Dear Wildberry,
I hope others in Minnesota can recommend a good TOS doc to you, soon!
Here's another idea: Call TOS docs who are outside of Minnesota, like in Denver, Colorado, and ask them who they know are good TOS docs (if any) in Minnesota! If you don't get any good answers, then:
Consider coming to Denver, Colorado, where there are several very good TOS docs! You could visit several of them, to GET DIAGNOSED.
Then, you could consider whether you want to get helped by them in Denver, or not.
In case you have
something else going on, alone, or in addition to TOS, ask doctors about the following possibilities (at least), and take some actions yourself too:
1) Possible Vitamin B-12 deficiency (Rose is an expert at this, and can advise you more). Get the following blood tests done right away (I learned this from Rose):
a) Vitamin B-12 blood level
b) MMA/Methyl Malonic Acid blood level
c) Hcy/Homocysteine blood level
2) Right after you get the blood drawn for these Vitamin B-12 blood levels tests, go out and buy some "sub-lingual" (under the tongue) Vitamin B-12 (2 good health food store brands I know of, are Jarrow, and KAL (don't get "time release" type), and start taking it right away.
Rose taught us that "Methyl" cobal amin type of Vit. B-12 is better than the older "Cyano" cobal amin type of Vit. B-12. You could start with 1,000 mcg (micro-grams), once a day, or twice a day (under the tongue). Rose can advise you more.
3) Go over to another forum in this website, called "Gluten Sensitivity/Celiac Disease", in case you might have a gluten sensitivity. Cara is the resident expert there, about Gluten Sensitivity (whether Celiac Disease or non-Celiac types).
a) Also read Dr. Fine's "EnteroLab" website, about non-invasive stool sample testing for gluten sensitivity.
Gluten is a protein-like substance found in wheat, rye, barley, triticale (hybrid of wheat & rye), spelt, kamut (both are ancient forums of wheat), bulghur (used in middle eastern parsely salads), etc. BROWN RICE IS GLUTEN-FREE.
b) Try going on a gluten-free, milk protein-free diet for a month. Also avoid soy, corn (even though it's gluten-free), millet (even though it's gluten-free), maybe yeast, and maybe eggs.
c) Keep a detailed food diary, to see which foods agree and which foods don't agree with you (causing worse symptoms), and do this for at least a week.
4) I have some ergonomics tips, that I learned, when I first started to get TOS. Read and try these tips (I learned a lot of them from people at the TOS forum, over at Braintalk.org --many of those people are now here at Neuro.talk.org). To read my ergonomics tips, go to webpage 10 of my website, and scroll down to Appendix D (some ergonomics tips). Here's a link:
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com/page10.html
5) Ask about possible Arnold-Chiari-Malformation (can be born with, or can be acquired), in which the base of the brain (medulla oblongata) partly slips down into ("herniates" into) the top of the spinal cord, causing many awful neurological symptoms! Look at the forum at this website, about this, too.
6) In case of a possible medical emergency that may be happening to you, don't hesitate to call 911 (or get to an ER/emergency room) and see if they can call in a VASCULAR SURGEON who knows about TOS (thoracic outlet syndrome), for a consultation!!
7) WHAT ARE ALL MEDS THAT YOU ARE TAKING? I'M CONCERNED WITH POSSIBLE ADVERSE (BAD) SIDE EFFECTS!
8) ANY MOLD EXPOSURE?
9) ANY CHEMICAL EXPOSURES? (WORK, HOBBY, INDUSTRIAL, ETC.)
10) ANY SURGERIES? ACCIDENTS? INJURIES?
Hang in there, and don't give up! There is hope and help, and people at this forum will be along, to give you more advice!
Carol
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com