Overwhelming Frustration
 

I have to admit that I feel TOS is getting the best of me. After several days of a flare up of TOS, I am absolutely frustrated and in tears at the thought that this journey is just beginning. This forum is the only thing keeping me sane knowing that somebody out there is experiencing the same thing as me, even though I would never wish this on anyone.

I do have some questions:

Any advice on how to calm down the neck spasms and migraines?
Also am having the shooting pains down the elbow and into palm of hand. This has made my work (bank teller) nearly impossible. I find the thought of going to work everyday excruciating and wish I could stay home. But this is obviously not an option right now. My husband keeps telling me to keep my head up every day and that hopefully with seeing the doctor on Nov 27th I will get some help to relieve this pain. But I have no idea how I am going to make it to then, and honestly deep down I know that this is not an easy fix.

Any advice or words of wisdom would be great, and thank you to all of you for just being a source of support.

Heat always helped me with the neck spasms. Hot showers and thermacare patches were most effective.

After a while muscle relaxers stopped helping with my neck spasms. Anxialitics (Valium/Diazapam or Ativan/Lorazepam) seem to be the only thing that worked. Ask your doctor.

TellerMomof3,
Migraines at work are tough to deal with. If you wear glasses, a tinted pair may cut down on the light. Try to move as slowly as your job allows, especially when changing positions from sitting to standing, (that always makes mine pound).

At home, there are cold compress bags that don't freeze, just get very cold, that will mold to the contours of your face. I'd have to look and see what company sells them. Something that has been helpful for me is a Chillow. Its a rectangular soft plastic device about the size of a pillow filled with some sort of foam rubber. When water is added to it via a hole at one side (you plug it after filling), it stays cool for a long time without ever having to put it in the fridge. If you lay down and put it over your eyes, it draws the heat out of your head that seems to always increase with a migraine. Google "the drugstore". They are having a sale on them at the moment.

If migraines continue to be a problem that don't respond well to drugs, a peripheral nerve stimulator is an option. Its more invasive and requires outpatient placement. A thin battery is placed under the skin, usually on the upper chest, with leads that run up the neck under the skin and over the area where your migraines hit. A hand held remote allows you to adjust/turn on or off, electrical impulses that effect the nerves in the area and calm the pain. Its not for everyone, and being a surgery, not a first line treatment, but an option to know about.

If you don't have a good chronic pain Dr. or clinic already, you might want to look into one. I hope you have some good days in there somewhere.

Sam

I had to quit my job and go on worker's comp. I sat at a computer all day and appraised real estate (a lot of excel spread sheets). I retrained into a job that seldom uses the computer and I'm on my feet a lot. It's also a pretty easy gig and I can work as much or as little as I like (independant contractor).
I'm sorry you're in pain and dreading going to work --- I was there. I was able to see a neurologist that wrote me a Dr's note putting me off work for a couple months. That helped me figure out what I was going to do. Some people go on leave for several months and get surgery during that time.

If you ca get a PT and/or Chiro to get your ribs to come down, that might help. :hug:

Hey Tellermomof3; sorry to hear how much you're suffering right now.:(

Another drug to look at is Lyrica, or one of the other gabapentin family meds. It may help both the shooting pain in the arm and the migraine. Are you on an Rx migraine drug, like Immitrex?

Also, have you considered acupuncture?

We're here for you! Even (or maybe especially?) when you can't hold your head up. With TOS, sometimes just getting through the day is a victory.
:hug:

Neck spasms - a neck support - rolled towels or maybe a memory foam neck support & will help keep neck warm too

neck massage from hubby/family/friend
If they hit super sensitive spots or knots those would be trigger points- press with steady pressure til it releases and then massage the area
drink lots of fluids to flush the bad stuff out

I typically try a new warm bath, but was worried that the warmth might cause swelling to get worse. I have not tried the thermacare patches, may have to go get some. And I am hoping that at my next Dr.'s appt I get some muscle relaxers, that would surely be helpful.

Thanks for all the help
 

Thanks to everyone for the advice. This morning is a little better, just hoping that things don't flare up again this afternoon. I have never been a person that likes to take meds, but definately think I am going to have to find some options that I can take while working for migraines and the neck spasms.

Again, thanks for all the support.