Lidocaine infusion

[mellie4]

I had a follow-up PM appointment today.  I haven't seen her in a couple of months.  We stopped my Cymbalta about a month ago and it made a HUGE difference in how I feel mentally and emotionally.  Apparently that wasn't the drug for me, and it makes no difference in my pain, which was the point of going on it to begin with.

I had a terrible fibromyalgia flare-up before Thanksgiving.  The worst in a long time.  To the point I had to crawl up the stairs and go down on my bum.  The flare-up finally broke and I was dealing with the regular pain.  (I post mainly about my hand because that's what's most disabling to me, though my other pain is significantly bad as well.  I have really bad arthritis in most joints and the right hip and knee are pretty bad.)  My PM doesn't technically treat me for anything but my hand since it's a worker's comp injury.  But the meds that cover that pain, generally, cover my other pain to an extent as well.

Cold weather bothers me the most.  I do better in summer.  But when we have a drastic temperature change, I usually end up We had a freaky warm front over the New Year and it was great except for when temperature changes my pain increases exponentially.  I couldn't sleep two nights running.  

Anyway, PM NP thinks I should try a lidocaine infusion this time instead of a stellate ganglion block thinking I'll get more benefit and it will help with all the pain.  Just wondering if anyone has tried it.

[ladyaster89]

I have lived with muscle pain for 40 yrs. and fibromyalgia 20.  I have degenerative disc disease and most of my cervical and lumbar discs are in the past. There have been times when I have been able to keep the fibro in abeyance, but when my muscles go into massive spasms, I have been having fibro with headaches that causes me to have floaties in my vision and feels like my head is in a vise.  I would like to know more about the lidocaine infusion.  I've everything over and over again.  If anyone can give me some details  

[mellie4]

RunningMom, I've had quite a few stellate ganglion blocks and have had some success.  They thought the lidocaine infusion might help the other pain I deal with and kill two (or more) birds at the same time so to speak.

KittKat23-78, Sorry the infusion didn't help you!!  I hadn't heard about having several a few days apart; I'll have to ask about it.  Mine is (at least one) being paid for by worker's comp.  I'm hopeful but also trying to keep things realistic and in perspective.

[KittyKat23_78]

I tried the lidocaine infusion. I didn't notice much difference at all unfortunately. I was really excited about it and all it did was make me extremely sleepy and sweaty for a few days. I have, however, read amazing reviews about them online. From what I understand though, the people that had the most relief from them had repeated infusions only a few days apart and that was not an option for me finacially. My pm didn't offer me that option either. I personally won't do it again because of the cost and the fact that it didn't really help me. :(

Good luck and I'm so sorry to hear you are having such pain.

-hugs-

Kat

[RunningMom]

I had a stellate ganglion block.  That's where they go through the front of your neck.  When he did that block, he actually hit the spot where it hurts most in my neck.

I have a very hard time with the cold weather also, especially when the temps are below zero.  It feels like it is very hard to deal with the flareups due to being in bad pain for so long.

I've never heard of a licodane infusion.  I wish you the best of luck, what ever you choose. :)

[namnam46]

I'm just so glad that you are having some relief as you had REALLY been "through the mill" as they say.  :)  

Unfortunately, you are correct about your Dad.  That being said, you are doing a WONDERFUL job staying on top of everything with him.  He is SO FORTUNATE to have a caring and loving daughter such as you!!!  Not ALL kids are so caring when it comes to their elderly parents and that is VERY sad!!  

You have ALWAYS been more positive than you realized.  You are so uplifting to the members here on MH.  Your input has meant SO much to SO many on here, :)

I'm so happy that you are able to accept you disability as that is the most important thing that will lead to a happier life for you!!! :)

MEGA {{{HUGS}}}............Mama Sherry

[mellie4]

Sorry about the above ... computer went wacky and I tried to delete it but instead it posted :(

Anyway, I just love feeling myself mentally again. I feel like I can handle everything I need to despite the pain.

And just in time.  I've got more things coming up with my dad.  I can expect this with him.  At 82 we're only going to have more things pop up rather than less.  He has a new skin cancer diagnosis, which, thankfully, is just basal cell, but the dermatologist said he's a little more concerned about it because it's located on his head.  And he has to have another PET scan on the 11th due to some cellular change in his lung.  They ruled out lung cancer in June, but they're still following it just in case.  Throw the 5 kids in and ... you get the idea.  But now, even when the pain was really bad over New Year's, I can deal with it.

I'm hoping someone here has had experience with the lidocaine infusion.  It sounds somewhat promising.  Not a permanent fix but something is better than nothing.  And it's a much easier procedure than the stellate ganglion block.

I'm focusing on being more positive in 2011.  With the help of all of the great people (like Mama Sherry :) I'm able to accept my disability.  Before I was frustrated because I couldn't find a "cure."  Now I know better how to deal with it.

[mellie4]

Thanks, Mama Sherry!!!  It's such a blessing and gift to feel like myself and stop trying to "fake it to make it."   It was draining me!!!  :))  I just love vkkkkknnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

[namnam46]

I'm really glad that your appointment went so well.  It's AMAZING what problems some medications can cause when they are supposed to be helping something else!!  I'm REALLY glad that you had a Doctor that listened to you and took you off of the Cymbalta!!  

I have never had the lidocaine infusion, only the RFA's, so I can't be of any help to you on this.  However, I'm SURE that we have some members that HAVE experienced them. :)

Again, SOOO happy that you are off the Cymbalta and have had such a POSITIVE change in the way that you are feeling!!!

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}.........Mama Sherry