Hey Gang,
I'm just wondering how many of you have gone through a spinal denervation procedure. I've had my lumbar facet joints done bilaterally (S1, L4, & L5) several times now, and I'm wondering if my experience is similar to what other people have to endure. I have to travel out of town to the closest pain management center, at the University of VA Hospital, which is a teaching hospital. I have trouble getting a decent continuity of care because of the constant rotation of new student doctors, and they always want to make me go through the test procedue to 'verify' that the procedure will work. I know it works, and the redundancy for the students' benefit seems to me to be unnecessary punishment, not to mention unneeded expense. Does anyone else have this problem?
Also, I have to undergo the procedure with absolutely no medication, anesthesia, or anything to make the procedure and pain somewhat more tolerable. Burning off the nerve endings is a pretty barbaric procedure, and since locating the proper joint location is done via a fluoroscope, I don't know why they need to hear me scream to know they have hit the right spot. Due to them dragging their feet over the last several months, my back was in far worse shape when I went in for the procedure last week. I had to stop 1/3 way thru the procedure because the pain was so great I was passing out. Thus, my back is still in back shape, and I know that my return visit is going to be a complete nightmare. I'm curious as to whether or not this is standard practice for this procedure, or do the rest of you get some sort of anesthesia, sedation, etc... in order to make things more bareable. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Leigh Ann