Posted by Larry Hoover on June 2, 2006, at 10:00:51
In reply to botox for pain anyone?, posted by NikkiT2 on May 31, 2006, at 14:58:58
> So.. I saw the pain consultant again tonight (I paid.. I couldn't wait any longer).
I'm sorry, Nik. They shouldn't let you feel that pain. It makes recovery slower.
Can you not obtain sufficient opiate analgesia to carry you through until they know how to treat the underlying causative factors?
If not, I am so sorry. The war on drugs. Right.
> Long story, but the plan of action is to get an MRI to check for a cervical vertebre (any ideas on that one people?), which will be on the NHS so about a 4 month wait.. and in the mean time, botox injections in the painful areas.
>
> I have heard about botox being used for pain, but don't actually know anyone that has had them.. Does anyone have any experience with this?No, I haven't. That's why I waited to answer. I don't have experience with it.
The MRI is to rule out pinching of the nerve at its root. Nothing more than that. Rule out mechanical defects which would continually reinjure the nerve. It is a proper part of differential diagnosis. The guy is doing his job.
> In the very short term, I've been using DBT mindfulness techniques.. A colleague gave me a led meditation (Body Scan) that was designed for people with chronic pain, and also a book called "Full Catastrophe Living".. I also got a CD of shorter mindfulness for pain meditations as the body scan is an hour.. Its proving useful so far.. definately helping me rest better.I'm very glad for that. State of mind is definitely an important factor in chronic pain.
> But any info you have on botox and cervical vertebre would be really useful..
>
> Thanks everyone
>
> Nikki xNik, the botox thing seems to be a reasonable option. It has risks, of course. You need to follow your heart, I guess. Do you trust the doctors who are looking after you? Do you feel that they understand their art? Their craft?
Botox can give miraculous relief.
What the doctors don't yet know is which specific sites would be the optimal sites for injection. That's the art, putting the botox in the right places. They need to inject enough sites that they won't have overlooked any key places where the botox is needed. It needs to be an umbrella of effect. All the sites that need injecting, all injected at the same time.
Your doctors sound like they are on the cutting edge of comprehension of neuropathic pain.
The rest is art. Are they the artists for you?
I pray they are.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:651083
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20060330/msgs/651865.html