[hurting]

Hello

This is my first post so please bare with me. I am a 56 year old male and have been told by 6 Dr's that I have CRPS TypeII.

On March 5th. 2007 I had surgery to my right hand. They did joint replacement on the base of my thumb and at the same time took care of the tendinitis in the lower part of my right forearm.

4 days after surgery I was doing PT 4 times a week for 6 weeks which just tore me up. I told the PT's that the top of my hand was burning and extremely sensitive to touch. She told me that that was normal due to all the nerves in the hand and would go away in several weeks that the Dr. gave my hand and wrist a good work over.

The first follow up visit with the Dr. I asked him about the burning pain on the top of my hand and around the wrist, and lower forearm but was told the same answer. I asked why the pain was not where the insertion took place at the base of my thumb but never did get a answer to this question from the doctor after asking many times over many visits for a year and a half. My very last doctor visit did not go very well after insisting on a answer to the burning pain on the top of my. I was told " that I must have slept on my hand wrong and that this was my fault". I could not believe what he just said to me as his answer after all this time waiting for logical informed answer and quietly left to never set foot back in his office again.

Any how I found a doctor that did many tests for several months and was left with only one final last attempt exploratory surgery. He made it very clear that he would do the surgery thinking that I had a nicked radial nerve and would try to repair it with a tube. Anything after the surgery other then follow ups I would need to fine another doctor. I agreed. Surgery took place on 1-2-2009 The doctor opened up my wrist / lower forearm were I told him that the pain was always a 10+ and to his surprise he found my radial nerve completely severed.

I had several follow up visits with this doctor which was great compared to my first doctor. My new doctor told me that I was need to wait at least 18 months to see if the nerve grew back the 11 inch. I now waited only to fine that I cannot be around any A/C coolers, cold water, cold air, ect. After waiting 10 long very painful months I went looking for the very best hand specialist in my area.

I found this lady doctor that is by far the best doctor around. See is the most caring upfront will take all the time I need for my answers to be fully answered by her were I understand what she is talking about. With her I am a person not a number you get her full undivided attention and if it takes 45 minutes for that office visit she makes sure all questions are taken care of not giving the its 5 minutes times up see you next time. She is a god sin.

After going through many more test to see why I am in more pain then before she set up surgery on 12-17-2009 She removed the joint from the very first surgery in 2007, had to do carpal tunnel, and found that the radial nerve did not take so she trimmed the nerve end and placed a 4 in. tube. After all this my hand and arm felt great while recovering. Its been close to 7 months now the only problem is the nerve will not regrow back into the hand and fingers. The pain is 10+ through out my whole right arm and upper back. My new doctor has done everything possible through no fault of hers and is first rate with me. She has sent me to another great PM doctor. He is doing what he can to help me cope right now.

I am sorry I have gone on and on and will end this post. I do have several questions that I need answers like SCS. Again sorry for the long winded post.


Thanks to all

Dennis

[Friend2U]

So glad you found your way to NT. But sorry for all the pain you are experiencing. Here is the forum for CRPS: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum21.html
I hope it is of some help! I don't have experience in that area. But hopefully some on this forum will be able to answer some of your questions.
Take care!

[Darlene]

Hello and welcome to NeuroTalk. Happy to see you have come to be with us. Just let us know if we can be of any help.

There are great number of fellow members here to assist as possible. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around.

Darlene

[dahlek]

As do all folks here. We all are hurting in some way or ways and all of us work to try and understand the what all's of what's happened to what we 'feel' now.
If it were me in your situation? I'd first go to the surgeon's and the neuro's offices and get a complete set of the records they have on you... It mite cost you some bucks? [ten-twenty cents a page?] But then you have copies of all the key tests that they did before and more importantly AFTER your surgery.
Then I'd quietly go out and see a doc from another practice and get a second opinion! This new doc [IF you like him/her] should likely run new tests for comparison.
Key to this? Don't trash the doc you might leave? Just say: 'We don't seem to be communicating well in regards to the follow-up and constant pain now.'
IF your surgery was done at a hospital? Go and get those records as well [there will be dozens of pages for any surgery? But wade thru them and there mite be a 'hint' of something not rite.] IF the second opinion concurs with your concerns? Get thee to a liability/medical injury lawyer ASAP!
These first docs could be ignoring you because there was a possible goof during the surgery or because they're plain old jerks!
First off tho? With the info you get, you should get proper and current testing as to 'what IS' for now, and then, what can be done for now and the future. THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT!!!!For you!
Also, keep in mind that nerves can die very fast! But, if a nerve can and does regenerate? They only grow about 1/4 of an inch a month. Nerves are also like a plant's roots- many very fine varied and at times interconnecting tendrils, but in US? They often can't be seen by the human eye. When they DO regrow? They send out electrical signals - short, fast pulses of 'Who's out there?' That can take your breathe away! [Sort of like touching a live wire] Good thing about them usually? They don't often last more than about 5 minutes.
I'd check out these two forums...ljust click on to the blue-read the 'sticky's at the top of each forum, they're chock full of info about nerves.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum32.html
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum20.html
Happy reading? And truly, good luck! !'s - j

[hurting]

I want to thank everyone for there repay. Also I want to thank dahlek for the info links great reading. I will keep in touch and informed as to what is going on with my Dr.s.

The past 4 days have been brutal only 8 or so hours of sleep since Monday and the pain has been a 10+ with taking all my meds. I have noticed that my left hand and wrist is burning quit a bit and now I can't even hold anything in this hand. My pain is changing so fast and the lost of use in the left hand now came on so fast as well. Is this common for these changes to just come out of nowhere and stay in the hand and wrist that did not have any surgery. I now understand why I have all the problems with my right hand, wrist, arm, and upper right back side more then 3 years after having surgery that went bad in 07.

I needed surgery to my right thumb base due to the arthritis that eat my joint away leaving bone on bone over 7 years ago. Now my new hand Dr. said she does not want to touch my right hand because of the crps II in my left side which could make matters worst on my right side.

Each day gets harder.

[Rrae]

And Welcome!
I see you've already got alot of wonderful feedback, so I hope you are finding your way around the forum ok!

I saw at the end of your post, you mentioned wanting to know more about SCS (Spinal Cord Stimulators)....
There is also a forum specific to that discussion and alot of wonderful feedback there to sift through.
Here is the link to get you there:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/fo...ysprune=&f=118

The SCS/Pain Pump forum is listed in the main menu as a sub-forum in the "Medications" section.
Hope this helps.
Good luck
Rae