Epidural Steroid Shot appt next week...

Kathy · #1 (**permalink**) 04-08-2009, 09:44 PM

Re. Maria's post on urinating first. If you are of child bearing age (which I assume you are with a adorable daughter), even if you use contraceptives or haven't done the deed in months, you will have to pee for a pregnancy test. You only get outof it if you have been surgically 'fixed' or have been through menopause. I always try to hold it, until I get to the hospital. I then ask to go right away, so a nurse comes and gets me and lets me relieve myself

(if I go at home, then I can't when I get there, since I'm not drinking anything). Anyway, just another tidbit of information.

Eastex · #2 (**permalink**) 04-09-2009, 12:13 AM

I have had a few of these at different hospitals. The first place basically rolled me back and wiped the area, then a shot to numb you, and then the injection. It didn't hurt that bad. The first shot stung and then the next one felt like pressure. Last week, I had my most recent one done where I had my disco. They started an IV and then fed me something before the injection. They did my SI and Facet. They still gave me shot too numb it too. Really no pain was felt. They will have you under an x-ray to make sure they are hitting the spot. They let me see where it went. Cool.

dshobbies · #3 (**permalink**) 04-09-2009, 02:13 AM

My ESIs were done under sedation. I didn't feel a thing and don't remember anything. As soon as I was completely awake, I was allowed to leave. Had 3 injections, 1 week apart. Relief was immediate and didn't need to rest or ice except with last one. After 4th week, had no relief at all, nothing, nada, zipo. It was worth the try if nothing else.

I hope it works for you because those 3 weeks were blissful. Good luck, Dale

Maria · #4 (**permalink**) 04-09-2009, 10:48 AM

Good tidbit for women of childbearing age as I have been surgically fixed at age 40 and am now officially post menopausal since age 50!

The nurses still ask when my last period was and it's so nice to say "I dunno.. 5-7 years ago?"

I am a frequent voider and can go on command practically (which is a royal pain). I usually try to go after the nice nurses have taken all my information, gowned, and done all else (even IV) yet before I'm going into the procedure room. Of course I've had it done so many times now (somewhere near 30) that I have it down pretty good and the surgery centers have the same routine once you've gone thru it.

I just mentioned the voiding thing just in case you got the caudal approach and post procedure rubber legs. Don't think I let that deter me from my frequent voiding .. I still went just felt like I wasn't sure what I was doing *down there*!

treefrog · #5 (**permalink**) 04-09-2009, 07:39 PM

I guess my experience mirrors Eastex. The numbing injection felt like a sting and then the steroid just felt like pressure. I was not asked to pee in a cup before hand, and only went if I needed to go.

And I guess since I was not put out for it, I could eat and drink before hand, as normal. Though, I usually ate light, since I wasn't sure that to expect and didn't want to feel sick.

But I was told to take it easy the rest of the day. You aren't allowed to drive, someone had to go with me. My doctor didn't want me working the rest of the day, and told me to go easy with stairs and rest. Someone on another forum said that it is really helpful to lie down most of the day, to keep the steroid where it was injected. But you should be able to go back to normal activity the next day.

One thing I found helpful was to take a small pillow with me, to put under my lower back on the drive home afterwards. And then icing (no heat) of the injection site, and laying down pretty much the rest of the day.

One place I went, they have you gown up and everything, I preferred this. Because the other place I had it done, they just had me go in in my clothes, luckily I wore a dress, which they just hiked up, pulled down my underwear and did the injection. I didn't really like that.

They keep you for a little while after, to make sure you are feeling all right. And make sure that you can feel your legs and feet, enough that you can hold your own weight. It is normal for you to have a little bit of numbness in your legs or feet, but it shouldn't last too long.