A bit of support !

[OneGreyPombear]

For context I’ve lived with crippling, chronic lower back pain for years and after several wrong diagnoses I’m finally starting to get some treatment for a spinal disk that is virtually non existent!
I’ve tried every treatment , painkiller and physio under the sun to no avail , I’ve been off work 12 months due to the agonising pain I’ve been in and I’ve finally opted to have nerve blocks ultimately in the hope of destroying the nerves in my lower back .

To say I’m worried about the potential risks is an understatement, but I can’t carry on living in so much agony so I don’t have a choice . There’s the risk of nothing happening , and all the hope I had of a pain free life , coming crashing down . The risk of increased pain . The risk of nerve damage . Even the risk of paralysis, it’s a small chance but I’m terrified.

I suppose I’m hoping for a hand hold , some advice , or even anyone experience with spinal nerve blocks to put my mind at ease . I’ve tried talking to my other half who if you e seen my other posts , at times really doesn’t seem to care much or listen . I wanted to ask the hospital if he could stay with me , but I feel I’d just be even more anxious as he’d probably be moody/agitated he’s say there all day …

i cannot carry on in agonising life ruining pain , but I’m terrified !

Hi!

I've had the nerve blocks - to the bottom of my back firstly; then had the mid & upper section done. THE BEST THING IVE EVER DONE!

I was scared about going in as I've never had anything done before; but they really set me at ease - and got me high that I don't remember anything haha!

The pain coming out of hospital after having it done was worse BUT after a few weeks it had dramatically improved - I've had them done 3 times over the course of a few years - and will continue to have them as the surgery they want to do is to major for me at this time in my life with a reception child

Oh my gosh , really ?

theyre doing my lower back so that’s so reassuring! I’m just so freaked out by the potential side effects even though I know they are rare . I believe I’ve got to have this , then have it done with radiofreqency for a longer result if this works so it seems like it’s a lot but hearing someone else’s experience is reassuring !

could I ask how you found the procedure itself, of you don’t mine me asking ?

thank you xx

Honestly I found it okay; they asked if I wanted it explaining toe and I said no - as id looked it up online before.
they then asked me how much I weighed ready to make me drowsy - but told him I was scared - and he gave me a bit extra so by the time they started I was gone so didn’t feel anything until I woke up in recovery. I’ve always stuck with the same dose going forwards so can’t really comment on how it is when you’re in there - but I remember laying on my front and them guiding it in - I think with some x-ray or something.
they really are helpful though so if you’re scared tell them; they’ll go slow and stop if you ask them too. The main thing is to keep still, really still. Obviously I’m always basically asleep so I don’t move anyway haha but they always say don’t move

I haven't had the treatment but just wanted to say hello as I'm also freaking out about my back pain at the moment and I'm the sort of person who ties themselves in knots worrying about everything.

It's great that other posters have shared positive experiences, it sounds like this treatment will be an excellent thing for you and will help a lot with your pain.

I am frightened of MRIs and got through one recently by telling myself 'feel the fear and do it anyway' which helped me as I think I'd become scared of feeling scared (if that makes sense).

Sending positivity and hand holds. You can do this and it's all going to be fine!

I've had both the nerve blocks and the radio frequency ablation procedures on my lower back. They are done in the day stay ward at my local hospital and I was there at 7.30am and home by 2pm. Actually procedure only takes about 20 mins and they give you a sedation in the back of your hand which makes you drowsy and you don't remember any of it. It's a quite simple procedure. I never had any side effects.
It does take a few weeks to notice the difference but it really did make a difference to me as I was also in agony with lower back pain for years and had tried everything else. Good luck!

So I’ve had the nerve blocks done today and I’ll be honest it was one of the most excruciating pains I’ve ever felt. Local anaesthetic was used to numb the area but the pressure of the local for blocking the nerve was horrendous .

@nookmiles i think that’s the route I’m going down with the RFA if the nerve blocks help . So far my spine actually feels better but I’m in a lot of procedure site pain - seems a lot to go through for only a short amount of relief from the nerve blocking !! My local pain centre (Salford, manchester) don’t seem to stock the RFA equipment it seems so they have to hire it in when they get enough people needing the procedure . So it could be a huge wait which makes today seem kind of pointless 😩😩

The pain from the injection site will settle down quite quickly. Couple of days. Surprised they didn't give you a sedative though! They did for me so I didn't feel or remember anything from it.

I had about 12 months between the nerve blocks and RFA procedure. The main point of the nerve blocks is to know if it works then they know which nerves to target with the RFA. Nerve blocks gave me relief for about 9 months but the RFA has given me (so far) nearly 2.5 years of pain relief so well worth the wait.