[nurseinpain]

I am a 37yr mother of 2 and a full time nurse. I have had two surgeries one for arterial thoracic outlet syndrome decompression and the second to remove scar tissue. I now am having pain in my arm w/ loss of sensation in my neck and I am starting to drop things again. I have to sleep w/ my arm on a pillow. I wanted to know is this forever.

[Jomar]

Hello,
I copied this to a thread on our TOS forum to save you having to type it again.
the link to it-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread86414.html

[tamiloo]

Sorry about the hard times your having...I just wanted to welcome you to NeuroTalk and let you know we are all here...hopefully like family...

[Kitty]

Hi and welcome to NeuroTalk! Sorry to hear about your pain. Hopefully someone on the TOS forum can answer your questions. Just wanted to welcome you to the site!

[azoyizes]

Hello NIP, and welcome to NeuroTalk! This is such a great place, with bunches of friendly and caring people.

Here are two links for the lighter side of NT. Games and Such, and Social Chat. Sometimes it helps to take your mind off your problems, at least for awhile.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum104.html

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum35.html

[(Broken Wings)]

Hi

Good to have you on our forum. I'm sorry for what has brought you here. You're not alone.

Being a nurse and having knowledge and personal experience with TOS doesn't make it any easier. I do understand.

Is it the same TOS symptoms you've experienced in your two prior TOS occurrences that led you to surgery? I have neck issues and I can drop things because of my neck too. I've also struggled with low back and headaches. It hasn't been fun.

If you haven't been on a TOS forum in a while, the lastest thing that I gained was about the pectoralis major and minor syndrome that TOSer seem to have. I understand they just started recognizing and diagnosing this around 2005. I now know I've suffered with that component too. The pecs can be an outpatient procedure. Just something I learned recently from this wonderful community of ours.

Oh... And also to keep my elbows as straight as posible with palms up, when I'm reclining or laying. I've also found major relief, not cured from TOS, it's a bugger, but certainly functional and a lot less pain, from LED and infrared lightz.

I've also used Kinesio Tape for TOS and arms and other symptoms. It helped too.

TOS is still a difficult condition for providers to successfully treat. I've found that I'm my best advocate and know my body's signals by now. TOS has been a constant adjustment in plans, in all facets of my life. I don't think there's a quick fix for it, myself. so yes, even at my best since Oct 2000, TOS is still a part of my life. I must conform, adhere to what I've picked up along the way to manage TOS, so it won't rear its ugly head. I don't like it but I can and do manage it now.

I sure hope you can get it under control, by whatever means you try. Am very willing to share my experiences. There's lots of info here to read. Just ask if you need to know where something is. I'll help in any way I can. Jo*mar is great at pulling up the right threads for eveyone. She's amazing.

I don't know if you're trying to work while you're flared up right now, but I still work and I know it can irritate the dragons. I have reasonable/tolerable limits. Seems to be a double-edged sword for a choice, though. I guess that's why I chose (Broken Wings) cause I can't fly like an eagle anymore.

I pray for all of us to have better health and a stronger body and willpower to overcome the challenges it poses. We need each other and we need the strength of a higher power. We TOSers are on this board together.

[FranksAngel]

welcome to neurotalk ... there are lots of friendly and supportive people here... i see you have been given a good starting point so jump right in and start posting ... should you need help, don't hesitate to ask someone ... we are here to help

[Darlene]

Welcome to NeuroTalk. Great to see you have come to be with us. Just let us know if we can be of any help. We are all here to assist each other as possible.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around.

Darlene

[GmaSue]

Wewlcome to NT! I hope we get better acquainted-I' a nurse (retired), also.
I know how hard it is to work a full shift knowing you are probably in more pain than any of the patients you are caring for.