Hi There, Like many people i turned to the internet to read about my new diagnosis. I had just been told i had Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. My symptoms were textbook case and started on 4th February 2009. It took months and numerous hospital and doctor referals before i was finally diagnosed with the condition.

I had numerous x rays, MRI Scans, CT Scans (some with dye injected),echo grams, ultrasounds..... the list was endless. I felt like every available test i had. On top of this were of course blood and urine tests galore!!!!

I was then told mid October 2009 that i needed a major surgery procedure. Terrified is putting it lightly. I was otherwise healthy (asthma but well controlled now with no medication) and had never had surgery except for two C Sections for my children. The surgery would consist of removing my first rib and part of the muscle about the right breast (sorry, can't remember its proper name). I was scared stiff and turned to the internet. This site was wonderful for me. To read peoples experiences of the op made me feel slightly more at ease. Knowing what to expect for me works. It's not for everyone but i had to know ALL i could. I even watched a video on You Tube of the operation being done!!

As it was this surgeon backed out just weeks before my op saying he didnt feel qualified enough to do it. I was then referred to the surgeon who infact did my surgery and was wonderful, Mr Paul Wilson at Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Lancaster, England. I had the surgery on 12th March 2010, 13 months after the pain first started. I had a surgeon from Blackpool, England come over to watch and learn from the surgery as it is very rare and finding a surgeon who knows how to do the procedure was hard. There was quite a crowd in theatre watching all that went on.

I wanted to write my thanks to the people on this site for helping me, allowing me to read their stories was much needed. I now wanted to do the same, post my experience in the hope i too can help someone by sharing my experience.

I am now nearly 5 weeks post op.

Starting with the surgery. I had 3/4 of my first rib removed on the right side, this was my affected side. I also had half of the muscle taken away as explained earlier. I also ended up having to have my nerve cut that runs across my right side of chest and down my right arm. This was to keep permanent nerve damage to a minimum. The nerve had been badly compressed and stretched during my early months pre surgery. Once they opened me up they found things to be a lot worse than they thought and the surgeon said i would of been in a lot of pain just from them trying to get into the area. This explained why i felt like i had been hit by a ten ton truck. Surgery took 2hrs (double the expected. My husband had been told around 1 hr). I was in recovery for 4 hours. I walked into theatre at 8.45am and only got to the ward 3.30pm. I had a PCA with morphine in up for 5 days. After it got took down i went on to oral morphine as well as other meds, paracetamol etc. My hospital stay again was longer than i had been told. I originally was due to be between 1 and 4 days. Due to the extreme procedure done this infact went to 9 days in hospital. I came home on Paracetamol, Codeine Phosphate,Diclofenac Sodium,Amitriptyline. Other meds for constipation and bowels.

Driving home from hospital was a nightmare, every bump in the road was agony. Walking to the toilet and back to the settee was enough for the first week and into the second week. By the third week i had a little walk round the road i live on. Standing up is more painful, try to support your arm the best you can. You do tire very easily. Just take it easy and remember to listen to your body. I very stupidly tried to cut down my pills and got very upset, crying that i couldn't cope anymore. 3 weeks after this surgery is far to early to bthinking of cutting back on medications, i learnt that the hard way.

My husband had a month of work to look after me and the children. This week he has gone back to work and im doing ok. I walk around the house no problems now, car journeys are still a little painful but a lot better. I have made meals on the last 2 nights with some help but this tires me out. I do manage washing but not pegging out or ironing. Light housework, ie; dusting wiping down i can do no problem. It's little doses then nothing gets too much. I am however no where near ready for driving myself. I am hoping another couple of weeks.

I forgot to say from day one i showered myself, more down to my determination... very difficult and certainly not a shower to the degree you would normally have but you do and can get by doing that yourself. My surgery was done via under the arm. My scar is around 10cm long (not that i have measured it, it's a guess!!)

I hope i havn't gone on too much and this does help. If i have missed anything you want to know when reading this, im sorry. I will check back on here in a few more weeks when there may be more to write. I go back to my surgeon exactly 8 weeks to the day of surgery.

I have had odd days of the same pre op pain and discolouration but my surgeon did say this may happen so i am not worrying about that yet!!