It's been exactly three weeks since I had surgery. After surgery I used the pain pump for the first 24 hours and then stopped taking any narcotics at all because I was totally pain free. In fact, when I left the hospital I felt so good that I really overdid it the first few days. I wound up pretty achy and decided meds really did help!

So, I found my experience to be much easier than what I'd heard reading here. I know everyone is different, but I was very anxious about pain and pain management prior to surgery. As I recover, I get occasional aches, but it's positively exhilarating to wake up and fall asleep, and go through the day without the nagging, debilitating pain in my neck, traps, and shoulder (oh, and arm and hands, too). I can't tell you how fortunate I feel. I read on a post here that someone said that they didn't want to be one of those people who acted like they loved their surgeon. I guess "love" is a strong word, but I can tell you that I feel amazingly lucky to have found my surgeon. He calls regularly to check up on me. I had some ulnar nerve paralysis that has resolved, but his office and team responded immediately. I think if you're going to let someone cut you open and operate around nerves, that it behooves you to feel very good and confident about that persons skill level. Not quite "love", but I feel very good about having Dr. Donahue on my side.
I have spent over 30 years with this pain (from a congenitally malformed first rib), and I feel like I have another shot at life.

I still nap a lot and things are getting pretty boring (I've been a "clean house" tyrant, as it's one of the few things I can kind of control with my family). There are occasional twinges of pain, especially now that things are blooming in the northeast and my allergies have me sneezing. Sneezing and laughing remind me that I've just had major surgery! I'm going to try and make a big dinner over the weekend, so we'll see how that goes--I may wind up putting my head down and falling asleep at the dinner table!

Anyway, I wish everyone out there the same outcome that I've had--mostly, that you get to find a solution to your TOS problems and get to experience being pain free. Gentle hugs to all!

Thats good news to hear that you feel on top of the world, but if I pass on a word of caution with your level of activity. After having surgery once, and five months later needing further surgery to clear scar tissue and a rib resection, I am starting to think it was because I was too active while recuperating.

Yes, you feel great, not much pain, more discomfort than anything else, but that is because nerves have been played around with and moved out of the way. Things are a bit numb and through this, the pain receptors do not work and you do not know your limitations.

Please look after yourself Limoges, do not lift anything heavier than a milk bottle and do not over use your arms in preparing food or fetching things from cupboards or washing up. My theory is that contributes to scar tissue growth. You cannot feel pain so you feel that you are able to perform.

Three weeks out of hospital (I was in for five days) I was trimming my hedge, (holding the trimmer above my head) and cleaning up afterwards. I couldn't feel any discomfort and felt great, and looking forward to returning to work.

Looking back, I over did it, because I couldn't feel any limitations. Please be careful, it is not a good feeling having to go through things twice.

Thanks for your concern, Blurto, I appreciate it! I certainly won't do anything hurtful, and haven't pushed it since my initial period post-surgery of feeling great.

Was your initial surgery a rib-resection? I couldn't tell from a post on another thread if you just had a scalenectomy and/or tumor excision. Like I said, I don't think there's much you can do to suppress scar tissue from forming, short of using barrier film, which has its limitations. I intend to have full use of my arm after a year or so of recovery, which is why I opted for surgery in the first place, and I suppose there will always be the possibility of needing further surgery. I'd like to avoid that, of course, but I can't suppress scar tissue.

I just read that you did not have a rib resection. Did you have a scalenectomy? Do you know that it was scar tissue that caused your problem, or was it that you needed the rib resection in the first place?

The first surgery was a large Lipoma, and the second will be the rib resection. The scar tissue is causing vascular TOS and then a few extra symptoms that I will take to my surgeon on Tuesday. I'll be able to report on those after the consultation.

The rib resection is to make room in case scar tissue grows again, but the second time around, I will do absolutely nothing. Complete rest. Its a man thing I suppose, to dopey to know whats good for me!!

Blurto - you touch on a wise point in your post. Looking back, I think it was good that I was on such strong medications...it forced me to take it easy and not try to overdo it. Thank you for bringing it to my attention - something to remember for surgery number 2 next month!