Having read
accounts on the internet of people who had already undergone this procedure, and
the risks that can happen, I was beginning to get very apprehensive. I read
horror story after another –from, ”it was worse then childbirth” or “I just lay
there and cried like a baby the whole time” to “It was worse then the back
surgeries I have had”
Yikes!! This is NOT the disco I remember in the 1970’s!! Much less being
provocative!
It
sounded more to me like going into the Marque De Sade house of torture.!!
If you are getting a discogram, you know that it is a test to determine the anatomical source of low back pain for the patient. Since the main point of a discogram is to provoke pain with disc injection, the discogram is a temporarily painful test. It is known as a ‘provocative’ test as its goal is to provoke the patient’s symptoms. Unfortunately, since the patient’s pain response is of primary importance, a discogram cannot be properly performed under sedation or general anesthesia.As each disc is injected, you will be asked to rate the intensity of the pain that the injection causes, if any. You may also be asked if the pain is similar to your usual symptoms in terms of location and the type of pain you are experiencing. This procedure is repeated for each disc that is injected. The pain recreated by the injection should be temporary.
The day I went to Medical Imaging of Plano, I was NOT a happy camper. Finding out there would be no sedation I became very anxious. The thought of sticking needles into my back and me being awake and alert was just not how I like “my surgical “procedures” done. I would much rather be out in la la land until they are through………
They staff was courteous helpful and friendly and told me how good and gentle Dr. Fisk was to all his patients.. I still complained about having no sedation (like I had read about others having it )and later on I was told that the dr agreed to give me some light sedation.
An IV was placed into my arm to start the antibiotic and I was told by the nurse that not only was DR. Fisk an excellent doctor(what else could they say???)but he had also volunteered to have a discogram done on himself where he would know what it felt like.
Okay…I’m thinking that is pretty commendable. On another plus side, I have never had someone give me such a painless IV.
The
staff were right. Dr. Fisk was wonderful and had a great bedside manner (meaning
he was funny and treated me like a person instead of like ...well you know the
kinds of doctors
I am talking about about!!
It was a painful procedure ,but NOT painful to the point I was even close to tears, and was surprised when the test was over.
I feel that anyone who is debating whether to have this procedure done, I would encourage them to go a head and do it . IF you have gotten to this point, you are living with constant pain that keeps you from living your life to the fullest. As long as you have a skilled and competent doctor, it shouldn’t be as awful as you fear ---and don’t keep reading all the horror stories about discograms
Life is too short. Don’t let yours pass you by.
*
****Love like you've never been hurt
Sing as if no one was listening
Dance like no one was watching
And live each day as if it were your last****