Health Organization for Pudendal Education

I am not endorsing the following and not a doctor. For those who have known nerve inflammation you may want to research Embrel Injections to help calm the nerve pain. After Maria's PN surgery she still had pain though greatly reduced. Since her condition is very complex and includes sacrum and leg pain (L5/S1 bones touching on the right side, left sciatic nerve scar tissue, pirifomis remnant scar tissue on the right side), Dr. Filler placed her on 2 months of Embrel injections. After six weeks her PN pain dropped from 5 pain levels to 2 levels. When she stopped the Embrel her PN pain returned to 4-5. Restarted the Embrel the pain dropped again. Two weeks ago Dr. Filler performed injections to the Sciatic Nerve and Piriformis Remnant scar tissue using an off label medication that no one at Kaiser Permanent ever heard of. Her sciatic leg pain dropped for the first time in 12 months 50% after the first two weeks. He said it would take 2-3 weeks for the medication to kick in. A few days ago she had Radio Frequency performed on the L5/S1 joints by Kaiser (who is following Dr. Filler's treatment plan) and we waiting to understand the results but yesterday she had almost zero PN pain lower back pain of 4/5 along with sciatic pain of 5. The best day in over a year.

If you look you up Embrel and its case history you find the medication is now prescribed by the manufacture for nerve inflammation. We continue to struggle with Kaiser in that six of their top neurosurgeons and neurologists are quick to tell us that Maria's condition is complex and they are unable to assists us but at the same time they all enjoy questioning Dr. Filler's treatment plans and use of medications. He appears to be on the cutting edge of what is available to help people. Again I am not endorsing any medication or doctor, just trying to share information for others to research on their own.

Thank you for the information. I'm very glad to hear Maria is doing so much better and I hope the improvements continue!

Best wishes to you and Maria,

Violet M

Can you tell me more about the Embrel injections? Are they done in the area of the nerve entrapment/problem is, or just given as a shot in the arm? And are they still helping with the nerve pain? It would be wonderful if this would help some of us.

Thanks for your reply in advance.

Bamboo

You inject yourself in the thigh. But be aware that each injection costs $1,000-$1,500 (when i looked at it, not sure now).
My insurance categorically refused to cover the cost and the Embrel financial assistance program I contacted gave me the run around (but I still get their glossy magazine!).
Be aware also that there are real risks of fatal infections with that drug especially if you have a weak immune system.

ezer wrote:Be aware also that there are real risks of fatal infections with that drug especially if you have a weak immune system.

Yes, Ezer. Embrel should be taken with extreme caution. I recently saw a commercial advertisement for this drug and while I understand all meds come with potential side effects, the long list of this one was pretty scary. Loss of integrity of the immune system was repeated often.

http://www.enbrel.com/what-is-ENBREL.jspx