johanna,

yes, this is one of the most badly wasted areas of my rt hand - and besides the suicidal pain, one of the main reasons I was aggressive about getting dx, testing, treatment and on to surgery in just over a year. The rapid wasting and loss of function, especially given I am (was?) right-handed, was VERY frightening!

I'm short, 5 ft 2, and petite, with a small frame. Yet I've always had very good upper arm strength, from summers spent detasseling corn (NASTY farm work involving pulling tops off millions of mature cornstalks), my first car, a '72 Mustang II that had no power ANYTHING, and working as a roadie for friends bands (for beer) and as a waitress (to pay the bills). After marrying at 24, I carried loads of books across campus while finishing my degree, moved house every year or two, then lugged babies, diaper bags and strollers everywhere, so I didn't lose much of muscle strength, although I'm sure I lost some.

Yet before I went to Denver for the rib resection my grip strength was 17 on the left (good?) side, and 12 on the right! And the right side was my dominant side! I imagine pain may have affected the outcome some, but I know I have always given my best effort in these tests.

When I saw Dr Togut a year ago, his testing showed my left side is now WORSE than my right side. I do know I've had some recovery of certain muscles since the rib resection and pec minor tenotomy. But there is NO difference in this wasting between the thumb and first finger, and the pinkie still strays away from the rest of the fingers. The palm and fingers curl, so my hand doesn't lie flat unless I force it, which brings on pain at the elbow and plexus. I suspect scar tissue is responsible for this, or part of it.

The left hand is wasting in the same pattern, although slowly, and the pinkie is affected the same way. I have the same pains in the same areas of the arm, shoulder, chest, neck and back as I did on the right.

But with the SCS, and doing almost nothing, the pain is manageable. The surgery will make the RSD flare again, unless we can block it better somehow. (And there are some possibilities). So do I wait until my pain is unbearable, yet let the hand waste more and have less function, or try to save as much function and muscle as possible by getting rid of the compression ASAP? I really would appreciate any kind thoughts!!

beth