[NJ Gene]

Katjonmadi, look at my signature, 40 epidural steroid injections from 2005 to 2007. I generally got about one week's relief from any given injection. I went to a pain management specialist who I now consider illegitimate. He ran a surgi-center which was like an assembly-line. Wednesdays were his "procedure" day. Hundreds of people were lined up in the surgi-center for injections. He only accepted insurance that had out-of-network benefits. Anesthesiologists were there to put you under for 5 minutes while the injection was administered. You then had nurses who attended to you in "recovery" while you woke up. He billed $5,000.00 to $10,000.00 to my insurance for each injection and got most of it!! I had so many injections that I developed osteopenia. That is unheard of in a 41 year old male. BTW, once my insurance changed to one that didn't provide out-of-network benefits, he dropped me like a hot potato.

IMO, epidural steroid injections will only delay the inevitable. If you want to try it once or twice to buy time, that's ok. Don't worry, most pain management specialists aren't like the one I had. Just know that the maximum number you should receive in a 12-month period is 3.

Good luck!!

Gene