goddessangel
09-19-2008, 07:52 AM
Hello
Has anyone here had a differential epidural blockade? I had one last week, done by my new pain doctor – my old one got a new job. Though I had heard of a few other IC patients having pain blocks, I had never heard of this test. I also have fibromyalgia and possible chronic fatigue. They did this test to see if it would eliminate my pain/pressure. I always feel like I have to urinate, but I can’t usually go for a least 2hrs in between and going doesn’t usually relive pain/pressure much if at all. Sometimes it even makes it worse. I sometimes have burning too. I have an Interstim unit that seem to help some implanted about a year ago.
I know the doctors goal was to get me off percoset. I take 6 5/235 a day and it helps a little. Ever since I had this done (a few day after) my back has hurt a lot even though there are no signs of infection, I am getting migraines and small bowel movement I don’t feel as well. Looking at what others have written about epidurals in general, there is a 19% chance it will last the rest of my life. After the test, which did nothing for my IC or fibro pain, he said there was nothing he could do. He thinks I have phantom pain coming from the brain. He explained it like a person who had there foot cut off but still felt pain where the foot had been. What planet is he on? He obviously knows nothing about IC. Has anyone ever had a doctor tell them something like this?
He also said he would take me off percoset- I have been on it for over 2 years now. I idiot thinks I can just gradually lessen the dose. He doesn’t seem to get that I am in pain and combine with withdrawal (and now back pain) that would be the equivalent of torture. BTW, another pain clinic said I would need to go through asleep detox – at least $6,000 out of my pocket. What I really need is to be on Suboxone long term (have tried this and it works best for pain) and it is much cheaper. His other suggestion was cognitive therapy. I have had some, but not a lot.
This doctor wanted me to spend $10,000 (40,000 to insurance) out of pocket to do an intensive program at a local hospital. It would be from 8 – 5 weekdays. With traffic and because I get panic attacks in traffic jams, I could not drive there myself. I would probably have to get up at 5am in order for my husband to be able to drive me there and get to work, then not get home still about 7pm. All the time I am suppose to sit in a freezing cold room (I am always cold in hospitals even with many layers of clothes) in a metal chair talking about my pain for 8 hrs a day – I think not. I think all the stress would make my pain worse if anything. They don’t even know what IC is. I had a urologist there who insisted on may painful & uncomfortable test. After the last one I had to call daily for to weeks to find out what I already knew (95% certain from description online), I had IC. The doctor would not see me afterward, leaving me in agony after a hydrodistentation. I was given to his prescription writing nurse who only suggested Elmerion. I had to specifically state other medication I wanted to try, which I was given. No one there ever gave me any information on IC.
Has anyone here had a differential epidural blockade? I had one last week, done by my new pain doctor – my old one got a new job. Though I had heard of a few other IC patients having pain blocks, I had never heard of this test. I also have fibromyalgia and possible chronic fatigue. They did this test to see if it would eliminate my pain/pressure. I always feel like I have to urinate, but I can’t usually go for a least 2hrs in between and going doesn’t usually relive pain/pressure much if at all. Sometimes it even makes it worse. I sometimes have burning too. I have an Interstim unit that seem to help some implanted about a year ago.
I know the doctors goal was to get me off percoset. I take 6 5/235 a day and it helps a little. Ever since I had this done (a few day after) my back has hurt a lot even though there are no signs of infection, I am getting migraines and small bowel movement I don’t feel as well. Looking at what others have written about epidurals in general, there is a 19% chance it will last the rest of my life. After the test, which did nothing for my IC or fibro pain, he said there was nothing he could do. He thinks I have phantom pain coming from the brain. He explained it like a person who had there foot cut off but still felt pain where the foot had been. What planet is he on? He obviously knows nothing about IC. Has anyone ever had a doctor tell them something like this?
He also said he would take me off percoset- I have been on it for over 2 years now. I idiot thinks I can just gradually lessen the dose. He doesn’t seem to get that I am in pain and combine with withdrawal (and now back pain) that would be the equivalent of torture. BTW, another pain clinic said I would need to go through asleep detox – at least $6,000 out of my pocket. What I really need is to be on Suboxone long term (have tried this and it works best for pain) and it is much cheaper. His other suggestion was cognitive therapy. I have had some, but not a lot.
This doctor wanted me to spend $10,000 (40,000 to insurance) out of pocket to do an intensive program at a local hospital. It would be from 8 – 5 weekdays. With traffic and because I get panic attacks in traffic jams, I could not drive there myself. I would probably have to get up at 5am in order for my husband to be able to drive me there and get to work, then not get home still about 7pm. All the time I am suppose to sit in a freezing cold room (I am always cold in hospitals even with many layers of clothes) in a metal chair talking about my pain for 8 hrs a day – I think not. I think all the stress would make my pain worse if anything. They don’t even know what IC is. I had a urologist there who insisted on may painful & uncomfortable test. After the last one I had to call daily for to weeks to find out what I already knew (95% certain from description online), I had IC. The doctor would not see me afterward, leaving me in agony after a hydrodistentation. I was given to his prescription writing nurse who only suggested Elmerion. I had to specifically state other medication I wanted to try, which I was given. No one there ever gave me any information on IC.