Well thats all done......
 

I got out of the hospital this afternoon. My doctor's have been wonderful. I am being taken care of very well. The pain management has been excellent. I can tell you that the pain in my arms from the TOS is gone. I have a lot of post surgical pain, but no TOS pain.

I have to keep this real short. I don't have voice recognition software, so I am typing.

Anyway, I am doing well, and hope to keep getting better and better. Thanks for all of your good wishes.
Tracy

Welcome Home
 

Hi Trix. :D :D :D

Wow, that was fast. I'm so glad you are doing so well and the surgery
was such a success. Congratulations!

Your doctor must be excellent. I can't wait to hear more details.
I wish you a rapid recovery with no complications. Take care.

Happy Healing :)
Hope

Thank Goodness
 

Glad to hear things went well Trix....hope you continue to improve..take things easy.
Rach

YEAY TRIX!!!

Pain may be gone for now, don't be surprised or depressed if some of it creeps back. This will all work itself thru over time. Be obedient to your PT and rest as much as possible.

So glad you could post - even a little. Seriously, get a kid to type for you ;)

(((((gentle hugs))))))
Anne

Congrats Trix
 

Its a long road with rehab and eventually I can tell you the pain will go away...It took mine 2yrs but I had some other complications after surgery mainly a major car accident..lol...so stay out of the car for at least a few months...dont overdo because you feel good you can build scar tissue you definately dont want....take care of yourself...Amy

silly lady - trix are for kids -- I know that doesn't make any sense - just goofing.

anyway it's awesome to hear from you but ... be a good recooperative {is that a word??} patient now...

Don't take any risks with activities too soon. OK??

Take care
Jo

Trix,

That's wonderful news! Now comes the part that is up to you - being VERY patient and allowing your body time to heal. Nerves can take a long time to regenerate, but scar tissue can form quickly and more you do, more scar tissue may form.

For me, about 3-4 weeks out the post-op pain was mostly better and I felt more myself again, then shortly after the nerves that had been trapped for so long came roaring back to life. It is painful until normal nerve activity is re-established, but this is normal, and WILL pass, we have referred to it here as the nerves "throwing a party" to celebrate their freedom.

Stretches and gentle ROM seem to be the most effective early post-op PT, then re-training the weak muscles to help with proper posture. I would question how knowledgeable any therapist is if they want to start you on any weight-bearing exercises until all nerve pain is absent. Victoria has the excellent Denver PT post-op therapy on the MS TOS-Pages, you can print this out and share it with your PT if desired.

Best wishes and many (((hugs)))), beth :)

Hi Trix Congrats
 

Hope your recovery goes well Trix.. I 'm happy for you...

Oh yes forgot about those nerves
 

Beth you reminded me about those nerves coming back to life...Its too bad all our old posts are gone from BT...Trix at 2-4wks thoses nerves will come back to life sometimes sooner just talk to your surgeon or neuro, pain management doc or whomever is following you...Something like Neurontin and Valium can help you very much until those nervies settle down...good luck and keep us posted...Amy

TRIX that is such wonderful NEWS to hear... please do not try and do the 4 min mile though hope your therapists can help with any obstacle that may stand in your way !!!!!
Our best unto you,MARK-N-GOOBER:D

I'm worried about information that may not help others here. This was stated in a post in this thread.

>>>>> Nerves can take a long time to regenerate, but scar tissue can form quickly and more you do, more scar tissue may form.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

This was taken out of an article on sholder surgery with the link below it. >>>However, after surgery scar tissue will tend to recur and limit movement unless motion is started immediately.>>>>

There's so much out there I thought I would just link one because others can look up sites for themselves.

http://www.orthop.washington.edu/uw/...s/Default.aspx

First, scar tissue forms outside the body. The more you may do the bigger the scar may become and the thicker it may turn out.

It is ADHESIONS that form INSIDE the body post surgery. Most in healthcare say "scar tissue" because the general public can relate to it. But it really is adhesions. If you do a Google search for adhesions most if not all say early movement in any type of shoulder surgery will help PREVENT formation of adhesions. Also, I know the docs in Denver say move post op TOS surgery or you will have more issues. So do the PT people out there. When I had my surgery both Brantigan & Annest said start to move your arm. The nurses had instructions on the floor until we could get to PT with Paula.

So, for the sake of understanding medical terminology and making sure people here have correct information was the reason for this reply. It's hard when so many have different experiences because no one is the same, but when you gleam information (especially medical) off of Internet sites do your homework and look all the information up so you can make an informed decision on which direction you'll go.

And always, check with, and ask questions of your doctor about any medical concern you have.

To clarify for anyone who misunderstood,

By all means follow Dr's orders! I was doing the ROM exercises the day after surgery per the PT's used by Dr Annest. Started PT on day after discharge, and was told to do my nerve glides, stretches and scaoular exercises daily.
Aside from that, Dr's order's were to dress, feed and care for "personal" needs and nothing else for 4-6 weeks. No housework, cooking, laundry, driving, nothing that was counterproductive to wound-healing.

Gentle movements, nerve glides and posture exercises DO keep the arm moving, as well as daily activities caring for oneself, I never said not to move the arm at all. In addition, I said no more or less than others here - "take things easy"; "rest as much as possible"; "don't overdo"; "don't take any risks"; so I feel as though I'm being unfairly pointed out. I've been through two brachial plexus surgeries with Dr Annest and had PT both times with the same PT group mentioned and I don't believe my information is really wrong, unless you want to split hairs.

Adhesions is technically correct but scar matter is used widely. Here's a link to an article I found very helpful, mentions the different types of scar tissue that can form and where they are usually found.

http://www.drcook.com/adca15.html


Trix - all my best (if that's ok to say) :rolleyes:

beth :)

no confusion here
 

Gee Beth, I didn't take your post that way at all... re-read this thread twice to be sure!

I also had my surgeries with Dr Annest and was given PT the day after surgery and 1-2x daily while in the hospital. Upon discharge, I was given protocol for me and my PT guy at home to follow. The simplest of movements: nerve glides, wall crawls, doorway pec stretches and GOOD POSTURE!!

Let me tell you, the first 2 weeks of PT were difficult - but it was better to release any adhesions and endure that pain than it would have been to not move and lose ROM or mobility. ie: a little hurt early is better than a big hurt later.

Hope you're resting comfortably Trix!
Anne

I do think each and evryone here are different in the way they feel and also the way they heal... it all comes down to the individual ! If I had the ability, I would say a prayer that may cure all, but this is unrealistic, so, I just pray each day comes along with a little more stress and a lot more healing :)

Mark-n-Goober

Beth, if you "feel" unfairly pointed out that is your perception, not my intentions as I would have posted to anyone's thread if they said the same thing.

You may have never said not to move the arm at all, (which I didn't say you did) but you did say the more you do the more scar tissue will form. Which is not correct in any medical books. All docs tell patients post op any surgery, orthopedic/arm or leg or whatever type where it may form to start PT right away to avoid this happening.

Even in the information you gave out in that link states this " Scar tissue that forms after surgery, usually does so in the first couple of weeks. Adhesions rarely form months or years after surgery." This is why it is so important to move and not just sit.

I have seen here in this forum where many have told others that post op, you need someone to "take care of them" wash hair, shower, bath, dress, get easy shirts to open, make meals open doors. Many were told to get a brace or sling for post op, when walking and for many other reasons. Wheelchairs in airports, helpers, ect. All of this equals not much movement if any in one's arms. Any type of any little movement helps just like PT does.

No one said go out and pitch a ball game. But you do have to move no matter how little, which I agree with you.

You also said in your last post, " I don't believe my information is really wrong, unless you want to split hairs." All your information was not wrong. But the one statement about "the more you move the more scar tissue will form" was not correct. No one would intentionally give out wrong advice here, but when it is pointed out to anyone, they should at least correct themselves and not worry about justifying what they said as "splitting hairs" when peoples health is involved.

My reason for pointing this information out is STRICKLY from a medical point. I guess that's the difference between actually working in health care VS not.

Sorry you took it the way you did, but I can't change your perceptions of what you think others are saying.

I think in general we were all saying to be cautious of "risky" activities and of overdoing activities.

Maybe a new thread could be started to discuss scar tissue vs adhesions so trix's well wishes thread doesn't get hijacked??

Yes, that's a good way of putting it. A new thread would be a good idea.