Epidural in my neck, how bad?

So I have to get an epidural Thursday at 1pm for non behaving discs in my neck (inflammation) in c6 and c7. I also have a track weekend planned. Should I bow out of the trackday? How bad area these things? What should I expect? Will I be able to ride a motorcycle at pace in advanced two days later?
Thanks.

 

I’m just thinking that’s not a recipe for success any way you slice it.

 

Never had one, but I'd bow out

 

I had an attempted one back in maybe mid-late 90's... upper Cervical spine, base of head/neck
What i rememeber, old skool proceedure, no cameras/x-rays etc.
I was fine until the dr's kept playing musical chairs, so and so decided he doent want to do it, afraid he do it wrong and f you up, so & so and so gonna do it, etc... at the hospital waitinbg to do it, and another dt backed out 15?/30?-minutes B4 epi, WTF!!!??, , said he not confident doing it, thats whan it fionally hit me.... #fear

They numbed me, they were trying to Blindly get the needle in for what seemed like forever, I could feel massive pressure, like the needle was stuck in a vertabre and the dr was PUSHING(!!!) trying to get through.... after several endless minutes I went into Fear/Shock, and they backed out and piled/dumped ice all over my upper body.
The Dr didnt want to proceed, gave up... so I never got it. I didnt want it anyomore after that anyways, LOL.

I am sure they have better methods now.
GL!

*My stroke and para shoulders make my writing all f'd up, and i not care ebnuff to fix right now

 

Bow out now.

 

Ask a woman that has had it for child birth.....

 

Wimmins don't get it that high up the spine....

 

was about to say, my wife had two and each one was followed by rigorous exercise .

first one took 6h , the second one 12 minutes.

 

I had three of them a few months ago. Played a little hockey back in December of last year and ended up with a bone chip in my spinal canal. From my right shoulder blade down to my hand had alternating extreme pain and then numbness. Started with PT and massages, ended up with 3 epidurals in my neck.

First they'll ask you if you want to be sedated or not (no Ramones jokes Dave). I chose no simply because you'll have to have someone drive you home after and I didn't want to deal with that. They'll put you on a table with the face cut out and you'll bury your head into that hole. Then they daub you up with some type of antiseptic and give you a local. From my experience, the local hurts worse than the procedure. It feels like the worst wasp sting you've ever gotten. I guess that's why some people get put under. The epidural itself is painless, but the amount of pressure you feel while they're pumping it into you just feels really weird. And that's about it. They make you hang around for a little when they're done to make sure you don't have a reaction.

As far as riding/doing a track day...I felt great for 24 hours after my epi's, but all my symptoms came back shortly thereafter. I'd say you can do it but I'm sure everyone reacts differently. In the end, mine were a complete waste of time. Massages did way more than all the epidurals. I still have lingering issues but nothing that keeps me from doing whatever I want.

The odd thing is that I had 3 lower spine epi's back in the 90's and they did wonders for me.

Good luck

 

I think it’s a pretty safe bet that if it involves a medical procedure and a race or track day weekend you’re probably asking about missing because of the procedure……

If you’re asking, you already know the answer.

I didn’t want to sit out this whole year. But I knew better for my safety and the safety of my fellow riders in course that me participating wasn’t a sound decision.

 

You're definitely not off base with this statement. I did muster through the YCRS school about a month ago with the neck issue but the epidural does make me pause. Last thing I want is to put anyone else in danger.

What I didn't mention was that I also have a quarter sized open wound on the top of my head from removing skin cancer last week. That doctor said I was cleared when I saw him today but I ended up in the hospital emegency room Saturday night when one of the blood vessels opened up and I couldn't get the bleeding stopped. Damn heads wounds bleed like a mofo. I'm sure wearing a sweaty helmet for two days won't be good for that either.

Just sucks! This is the second time I've had to cancel a track weekend due to my neck issue this summer. Have I mentioned that everything falls apart at 50?

 

Wait until 60

 

I figured.... just didn't want to hear it. LOL

 

I'd be talking to a reputable local acupuncturist.

And yeah, skip the trackday...

 

I have been doing deep needle for the last 3 months. Literally the only thing getting me through this!

 

Youll probably be fine so long as the fullness feeling goes away.

Any chance they can throw you in intermediate for a few sessions to see how you feel before going slightly tilt on the throttle?

 

Having had two cervical fusions (C5-6 and C4-5), this was the first step they wanted to take in an attempt to kill the pain, however, with the risks involved I decided to just have the surgery and get it over with. So happy I did. Just the thought of that big ass needle going into my neck and the terrible problems for the rest of my life if they missed was enough to make my decision.

Oh, and the decision to ride on a track with other people at high speeds when you know you may not be 100% is an easy question to answer....No way! The track will always be there, heal up and then go for it.

 

At this point mine sounds like just some sever inflammation. Surgeon said I am not a candidate for surgery at this point. I appreciate that as I would always rather avoid the knife. I also trust this guy very much as he is the surgeon the other doctors go to for their surgeries. A friend of my wife, who is a surgeon himself, had his back worked on by him and got me in to see him.

 

So just a follow up on the epidural. One tiny pin prick and some pressure and that was it. No big deal. I am glad that I didn't plan to ride this weekend though as my neck is really stiff today and I doubt it will be all better in the next day or two. Bummed to miss my last track day of the year but oh well.

 

Chris - you should give me the GSXRR400 - I am sure it's stress causing the pain and this would likely help.