Fist time lumbar injections HELP please... side effects
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi Guys. Newbie here. I had 2 x injections yesterday at 2pm. steriods and pain relief into L5/S1. Am kind of wondering whats happening now. Symptomms are: The top part of my spine is like very very hot and aching. where the injections went is in itchy and sore (minimal relief as yet, but they said it could take itime)..heart rate is way up, checked 5 times over last 4 hrs (125-135 BPM) have bad headache and have not slept a wink. In fact becoming so fidgity (tappy toes/fingers and shaking). feel like running a sprint (energy wise).
Complicating factor is I currently have a broken nose and minimal to nil ability to breath through nose. Breathing via mouth is hard (in and out) as it's like I am breathing like when you exercise.
Is it normal for such things? Im not being a princess, but am wondering whats going on?
Dazza.
1 like, 7 replies
melm1972 daz61093
Posted
I think you are experiencing side effects of the steroid. Whenever I have had injections 24-48 hrs after I usually experience hot flashes, flush skin, insomnia. Some of the things you describe sound very typical of a steroid side effect and should go away after 48hrs in my opinion. If you can't handle it or your breathing is compromised I would call your Drs office and see what they recommend, maybe something like Benadryl might help especially with the itchiness? I'm not sure if there would be any drug interactions but what you are experiencing is very typical from all of my past ESI's.
Hope that helps?
daz61093 melm1972
Posted
jessica_78456 daz61093
Posted
This happened to me I spent 5 days in hospital with a fever. Some of yr symptoms may suggest infection, if it dosnt settle if it were me I'd speak to the hospital, incase if spinal infection. Hope it settles.
daz61093 jessica_78456
Posted
thanks Jess. I will check today. Your help is appreciated. D
jessica_78456 daz61093
Posted
Don't. Want to frighten u but my symptoms lasted 3 wks high heart rate fever temperature Nausea bad head sever back pain. Won't have another I've had two now, nether has worked. Looks like spinal fusion is on the cards for me.
buggsy1000 daz61093
Posted
Hi Daz
Firstly sorry to hear about your pain.
I have had loads of injections over the years, I remember the first few kinda scared the crap out of me, it's things that you a, don't think about and b, get told by the Dr.
With most of the injections even though they are small and very little been done, you do get side effects, but I would think your heart rate is more to do with anxiety rather than any thing else.
If you think about it they have injected in to your spinal cord so fluid has been added, this on its own can give you head aches and with that you might feel clammy and out of breath. The itching is very normal, try putting some lotion like aloe Vera cream or e45 that will Cool the sites of injections.
For sleeping try not to get to hot, sleep with a window open and less sheets ect, also try and lay on your back with little or no elevation in your head, ( I put a pillow either side to stop me rolling in night) also put a pillow under your knees.
I hope that it's just normal symptoms and they calm down in 48hrs, ( for me) . However if you do get a temp of over 38 and feel feverish then do get checked out at your local ED hopefully someone from the team that does injections will be about to advise.
All the best and keep is posted.
George ( UK )
Reddave8 daz61093
Posted
I think it's normal for your body to experience some sort of reaction to the steroid injection as it's a possible side effect of the drug being used, the crux of it all is well all react differently to the same medication, but an antihistamine which is what I have to take every day Ciritizine prescribed but others are possibly the same,do a good job !
I just find it worrying that although the steroid injection does help you recover the additional symptoms we could well do without!!
Wishing you all the best with your recovery
Regards Dave