I'm getting an occipital nerve block

[Mei Mei]

Lidocaine has two purposes:
1) It is used as an antiarrythrthmic or heart  drug

or 

2)  in our csse as an anesthestic, a pain reliever, so that it won't hurt as it goes in

I was wondering why you said the lidocaine was a problem?

Mei Mei

[cin605]

I have had about 7-8 nerve blocks in the past few years.  The first one worked so well I was able to go on vacation and go body surfing!  I feel they really helped. After the 7th or 8th one the anesthesiologist that was administering them said I needed to take a break. When I see the neurologist again in April I am going to ask him about restarting the nerve blocks.  The Botox takes care of the front of my head and hopefully the nerve blocks will relieve some of the occipital nerve pain that I have.  The drug they used on me is called Depomedrol.  It is pretty painful during the injection, but only for a few seconds.  I also had some post injection pain the next day and an ice pack helped that.

Good Luck!

Capt Deb

I didn't mean lidocain was bad...i really have no clue......i was just reading this post from captain Deb which said the Depomedrol worked better for her....but as you well know ..what works for some of us ...does not work for others.

[Lizard]

Hi Liz,
Thanks for your support!   Why a sore neck for a few days when the shot was in the skull?

Wondering,
Mei Mei

Right, well its more of the lower back of the head where ever the needle went in, at least it was for me...the muscles in that area were sore.
Although you might have been give the shot differently, so who knows? 

[Lizard]

Hi Liz,
Thanks for your support!   Why a sore neck for a few days when the shot was in the skull?

Wondering,
Mei Mei

Right, well its more of the lower back of the head where ever the needle went in, at least it was for me...the muscles in that area were sore.
Although you might have been give the shot differently, so who knows? 

Ok so now I'm confusing myself...where exactly was the shot?  Mine was at the base of my scull, closer to the neck.  Was yours higher up on your head somewhere?  Just curious because I've wondered why they haven't done any in any other places on my head.  I also have pain over and in my eye as well as on the side of my head?
Interesting,
Liz

[staypoz]

Mei Mei, when I first went to see Dr. D., I asked him specifically to inject something into that lump, because I was convinced that would eliminate my pain.  At least for me, it had exactly the opposite effect.  The pain intensified.  Sometimes you can just irritate things. 

I hope you are starting to get some relief.

staypoz   

[Mei Mei]

The appointment happened so quickly.   First he said I was a healthy 61 year old and then I tried to show him my MRI and x ray but he didn't look at them.  He asked me how I knew him and I told him.   He asked the other doctors I was seeing and other meds I was using and I told him.   He explained them to me and told me I should use Elavil to help with sleep so he prescribed that (I know I will put on weight with that and I just put on 30 lbs with Risperdal and my doc took me off of it because he wants me to lose weight).  Anyway I tried Elavil last night. 

Next he said he was going to inject and I asked with what and he said Lidocaine and Kenelog.  I didn't have the chance to discuss my neck...the most important part and before I knew it, he was back in the room with the injection.   I brought a neighbor who was a retired doctor and I later asked him where he injected and he told me it was in the Sub Occipital area.   Dr. D said that the Pins and Needles in my scalp would go away and they have but it's still numb and tender.   The neck is still a problem and I had a killer headache last night.   Now I don't know what to do about the neck...to shoot it or not to shoot it...that is a problem...there is a lump there and how to get rid of it.   There are no pins and needles there, just a lump and I put ice on it to try to calm it down.  The occipital area gets bigger and smaller depending on activity.   I wanted to join a gym and work out but that would just aggravate my head and get it excited.  Activity like walking the dog gets the skull excited and i have to come home and put ice on it.

I have been having frequent urination and thought maybe I am becoming a diabetic and called a urologist and they told me to call my primary care which happens to be next to Dr. D.   They told me to come over to do a urinalysis for a urinary tract infection so that's a lot simpler than diabetes, but I've really got to lose this weight and exercise right now is out of the question.   It's really frustrating.

My next appointment with Dr. D is Aug. 2.  He said to come back in 1 to 2 weeks.   Maybe I should go back in 1 week.   I'm luck that my co-pay is only five dollars.   Thank goodness for insurance.

Take care everybody!

Mei Mei

[cin605]

Soory to hear MeiMei.....i went through the frequent urination thing before i knew i had AN...it went on for about a year...went to Disney had to stop at every restroom i walked by...no fun.
When was your last MRI?

[Denise S]

Mei Mei,
I REALLY think you need to go back to your original surgeon if you haven't yet.   Maybe request a new MRI AND a cervical MRI!   The more I read your problems sound a lot similar to mine, but I have that Chiari Malformation that is causing a lot of the pain.

Funny you mention Elavil.   I was thinking of asking about that because it is also an antidepressant and I need that, plus something for pain/musculoskeletal pain.   BUT, someone else I know JUST got off that due to weight gain.....WELL, I for sure can't have that.  I am way to overweight already, ugh!

Will have to email you or call again.   The more I read your posts the more I think our situations seem similar, but mine isn't from the AN removal (and I have Middle Fossa vs. Retro), but the surgery did more than likely flare up the other issues.

take care
Denise

[staypoz]

Mei Mei, it doesn't sound as if you had the best experience with Dr. D. I'm sorry to hear that because he has been so helpful to me, although I must reiterate, I have not been relieved of all of my pain.  But I'm grateful for the relief I have gotten. 

Take care!

staypoz

[Mei Mei]

I'm still Stayin Poz with Dr. D.  He's a great doctor.   He said the shots are diagnostic and not definitive and I agree with him.   It's after all a practice not a science.

I've developed this urine problem now and knew it would happen some time or another with all these drugs we are taking we are sitting ducks for developing something else wrong.    I dropped a sample off yesterday and it was negative for a urinary tract infection and had blood in it.   The doc wants me to have an ultrasound for kidney stones or possible something else.   Now I'm worried.   While I was in China I forgot to bring enough Motrin or Alleve and asked my aunt to go to the drug store and get me some Ibuprofen.   She came home with a small card of it and told me the pharmacist said that you should only take it for 6 days.   I said I'd been taking it since Jan.    They are so careful in China and here we buy it in bottles of 1000.   I'm worried about developing liver or bladder problems with all these drugs I'm taking for the problems I've developed since the surgery.   It shouldn't have to be this way.   We should be better after surgery not worse.   I know, Should is Should.

I cancelled my appointment with the neurologist so that I can be free to see a urologist tomorrow and they rescheduled me for August 26th.

My appointment for the ultrasound is today at 3:30.   Wish me luck!

Mei Mei

[staypoz]

Mei Mei, I wonder if we have the same urologists, too?  The guys at Foxhall?

Good luck with the test!

staypoz   

[Mei Mei]

Well, I'm just back from the Ultrasound and there is no tumor and no Kidney Stone so I went to my doctor's secy and she said the doc would probably refer me to a urologist tomorrow.   I think he refers people to Dr. Deiter but I'll know in the morning.   They still haven't started treating me and I have pain so I started taking several cranberry pills called Theracran.   I hope they help.

My father is so healthy!   He he takes Levothyroxin for his thyroid and Singulair for his itchy skin.   He's 95 1/2 + and never had a single surgury.   I've already had several and keep popping pills.   I've got a cold sore on my lip and look awful today.   I don't know his answer.   Good genes...

Mei Mei

[cin605]

Good Luck Mei Mei....Thoughts and prayers to you!

[moe]

Mei Mei,
I'm so sorry you have to go through all this  It really isn't fair or fun having to spend half your life at the doctor's office, and your pain  and knots sound dreadful.
Hang in there
Maureen

[staypoz]

Mei Mei, I'm so pleased that you don't have a tumor or kidney stone, although I'm sorry you are having to spend so much time at the docs.  Dr. Dunne is my urologist, and I think the world of him and his colleagues.  When I had to have surgery to remove my kidney soon after my AN surgery, I was the most anxious about having head pain and brainwrecks while I was hospitalized.  The Foxhall urology docs went out of their way to make sure my head pain was attended to, and that my head wasn't positioned awkwardly any more than it needed to be during surgery.  You are in good hands with them.

Hope they get to the bottom of this.  Stay cool!

staypoz