Steroid shots

[artist]

I posted on the other forum, but want to let people here know how much success I'm having with the steroid shot. I had the first one on Friday. I've had NO pain for the jpast 2 days in my lower back. I have a collapsed disk, and have had pain every day for years. I also have leg spasms and referred pain that have been waking me up at night.
Today, I went back to work, shlepping boxes of art materials around, and I have minimal twinges.
I hope this will have a positive effect on my fibro.........less chronic pain in general.

Pain clinic is north of Boston. If anyone wants to know, please send me a message. They are all awesome. Everyone was polite and helpful.

[2silverwings]

I had an Epidural Steroid Injection (is that what you're talking about?)

It helped tons for a couple weeks, a little for a few more weeks, and now it's wearing off. Great for sciatica - Did nothing for the fibromyalgia, since fibromyalgia is not an inflammatory illness.

The idea I think is that if steroids bring down swelling from an inflammatory injury or condition (not FMS) the result might be that this injury or condition stops triggering the FMS. I dont' think steroids can have any direct affect on FMS.

[artist]

It's been one week today, and I'm still waking up in the morning with no pain. This seems like a freakin' miracle.
By evening, I have some sporadic mild pain.
So, I'm just waiting to see how it goes. The doc said I definitely have inflammation in the area.

[peppergirl52]

Are you talking about trigger point injections, maybe??

I had a shot of Depo-Medrol into the area of my bone grafting (just had a lumbar fusion in July) just the other day. That area was inflammed.

I noticed that the rest of the week, I was almost pain-free from the fibro! I don't know if it was coincidental or not, but not only did the inflammation calm down, I felt better, physically, than I have in a very long time.


Too bad that we can't get those more often, due to the ugly side effects. Especially if that's the thing that calms down the fibro, huh?? PG

[artist]

I'm having the same effect you are. My fibro symptoms are less, and I think it's from having less chronic pain in general. The back pain must keep the fibro flared up. It's great while it lasts.

[peppergirl52]

I really think that is the thing-when you knock out the pain in the other areas (at least in MY case, and my fibro is caused by trauma), the fibro calms down, too.

It could be, though, that those who have fibro due to diseases (ie lyme, mono, etc) may not have the same good effects from knocking out inflammation as we have had, since their original symptoms came from viral/bacterial factors. Interesting topic! PG

[illusion129]

I've had both Epidural Steroid Injections as well as 1 Depo-Medrol injection. I can say that the Epidural helped for a couple of weeks for my low back pain (only) but after it wore off and I received the next shot I received no pain relief at all. :(

The Depo-Medrol shot did nothing for me except giving me a pretty severe headache for 4 days straight as well as causing my hormone levels (strangely enough) to escalate. That's not a normal side effect but any steroid can mess with hormone levels (that's a duh) :rolleyes:. Lol.

My case (originally diagnosed as Fibro) is now under reconsideration as "suspected MS" :eek:. Maybe there is the difference between you guys and me as far as pain relief goes. -RH