Friday, March 18, 2011

Steroid Shots vs ALA

Some of you have concerns about my receiving the steroid shots...
I want to make it clear that I understand that steroid injections are not a good idea as a route to get your disease process under control. I have done steriod injections in the past when my inflammation has been controlled but one specific area was giving me problems.

The injection I received yesterday was really NOT a steroid injection at all. I asked the nurses this morning and the kenalog was drawn up as 1/4 cc and the rest of the solution was lidocaine (3 to 4 ccs). Dr. Berkson has given these trigger points in the past as a solution of lidocaine and water. The purpose is to separate the tissue fibers and this creates some sort of "trigger" reaction...that i don't completely understand.

I actually have refused traditional steroid injections in the past because it is important to me to see how my medicine is working. I need to know how the ALA and the LDN can act alone. I believe that if the response I feel today is sustained, it is the ALA and the LDN.  I don't think the injection I received yesterday is going to provide enough for the systemic response I am looking for, but I was able to sleep better last night...which was the goal.

1 comment:

  1. One believes what one wants to believe. If you can taper your prednisone further in 3 to 4 weeks after the kenalog injections, you'll know if the ALA and LDN are of benefit.

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