Epidural Injection safe while on testosterone cycle?

**chopsui** · 08-25-2015, 03:19 PM

Is it safe to get a facet block epidural injection while on testosterone ? I want to be safe since the injection contains a corticosteroid.

I'm finishing up my testosterone cycle of 500 test-cyp (still on but starting PCT soon.) and I scheduled an epidural injection (facet block) to help with some disc pain.

I searched google for interactions but couldn''t find any relevant information. I vaguely remember reading that epidurals are different than oral corticosteroids like prednisone due to their route of administration... I can't find any supporting information at the moment though, so I will play it safe until I get a definite answer.

Should I wait until PCT is completely over? Or just until the testosterone is out of my system? (18 days cyp)

If anyone has info on this I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

**ab037** · 08-27-2015, 08:20 PM

Your body makes testosterone naturally, so having a bit more I wouldnt think would be an issue. Just my "opinion" and not based on anything other than that.
Is this your first epidural for disc pain? Always read that those shots dont last very long. Seems most say they need 3-4 a year.
I never went that route, opted for hardcore PT (18 yrs) until it went totally out. Then 2 level microdiscectomy, now its game on and business as usual with no back pains.

**Bonaparte** · 08-28-2015, 10:45 AM

There's no reason why you shouldn't mix anabolic steroids and corticosteroids.

**chopsui** · 08-28-2015, 02:41 PM

Hmm, so it seems the concensus (mostly from Bonaparte) is that it's safe... I thought it was just wanted to make sure.

Also I've been injured for a few years been doing PT and it doesn't really give me the minimum quality of life I need. for so if this doesnt work, surgery it is.

Testosterone has been a huge help.

**itsjayman02** · 08-30-2015, 06:28 AM

Originally Posted by chopsui

Hmm, so it seems the concensus (mostly from Bonaparte) is that it's safe... I thought it was just wanted to make sure.

Also I've been injured for a few years been doing PT and it doesn't really give me the minimum quality of life I need. for so if this doesnt work, surgery it is.

Testosterone has been a huge help.

ive had a lumbar discetomy then a year later two epidural injections for pain relief whilst i was on cycle with no issues

**Bonaparte** · 08-30-2015, 07:55 PM

If they were contraindicated together, we'd have a lot of dead/sick pro athletes

**lovbyts** · 08-31-2015, 02:51 AM

I agree with everyone else. Ive had several myself but will not again. Ive never had any or at least not much relief from them and have had several that HURT quite bad. Personaly I will stick to Ice or Prednisone. I find these work a lot better in most all cases but especially the ice has to be done correctly. 20-30 minutes on, 20-30 minutes off and repeat several time in a row and several times a day for a couple of days or more.

I'm actually doing it myself right now due to a pinched sciatic nerve and caught it soon enough that I felt relieve the same day and have stopped it but I know from experience if I dont continue the ice for a couple of days it will come back. The prednisone I still use ice with it the same method if ice alone wont work.

Ive had 2 back surgeries L3/L4 herniated in 1985 and surgery in 2005. L5/S1 ruptured 2007, surgery 2 weeks later. Ice is your best friend. NOT heat. Heat will cause more inflammation and swelling making it worse.

**MuscleScience** · 08-31-2015, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by lovbyts

I agree with everyone else. Ive had several myself but will not again. Ive never had any or at least not much relief from them and have had several that HURT quite bad. Personaly I will stick to Ice or Prednisone. I find these work a lot better in most all cases but especially the ice has to be done correctly. 20-30 minutes on, 20-30 minutes off and repeat several time in a row and several times a day for a couple of days or more. I'm actually doing it myself right now due to a pinched sciatic nerve and caught it soon enough that I felt relieve the same day and have stopped it but I know from experience if I dont continue the ice for a couple of days it will come back. The prednisone I still use ice with it the same method if ice alone wont work. Ive had 2 back surgeries L3/L4 herniated in 1985 and surgery in 2005. L5/S1 ruptured 2007, surgery 2 weeks later. Ice is your best friend. NOT heat. Heat will cause more inflammation and swelling making it worse.

I second that! you have no room to swell in the spine. If you do, the swelling pushes into the bony canals where the nerves live and will make you miserable. P.s. Hey lovrbtys :-)

**lovbyts** · 09-01-2015, 02:12 AM

Originally Posted by MuscleScience

I second that! you have no room to swell in the spine. If you do, the swelling pushes into the bony canals where the nerves live and will make you miserable. P.s. Hey lovrbtys :-)

^^^^ what he said, listen to me.

Whats up?

**chopsui** · 09-10-2015, 02:07 AM

lovbyts, I would like to hear more about your methods for controlling inflammation. I just had the injection and the results were amazing, all the pain and burning was gone. I am almost pain free now, with NSAIDS and a little vicodin. Lifting will aggravate it though. I have to take NSAIDS daily to keep inflammation down. You use prednisone that is powerful, you just use it for a day or two and thats enough?

**chopsui** · 09-10-2015, 02:09 AM

Originally Posted by MuscleScience

I second that! you have no room to swell in the spine. If you do, the swelling pushes into the bony canals where the nerves live and will make you miserable. P.s. Hey lovrbtys :-)

So you're saying not to get injections because if there is swelling it will cause more issues? I've had a few injections that didn't really help but this one helped a LOT. My pain did progress from light to moderate though I think that was just the injury getting more inflamed and not the injections causing the inflammation. I would like to hear more.

**MuscleScience** · 09-10-2015, 02:13 AM

To be perfectly honest with you, epidural injections are being shown to be virtually no better than placebo for any type of back pain. At the two week mark there seems to be no therapeutic value at all. Having said that, some people get great results. You will have to do your own research to see if it's right for you.

**jseek** · 09-14-2015, 10:30 PM

Epidural...they are using a continuous X-ray - fluoroscopy - to guide a needle to the epidural space...kind of an empty space near the dura (pain sensitive tissue nearest the spinal cord / nerves) and then at that point inject fluid with anti-inflammatories short and long acting plus some pain killer
1) it's a tight space - so injecting MOrE fluid in there is the reason why some people feel worse initially
2) piss somewhere outdoors on a windy day and tell everyone exactly where it's gonna go....kind of exactly what's happening with the injection...aim at the problem and hope the right stuff goes to the right area where the painful inflammation is....and that's also why they "do ESIs in a series of three". Hopefully one of them gets the right spot
3) some disks tear and cause a physical block to movement , sometimes the nerve/disc/area has an inflammation component and the ESIs are effective...as for the physical block to movement...not as effective and maybe surgery to remove the mechanical block is the way to go. But you don't know which is which till you try. And the ESIs normally recover faster so even if ineffective, it's not a big downtime as surgery. And sometimes (ESIs) the wrong treatment helps for whatever reason we can't explain. Take the relief and run!!!

Hope that kinda helps.