Quote:
Originally Posted by 343v343
I am having a difficult time emotionally resigning myself that there is no "cure" for TOS and that I am stuck with this (best case managing symptoms, worst case - in horrible life long pain). It would seem surgery is no real solution, where at best, it may offer a couple of years of relief (if any at all.) *Or in fact, make me worse off with complications.
My question is how many of you rely on narcotics to live with TOS? Is it possible to avoid them, or is the pain just too great? I have read here:
http://surgery.wustl.edu/TOS_Patients_Neurogenic.aspx
Yet some seem to take pain pills every day? Could you avoid them if you 'had' to? I can't help but feel like my future is just sitting on a couch waiting to die. It seems most people who struggle with this have no quality of life and are unable to really do anything other than minimal activity.
Am I really never going to do physical activities ever again? Argh, this can't be happening to me.   |
I COMPLETELY understand your struggle with the coming to terms with the fact that op or no op TOS is here possibly for life!
It has almost broke me at times, especially after the op when I realised that even though one issue may be sorted, namely the A/VTOS compression I'm still stuck with muscle pain/spasms and the connected probs associated with them etc.
That is why I've started CBT ( Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ), its not going to cure anything but hopefully it will enable me to come to terms and learn to adjust with TOS. I miss my past activities so much its trumatising but I have to try to move on from these negative feelings and work with what I can do. It doesn't get less painful but I'm almost having to reteach myself to live again..... differently. Its so frustrating whenyou look able bodied but can no longer function in the same way because of continual aches.
I'm using every bit of my willpower to keep clean. I can't allow myself to go down an even more destructive road such as narcotics...... as tempting as it looks at times.
In one way it gives me a sense of empowerment that I haven't succomed to them!
Not giving into them keeps me stronger and a sense of pride that I am at least clean despite my frustration with TOS.
At times of weakness I just look at my son. Thats enough to stop me turning to vices.
Yes its a hard daily battle but as long as I'm clean I'm winning!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep STRONG.
