Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!spool.mu.edu!olivea!oliveb!bunker!hcap!hnews!104!424!Gary.Bewell From: Gary.Bewell@f424.n104.z1.fidonet.org (Gary Bewell) Newsgroups: misc.handicap Subject: Sympathetic nerve blocks? Message-ID: <16047@handicap.news> Date: 14 Jun 91 04:12:17 GMT Sender: news@bunker.isc-br.com Reply-To: Gary.Bewell@f424.n104.z1.fidonet.org Organization: FidoNet node 1:104/424 - Ready Room: The Nex, Denver CO Lines: 82 Approved: wtm@bunker.hcap.fidonet.org Index Number: 16047 [This is from the Chronic Pain Conference] K> From: KAK@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU (Kim) K> Index Number: 15814 K> My doctor has suggested 'sympathetic nerve blocks' after K> almost 7 years of disabling chronic pain. I had a nerve cut in my right foot. 6 months later the shooting pain had worsened. I had a temporary nerve block. The doctor said the benefits would last 2 - 4 hours. If it worked, surgery would be done on my foot again. I jumped at the opportunity to stop the pain. The nerve block lasted less than 20 minutes. Based on that he still felt an exploratory surgery of the area would be beneficial. 13 or 14 years have passed and I still have intense shooting pain along with numbness in 2 of my toes. It really wasn't worth it. I was blacklisted because I continued to complain about the pain. The attitude was that I should be well even though they discovered that the original cut nerve had not healed and the bare nerve ending was rubbing against scar tissue from the operation. K> I know there are no guaruntees, but if this sort of K> treatment will improve my mobility, i have nothing to lose K> (do i?). I wouldn't bet on it. I met an amputee who had a nerve block in his spine. It didn't work so he had his first amputation. He developed phantom limb pain. A year later he was given a second nerve block. This one was for the other leg. He shortly after this had to have this leg removed. He told me that he now had phantom limb pain in both legs plus the effects of the nerve block. He had to use a catheter because he couldn't control his bladder. When I met him, he was in for a colostomy because he couldn't control his bowels either. I would avoid surgery. There are just too many problems that can develop. K> Anyone out there tried this ? Doc suggests a 'pain clinic'. K> Any recommendations positive or not? Im not interested in Definitely try the pain clinic before even considering a nerve block. K> Since the onset of this pain i havent been able to walk more K> than about 50 steps-- and this with GREAT difficuty. Force yourself to walk no matter how much pain you are in. Muscle tissue starts to deteriorate within a couple of days. Once you lose the ability to walk it can take years to gain it back. (Mine took 3 years. Now I can walk (in pain) a couple of miles on soft surfaces. Malls and sidewalks still kill me off quickly.) K> Basically, they just dont know. That sums up my opinion of knowledge on pain and pain control. So where am I now? I have shooting pain from the foot (due to botched surgeries), burning pain in the right leg and arm (due to multiple sclerosis), and pain and muscle spasm pain in my neck (due to a high speed whiplash accident). Oh for an uncomplicated life! Gary # Origin: Time passes... , Calgary, AB (MetroNet 201:5500/198) -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!104!424!Gary.Bewell Internet: Gary.Bewell@f424.n104.z1.fidonet.org