517.00, so I am grateful. For some reason we have been chosen to have these illnesses, but we all have a testimony to share that may help someone else. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I will be baking a lot of cookies and cakes and looking forward to 2012.