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Old 01-14-2008, 10:26 PM
tshadow tshadow is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,002
15 yr Member
tshadow tshadow is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,002
15 yr Member
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Yes, Missa, I have found out that age doesn't matter with TOS. There are two TOSers who got it when they were teenagers, and then there are quite a few who got it in their 20's.

There are several keys to your situation that I would like to know (or not necessarily know for me, but for you to consider.) Figuring out if we have TOS is so hard - I mean, for 1 1/2 years my doctor didn't say a word about TOS, and then, it was 13 or more docs later until finally I flew myself to Denver and saw two of the docs there who said, yes, TOS! So for me, it was not an easy decision.

Just because you do not have color changes, have normal EMGs, etc., does nto mean you don't necessarily have TOS. It's like you take all of these tests, and I think the scalene test is a really important tool - and then just by the entire case the docs (and yourself) figure out what you have. And there's not a rule that you couldn't have both cervical rad. and TOS, you know? Or, like I have, I should have a shoulder surgery and carpal tunnel release, but I haven't yet as the RSD is just too active, so I'm scared to do more surgeries. I did get some relief from the TOS surgery, so I am thankful I did it.

As far as the fibromyalgia, I think that people generally have that in their entire body - so it would be the tender points on the whole body, plus a whole body general pain. I DID develop fibromyalgia I think in my second year of TOS, and then after my TOS surgery, it got really bad for some reason. I will try to dig up my post where I try to describe the difference between TOS, RSD and fibro, as for me.

I am sure this whole thing is pretty scary. I remember when I first started searching the Net myself, to try to figure out why I was getting more and more pain, and less able to do my job and use the computer or write or get dressed, that when I saw TOS for the first time, and started reading about it, I really just cried and broke down at the computer reading. But, once you start getting involved in your PT, and working towards improving just every day, even in small ways, you start to feel you are getting some control back over your life, and for the most part, that severe panic and sadness I felt is often not with me.

And like we've all written here before, although this is truly a place where you can vent, and cry, and be angry, and we will always support one another, we also talk about the truth that there are people with worse situations, and look at stuff like the horrific killings in Africa, and starving. Not to be silly about it, but we have to rmind eachother that it could be worse! and to be strong, and we will pray for eachother.

So God bless you on your healing path, and I know that a lot of comfort is when you finally can put a NAME or names (diagnoses) on what is going on with your body, and then you can get on to your business of how you're going to conquer it.

We're here, and we care.


Just a P.S., I think an impingement on the thoracic outlet, or inlet, is in fact, TOS. The question is do you have vascular TOS, or neurogenic TOS, or a combo? The reason you want so many of the tests I list is that if someone has vascular TOS, then that means there is a clear and identifiable blockage on the veins, and it is very dangerous, as obviously there are a lot of emergency situations that can result from that - so in those cases, they usually go in on an emergency NOW basis to do the TOS surgeries. But TOS is called a lot of different names, like brachial plexus compression, etc. If you can Yahoo or google TOS, there are now (and this is relatively new) some good articles about TOS. I'll try to find some links below.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/t...c/thoracic.htm

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DS/00800.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/t...tsyndrome.html
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