After almost 4 years of constant pain and many doctors I had a rib resection and scalene removal by the 2 incision approach at the beginning of September 2012. Surgeon I used has an average of 6-7 thoracic patient per year who have to have surgery. Aside from the initial pain involved with recovery I was feeling much better until about the 3rd week which is also the time that I weaned off all meds I had been on including pain meds from my surgeon. Ever since that point I have been on a major downhill. I have constant pain in the front left armpit area and also the shoulder blade area. I am starting to experience bits of numbness again and every time I use the arm whether involving weight or not the pain intensifies.
If the pain wasn't enough I have become severly depressed due to lack of energy (currently on adderall 20mg x 2 day) and focus. I feel as though I have a huge gray cloud infront of my head and can not concentrate. I started back work on Nov 3rd and have been on a reduced schedule at work of 30 hrs. But anything more than a 4 hour period of sitting and the pain gets intolerable and wears me out. Also in addition to this I have been having issues with sleep insomnia and average about 4-5 hours of sleep per night even with the aid of meltonin. I have tried supplements and have been watching my diet thinking that it could be related to a deficiency in something.
Had a followup scan with my vascular surgeon and he says that he doesn't see any obstruction. Saw him this past Wednesday about the issues that I described above and he told me that I am healing well and that it is not related to what he did and that I should see my primary about those issues.
I feel hopeless right now. Trying to work is killing me both physically and emotionally. I am not the person that I used to be. Even while I was in pain before the surgery I had decent amounts of energy and was a happy person. I don't feel like that anymore. Does anyone have any advice. I am seeing my primary tomorrow but with the past experiences that I have had with my doctors I am highly doubting that it will help at all. I am the sole income for my family and in the past month back at work the amount that I have made is not even covering the essentials. I never feel well enough to go to work but push on for them. My work does have a long term disability plan that would pay about 1,400 per month which would be tight but do-able. I don't want to feel like this anymore. I want to be the mom and wife that I used to but I'm starting to feel like I'm loosing this battle and the depression and anxiety from everything is over whelming. I don't know what could be causing these issues....I'm googled out may be endocrine? Don't know.

Any advice is appreciated. I am desperate and will try anything at this point.


Amber