6 CT Guided Nerve Blocks

[Bathsheba]

I had my 1st CT guided pudendal nerve block by Dr. Richard at UofMD about 2 weeks ago. I had 12 hours of full relief from symptoms, but then much more pain. The increased pain has levelled off and now, 2 weeks later, I see no improvement. Now wondering why I should do more if they don't cure PN. I have no ins. and the nerve blocks cost $600 a piece.

Dr. Marvel virtually promised me the CT guided nerve blocks would fully cure me. I can't find anyone on this board who was cured by these steroid injections.

I am thinking of going straight to Hollis Potter or another MD who can visualize the Alcocks canal. Marvel put me on big doses of noritryptiline which are doing nothing but making me fat. What do you think? I have no knowledgeable neurologist to help me with these decisions. The one I had was clueless, expensive and unavailable.

[flyer28]

I think that 2 weeks is too little time to evaluate the effect of the block.
I would wait some more time with the decision whether it worked or not.

[Violet M]

Bathsheba, seems like the nerve block may have helped confirm your diagnosis but I doubt anyone on this forum is surprised that you were not cured because we rarely hear of people getting permanent improvement from nerve blocks. Usually they only help for a few weeks, if that.

I don't exactly understand why Dr. Marvel would make such a promise. There must be some patients who are having good results, otherwise why would the docs keep doing these? There are people who get worse too though -- and I don't think patients are being properly warned of the risks.

I'm not sure what to say in answer to your question about what to do next.Unfortunately, many of the treatments we try are sort of like throwing the dice because there's no way to predict what the outcome will be with 100% certainty. If surgery is something you might eventually be considering if all else fails, then you may have to finish out a series of 3 nerve blocks to satisfy the surgeon but you will probably have to get at least one of the blocks from that surgeon's team.

I think your plan to have the Hollis MRI makes a sense. It might give you valuable info and it won't make you worse.

[davemon1953]

Mr Marvel is a little bit arrogant and the most expensive Doc I have ever seen.

[Bathsheba]

Re Dr. Marvel: He IS hideously expensive. Even the office staff joked when I was there that he charges $600 per visit whether he does anything or not (their words, not mine). He saw me for probably 15 minutes. I have no health insurance, and had to pay full freight. No discounts from this guy.

His side kick Dr. Richard is just as bad. I was given the wrong quote for the total cost of the CT guided nerve block. I got a bill for Dr. Richard's services 2 months after they were performed. It was over $900, including about $260 for anesthetic that he neither administered nor supervised.

I have had 2 of these CT guided nerve injections and had relief for between 18 hours and 48 hours. I would not recommend Dr. Marvel. I wish he had been honest and not given me false hope.... not to mention the PT that didn't work and the nortrityline which only made me doped up and fat[er].

The PT said that she has heard good things of Dr. Marvel in the pelvic floor damage field but that's it.

[davemon1953]

Just had my second nerve block done at Hopkins in Baltimore. The first one did not do too much but all other avenues have been tried. As for Dr. Marvel I am sure is getting very rich from desperate folks with PN. I too went there and got the $750 bill. he said I do not have entrapment (not sure how he knows that) and that time will heal me. One year and counting.....

[Bill W]

I flew down and saw Dr.Marvel. He wanted me to have 5 nerve blocks staggered 1 per month. I've done 3, performed by Dr.Richard. The first probably gave me 8 hrs of relief. The second gave 0 relief. The one done last week gave about 2-3 hrs of relief.

I believe that will be it for me. I've got some concerns over Dr. Marvels commitment to his patience. He charges a ton to say hello.

[Bathsheba]

It seems the Marvel and Richard have a system going where Marvel charges hundreds of dollars for 15 minutes of time and then refers you to his buddy at UofMD, Dr. Richard, who earns $1,000 a piece for each CT Guided shot, which couldn't take more than 15 minutes a piece. $1,000 times 6..... (Most patients prob. have insurance or are on medicare/medicaid).

The worst thing is that he totally assured me this would work. False promises without any qualification ....not good. Very depressing as I didn't need a CT guided block to confirm PNE as I got it from trauma (medical malpractice in unnecessary hydrodistention of bladder which was also somehow botched). I presented a texbook case of the disorder after the hydrodistention, including the feeling of a foreign object in my anus. The full agony came on slowly for me.....

[Violet M]

Bathsheba, were you warned of any possible risks?