blessed relief! Just got my cortisone shots for my arthritic lower spine!

[CTyankee]

I had been up at night, taking pain pills and hating my reaction to them...so I called my rheumatologist and got an appointment right away for the shots. One on each side of my lower spine. A couple of sensitive spots hit but OK.

Of course, I need not to be on the computer so long each day and to be more compliant with my daily back stretches and strengthening exercises. Still working on those two...

For now, I'm just glad cortisone was developed...god bless medical science...

[elleng]

1. I'm glad you got relief, yank,

and SORRY you have to endure this.

[CTyankee]

2. thanks, ellen. I'm just glad there is cortisone!

It's interesting. My osteoarthritis is not severe; it just feels painful. So getting this relief is a real help. A lot of people have lots worse pain and I feel for them.

[Downwinder]

3. Say Thanks to an AA Chemist, Percy Lavon Julian.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Lavon_Julian

[Maedhros]

4. I ruptured my L4 disk in 1998.

I periodically suffer absolutely crippling psiatic pain, and my doctor thinks I may be developing arthritis in my lower back as well.

I, literally, feel your pain, and am glad you are getting relief.

[CTyankee]

5. OMG, you've been through a lot! I am nowhere near in that kind of pain...

my lower spine arthritis is not severe. Just the pain is bad...

[Adsos Letter]

6. My wife gets those for her knees.

She should have knee replacements now but wants to wait until she is a bit older, hoping the surgery will only be necessary once.

[CTyankee]

7. sorry to hear that. I have so many friends with knee issues...it's awful having to do one

and then another. I feel so sorry for them and what they go thru...I just get a shot, they get surgery, ugh...

[Adsos Letter]

8. Arthritis is no joke.

The arthritis in my feet is not severe either, but it hurts enough to make walking uncomfortable (coupled with diabetic neuropathy makes things interesting) so I feel for you if you have it in your lower spine. That's gotta' hurt, even if not a severe case.

I've watched my wife give birth to two girls, and power on with bad knees. No doubt in my mind who the tougher of the species are.

[CTyankee]

9. no mine is obviously easily taken care of...it's a real blessing, IMO...thanks...

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. So they work pretty well????

I thought I had a thigh muscle problem, until my knee made it crystal clear it is arthritis...that kind of pain is pretty specific.
Just getting over a most spectacular flare up.
Doc ordered me some Torodal until I can get in to see her in a couple of weeks, and she is pretty good about offering the shots.

I was wondering how long the shots lasted.....?

[Adsos Letter]

11. She's out walking 3 dogs at the moment.

I'll ask her when she gets back.

edit: I know she has to wait a certain amount of time between treatments.

[dixiegrrrrl]

12. If you don't mind....

the info will help me make a decision about what to do.
you can pm if you prefer.

Thanks....

[Adsos Letter]

13. She has Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis, plus what she calls "the regular ol' arthritis people get."

She gets complete relief for about three days, then it gradually degrades from there. It wears off completely after about one month.

She alternates knees, with a waiting period of three months between shots. She also claims to get a systemic effect which relieves some of the mild arthritis in other parts of her bod.

She has been told she can do the knee surgery now but she wants to wait a couple more years, in hopes that one set of knee replacements will last her lifetime. It is a surgery/recovery that she doesn't want to have to do more than once.

If you have any questions just ask, and I'll pass them along.

[dixiegrrrrl]

14. Bee stings....we need bee stings.

Do you remember --I suspect you might be old enough to--when people used to firmly state bee stings helped with arthritic fingers.?

[Adsos Letter]

19. I remember something about bee toxin being useful in treating arthritis.

Very hazy on that though.

[tridim]

15. Glad you got relief, but...

Sometimes people associate cortisone pain relief with healing. Unfortunately Cortisone doesn't heal anything.

I've known people who have stopped exercising because cortisone made them feel better temporarily. That's a really bad idea.

Have you tried inversion? It works wonders for my back and spine. Keeps me drug free!

[CTyankee]

16. I know cortisone is not healing. It is pain management.

I have been slacking off in the exercise dept. I had lots of relief while in physical therapy and had gotten a list of exercises to do at home. I need to go back to that. My physical therapist got me out of pain so I know it works.

What is inversion?

[tridim]

17. Inversion is hanging upside-down

It feels sooooooooooo good...

[CTyankee]

18. I'm probably too old to do that and I know it would make me dizzy...

how long do you stay in that position? Do you slowly return to a normal position and wait for your dizziness to subside?