I got a right side lumbar RFA exactly one week ago today. Last Wed when I got home sure I was in some pain & a bit more loopier from the first the I had this same procedure done, from the same exact doctor. Jan 2013 I had the right side, lumbar RFA done and had absolutely no downtime. I didn't have any of the post procedure issues I'm having this time and for me, it took within a week. It was great! However, like I'm sure most of you know the RFA only works for so long. Mine lasted roughly 14 to 15 months. Early April of this year, severe back pain hit & here in Jersey in the spring it rains a lot, so I was in massive amounts of pain. Oh I forgot to mention that I suffer from widespread, chronic pain (musculoskeletal & neuropathy), so my pain never ends. When the pain came back in my lower back, I spoke to my PM & said I gotta get this done again! I had a problem w/my insurance company accepting the procedure, until one day my doctor called them up and said listen, this girl suffers through enough pain, she has had this procedure before and it took away 95% of the back pain & we're doing it again. Thanks to him, I got approved & then scheduled. Yay!! However, this time around after the procedure, it didn't start right away, but two days later my right buttock & thigh & part of my lower back went numb (this was the side the procedure was on). I felt a bit creeped out & scared so I contacted my doctor and he said that it's normal. He said that's a great sign that it took and will last roughly 3 weeks, wonderful! Ugh. Then 3 days after my procedure I started feeling a lot of pain and soreness. I emailed my doctor and he said it's natural and should go away in roughly 2 weeks.
Today is exactly 1 week after the procedure and it has been hell for me. It is so painful to bend partially over or sideways, it hurts to sit, to stand, to lay down & to walk I've been limping bc it's hurts too much. I can't touch myself at all on my thigh & buttock area without hurting, I'm super sensitive. I was sensitive before the procedure and am on a high nose of Neurontin 3 times a day which was helping, some days anyway, but now, I can't touch myself at all! The numbness and soreness is still there, but now it kinda feels as though I got a really bad sunburn, ouch!!! I am on pain meds and they don't help at all with this one bit. I've been sitting on cushions during the day and also icing as much as possible. I haven't found one thing that will make this sensitivity & sunburn feeling subside or go away. I haven't slept well at all for 7 days and I'm so so tired!!! I made sure I rested after the procedure, iced and took it easy. I don't do much during the day as far as work goes so I've been taking it easy, elevating my legs & icing as much as I could. I don't see my PM doctor for another 6 days (1 day short of 2 weeks after the RFA). However, until then, can anyone recommend ANYTHING to help with the sunburn feeling (pain & soreness) and sensitivity?
I just "feel" that there is something wrong, but my doctor says it's all normal and that it's a good sign that it took. However, then why when I got the same exact procedure done on the same exact side over 16 months before hand did I not get any of this post pain, soreness, numbness, etc & it took just fine?! I don't think I'll ever get as to why. Can anyone relate? Recommend?