Quote:
Originally Posted by sandy1955
I have a few questions for noname....Exactly how many years have you had TOS? Also if you have had any surgeries for TOS or RSIs?.
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3.5 years. Diagnosed over year ago.
No surgeries.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sandy1955
I am somewhat offended and have become defensive myself by some of your comments regarding how TOS patients don't try PT and elect to pop pain meds rather than work to not fix-but improve their symptoms. There are exceptions to every generalization and assumption..
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Read any of my posts where I did NOT accuse any ONE person or group. You are assuming that I am accusing ALL TOSers. I am not and have not. Within any group of illnesses there will be some patients that are too quick to resort to medication and/or surgery. It's just a fact. You don't have to accept it. And it's not an accusation that YOU fall within that group. It's my opinion that the fact is true and I have heard this from many of the professionals who are helping me, doctors, massage therapist, chiropractors etc. They SEE it...again, I'm not saying all their patients are this way...I'm saying they believe a percentage of their patient population is this way. I agree. For instance my chirpractor complains that he has many patients who will do exercises etc., that he gives them that he KNOWS for a fact would help them...they do it for a little while and then stop...come back..."it doesn't work" he can tell they haven't done the exercises or enough...they come in "fix me." Give me a pill...I can't take the pain. He then tells them they have a choice do the exercises or go to a physician who can prescribe pain meds. I saw my PT today. She said that it is unfortunate but yes, some just will not listen. They "claim" they want relief and she believes that if they would follow her instructions they'd get it. But they don't. Then they leave come back a year later are worse off and still trying to expect miracles. Not all. Read...NOT ALL. Some. If you are assuming my TOS is just not as bad as yours...that's a judgment. I'm not offended...but I've worked very hard to correct my abnormalities. I'm making progress. The professionals in my repetoire see that. Yes, it may be that I'm lucky and this stuff can correct it. I recognize that too. Again, I said NOT ALL. I did say that some have no choice but to resort to pain meds and surgery and I have NO NEGATIVE JUDGMENT ABOUT THOSE TOSERS. I just want to post that people need to check their brains to insure that they are NOT being...okay I will say it...lazy. Sue me. The exercises require WORK. They are hard. They are frustrating. Some cause pain. Sometimes it is hard to tell is this good pain or bad pain. It is a lot of trial and error. It also requires a HUGE amount of patience. At least the above applied to me. Often I wanted to give up and conclude it is NOT working. When I have a flare up and it is bad I'm back to thinking this is NOT working I must have some irreparable damage. No, I'm being lazy (that's my judgment on myself). I have to pick myself up and get to the exercises and posture and treatment modalities that I KNOW have worked and will continue to work FOR ME.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sandy1955
I went through a year of PT before finally agreeing to surgery. I have bilateral neurogenic and vascular arterial TOS. The first rib was removed in April of 06 , left side, and the pain level has decreased considerably and by the way-my surgery was OUTPATIENT, not to mention the prior surgeries for bilateral CTS, radial nerve release, tennis elbow release, and bilateral cubital tunnel releases, followed by a cast from my armpit to my fingertip-straight out-not bent- for 2 weeks following surgery. So of course you can believe that I'm pretty familiar with pain and the management thereof. I can now function without a lot of pain meds but I also can't do anything! Some of the best TOS surgeons in the country will tell you that you are NOT cured of TOS by removing the rib. Symptoms are vastly improved. That is of course, as I'm sure you know, subjective to each and every individual and their course of treatment whether it be surgery, PT, and meds as needed or all of the above.
TOS takes your life as you know it away and one is forced to transition accordingly.
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And I assume you fell in the group of patients/tosers that did everything you could to avoid surgery and couldn't. I didn't have a negative judgment on that. It's sad that you had to resort to that but if it was necessary you need to do that.