Hi Everyone.

I'm wondering if others have the same issues that I do.

I'm increasingly been unable to control my hands. Picking up small things - like a bobby pin, typing is affected, shaking and the feeling of being unstable/uncontrollable. This is really starting to become a concern.

I've been having problems remembering things. For instance, we had a family gathering this weekend. My husband and I talked about what we were going to bring to contribute. I went to the store to get those things. I came home with something totally different. I honestly forgot what I was to get. Another example, I needed to run by the bank - 2 minutes before I said that I needed to do this - 5 minutes later I'm on my way home... I don't remember what I was going to do.

Also, I've noticed my eyes are affected - I have a haze over my eyes - one eye will be blurry, but the other isn't, 1 side of 1 eye is blurry. I wear contact and specifically asked my dr if it was my contacts. She said, no they look fine - it must be your vision.

I've also noticed more often that I'm studdering. I repeat 2 letters either at the beginning or mostly at the end of a sentence.

Do I have the medication to blame? My concern is that it's not the medication.

Do others have these issues?

The hand issues could be the TOS. I drop everything. I dropped something on my sister's foot while she was here. It takes me several times to pick small items up when I drop them on the floor.

My memory is extremely bad. I can't remember what I am going after from one room to another. I make a grocery list and forget to take it with me.
I get home and think about the things I was suppose to do when I was out.
I honestly don't know what it is from for me. I chalked it up to my depression.

My eyesight is really blurry also. I can't see far off nor close up at times. My sister did our driving after the first day here because I pulled out in front of a car I didn't see. A friend of mine says it is from Fibromyalgia. I am going to get my eyes checked soon to see what the Dr. says. She said they told her they couldn't do anything about her glasses because her eyesight wasn't due to them but the Fibro.

I think also it could be from the meds. I'm not on as many as some so I don't think that's it for me.

I don't know wheather to chalk it all up to RSD or other things that we are dealing with.

Ada

Memory is often an issue. I had trouble with it even before I got on medication but it seems everything that helps the RSD hurts memory.

Dealing,
those sound so much like my RSI/TOS sx that I had in the beginning.

I thought I was getting Alzheimer's, ADD and my eyes got noticeably worse as far as reading vision was concerned.
And I couldn't turn/use my wrist/hands in certain positions or pick up small items at all for a time - i would get very sharp cramps {zingers} in the back of my hands.

Members TOS sx listed-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=5618

Ya know, Dealingwithtos... when I had an MRI on my brain in Feb. of this year, the Doc. found Atrophy there. He said it is very small, but a person my age should NOT have this!! It is usually assoiated with folks in a much latter age group.. 80's 90's!! He said I am far to young to have this!! I forget some things, I do think mine is caused from my meds. I do studder somtimes. I do cross words, quizzes, etc. to excersise the brain. It is very good for your brain to keep it going and active. Now, as far as the atrophy go's.. I need to make an app. with a Neurologist! Love, Desi

Thank you for responding.

Sometimes it's hard to know if the pains, etc are from RSD or from TOS. I forget that I have TOS because of the problems with RSD. Plus the RSD is visible, the TOS isn't. I'm not sure if that makes sense or not.

I am thankful that I'm able to function as a somewhat normal adult. But, to be honest, it's really getting hard. I mean really hard. I tried to vacuum last night. Not with my bad arm, but with the other. I just can't do anything anymore. I feel horrible that my husband has to do everything. He came down and "yelled" at me - well not really "yelled" but told me I shouldn't be doing that. I just feel so bad. He's getting the last bedroom done in our basement for our son and - on top of that - needs to do the laundry and other things.

Do others go through this? I feel like a slug for not helping. But at the same time just getting to work every day is hard - and increasingly painful. He doesn't ask for me to help.

I went grocery shopping this weekend. I came home in tears. Horrible pain. I am just trying to do too much...

Hi Dealingwithtos,
Yes I Feel The Same Way, And Sometimes I Hear The 'i Hate Doing This' In My Husband's Voice And It Makes It Worse. We Have To Let Go Of So Much Because Of The Disabling Aspects Of This Problem. And What We Do Manage To Do We Need To Do In Increments.
I Would Think The Studdering And Mamory Are Related To The Meds Although I Do Not Know What You Are On. Do You Research Your Meds? You Should. Doctors Don't Always Know All The Side Effects Of Things.
I Try Very Hard To Stay Positive. I Go To Therapy. I Take Vitamins And I Have Lost Weight, And Eat Healthy. I Do What I Can, And I Rest When I Need To. It Is Hard To Do All This Because People Sometimes 'expect' More Than We Can Give, And We Can Also 'expect' More That We Are Capable Of.
Don't Be So Hard On Yourself. You Did Not Ask For This. It Is Just A Fact, You Have It.
Please Do Something You Like Today ... I Try To Do That Every Day, Just One Thing That I Like That Is Just For Me, Sew, Garden, Crochet, Read, Play With The Cats, See The Grandchildren ... Things I Love. Or Just Come On Here And Chat.
There Is No Cure, And People Get Frustrated, But We Can Help Just Be Being Present Here And Showing Each Other How We Cope.
Joan

I also know how you feel. As you know I lost Bill almost 9 months ago and he waited on me pretty much. He was disabled also but he really stepped in and did everything for me.

I had Susan as a caregiver so she helped with the dishes, vaccuming and making beds and so on but Bill did all of my shopping and went to pick up my meds. Now I am trying to do it. Susan does some of it but I have to do some myself. I try never to lift bags with my right hand but sometimes it can't be helped.

What I see of you is that you have a great husband that is willing to step in and do all he can for you. That's love girl, be ok with it.

I know it's hard at times though. I too felt guilty a lot because I couldn't do anything for myself. I'm that way with my caregivers. I find myself at times trying to help them make the beds or put away laundry. I'm ok until I lift my arms over my head. I've already had 4 surgeries on the right arm so I am trying very hard not to mess up anything more.

I'll be 56 this month and I still have trouble dealing with the fact that I can't work again. It's very hard on us to accept where we are at this time in our lives.

Like Joan, I keep busy with my grandson's, I want to start sewing soon and making some jewelry. I try to keep busy with things I enjoy.

I am in councelling, I try hard to watch my weight and am trying even harder to enjoy what I have in my life that is good.

Don't let this get to you. You are doing all you can and you have to learn to be ok with it.

Like Joan, I too spend a lot of time on here. Since losing Bill it's been even harder to keep going but I'm working at it.

Hope you feel better soon and enjoy doing just what you can do.

Ada

Joan and Ada,

Thank you so much for your reply. I agree with everything that you say. And, yes, my husband loves me very much - and me with him. I'm 36 and he's 41. So, I'm young to have this - although I think of Alison alot. Alison is another person on this board - her mom writes recently - Alison is 12. So, I need to count my blessings and be thankful that I'm able to work.

I have not been going to counseling. I don't go to physical therapy. To be honest, we don't have the money. I spend alot on medications. My husband's daughter just got her license. The cost of the car and insurance is horrible. So, compound that and the fact that we have a large mortgage and 2 new cars, we are strapped to say the least. It's almost like "Ramen anyone? Chef Boyardee Anyone?" That's what we can afford. Ok - well not quite that bad, but close.

I wish I had "time" to focus on myself. I really don't. I come home from work by 5:00 or so and then there are sports on the week nights. My son is in karate - Oh, I forgot that expense...

Ok - I need to just stop.

Thank you so much for your replies. I really need it right now.

Beth.

During the worst times when I was still working I was only able to make it to work and home - then I would collapse in the recliner with ice on my arms. {extreme RSI- before I knew about TOS}

I had the kids start doing their own laundry for themselves {ages 12 and up} and they still do. T shirts, jeans and socks and underwear so all pretty basic laundry wise.

they did the sweeping /vacuuming - since then we got rid of the carpeting and have laminate floors now.

At that time we ate a lot of take out/frozen or sandwiches - I missed cooking the most and eating my home cooking

If some of your sx are from TOS there are things you can do at home to help hold some of it at bay.

video link of Foam Therapy Roll = use & techniques-
the final part is what the adv PT suggested for me to do opens chest/pecs and drops shoulders
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pQkgyYeV30

other therapy videos- explore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAjIH...elated&search=

Sharon Butlers book {in libraries} or online download programs- RSI & TOS {under 30.00}
Her main starting point is to just lie flat on the floor and learn to breathe from the diaphragm and relax totally - lets the chest open and shoulders drop back and down after a day of use and work postures.

If you can do those things a couple times a day you may see some relief from any TOS aspects.

Also If your work postures require arms up or forward often do opposite postures during the day to gently stretch- same can be done for sitting & back postures - opposites to stretch those out too.

Sometimes you have to make time- it's for your health.