Anyone have experience with nerve blocks? good or bad.
I have GPN Type II. Tried virtually everything. Multiple surgeries, gamma knife, etc.
I had lidocaine injection as diagnostic which gave me a few hrs of relief.
I believe there are nerve blocks using other meds (steroids?) that are effective for some give them weeks or months of relief.
Any info would be helpful. Thanks so much.
HI,
What is GPN type 2? I have atypical GPN, which is very hard to treat, is that what you mean? I have had nerve blocks just to find a diagnosis for either trigeminal or Glossopharynal neuralgia. As far as it helping with the pain, I had relief less than a few hours and depending on where the injection was did I get any relief at all. Since the atypical is somewhat harder to treat, it is a little harder to diagnose. When going to the pain dr. they always ask me what my scale number of pain I would be having at the time of the visit, but I always try telling them the scale should be how often I get the pain since it is always a 10 and higher when I actually get it. They argue with this saying I could not have pain as a 10when I have this pain or I would be in the hospital. I have had 3 MVD, with the last one putting me in ICU for two days, so yes when I have pain, it is a 10, the frequency since on new meds is less, but it does cycle, that's why it is atypical. Not sure if this is what you were asking but have had for 12 years now so any questions I'd be happy to answer. Good luck with your pain!
Kim,
Thanks so much for yr input. Yes Type II is atypical GPN.
I too had the diagnostic lidocaine block which gave me a few hours of relief.
There's another type of nerve block in which steroid or other med is used. with this nerve block I think some people have reduced pain for weeks or even months.
In reference to pain scale, I've found that some docs interpret 10 to mean the worst pain imaginable in which case a person may be unable to sit up or speak coherently. You may very well experience this level of pain. For other medical professionals, a 10 is the worst pain one has experienced in their life.
I'm so sorry you've been dealing with this horrific condition for 12 years. I hope you find relief!!!!
I've had it for > 4 years. I hate it. I have no life. The pain is excruciating & no one gets it.
you're right, atypical gpn is more difficult to treat.
I continue to search for a way that will eliminate or reduce my pain. As I mentioned in a recent post, I'm exploring deep brain stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulator (PNS). The latter is less invasive. People with TN have had success with it but not sure PNS is used for GPN.
thanks again!
I have had nerve blocks for years . My pain went from just episodes to constant pain about 6 months after it began The injections success can be practitioner dependent....one doc in the pain clinic I go to helps with his injections and the other man's efforts do not seem to help. They are done whenever I have a breakthrough pain that I cannot control with very high does oral steroids. But the insurance company does not allow them to be given any more often than 2 months . They are a combination of Bupivicaine and a steroid and they give additive relief to the chronic pain meds I take . When I am having a breakthrough spell it may take many treatments to help. Pain pills. oral steroids, topical anesthetics and the injections . Last year I had intractable pain and I was started on 80 mgs of Prednsione orally and stayed on steroids for about 9 months . Lately we have been trying Methotrexate as a steroid sparing experiment to see if that decreases the breakthrough episodes . It def seemed to be helping till I developed diarrhea that was probably linked to the lowering of immunity by Methotrexatre . There is a dental pain clinic at a nearby medical school that gives facial pain patients weekly nerve blocks based on theories they support . The medical insurance company does not pay for the dental care and I was not convinced their program was the way to go . Bottom line--I find the injections to be an additive help. My pain physician told me if they are started early enough in the disease they may keep the pain from becoming permanent . And as far as someone saying you cannot have Level 10 pain just reply that your religious beliefs do not allow for suicide .....some people just don't get it till you talk in those terms .
FM
Former Medica said:
I have had nerve blocks for years . My pain went from just episodes to constant pain about 6 months after it began The injections success can be practitioner dependent....one doc in the pain clinic I go to helps with his injections and the other man's efforts do not seem to help. They are done whenever I have a breakthrough pain that I cannot control with very high does oral steroids. But the insurance company does not allow them to be given any more often than 2 months . They are a combination of Bupivicaine and a steroid and they give additive relief to the chronic pain meds I take . When I am having a breakthrough spell it may take many treatments to help. Pain pills. oral steroids, topical anesthetics and the injections . Last year I had intractable pain and I was started on 80 mgs of Prednsione orally and stayed on steroids for about 9 months . Lately we have been trying Methotrexate as a steroid sparing experiment to see if that decreases the breakthrough episodes . It def seemed to be helping till I developed diarrhea that was probably linked to the lowering of immunity by Methotrexatre . There is a dental pain clinic at a nearby medical school that gives facial pain patients weekly nerve blocks based on theories they support . The medical insurance company does not pay for the dental care and I was not convinced their program was the way to go . Bottom line--I find the injections to be an additive help. My pain physician told me if they are started early enough in the disease they may keep the pain from becoming permanent . And as far as someone saying you cannot have Level 10 pain just reply that your religious beliefs do not allow for suicide .....some people just don't get it till you talk in those terms .
FM
FM,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with steroid injections. I'm glad that in conjunction with meds these nerve blocks helped you somewhat. this is encouraging and very helpful.
like you, my pain went from episodes to constant. it sucks,
i'm going to consult with my pain doc and maybe even with ENT surgeon who did my lidocaine block.