Anne,

How did the episode start? If I wear a bra, or sometimes even just sleep on my side, I irritate the brachial nerve that branches off the plexus. It was injured by the vaccine reaction and then irritated or injured again during surgery. It runs down along the rib cage, with a branch between the first two ribs and another branch that runs across the underarm and down to the elbow (don't know where it goes from there).

When it's irritated, the branch between the first two ribs causes chest pains (faux angina). When these start I get pale, clammy, dizzy, can hardly draw a breath, and very nauseous. If I have a bra on, it has to get off, right this minute! If I can get into fresh air, that helps, and I have to consciously use relaxation breathing, deep breaths from down low.

The bad part was when these attacks started happening when I was lying down, trying to sleep - just from the pressure of my arm against the nerve. I'm not sure if there was a link, but it seemed like the nerve flare was linked to anxiety. I practiced using deep breathing and being purposely calm and letting go of things during the day, and the nerves calmed down shortly after.
Which was good, because it's hard enough to get sleep anyway, without panicky attacks of chest pains and breathlessness.

This nerve is also what causes the burning elbow pain and underarm pain, that surgery and other treatment hasn't been able to resolve - that's because it's a permanent nerve injury. I just finally learned this from a visit to Dr T in May. However, the trial SCS DID cover both the pain in the elbow AND underam, and brought an amazing sense of relief! How I pray that the permanent SCS surgery is successful!!

Your description sounds so similar, I wonder if maybe this nerve wasn't damaged in your first surgery? Do you think that's possible?

Think of you often,
beth