Questions for peple who've had RFA

[atonicat]

This is going to sound dumb but I'm scared to have my RFA tomorrow. I've had 8 epidural steroid injections and 8 lidocaine injections and I was fine for those. But for some reason the RFA is making me really scared. Maybe it's because they are going to use a sedative/fentanyl in an IV that is freaking me out the most. I've never had any sort of anesthesia beside local. My biggest fear is getting all loopy and acting weird.

Also I'm not sure how the actual burning is going to feel. So anyone that has had this can you tell me how it went for you? Not the result but the actual procedure. I get myself all worked up about this sort of thing. I did it before my first epidural and that was a piece of cake. So I guess it's better to freak myself out and have it go smoothly than to not freak out and have it be something worse than I thought.

[namnam46]

Glad it went so well {even with the mix-up}!!  

Yes, the Fentanyl IS helping to keep you at this pain level right now.  Just remember and take it as EASY as POSSIBLE for the nest couple of days!!  

I'm sorry that you JUST discovered that you have degeneration a four levels INSTEAD of just one!!  Usually, you will find it will be MORE than just one.  Mine is my ENTIRE spine.  

I will be looking for MORE updates as you go along!!

Gentle {{{HUGS}}}........Sherry  :)

[peekawho]

Hope it works for you.  They didn't last long for me.

  The 24-48 hours after can be rough, just so you know.  

[Skc35]

Did they give pain meds?

[atonicat]

I just got back from my RFA. It went very well. A little more painful than the steroid injections and the diagnostic test but overall it was easy. There was a slight mix up when one of the images from my diagnostic test was lost. I have a transitional S1/L5 (L6 when they are counting) so they need the image to make sure they are in the right spot to burn the right nerves. My doctor kept saying how sorry he was and that this never happens. It took them a good 10 minutes before they gave up on trying to find it and he just sort of went for it. They burned at four levels and he told me something I didn't know. He said I have degeneration at four different levels, all this time I thought it was just at one. I learn something new every time I go in there!

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. It made me feel a lot better about everything. I'm in almost zero pain right now, probably because of the fentenyl. So I'll see how my pain levels are when it wears off.

[Ashelen]

er 2008 for my second surgery*

[Ashelen]

I don't know anything about the procedure, but I can relate to your fears of anesthesia. I had to have surgery to remove 2 kidney stones back in September, and I was a wreck fearing having to be put completely under. I was also put completely under in 2003 to remove kidney stones, and again in 2009 when I was 34wks pregnant with my daughter they had to put me completely under...stupid kidneys, lol.

The fear hasn't gotten any easier with successive surgeries either. I just hear so many horror stories...but the truth is, the odds are in your favor. And once they start injecting you with the sedative, instead of panicking and fighting it like you think you would (or at least I thought *I* would) you just kinda slip into unconsciousness before you even realize what you're doing. I remember this last time, asking "oh gosh I feel sleepy is it OK if I fall asleep now?!" and the anesthesiologist laughed kindly and said "of course sweetie...that's the point!"

As for acting loopy...you wanna talk loopy, coming out of surgery (I remember this like it was a dream) the anesthesia was wearing off as they wheeled me to recovery and the nurses were talking over me about something they had done the previous weekend and I could hear myself going "Uh-huh...uh-huh...REALLY?! yeah...wow...uh-huh.." and the nurses were being so nice trying not to laugh at me.....

Anyway, you'll be just fine. It's natural to fear having control taken away to such a degree, but they really do have it down to an art form. Good luck!

[namnam46]

I had no problem with the burning at all.  Since you had no problem with the blocks then you should be OK!!!  :)

I will be ANXIOUSLY waiting for an update tomorrow evening OR Saturday.  Now remember it may take awhile for the nerve endings to die off.  Like a couple of weeks possibly, SOOOO don't be worried if you are NOT out of pain right at the start.  :)

I'll be waiting to hear from you..........Sherry  :)

[atonicat]

Oh the blocks were fine. Piece of cake. I have a really high pain tolerance as well. They kept asking me if I was ok because I almost fell asleep while they were doing it. The blood pressure cuff hurts me more than the needles. So I guess I should be ok then. I was worried about the feeling from the burning but I guess they shoot some lidocaine down the needle on the nerve before they burn it.

[namnam46]

Just so you know I will be gone until early afternoon here in AZ as I have an appointment wiht my Surgeon that did my Total Hip Implant.  I will answer any questions that you may have as soon as I get back.  :)

I PROMISE you that you will do fine!!!  :)............Sherry

[namnam46]

Hi atonicat,

It won't be much different from the block that they performed to see if you were a candidate for the RFA.  In fact, I turned down the anesthesia when I asked if it felt differently then the block and they told me it was just about the same.  They were correct it wasn't much different from the block.  There was some discomfort but that was about it for me.  Now keep in mind that I have a VERY high pain tolerance, so if you don't then it MIGHT be a little more uncomfortable for you.  You are the ONLY one that can make that call.  How was the block for you?