That was horrible! I'm sorry you had such a bad experience and your doctor wasn't at his best behavior. They could have sedated you prior to the ESI. I had them without sedation and believe me, it's better to be sleeping through it. One doctor told me once that I was doing really well and that he'd seen grown men crying on the table.

Maybe you can change doctors and ask them if they do conscious sedation before invasive procedure like that. The only other alternate procedures I can think of for now is taking medicines, trying out a tens unit, PT, massage, accupuncture, aquatherapy, and using ice packs & heating pads.

they could have given you a mild sedative to take the edge off, if he was having it done he would have wanted to be knocked out, sounds like a right butcher, sorry you went through that

Thanks for your caring comments. I never dreamed that a doctor could treat me that way. I had concerns from the first time I talked to his staff, but I put them out of mind so that I could not have pain. Wrong move on my part. I work in the medical field, and I know if the staff is uncaring, the doctor won't be very caring either.

I'll be seeing my DO next week, so I'll ask about your suggestions. I really don't want surgery again, and pain meds make it hard to work. I also have diabetes, so steroids, which will help, will make my diabetes worse. I can't win.

I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Him saying he was nowhere near the nerve is BS! The nerves branch off all over! I had a bad experience with my ESI too. It burned terribly, felt like someone had poured acid down my leg. Then, after the procedure, I had much worse pain, developed severe weakness, and started having bladder issues(don't know if bladder is due to that or the back prob though). Before the ESI, I could at least get my pain down to a 3-4 when lying down. After, I couldn't get comfortable and was in severe pain all the time. That lasted a good 2-3 weeks and I still have worse pain in my leg than before. The dr. who did the ESI, said I was one of the rare people who has a sensitivity to some compnent of the meds

Wanna know the kicker? The shot was done completely unnecessarily, in the wrong location! I kid you not! I followed up with my neurosurgeon who told me that my problem was not lumbar, but T12-l1. He said the lower lumbar shot caused irritation to scar tissue and nerve damage. I hope he is right and not he pain mgmt Dr. because I'm going in next Wednesday for one at L1-L2, the closest they can get to the T12-L1 herniation. I'm scared to death that it will happen again, causing my mid back pain to get worse, and irritate those nerves more than the inflammation already is.

To go through all that for basically nothing. I'm so sorry for you. And then to have to go through it again. I'd be so scared. I'll be praying that this time they get the right area without any side effects.

At least my monster stopped. For about an hour after, I had a burning feeling around my knee, but that went away, and I had a headache. Don't know if that was from whatever he did, or from crying so much. I've had so much pain for so long, that I was really hoping this would work. Now I don't know what to do. I could go back for more surgery. My surgeon was great and I trust him, but I just don't want to have another surgery. I had two last year on other issues. I'm not really ready for another one. But, I don't like taking pain meds. I don't like the dopey feeling I get with them. I'll see what my doc thinks. I'm faxing him a leter telling him what happened, cause I'm sure the monster will have his version of my histronics.

At this point, I'd jump at the chance to have my problem surgically fixed, despite the risks and complications that a thoracic surgery presents. It's been over 2 months since my injury. I've been basically bedridden that whole time. Try doing that with 4 small kids. Ugh! I don't trust my Neuro one bit. He tells me to have another ESI ASAP, then doesn't put in the order until almost 2 weeks later, after I call to check up, becuase pain mgmt won't schedule me since they haven't heard from him. He also ordered 4 weeks of bedrest, and pain mgmt Dr. told me that's a big no no, will just make me worse all over. I'd already been down 3 weeks when I saw the neuro, and I was in bed, barely doing anything for near 7 weeks. I've just begun to do more the past week. He also doesn't take it seriously that I've had bladder involvement for over a month and now bowel involvement, or that my leg has gotten so bad I am having to use a walker at home, and had to rent a wheelchair to go out anywhere. He won't see me or discuss anything until after we see what the ESI does, the ESI that I should have had 6 weeks ago, when the screwed up one was done. At the very least, he could have called pain mgmt and told them how serious my condition is and ask them to work me in for an ESI instead of putting me on the schedule 4 weeks out. He refused to call them, after he forgot to order the ESI and delayed the process. I've been trying to find a new neuro for 2 weeks now, with no luck. So I'm stuck with him.

I have had many ESIs at this point and I have found that the doctor makes a HUGE difference. When my normal Pain Mgmt Doc does the ESI, it hurts like a emmer effer. I have bawled every time. They have started sedating me some for it which takes the edge off, but I've still not gotten through without sobbing. This last one, my normal doc wasn't available and I had to go back to work after so I didn't get sedation. I was SHOCKED. It hardly hurt at all. I told the doctor that I usually am pretty wimpy with these and usually cry, so not to be surprised. He said ok, we'll make sure we numb it up really good then. He did and I didn't have anywhere NEAR the pain I usually do.
IF you have the option, switch doctors QUICKLY!
Take care,
April

sedition sorted out befor and epidural then you will be calmer not only good for you but the the medic doing the procedure.but i would find another doctor if i were you!
STRAKER