Nerve Block Experiences

[Karyn]

Well, I'm really happy to hear you at least got a brief period of relief! Is the burning your primary issue? Do you also get those stabbing/pinching/pulling/ electric shocks?
Do you have bladder and/or bowel issues, too? I wasn't one to get more than a couple of hours of relief from the blocks, so I was wondering if you got like, overall relief or just some things felt better?
Warm regards,
Karyn

[Griff522]

I still have pain it's just numbed or dulled a little more than usual

My pain is mostly the burning raw kind of feeling. If I sit for very long it's more of sore achy feeling

Initially, I didn't have bladder or bowel problems but as the pain has continued I do get bladder urgency and constipation. Also some pain when I have a bm.

[Karyn]

I'm sorry, Griff! Unfortunately, with most PN'ers, symptoms get progressively worse, instead of better. You're doing all the right things with trying to find answers and a definitive diagnosis. I know you'll get to where you're supposed to be! Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help you.
Warm regards,
Karyn

[patti]

Has anyone had a caudal epidural block for pain? This was suggested to me as a diagnostic and/or therapeutic treatment. The pain I experience is in the rectum and could be post herpatic pain from a shingles/herpes outbreak last year. It also could be pain associated with the branch of the pudendal nerve to the rectum. It was also suggested to have an injection directly into this nerve very close to the coccyx bone (in lieu of the caudal epidural block). I'm not sure which way to go, but need to do something.

Thanks for any thoughts or experiences to share.

Patti

[Celeste]

Has anyone had a caudal epidural block for pain? This was suggested to me as a diagnostic and/or therapeutic treatment. The pain I experience is in the rectum and could be post herpatic pain from a shingles/herpes outbreak last year. It also could be pain associated with the branch of the pudendal nerve to the rectum. It was also suggested to have an injection directly into this nerve very close to the coccyx bone (in lieu of the caudal epidural block). I'm not sure which way to go, but need to do something.

Thanks for any thoughts or experiences to share.

Patti

Before I found this forum, my pain clinic suggested them in rounds of three. After 6 and no cure, I did some research and learned that it's normal for them to only give a few hours of relief, if that. At $1800 apiece, that's not worth it. It's also not a good plan to do epidurals (ie puncturing the spine) on a regular basis; it's a risk factor for a much more difficult to treat condition called arachnoidosis. For diagnostic purposes you are MUCH better off having a CT-guided injection of anesthetic to the nerve itself, not in the spine.

[vickinmn]

Hi! I haven't gone on here since I started receiving the treatments prescribed by Dr. Antolak. I am taking nortriptyline and neurontin and I have had three injections, the last one was ct guided to reach the alcock canal. The prescriptions and the injections haven't caused any problem for me at all. I don't know that any of it is helping, but I'm not worse, thankfully! The last injection, done by a radiologist at St. Paul Radiology last Friday seems to have reached where I hurt, the other two had not given me relief. One of the best thing I did was started taking Miralax every day to relieve my problems with constipation that was making my PN worse.

I only hurt when I try and sit and it's about at the pain level of a 3 or a 4.

[PN-SufferVT]

To the people who flared after an injection (nerve block). Did your injections include steroids? I have read in many cases that steroids can often be some what toxic to nerve fibers...... Curious to hear your responses. Thanks

[Celeste]

I never had a flare after any caudal epidural; they only included anesthetics like Marcaine, Novocaine, etc. It was only the steroid blocks that caused a flare, and one in particular, Kenalog, which gave me the most trouble. I think most doctors use methylprednisone instead, and while that did still flare me, it was not as bad and didn't last as long.

Dr. Renney had told me that the crystalline nature of the suspension could be irritating to the nerve in the short term, and that since it is targeted to bathe the nerve tissue, this is why you would get that effect. For what it's worth, I once had to have a cortisone injection to my wrist, and I got the same kind of pain flare in that area (with no relief, and ended up in surgery for that problem as well). For myself, I'm convinced that this is just what steroid injections do.

I think trying steroid blocks is useful for diagnosis and to feel like you tried all you could do; in some cases it may help insurance justify surgical coverage by running out of non-invasive treatments.

[GraceUnderFire]

Krista,

My experience was almost the same as Karyn's: I had 3 rounds of bilateral blocks by Dr. Quesada in NH. For me, each flare from the blocks was worse than the one before it. I did not have any problem with the procedure itself. The pain flares were unspeakably horrendous and nothing touched it. I have never gone back to the pain levels pre-nerve blocks. They each lasted for weeks just about to the next one. I think it is ridiculous that we have to endure 3 of these for diagnostic purposes. Especially when one has such a reaction. I, too, am hoping they come up with a different diagnostic so noone else has to endure these procedures.

Best wishes in making your decision,
Grace

[Raynor]

My husband had a PN block 2 weeks ago. He failed the test even tho the doctor said he did block the nerve as he felt no pain afterward when he stuck him with needles in the buttocks area. However, when we arrived at the hotel 30 minutes later, my husbands pain was the same as usual. Cannot sit at all. My husband dos not believe his pain was relieved at all. ??? Now what?? His had all the symptoms of PNE and many doctors have provided no diagnosis. I learned about PNE from this site.

To answer your question, the block was not painful and only took 35 minutes or so including recovery.

Does anyone know a doctor that does blocks on men????

Best of luck in getting good results.