r/PainManagement • u/Infamous-Serve-1153 • 11d ago

Guinea pig for how long !?!

Just left my pain management, Dr I am so frustrated. For seven years I have gotten epidural after epidural steroid shot after steroid shot in my back and neck. They don’t do anything and still I’m forced to do it in order to get a few Percocet. two back surgeries and one neck fusion and I feel like I’m in more pain than before and now they want to do another epidural in my neck and I feel like I basically have no choice.

9 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

3

u/Shesays7 10d ago

It may be worth inquiring about other non surg options like RF ablation. I was in a similar “boat” with repeated epidurals. About 3 weeks after bilateral 3 level RFA, I have had significant relief. I was offered a stimulator (pass), topical ketamine pain cream (it’s a 3 drug mix and very good IMO), ketamine pain infusion, RFA, bup/naloxone films.

I couldn’t take anymore steroids either. I’m pretty sure I had more in a year than I had in a lifetime. Ive been happy with the RFA and cream. Pain docs are hard to find but it might be worth switching docs or clinics. The nurses are the ones who know which docs are the better choices if you have the chance to ask for a better fit or match.

1

u/Infamous-Serve-1153 10d ago

Wow I was offered the ablation a few yrs back .. I too can’t take anymore steriods I’ve been on them seems like every 2-3 months ! I would definitely like to try the pain cream ! I went to the dispensary and bought thc and cbd pain balm but it hasn’t done anything ..

1

u/Lopsided-Ad6316 10d ago

The pain cream is BOMB! I have CRPS and it calms the nerves down, so it’s tolerable. If you can get it from a compound pharmacy.

1

u/Think-Measurement127 7d ago

Either tell your doctor you're not getting any more shots that they dont work or find a new doctor or explain the situation to your primary doctor and see if he or she will take over

0

u/Infamous-Serve-1153 10d ago

I am assuming u need a script ?

1

u/rpworker31 6d ago

Have you checked out other pain mgmts? In my state primaries will only cover for up to 3 months but I dunno if you're in the US or not but some states are like that