Jump to content

Greater Occipital Nerve (GON) Block Injection


Recommended Posts

Thanks Maggie, will keep you all updated. Apparently it helps 2 out of 3 people who suffer from severe headaches (as I now do) but ... and here's the rub... if it does work will only be for 1-2 weeks!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Leo

I had nerve block injections for a year. The ones I had lasted for 3 months. I have stopped having them now because I felt they weren't working any more. They do work for some people, so it's worth giving them a go.

Love Nita xx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thnks for all of your replies and positive comments.

Nita - at last someone who has had it. Great to hear it lasted 3 months for you. Perhaps my doctor was trying not to get my hopes us!

Anyway, fingers crossed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

I had the injection yesterday.

The actual injection itself was surprisingly painless. But the doctor refused to give me one on both sides as she had never had to treat someone who'd had a craniotomy and was afraid it would cause me more problems. She went off to speak to a consultant but came back none-the-wiser and said she wouldn't be happy to try and block the nerves on both sides.

Thus, my head doesn't hurt on the left hand side but it does on the right!

Hopefully it will last for a few weeks (or more) at least as I have pain relief on one side.

Off to lay down now. Have a good afternoon all,

Leo xx

PS: I feel like I have been kicked in the back of the neck though. Am really sore where the doc poked me to find the most tender spot to inject :wink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Leo

Must have missed this thread hope the injection works for you. I suffer with constant nuerological pain on the left side from the craniotomy it is probably a trapped nerve but have never been offered any injections for pain relief. I live on amytriptilene and 8 paracetomol most days. Please let us know how you get on as might see if I can try it get so fed up of relying on painkillers and taking the ami.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Janet,

That is exactly why I am giving it a go. I have seen so many doctors about the headaches and pain/pressure since my clipping & only one suggested it was nerve damage. But guess what? He left the hospital before embarking on a course of treatment! Now my new doctors are convinced the pain is all migraine related but I never had migraines before the SAH & nobody in my family suffers from them.

But am so tired from the pain & so fed up of taking painkillers & feeling half alive on a good day that I am willing to try just about anything! Will PM you with the results in a few weeks.

Take care, Leonie x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Leonie

Jusr read you're thread wow do hope this helps like Janet i get sick on painkillers for my head pains etc...pity they couldnt do the left side but if it takes away some of the pain i'm sure it will help..take care and good luck.

Love luck and laughter

Michelle c xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

I have read this thread, I hope it is not too old, but I would love to know how you went on? I also have had test after test medication after medication, all following surgical error duing a slipped disc operation and loss of severe amounts of CSF fluid. I never had headaches before and they have now decided that I am not still losing fluid and having low pressure headaches, something which I still despute, however they have said I have chronic migraines. From the moment I wake up progressivly getting worst til I go to bed.

After three years, I have been offered this injection and I so so hope it is going to work. I cannot carry on with the medications, they are making me ill with the side effects so Im really interested to know how long it may last, and how many people have had success with it.

Thanks

sarah

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Sarah,

I can't help you with this, but I am sure Leo, who I believe had the injection, won't mind you sending her a pm to ask her any questions - I know she comes on here still, but may not see this thread straight away, especially if it gets pushed to the back. She would see a personal message straight away I think. I hope it does all work out for you as the headaches sound awful.

Good luck,

Sarah

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Sarah,

I am having a bad head day today (can't think) & will try & answer your question tomorrow if my headaches abate. Have had two so far will do my best to pass on what I know/experienced.

Leonie

PS. Feel free to nudge me if I forget to reply by mid-week!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks so much for answering. Im pretty concerned that it may all be for nothing as so many other things that have been done to me have been. Im a huge coward medically after all the errors that have happened. I mean if it works for a few weeks 4 or so, then is it really worth it? Mind you if you have had more than one, then presumably you think it is. Anyway, I so hope you head feels better tomorrow. I really understand how it is to live with such dehabilitating pain on a daily basis.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks so much for answering. Im pretty concerned that it may all be for nothing as so many other things that have been done to me have been. Im a huge coward medically after all the errors that have happened. I mean if it works for a few weeks 4 or so, then is it really worth it? Mind you if you have had more than one, then presumably you think it is. Anyway, I so hope you head feels better tomorrow. I really understand how it is to live with such dehabilitating pain on a daily basis.

Dear Sarah,

Thanks for being so patient.

The first injection I would say was a success but I say that with certain qualifications. It could not be given on both sides so whilst the headaches were considerably reduced on one-side of my head, the actual side where I have had the craniotomy (right side) still felt like someone was constantly pushing against it and occasionally I did suffer from headaches on that side. But they mostly were relieved by paracetamol for about 4-6 weeks.

The next injection didn't work so well. I didn't really feel any relief at all. Apparently this can happen: it works once, twice, then doesn't or is less successful.

On both occasions, my neck (the bit nearest my head - I can't recall the technical term for that bit) felt like I had been kicked in it for about 4 days after. Was really sore. But I was warned about it as the doctors have to poke around pretty fiercely to find the exact place in the nerve to inject - thus heightening sensitivity for a few days after despite the local anesthetic that is used beforehand. The actual GON itself does not hurt, though you may hear it if it is near your ears (weird but not painful).

I hope this helps with your decision. And that my ability to give too much detail has not scared you off. The thing to remember is that although the local may sting, the GON doesn't hurt and the whole thing is over within a minute or so. I obviously cannot recommend whether you should have it or not, that is for you and your doctors to discuss but essentially it helped half my head once but didn't the next time at all. I, too, have headaches everyday and it is hard, very hard sometimes trying to cope with the pressures of day-to-day living/survival and the constant background pain that sometimes builds up to the point where you have to just STOP.

Keep it touch!

Leonie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...