Originally Posted by winic1

I sleep on a recliner section of our couch in the living room, packed in with as many as 7 pillows to support the bad arm & shoulder, back, knees, try to keep me on my side all night....it's ridiculous. Wedge on a bed was no longer enough. Some nights, the "just not quite breathing enough" thing kicks in anyway, and it becomes a battle of finding the right angle and propping to overcome the overly slow shallow breathing, but still be reclined enough to be able to sleep. The accident that started this whole mess also, for some unknown reason, left me with a really dry mouth, so sleeping on my back is not an option, I wake up so dry I can't move my tongue or throat to swallow, and then they continue to feel raw all day from being so dried out while sleeping.

I haven't slept flat or nearly flat in over 3 years. Which is certainly not helping the back injuries I had, I never get the pressure off my back because I sleep more sitting than laying.

Bless your heart....gosh these new doctors these days sure do give people the run around alot. It has happened to me too.

I learned finally that I have to go to TOS specialist for anything because if I go anywhere else I get the run around....I finally learned that I do not have normal anatomy and other doctors just see me as an alien.

Maybe you can go see a new TOS specialist who has new eyes on the problem......sorry you are having problems.

I did know some TOS patients did need oxygen to be able to sleep at night.....as the nerve healed. I just can't believe that your surgeon did not help you deal with a complication. I am a nurse and it is the surgeons JOB to help you if you have any complications! Gosh that just makes me so mad as these surgeons make tons of money off sick people....the least they could do is help someone who has a complication.




I would just really like whatever the problem is proven, so I'm not just a nut who needs to go take a walk, or a valium. ("If you worry about things like your breathing and heartrate, they will have problems." Well, I don't worry about them except when they give me problems, and it's not even worrying about them, it's dealing with and counteracting them when they happen, rather matter-of-factly after all this time, AND if they weren't giving me problems, I wouldn't even NOTICE them in the first place, you (insert obscentity here!!!!))