Really nervous, has anyone had this done?

Agape

Hi all, I hope that you could help me, I may sound like a baby, but I am really nervous. Received a letter back from my Rheumy today regarding my MRI Scan. Rheumy wrote and said that my scan showed moderately severe sclerosis affecting the lower part of my sacroiliac joint where I get a lot of pain and has made an apt for me to have a fluroscopically guided steroid injection to the right sacroiliac joint. I have no idea what this really does, if it has any side effects or is a good or bad thing, what would the benefits of it be and would I have to have lots of these or is this a one off thing, so was really hoping that perhaps you could help me. Sorry for the long list of questions, but would rather find out from people who have experience with this opposed to just taking onboard what my Rheumy says.

Thank you for any replies and I hope that you are all as well as you can be.

elnafinn

Hi Agape

SI joint injections can accurately pinpoint and alleviate the pain. Guided by fluoroscopy (x-ray imaging), a pain specialist injects a local anaesthetic into the affected SI joint. If the anaesthetic relieves your pain, this confirms the diagnosis. A corticosteroid medication is also injected. This strong, long-acting medicine reduces inflammation and provides pain relief over an extended period of time.

The whole procedure takes about 20 - 30 minutes followed by a short period of observed recovery time.

The benefit from the corticosteroid medicine will typically occur two to four days following the procedure and last for several months.

It is not necessarily a one off procedure.

I have had injections via xray direction for sciatica and it worked really well and is still working well since 3 December 2009, :-D

I wish you well

Elna

Fionabee

I had a couple of these injections for back pain. They were not successful in terms of pain relief, but the procedure was painless, I think the doctors who did them do it so often they have a really good technique. I had to lie on my tummy for the procedure. At the end, the Doc showed me the needle he had used, It was long and very fine, quite different to the needles used for injections or blood taking.
Good luck and don't worry!

Agape

Hi Fionabee and Elna

Thank you so much for your replies. Surfing the web you can find so much stuff that can be helpful yet scary at the same time.

I have not yet heard from the Dr with an apt but will let you know how I get on.

DebbieT

((((Hugs)))) Are all I can offer.

I really hope it helps ... Imagine the relief from the pain, lush
I'm a tad jealous
Good luck.
Xxx xxX

Agape

Hi Debbie, thanks. I really hope that it does the job as some days the pain gets to me and I feel quite low. Saying that I am very thankful that there may be something which will hopefully improve things.

Take care