I've been taken off all pain meds at this point, can't eat, can't do much, constant pain and my back has been placed firmly against the wall by the neurologist. Has anybody had occipital nerve block? I have to give him an answer by tomorrow because it's the only treatment he's offering, well, that or botox. So please, good or bad I need to know if anybody has had either.
I've been off them four weeks, in constant agony just to persuade the dipstick the headache isn't BECAUSE of the painkillers, he's treating me for hemiplegic migraine and thinks Chiari is done and dusted after surgery. I'm really at the end of my rope here, if I had the energy I'd be smashing stuff... He's just so convinced he's right and the NS just placidly agrees with whaatever he suggests, I asked how these injections would act along with Chiari and he saaid he had no idea but it MIGHT help the headache, which is great but does nothing for the rest of the pain that he seems determined to ignore. Sorry about the rant.
Cold turkey by the way. Put on steroids, got a delightful thing called steroid psychosis which makes you incredibly angry and makes you feel like you're losing your mind.
Thank you so much, I know what you mean about quack! I've been like this for three years too! Sick and tired of doctors saying stupid things like "Oh, this might help but it might not" and "Well, you're looking well!" My problem is that there are so few doctors over here that treat chiari.. I think you're right about finding another doc though, I'll have to do some research! Haha I know what you mean about cold turkey, I came off oxynorm cold turkey and went through hell!!
Beeba said:
Cold turkey is a really fun time!!! Not!! But glad you were able to stop it shows you were psychologically dependent but you are in pain. Personally after three years if someone ain't listening I move on. I knew my body and knew something wasn't right. My chiari was fixed and I had the pictures in my possession that I could look at and see for myself. So I had to look into other things. Have you had a flexion/extension MRI? A rotational ct scan. I do know plenty of people on this site have gone the injection route - some with success some with out. Afraid I am a believer in finding the source of a problem before I an letting someone start jabbing needles that kill nerves or poison to numb me. Pain is a sign in my book. I equate it that if you have a fever sure you can take a medicine to lower the fever but something is causing it - once I find out ok this is why you have pain - here is the picture or the lab result then I can make an informed decision about treatment. My process has taken 3 years and over 40 drs not including the countless quacks in er settings. Had everything been done right the first time I would not of had 3 years of muscle deterioration,tons of scar tissue, a big slam to my psyche. Now just had third surgery thankfully by someone who views chiari as a compilation of many conditions instead of just a little brain nothing that can be fixed. I had a really tough surgery and I don't want to mislead anyone that this shouldbe anyone's first option - it has sucked!! But had I gone to him the first time all the damage may not have been done.