Rebif & Epidural steroid injections

[ambrgrl1]

I take Rebif for RRMS and I am having severe Right thigh pain & low back pain I have severe degeneration of  my entire spine and my Orthopaedic Surgeon who is also a Pain management specialist wants me to try the injections. He believes that the leg pain is coming from my back not my hip.

Is there any problem associated with taking Rebif and getting the steriod injections? I am scheduled to start the injections on May 5th.


This discussion is related to Prednisone injection into spine.

[DrRakeshMD]

Hi Dear

Epidural steroid injections are a common treatment option for many forms of low back pain and leg pain. There is no problem associated with taking Rebif and steroid injections together. While the effects of the injection tend to be temporary - providing relief from pain for one week up to one year - an epidural can be very beneficial for a patient during an acute episode of back. Importantly, an injection can provide sufficient pain relief to allow a patient to progress with a rehabilitative stretching and exercise program.

Hence, you could definitely take the steroid injections

Best

[ambrgrl1]

Thank you for your reply.I appreciate your help I do have an additional question that I forgot to include in my post.

I have spinal myoclonus that causes uncontrolable jerking in the trunk area. I had to take 30 mg of valium to calm the jerking enough to enable them to do the mri of my thoracic and lumbar spine. It did not stop the jerking but made it mild enough that it did not cause a problem with the mri.

How are they going to put needle into my spine even with mild jerking if I talk valium as I know you have to be perfectly still. I will appreciate anything you can tell me.
ambrgrl1

ambergrl1

[DrRakeshMD]

Hi Dear

Yes, you are right; epidural injections are not totally complication free and have to be performed with the patient totally still and in a hopital setting. However, there are different areas and techniques of placing epidural injections. Ofcourse when you are having a bout of acute myoclonus, it may be very difficult to perform the procedure. IBut in experienced hands in a good hospital/out patient setting, and when the jerking is not much, the procedure can be performed. Hence, the timing of your injections could be based on the severity of the spinal myoclonus.

Best..