back again
The effect of my second injections, initially completely successful, wore off in my left hand several months ago. Since when, I have prevaricated ... the condition is not debilitating and does not appear (though it's very difficult for me to assess objectively) to be worsening - but it is becoming a source of increasing unhappiness: the knowledge that a range of ordinary activities such as cycling, gardening and simple DIY are likely to cost me a disturbed night and nagging pain the following day, is a distraction and a disincentive. I am not enthusiastic at the prospect of surgery, especially since my left hand, with incipient D...'s contracture and a very old mis-aligned fracture mend, is already quite a mess. Might it be worthwhile to try another injection or would this only postpone the inevitable?
You could try another injection - it would only be the third in that hand and, so far as we can tell, there is no overall tendency for them to become less effective with repetition - the effect seems to be random each time you inject. If we are going to re-inject we will probably test you again as well - largely just to see if your impression that it is not greatly different corresponds with a lack of change in the neurophysiology. I think the patient's perception of change is usually fairly accurate but I'm still collecting more data to support or refute that view. JB