I'm Having an ESI Done...

P_RN, ADN, RN · Jul 17, 2003

There isn't much to it. They give you some lidocaine and then inject the steroid or whatever using fluoroscopy. The first set I had "worked" but after that I was enriching the pain doctor's pocketbook mightily while impoverishing mine. The latest is that saline has equivalent effect as steroid. Whatever you can ask for a little sedation if you are nervous. The whole thing start to finish is about an hour. Make sure they do use fluoro though. Don't allow a blind stick.

Edited to add: You should have someone drive you because along with the infiltration with lidocaine there is also some in with the steroid. You may have wobbly legs until it wears off.

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Jul 17, 2003

Thanks for the info =). My Dr's office was an hour behind with appointments yesterday, so they kind of rushed me through, without any explanation about the procedure. I thought, no problemo, I'll just go to my FAVORITE website in the world, and get what I need from my colleagues!

mattsmom81 · Jul 17, 2003

I had two sets of 3...one set on my low back (which helped), the other on my neck (which didn't) .

In my case, it was treated like outpt surgery. I had Diprivan and Versed to sedate me, then Kenalog, Marcaine, and Fentanyl injected. I was woozy for 24 hrs and told not to work or make decisions for 48. Hubby had to transport me.

Hope it helps! Some folks get wonderful relief, others none. Since my low back pain was mainly arthritic in nature, I suspect this is why the steroids helped.

I did get some typical side effects from the steroids cuz I had 6 injections over 6 months. But they resolved fairly quickly. :)

Good luck and best wishes!

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Jul 17, 2003

Thank you ma'm..appreciate it!:kiss

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Aug 27, 2003

Well, I had my first ESI today, and while the procedure itself was not bad, I feel worse now, than I did before, with a BAD case of wobbly legs and an increase radiating pain down my right leg.

Hopefully it will be better by this time tomorrow. Going back to bed and lie down, now....ouch!

:eek:

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Sep 20, 2003

Update: I had my second ESI done on 9/17, and it was a piece of cake! I am now pain-free, for the first time in many moons, and am looking forward to being productive again! Thanks for all your inputs! :)

mattsmom81 · Sep 20, 2003

So glad it helped you! My pain is not completely gone, but it is definitely manageable now!!

So glad to hear you are pain free...woohoo!! :cool:

((doing the happy dance for ya now...hehe)) :roll

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Sep 20, 2003

Originally posted by mattsmom81
So glad it helped you! My pain is not completely gone, but it is definitely manageable now!!

So glad to hear you are pain free...woohoo!!

((doing the happy dance for ya now...hehe)) :roll

It's a GREAT feeling! Thank you for your kind words!:kiss

P_RN, ADN, RN · Sep 20, 2003

That is good news. Being pain free is a great gift.

RNKPCE · Sep 20, 2003

I had have a epidural spinal injection and I now work at a surgery center where they are done. I only had one and it didn't work. Before having a second I started accupuncture. I was lucky enough that the MD who did the epidural also did accupuncture. He was a physiatrist not an orthopedist or neurosurgeon. The accupuncture worked after 7 sessions. I have still had minor flare ups in my low back but the sciatic nerve pain never returned.(knock on wood). I know longer have a PPO so I wouldn't be able to go back to the same MD.

Also our discharge instructions at the surg center where I work states that worsen pain for up to 3 days post injection is normal.

Hope you get some pain relief.