Yuku free message boards

As most of you know, I spend a week with dr. Sluijter in Switzerland last year to get my back denerved (PRF -pulsed radiofrequency). Read more about that here, including what PRF is:
pub104.ezboard.com/fsunshine35446frm10.showMessage?topicID=212.topic

(There is several different RF techniques. The two best known differencies are the one using heat (RF) and the other using pulse only and not heat. The one not using heat is called Pulsed Radio Frequency (PRF). All the techniques have in common that the nerve is exposed to the electric field for two minutes. The treatment creates a low level electrical stimulation in tissues, almost like in a microwave...

In conventional RF the tip of the needle is heated and this is supposed to damage the nerve so that it does not conduct "pain impulses" any longer. In pulsed RF the nerve is just exposed to the electric field, the needle tip is not heated like in the conventional method. They know that this exposure induces gene changes in the spinal cord, thus altering cell behaviour. The exact mechanism is still under investigation. It is regarded as a harmless, non-destructive method.)

We only have 1-2 private clinics in Norway practising denerving. The clinics are in Oslo and the doctors are trained by dr. Sluijter. Dr. Bremnes at the clinic I am using, has been my doctor since 1997, but he never did the denerving on me, only prednison blocades. We were afraid I would get worse instead of better. Dr. Bremnes is mostly practising heat RF, and dr. Sluijter stopped using heat 3 years ago. In his opinion nobody should use the heat anymore, only puls.

The clinic in Oslo has long waiting lists and the doctor is so busy training doctors at Norwegian hospitals, he only works on Fridays. You have to plan when to go long time in advance. (I hate that).

Dr. Bremnes still uses mostly heat denerving and that is also what he is teaching the Norwegian hospitals. (sigh). I had a letter from dr. Sluijter however, telling him NOT to use the heat on me! He admires dr. Sluijter a lot and would never consider not following his advice. I had made a memo to him suggesting what to do. I knew I had to pick part of my back, since I only had one appointment. Also I knew that denerving the whole back like I did in Switzerland, made me very sick last year for a long time. I got so many reactions and encreased pain for the first 6 weeks. It is too early to tell if I will get any reactions like that this time, but I hope not. The full effect of the treatment can't be expected until 4-6 weeks later.

In my memo to dr. Bremnes I suggested for him to denerve T7, T8, T9, T10-T11 bilateral (upper back), meaning I got 10 facet joints nerves denerved. Dr. Sluijter did nerveroots on me, but dr. Bremnes X-ray equipement is not good enough to do that. Doing facet joints usually means less effect. On my suggestion he also gave me some prednison shots on L5 facet joints. He told me my disc there was not good, but I don't know how to translate that to English.

I had to lie on my belly for 2 hours getting all the injections. That is my worst position. My tailbone and iliio sacral joint have been in cramps since Sunday. It is a continual horrible pain and makes it really hard to consentrate on anything. I did get those cramps in Switzerland too, but dr. Sluijter then treated that part before I left. Something I can't do this time. My chiropractor will probably take care of it though, when I can go to him next time.

I am very exhausted and will need some time to recover. I am looking at this as an experiment. The Norwgian doctor has never done what he did to me before on any patient, and does not believe in it (he prefer heat RF). Also RF in general is not considered to have much effect on the upper back. So nobody is giving me much hope. I just felt I wanted to give this one more shot anyway. I do believe the PRF treatment has a lot to offer for low back pain though. People with low back pain should not need to have much pain if the PRF would be accepted and practised a little more. But of course it is diffecult to get the acceptance since the treatment has never promised a lasting effect and is very expencive. If any effect at all we are talking about a pain reduction around 60 % for 3-9 months. And then of course no effect for the areas you didn't treat. So even if the treatment is a success, most people will still be in pain.

Good news for Blue/Unni in Norway: Dr. Bremnes is teaching the doctors at your hospital how to do the facet blockades in Mars. He will teach the RF after summer. Also he is teaching the doctors at the hospital Arild is using. I just wish he would stop using/teaching the heat and would be a little more advanced than just treating facet joints.

Thanks for all you guys good wishes and emails! And first of all thanks for all your contribution to our board! You know how much that means to me. :kiss Right now I need to take care of myself. From last year I know how important that is. My own sadness/reactions and other people's (around me) ignorance and lack of support is also something I have to fight and deal with. Just like all of you. That is part of our lives. A special thank you to Linda for being there for me. Your love and care is very special. What did I do before I met you? You are the most positive person I have ever met.
Mosken