Have you had a doctor suggest this?!

[bishop]

I've spent almost a year sitting on cold packs because of nerve pain that is near my right side "sitting bone"...not actually in the vulva area but close to it. Myofascial release didn't work and a pelvic MRI showed nothing. (I realize now that MRI's usually don't.) Recently my urologist - whom I like and respect - tried injecting a Novocain-like product into three different areas near the pudendal nerve. She told me this would be a trial and error process that might involve several injections over a period of time if they seemed to be helpful. Well, these first injections did nothing at all. Within 30 minutes, the pain was back. When I called her to report in the next day, she suggested next trying injections into my LABIA on that side! The thought just freaks me out. Has anyone else tried injections into the labia and did they help? I'm very new to actual treatments and don't know what is typical treatment and what isn't!

[Karyn]

Hi Bishop,
Uhm ... I more than a little uncomfortable with your post. Is this your docs idea of doing PN blocks?

She told me this would be a trial and error process that might involve several injections over a period of time if they seemed to be helpful.

I can kinda get the concept of the blocks being a trial and error process, but to inject you in various locations willy-nilly with the hope of hitting some kind of mark doesn't sound or feel right to me.
Any chance you can get yourself to NYC for a 3T MRI with Dr. Potter? This is not a standard MRI and has the ability to pick up any potential problems you're experiencing.
If it were me, I'd have that done FIRST before I sign up for anymore injections. ESPECIALLY from your UroGyn!
Warm regards,
Karyn

[bishop]

Thanks, Karyn. I agree that I need to find out exactly where the problem is first! My urologist was trying to help but I realize that she doesn't have a lot of knowledge about PN or PNE. I've seen a lot of talk about 3T MRI's on this site and I did some checking on the website for our local imaging center. They list all the various kinds of tests that they do and among those are a "1.5 MRI' and a "3.0" MRI. Would a "3.0" be the same as a 3-T MRI? Just wondering if I could get it done locally. I live in Washington state. Thanks for any input you can give me My name is Kathy.

[Amanda]

I have had many nerve blocks but none that were labia related directly, I agree that you need to seek out the advice of a PN aware doctor before you embark on random nerve blocks.....the medication used can have a long lasting effect on your whole body and would be better utilised on the relevant areas.
Most Nerve blocks for PN are directly targeted in the ischial or alcocks areas so as to reach the affected PN tissues.

[Griff522]

Kathy,

I wanted to try to do a 3T MRI locally just like you. The results were not good though because the radiologist reading it knew nothing about the pudendal nerve. I ended up getting a second one done in NY with Dr. Potter and she was able to find the issues I had. Save yourself some time and money and just do your best to get to NY. It took me a while to convince myself and my husband that I really needed this MRI if I was ever going to figure out what the problem was. Dr. Potter has been doing this for quite a while and she absolutely knows what she's looking for.

[bishop]

I've been doing a lot of reading on the site today and I'm really torn as to what to do. It sounds as if Dr. Potter in NY and possibly a radiologist named Dr Kalinkin in Phoenix who is associated with Dr Hibner are just about the only people in the US who can read 3-T MRIs accurately for PNE. One thing I DO know for sure is that my urologist won't be experimenting on me anytime soon!

[Karyn]

Hi Kathy,
Whew! You've made my day!!!! I'm very relieved you're putting a hold on the blocks for now. It is true that you can probably get a 3T MRI done locally, but it will NOT pick up the images Dr. Potter is capable of. Griff speaks from expereince. I'm not knowledgeable enough to speak of the technical specifics but from what I understand, what makes Potters 3T MRI unique is not so much the machine, but a combination of the strength of the machine and the software package that Dr. Potter designed her self. I don't know what the waiting time would be for AZ, but I do know it's a couple of weeks for NY.
Good luck with your decision and please let us know how you're doing.
Warm regards,
Karyn