ruptured disk / cortisone shot

The last week of June this year I had my 3rd epidural cortisone shot to treat an ongoing sciatica problem.  I am a 34 year old active/athletic male.  Approximately two hours after the injection my pain went from a 5 or 6 to off the scale.  I could only lay down and was given percocet (told to take up to 14 a day) by the doctor that gave me this cortisone injection.  This continued for about 10 days when the disk finally ruptured.  My neurologist said that it fragmented down the spinal canal.

Given the changes that occurred immediately following the injection I can only wonder and would like to know if this is a common occurrence?  Is it possible that while administering the injection that the pain doctor could have errored and actually injected some of this into the problem disk causing the series of problems that followed?

Btw, I had to have an emergency surgery done a couple days after it ruptured.  I had a peek fusion done at L5/S1.  Yesterday was two months since the surgery.  

Thanks!

[giveitback]

OMG,

That totally sucks!!!  I am so sorry to hear that. I was wondering if that is what has happened to me.

I just had my 2nd injection a week ago and I am so BAD right now....the pain in uncontrollable, the weakness is insane! I cannot walk/stand/sit.....the pills are not taking away my pain. I walk with assistance to the bathroom like an old man shuffle. I was previously fit and athletic female prior to my injury.

I absolutely think that it is very possible something went haywire with your injection. I feel the same thing. I was wondering if when being injected with all those fluids if it was possible for the fluid to help push out more disc material? It feels as if my disc is barely hanging on. I know this sounds stupid, but don't know how else to explain it.

What did you feel when it finally ruptured? How did your surgery go and how are you now?

Thank you for answering and I hope you are doing ok.  : )

[jotabravo]

That is pretty much how mine started out.  I went for about 10 days and the pain was unreal.  The numbness and weakness increased as well.  After about 10 days I bent over to pick something up and I felt an explosion of pain.  I barely was able to land myself back into bed.  I stayed there until the next morning.  When I got up the pain was completely gone but the numbness and weakness really began to accelerate.  The rupture was on a Friday night.  By the next Thursday I was rushed into surgery because the numbness began below the waist and I was going to soon lose bowel and bladder control.  

I had a fusion done at L5/S1 on July 5th.  I am doing much better.  I still have numbness in my foot but I am gradually gaining sensation back.  The weakness I had in my leg/foot is also slowly coming back.  It may take a couple of years but each month I can notice improvement.

My pain is nothing like it was but I have weird aches and pains and odd sensations all over.  I've been told that this is normal.... and I can live with it.  It is nothing like what you are going through right now.  Even post surgery.. the night I came out of the recovery room was nothing like the pain I had only days before.  

Again I would like to know what happened.  I thought that maybe somethink was actually injected into the disk causing it to expand more and weaken it's in'tegrity causing it to explode.  Anyone know anything about the possibilities of this happening?

[wyomingmtn]

I, too, am experiencing an uncomfortable pain from my second epidural.  During the procedure, a significant pain shot down my left leg.  The dr stopped the procedure to ask me if I was okay, then resuming.  The next day an excuriating headache started, also numbness in my left foot,I called the dr office, as requested, the dr responded with, "you signned an at risk form and am not responsible for problems, conatct your referring physician."  I did as directed, being told to take aspirin for the headache and to call back the next day.  Did that but after waiting for a call back from the doctor, called back in to find out that the office had closed early for the weekend.  I have been diaganosed with 3 ruptured disc, L3,4,5.