Shoulda Had Surgery
 

Friday was when I should have had surgery.

Instead, I was at work with a big storm that cut the power out, made my boss yell at me, and after doing just a small task, has my arms burning the day after. Storm took down many trees and my windows at home were open a crack and my floor is all wet.

A sign from the universe I should have had surgery?

So hard to pull the trigger! If there were not so many horror stories, I would have.

I'll check in with my PT again. She doesn't know any more than I do. And even though I am going with Dr. D, he is up in the air too. He'll do it. And he is OK with not doing it.

Ugh.

Hi Mark,

My experience with Dr. D was that he only does surgery if he truly BELIEVES it will help. He doesn't promise results as no surgeon should because each person's situation is unique. I think that if your saying he is also "up in the air" about it, you should feel okay with your decision and not rush into surgery. We all have real bad flare-ups from time to time, and as you improve you should get flare-ups less often. Bad weather is a huge cause of pain increase for me too. Try to stay positive and keep on trucking with the therapy and also most importantly, watching your limitations and making sure you take many breaks at work. Hopefully with more time and restrictions, you will improve. If not, you will always still have the option to turn to surgery.

i know, but i DO NOTHING. i mean, take breaks, hell, i hardly do anything at work. i hardly move my arms at all. i never bend them ever. at night, i sleep with them straight.

bad weather makes you worse? how so? didn't think it was the weather.

A TOS expert like Dr. D is not likely to make someone worse. I also believe that the longer people wait and the worse they get, the less chance for an excellent recovery.

Surgery might not make TOS go away completely, but it can make one's TOS much easier to live with.

Yes rain and cold weather significantly increases my pain. I don't know how or why but it happens to a lot of people with chronic pain. I wish I could sleep with my arms straight I keep moving I can never find a comfortable position therefore I barely get any sleep. Talk to Dr. D again, this is only a decision you can make at the end of day. But if your pain is not constant and you usually get numb but less pain, surgery may not be the right path to go unless Dr. D really believes it will help you, like I said before if he is up in the air that says a lot. What are your symptoms right now??

Strong / rapid barometer/weather changes often make me have a pain increase too.

I don't know how much you are limiting movement , but sometimes we need it to keep the blood flowing, moving the bad toxins /blood out and bringing in the new fresh blood w/ oxygen and fluids..

Sharon Butler has a lean over and let arms dangle and slowly let arms swing circle from the shoulder

or stand up and do a twisting of body so that arms are gently swing around loosely from the shoulders

I did these often when still working at break times in the restroom.

parbie,
here is the problem.

if surgery should only be an option if you are in a lot of pain, I CAN GET THERE FOR YA EASY. All I would have to do is take one lap around the pool. Or, I could talk on a phone for 5 minutes. How bout I lay on my stomach or my side for 1 minute.

I am very smart to avoid and very limited in what I do.

I am young. I want the *chance* to see if I can do more in life. I want the chance.

Right now, my pinkies go numb and I get pain/pressure in my forearms/elbow. I am able to keep it to this because I do so little.

I do not know the answer but I think I should give surgery a shot. I have done a year of PT weekly and she has loosened me up greatly. But, that does not translate to any decrease in symptoms. If it does, it is like the difference between being able to hold a phone for 10 seconds instead of just 5 seconds. I mean, that is so small.

Also wanted to add that Dr. D says "You are a good candidate for surgery. Your symptoms should improve based on the narrowing on the CT scan."

He does not promise anything and likes to keep expectations low. I love that about him. He says most get 85% better. 100% is uncommon.

If Dr. D thinks you are a good candidate and you are at a point where you don't feel like you will get any better or be able to expand your limitations a little, then maybe surgery is the way to go. I am just trying to think in your shoes. I have constant pain and me typing this is already increasing all of my pain. I am still flared up from going to a store with my mother in the rain on Saturday. But please remember that the limitations you have now, you will still need to have a lot of them after surgery and also be very conscientious in the activities you do for the rest of your life to avoid recurrence of your symptoms. I know going into surgery my success rate is lower than most because of how severe my case is and because I had the surgery once and have nerve injuries as a result of it. But I am still hopeful for ANY improvement because just like you, I am so young and so limited in what I can do, and it really is the worst thing to be living with this. At the end of the day, the decision will be ultimately up to you, it is a very invasive surgery with a long recovery time. And it definitely is not a "cure". That is the sheer reality of it. Also, just a tip, use headphones when you talk on the phone, it helps tremendously and you can make a habit of it for life.

it sucks parbie.