HELP PLEASE: Cortisone shot for bulging disc?

[kjs1976]

Hi
Ok, so after two weeks of pain in his leg and **** cheek (with little relief from vicoden prednisone, and a muscle relaxer), an emergency room visit, two doctors visits, and an MRI, after much persistance with the clinic, my DH just got his MRI result showing a bulging disc, which shouldn't need surgery. The Dr. recommended a cortisone shot in his conversation with DH this afternoon. DH asked what other options he had, and the Dr. said physical therapy, which will take a while and the pain might continue with inflammation due to the PT work. We are going to WDW in 8 days and DH does not expect to go on many rides, but would like to be pain free so he can sit on the plane and on some easy rides. DH also installs flooring so he would ideally like resume work at a safe interval or know that he sould start looking for a new job (major stress there, don't want to go there just yet).

DH is willing to do PT, no problem, but with WDW in one week, do we look at getting the cortisone shot right before we leave so he can at least be comfortable? And if so, how close/far away from the trip should we schedule it? I assume we'd have to have it done at a hospital? His mom said a dr will not give you as much of a dosage as an anathesiologist or orthopedist will. Any ideas about this?

ANY help with this would be GREATLY appreciated! I have been so sick with worry for the last week and just want to get him feeling better soon! And we would like to somewhat enjoy our WDW trip! I haven't even been able to enjoy the fact that we are single digit dancing because I've been learning about sciatica and bulging discs and waiting for Drs to call!!!!

MANY THANKS!
Kassi

 

[jennobrn01]

I have the exact same thing going on. Though my disc is now degenerated because I lived in denial for too long. My sympathy! A family member who is a chiro strongly urged me to do my research before being injected. Find a physician who does video camera guided injections. There is too much at stake to have someone blindly injecting.

I hope he feels better soon. It's a nagging yucky pain.

 

[CathrynRose]

I cant tell you THAT much about this - however, I had a co-worker whom got these shots. He was wonderful, great - seriously great following his shot.

But within...maybe a week and a half?? - you could see when it would begin to wear off, as he'd get so grumpy due to pain.

IMO - and again, I dont know much - only from having the co-worker, I'd schedule it as close to possible to when you leave.

Good luck!

 

[Stepht5]

Dh had this and had Epidural therapy and it worked WONDERS! He now no longer has pain from the bulging discs.
He did try the cortisone first and I believe that was temporary relief.

I can't remember all the details since it was about 7yrs ago.

 

[twojo21]

my husband had this he now goes to the chiropractor wheres hes adjusted, has physical therapy & electrolysis, it has helped him so much. he also takes some kind of vitamin for his joints & cartilage now. my suggestion would be weigh your options & make the best choice for him. my husband swears by the chiropractor.

 

[miss missy]

My MRI shows bulging discs too. I only had an MRI becuz I had numbness on my leg right above the knee, no pain (hey I never saw that smiley b4 lol) anyway... PT is what they said to do. I haven't since I am not in pain it isn't on top of my list, dumb me! But I do know that my gf who runs a chiropractor office said NO WAY let them touch it! She said if they adjust you wrong, your in trouble! And that they will tell you they can help but not to do it... I trust her 15 years heading an office, she sees the patients come and go and would know!

I cant tell you about shots.. just thought I would tell you what bulging discs does in my case ... numbness.

 

[Jpgirl]

I had a bicycle wreck and injured my shoulder. After PT I was still having problems with my bicep tendon. I was very hesitant about getting a shot of cortisone in the joint as too much can weaken the tendons/ligamaments in the joint. Anyway I finally did it and it was heaven!! It worked and by the time it wore off the tendon had healed. You must be very careful not to overdo movement though. There's a eason for pain and if you take the pain away you have a tendancy to over do it and make the injury worse. That being said I'd go for it as I know for me I would've done anything to stop the pain. Good Luck

 

[anewvance]

I think it was C. Ann's daugther that just had a really really horrible time with the epidural coritsone shot? I was cringing just hearing about it.

I had been offered it as pain management in the past for a hyerniated disc and one bulging disc and said no thank you because i've had 3 very bad experiances with epidural/spinal taps. Recently, i've stared with some very bad sciatica in my thigh from the accident besides anti inflamatory pills, the only thing that can be prescribed are these shots and once again i've said no thank you.

It's a personal decision and works well for alot of people. But I've had such bad experiances in the past that I won't be doing it again for ANY reason....

 

[kjs1976]

anewvance:
Can you explain what "bad experiences" you've had? Thanks!

 

[Anne MN]

I have had cortisone injections in 3 major joints and wrist.
it feels great for about 1-3 weeks, no pain. but as someone else said, you have to be very careful of over use. In all 4 areas that I had injections, I ended up having surgery. (both shoulders and knee) you never realize how much you use something till it really hurts.
just an FYI- from what I was told, the standard (at least for shoulders and knees) is no more than 3(4th very rare) injections in one site withing a calendar year. to much chance for overuse.

 

[LuvN~Travel]

I just had the epidural shot for my upper back about a month and a half ago. Though they said that it would take affect in about five to six days, it actually took a bit longer. I'm not having much pain now, thankfully, especially since we've been moving the past two weeks, but there are occasional pains that aren't as painful as before the shot. If your DH is going to have the shot, I would definitely recommend that he does it as soon as possible since you are going to WDW.
Good luck on the back and the trip.
BTW, you may want to do research on herniated disks. I'm currently looking at a newer surgery for next year that is not as invasive as the traditional back surgery for disks.
Kim

 

[Aimee K]

I may be partial (I am a massage therapist) but massage is great! It won't cure the buldging disk, but it can alleviate the pain. Also, bring a tennis ball on the plane, and have dh lodge it under the buttock on the side that is giving him trouble. He'll know where it goes. It can help with the sciatic referral pain you are describing.

Good luck, and remember that all the warnings about back pain on rides will pertain to him, even if he feels better!

 

[AZKathy]

I would have it done by a pain management anesthesiologist. They will do it under xray guidance to make it get in the right place and place the steroid and usually a local med like marcaine with it where they need to go. I have had 12 of these, some totally sober which was terrible experience painfully wise and then I found an anesthesiologist that gave me versed for the injection and that was so much much better. I usually had pain relief for around two months between shots with supplimental medications on top of the injections.

I have been suffering with this for almost three years and I am now having surgery in two weeks for a fusion. My disc spaces are shot and all the disc have herniated out and compressing on my nerve roots which cause the leg and feet problems.

You may want to take ice packs to help with the pain and plan for a wheel chair while there. I have used a scooter on our trip, but wish I had gotten a wheel chair instead cuz my battery would run out in Epcot.

Best to your DH! Have him ice ice ice it right now. Take NSAID's and ice to decrease the inflammation in the back. A good recipe for ice pack is 1/4 part rubbing alcohol and 3/4 parts water in double zip loc bags. Freeze and them microwave a bit (10 seconds) to start the thaw and then the ice bag will conform to his back and not have hard surfaces with ice pieces poking in his back.

 

[disneynutt1225]

Cortisone shots didn't help me in the least. I did 6 months of PT, and that helped a little bit. 3 years after hurting my back (herniated disc L4/L5) and I still have back pain. I threw my back out a couple of weeks ago, gee, that was fun!

It's something I'm going to have to live with for the rest of my life, I think. Though I'm hoping that once I lose some weight my back won't bother me as much as normal.

 

[goofyforlife]

I've been fighting the disk (L4-L5) thing for 4 years now......

Did therapy twice but didn't help......

Tried the pain shots... At the center I went to they do a series of three shots (every two or three weeks). I made it to the second shot but then i developed side effects (severe cramps in my legs) which they said was an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients to the shot. So the doctor never did the third one.

What really has helped is weight training. Of course start with low weights. I also take pain meds (vicodin) only when i need it. and in the beginning i needed it plenty. Now i only take half a pill maybe two/three times a week. (no i'm not addicted and it doesn't make me sleepy; but others have had problems.)

The only other thing my ortho doc has recommended is surgery but there no guarantee that the other disks wouldn't shift afterwards and then cause other problems.

The funny thing is when we go to Disney.....Even with all the walking. My back never hurts me but then after we get home the pain is back..... If anything its my feet that are killing me by day two or three.

Not sure if its change in elevation or humidity or what.....

If you are going to Disney in a couple weeks make sure you dh's doctor gives him pain meds to take with him. Once you get to FL the meds that work the best can't be called in.

 

[minkydog]

I ruptured two discs in my lower back earlier this year and I can't imagine being able to go on a WDW vacation within a week It was very hard to sit for any length of time and sleep was very difficult. Are you sure you want to do this Now?

As far as the shot goes, yes, it will probably bring some relief, but it's not meant to return you to work/play faster. In fact, that's where a lot of people go wrong, getting back in the saddle because they got pain relief. It can take a month or two for this to heal. PT helped me a lot, but it takes time and you have to be very diligent to do the PT every day.

I have not had cortisone shots in my back, but I've had them in my hands and feet with mixed success. If I couldn't get relief any other way, I'd take the shot. But I wouldn't then turn around and go to Disney World.

 

[kjs1976]

No, I'm not sure if going to WDW is the best thing right now but everything is bought and paid for and planned since Jan. for a family of 6!

He knows he won't be going on attractions and will be taking it easy.

This is very hard for me right now.