Reached plateau in recovery?
 

Hi guys,

Hope everyone is doing well. Long time no see, I've been busy with recovery and also started work 2 weeks ago.

The PT and chiro combo work very well for me, I just feel like I reached a plateau. The pain is not unbearable like it used to be but I still ache a lot and I had some nerve pain since tapering off Pamelor per dr's orders.

What do you guys think? My dr wanted to see where we are standing without meds so I am seeing him next week.

Can you see yourself staying at your current pain level? Does it feel sustainable? Can you have a relatively full life at your current level?

If so, you're doing well in my estimation. I'm not sure what your question is, or if you even have one.

With TOS, I've rarely, if ever, heard of someone who can return to his/her previous life with no restrictions. There are usually some limitations. If you can live with them and feel somewhat satisfied, then you're in great shape.

Take care,
Kelly

Hi Kelly,

I guess I could live like that if it didn't get worse again. Stress makes it way worse. I guess I am trying to decide if I need surgery or not.
So some days it is very liveable but as soon as I get upset or stressed, the nerve pain comes back. Like today for example.

Well, I had surgery nine years ago and it made me worse, so my advice is affected by that. If I were you, and I wasn't sure about surgery, I would hold off. Instead, I would focus of things you can do to help with stress -- meditation, yoga, diaphragmatic breathing, other exercise if you can tolerate it.

I was unsure about surgery and I let myself get swept up in it because nothing else had worked. But surgery didn't work, either. It's a major surgery. If you can manage without it, I would try.

Good luck,
Kelly

Work has been stressful but I also had two major events that sent me into a crazy flare. One of my friends committed suicide last week and my father-in-law died yesterday.