RF ablation. Give it to me straight.

[ryanbytes]

As a ham radio operator it's in my nature to have radio waves not do things to my body. In the course of the hobby I got to experience an RF burn and it wasn't a happy time. So I ask some questions. I want the details down and dirty. Don't soften it up. Friday I'm getting toasted and I want to know what might come in better tha vague terms.

How much muscle spasm is there and how tight will the muscles spasm? Does the anesthetic block all the pain during the procedure after they pin down the exact positioning? From the research I've done I learned that the nerve will die over the course of a few days. How much pain will the death throes cause? I might be wrong but I can't imagine a dying nerve isn't shooting something out like crazy as it peters out. If there's anything else you can add please do.

[slipnslide]

Ryanbytes,

I've had quite a few RF's and they're really not that bad. The most painful part of the procedure is the needle being inserted, but no more painful than any other needle placement during an injection (ie., an ESI). The actual RF isn't painful, it's more like a buzzing, static like feeling. It isn't painful really. As far as pain relief, it takes a while for the nerve to die back and it can take up to three weeks for you to notice any pain relief. The first few days after the procedure the nerve might be a little ticked off and you may fell a little more pain than normal, but nothing horrible. The best part is the decrease in pain following a successful RF and it lasts for quite a long time usually!:)

Good luck on Friday, I hope you get awesome pain relief from the procedure.

Kim

[ryanbytes]

The needle insertion is never a problem for me. Is the buzzing anything like a TENS if you've used one of those? I'm really afraid of the nerve not taking the procedure well and taking me down with it. Hell, I'm afraid of the whole thing. The procedure scares me because I am after all attempting to kill a part of my body. (irrational, I know) Another thing that scares me are the possibilities if this works. So many things will open up. Little things like lifting plates and bending (properly of course! ;) )to pick something up will be ok to do again. Big things like the big fun thing that used to be quite painful might be more enjoyable.

The possibilities excite and scare me. If everything works it's going to be awesome. If it doesn't it's going to really ding my spirit.

[Kathi49]

Ryan,

You sound like me when I first was told I was getting my first RF. :) I could NOT wrap my mind around the fact that it supposedly would NOT hurt; not even as much as an injection. So, Kim is right. I have had two now and both were so EASY! I couldn't believe it! To be honest with you I don't remember the procedure itself very well as my doc had me, as they call it, consciously sedated. Sounds odd doesn't it? But you are awake and as Kim said all I felt was a buzzing but not painful. And I know I was talking and answering his questions but can't remember specifically what he asked. I just remember bits and pieces. Anyway, I was sore for maybe two days but I seriously do not remember the weeks of the nerve dying back. I just didn't go through weeks of pain at all. It was just a couple of days of increased pain, put an ice pack on, and then was okay with a LOT of relief. Oh, I should have said this was done in my lumbar. I haven't had it done in my neck.

[slipnslide]

If I'm not mistaken, I have used a TENS unit a few years ago in PT. If that was a TENS, then yes, it's similar to the sensation that you get with a TENS unit. As for "killing a part of your body", don't worry, the body has the wonderful power of healing itself which can be a bad thing at times because the nerve you are trying to "fry" has the ability to heal itself and that is why sometimes the RF's only work for 3-18 months, however, with repeated RF's the pain could go away forever!:)

[ryanbytes]

I'm getting hit in my lumbar area too. I'm still pretty "yikes!!!!!" but I'm having a friend come with to help me calm down.

[Diandra]

Ryan,
I hope the procedure went well and was much less painful than anticipated. It sure does sound scary to me too.
Please let us know how you are doing and how it went.
All my best,
Diandra

[ryanbytes]

It wasn't bad at ALL! It took about an hour. The first 40 minutes was spent with the resident trying to get everything where it needed to be. It's a teaching hospital so I was cool with that. They numbed when I needed it. After about 40 minutes the attending came in and had everything where it needed to be after a few minutes. They did the pain and motor tests and then the burn.

I had two levels done and from what I understood two burns of 90 seconds each on each level. The first three had no pain. The fourth really burned a lot. It was bad enough that I was considering stopping but wasn't going to. I wanted this done. I did get to push the button that started the fourth burn. That was so so so cool. It felt so good. I was said "DIE F*CKER!!!!!!!" I was actively doing something internally to remove the pain. That's something we rarely get to do.

I still hurt. It's a different pain which I'm attributing to the procedre itself. It feels different from what I had. I don't want to say things are ok but maybe they are. :)

[Kathi49]

Ryan,

Good for you! I am glad you made it through it but I am laughing so hard at what you said! OMG! LOL! Trust me though...I know what you mean. :D Hey, I feel that way sometimes with facet injections; wanted to stop once but thought...just get 'er done. Anyway, hang in there and put a cold pack/ice pack where they did it. It does help. And again, glad you got it done and it is over. :)

[ryanbytes]

So far I'm doing ok. :) I've been doing some of the twists and bends that usually hurt and the hurt isn't there so much. I carried some heavy bags yesterday and it was no problem. My pants falling down was much worse! I'll know exactly how good everything is when I bump into a counter or something else at waist height. That little twist always brought the agony in. If I can do that without hurting too much or at all I can tell myself that it really REALLY worked.

It's been about two years since the surgery that brought me into the wonderful world of pain. I've been able to do less and less and it's difficult to think of what I should do with my relative freedom. It's all little things I suppose. I think one of my first official acts will be to carry laundry up and down the stairs for my best friend at least once. She used to be my girlfriend and we lived together for 11 months. Somewhere in there I got to a point where I hurt too much to carry the basket. When I moved in I was happy to take the duty she hated. As I got worse and she took up more of what were my chores she eventually had to do one of her most hated too. I think that it would feel good to be able to carry the laundry again. It's something so damn simple but so essential. It goes to the core of all of us here I think. We don't want big. We want all the little things. Those little things add up to life.

[ryanbytes]

I had one of my big tests last night. Not THE big test but one of them. I live with and take care of my grandparents and to a lesser extent my dad. The bed I sleep on is the hardest I've ever experienced. I call it boardbed. It eats me up and spits me out. I didn't know what to expect last night. It took a while to fall asleep. I think that's a whole other problem. Anyway, I woke up this morning without much of anything. I opened my eyes and rolled over and couldn't believe it. There was like no pain!!!! Next was washing my face. That usually gets me. A twinge here and there but nothing like before. I'm soooooooooooooooo happy. :)

[Barbj55]

I can't get any pain doc that I've met give me a rhizotomy. I don't understand it except that they may be more skilled at writing script than doing a skillful spinal injection. I live in the Palm Springs, but could go to L.A. county if you know a doctor in either area. Finding a good doctor is so difficult.

Thanks