hahaha guess you don't do anything just yet, right? i would hope like crazy that richard is right and that all those other guys had it dead wrong, though... wouldn't that be GREAT?!?!?!?

and even if it did turn out, after you've healed up nicely from the pec minor tenotomies that the good doc sanders so expertly performed there in denver for ya, that some residual TOS sx returned...

who is to say those could not be dealt with, with the right kind of bodywork/postural and PT/OT program, together with all the things you will have learned along the way to do for yourself at home, ihtos? because now that your pec minor muscles have been freed up, if dr. sanders is CORRECT and they were part of your main problem to begin with well, it all flows from there.

so even if you do have TOS, it could be very mild and you may not ever need surgery for it if you follow a good bodywork/PT/at home program from here on out... make sense?

but i'd say the fact that you got such an immediate relief reaction from his procedure is a VERY good indicator that he was right on the money, myself! i love the idea that you DON'T have TOS (but i don't want you to leave us, don't get the wrong idea, OK?) and, obviously, the key thing to do now is not to rely on any surgery to "fix" things, but to follow that procedure up assiduously with the best damned program you can find to get and keep your now healing body in wonderful shape.

i know dr. richard sanders likes feldenkrais for his patients, and with their national network, finding one close to you should be fairly easy - still, be sure to interview a few to find a good "match" if that is the way you choose to go (i don't want to assume anything here, ihtos).

my current PT is married to a feldenkrais practitioner. so even through i'm on medicare, which i don't think will pay for bodywork of any kind, i suspect she is sneaking some stuff in there for me - just because it's the right thing to do for my TOS. and i so appreciate that, too, because when i get flared up (like i am right now-) sometimes the only things i can do come from programs like these: diaphragmatic breathing exercises, studied slow neck/shoulder/arm movements, etc. and i cannot tolerate much else.

but no, i sure wish i could say you definitely don't have TOS based on what doc sanders said to ya... probably too early to tell though. here's hoping you don't - i would not wish this nonsense on my worst enemy, ihtos!

time will tell. if you recover fully from the pec minor tenotomies - and find that you have little to no sx on either side - then i believe that will be pretty strong evidence that sanders ID'd the correct syndrome, though...

and it began with a 'P' - not a 'T' - you lucky duck, you!

alison
"Be Brave"