Friday, September 10, 2010

Ah, Cortisone, We Love You

Yesterday, after two unsuccessful visits to my general practitioner for help with an aching right elbow, I went to an orthopedist.

My GP, mind you, had given me all the conservative treatments. The first line of defense was an anti-inflammatory. Guess whose blood pressure zoomed with an anti-inflammatory?

So no more anti-inflammatories for me. This is rather disappointing and does not bode well for pain relief in old age.

The next treatment was ice, rest, and a brace. I tried this for a month, but the symptoms did not abate. It might have helped if I could have stayed off the computer entirely, but this is not going to happen.

My GP would not give me a shot in the elbow, she said. She did not do that (though I don't know why.) She also was concerned about a cyst on my arm which has been there for years. So, she sent me to this orthopedist, who turned out to be a physician's assistant as opposed to a doctor. I know that PAs are an up-and-coming thing in medication, but I would have liked to have known going in that I was not seeing a doctor.

Anyway, Mr. PA seemed to be okay but I did not fall in love with him or anything. For one thing, I was not able to expound on the aches of this entire arm, which while worse at the elbow also extend into the wrist. He moved quickly and briskly, poked my elbow, said I had tennis elbow, needed a cortisone shot, and then left so the nurse could get the medication for the injection.

He returned to stick the needle in my arm. It did not exactly hurt going in but I can't say it wasn't painful. And that was that.

The cyst, by the way, apparently is nothing to worry about at this time.

Apparently cortisone is not a magic drug and must take several days to work. My arm hurts worse today than it did prior to the shot. I have the thing braced up and have been eating lots of acetaminophen (since I can't take an anti-inflammatory).

Hopefully, though, Monday will find it faring infinitely better. Maybe my wrist won't hurt so much, either.

6 comments:

  1. Ouch! You are too young for all these health problems.

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  2. I hope the cortisone works for you. I got a shot once for arthritis in my shoulder. All it did was make it worse. I depend on the anti-inflammatories.

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  3. My GP insists that NSAIDS will not raise ny BP. Weird. Anyway, after receiving 3 cortisone shots in my foot, along with exercise, my foot pain went away. The shots made me feel better. Not everyone responds that way tho.

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  4. Put that tennis racket down girl and you won't have the problem. Too much Wii???? Seriously though, give the cortisone at least two days. My husband swears by it. Unfortunately I'm sure today's weather is not helping your pain. Hope you feel better soon.

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  5. I've had one cortisone shot in my life and will never have another. I would rather chainsaw off a painful appendage than have a cortisone shot in it. The fiery pain from the shot burned for days.

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  6. I used to get cortisone shots in my face weekly when I was a teenager and in my early 20's. The needle killed but thankfully I never felt "fiery pain."

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