[caligirl]

Hi. I am also new to this site and was hoping to get some advice or even support from others who may be in my shoes. I have been having severe upper or thoracic back pain for years. I also have lower back problems (two bulging discs, transitional vertebrae, facet sclerosis, sacralization and Degenerative Disc Disease). However, I recently found out that I have a right cervical rib. I found this by getting copies of all of my medical records and reading through them. None of my primary care physicians ever told me about this even though I have been complaining about my back pain for a long time. By the way I was going to Air Force Base clinics and I didn't even have a doctor for a primary care person I had a nurse......Anyway about a month ago my right arm went completely dead I lost all strength in it. This is when I went to my PCM and she took some neck Xrays to rule out a herniation in my discs. At this time I still didn't know about the extra rib and neither did the PCM. It came back negative but I said I still had the symptoms (of cousre)...This is when I started to read my medical records and found the extra rib report. So when I called to leave a message with pcm they said to make another appointment and I then told them that all of the pain and symptoms are probably from the extra rib that I found myself in my own records. I told this lady that I wanted an MRI and also to see a specialist because this was ruining my life from being in pain. She told me I had to deal with my pain and that the PCM does not have TIME to read my records! Can you imagine!!! This really upset me and now I am finally getting off base to see a real doctor...just waiting for that appointment now. I feel like I am back at square one and I am still in so much pain.

[Jomar]

Hello & Welcome,

I like to post our sticky thread link for new members as it it chock full of goodies
useful sticky-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread84.html

Drs & PT sticky-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread135.html

My gosh... even after you told them about the c rib they blew you off..wow..
I hope you can find a very good dr off base

[caligirl]

Yep they sure did...it is awful...I am so frustrated because I wake up in pain everyday of my life and my job makes my pain even worse. I have to stand all day and stock shelves. I am constantly lifting, bending and stooping and by the end of the day I don't want to do anything else. The PCM,s seemed like they didn't believe me that I am in pain probably because they never read my records. I also have three children that depend on me everyday, but I am always so tired and in pain that I have a hard time enjoying them. I really hope this new Doctor will listen to me and help me out.

[thursday]

My gosh Cali, I really hope you get an attentive doctor that will pull you out of work and get you some threapy and relief!!! Are you in California by any chance? We have lots of members that are, so if you need recommendations, chances are we might be able to help I understand your frustration and really hope you can find support here on the TOS forum. Jo is right, please look around here for useful information. You're not alone. The help and support here is so wonderful. Take care!!

[caligirl]

Thank you. I am actually in Florida, my husband is stationed here. I am originally from California...I miss it there it is so beautiful, Florida is so flat and boring LOL. However, I do like the weather in Fl because it stays warm pretty much year round.

[caligirl]

I am hoping to get a good Primary Care Doctor now...keeping my fingers crossed. Should I ask the Dr for a note to get off of work? I am at a loss

[astern]

welcome caligirl!

[lisa_tos]

I had very severe pain all the time. I could not even eat or dress myself at times. now my pain is much better. I would say the 4 biggest factors in getting better for me were

1) Stop doing the irrritating actvitivies for a while. I stopped work and hired help. Gradually I reduced the help and added activities that used to bother me. Some I still can't do (repetivtive work, things that involve a lot of grip strength, lifting heavy things or heavy housework) but I can do alot more than I could at my worst.

2) Finding PT's that are good at teaching the subtle exercises needed for tos and devoting alot time to them. I wrote a long post on how to teach yourself the edgelow tos exercises without a pt if you can't find a good pt

3) making sure my pain was properly treated. Undertreated pain can damage your nervous system. I was undermedicated for a long time and them properly medicated for about a year. After that year I could come way done on my meds because the exercises and the lack of untreated pain helped improve the nervous system problem.

4) doing as much cardio as you can. initally this may involve forms that don't use your arms but you may eventually be able to forms that use your arms.

the basic idea is to, as one provider put it to me, work to the edge of a flare. I.e. Don't do so much you flare up, but try to be as active you can with your exercises up until that point. You may need to keep a log to figure out that point as it can take a few days after an activity to flare you.

[Jomar]

c ribs can be full or partial - so if you don't have a recent film or image - that would be a good thing to ask about from the new dr.

I'm thinking if you didn't have problems most of your life from it you should - with expert PT /bodywork etc- be able to reverse the damage & symptoms.

If you are having pretty constant pain & symptoms , any smart dr should suggest at the very least work restrictions if not off work.
If new dr is a surgeon and you aren't sure if you are ready for any surgery yet don't let them talk you into it. Ask about expert PT therapy first and try to verify that the PT is expert/advanced level of training.

Finding a very good and caring PT/ massage therapist/ chiropractor IMO is just as important as finding a good dr. As well as doing what you can as home care for your self.

Along similar lines with Peter Edgelow , is Sharon Butler's gentle stretching programs and explanations of fascia and how it can get restricted and cause a lot of reversible problems.
http://www.selfcare4rsi.com/

I also recently posted a thread with TOS videos & therapies - many are very informative - a few skim over things - but a good thing to see some of the techniques etc so when you get to that point you know a bit of what is happening.

[caligirl]

Thank you for the advice. I have actually always had upper back and neck problems...noticed them at about the age of 19. I just always ignored it because I was so young and never thought that there was something wrong. I was seeing a chiropractor at the age of about 22 but that got so expensive and wasn't helping me.

As for the films I do have recent films on a disc with me. I am going to take them to the new doc so he can look at them and possibly show me where the rib is.

A few months back I was in PT for my lower back because this was before I realized I had an extra rib. Even my physical therapist/Chiropractor knew something was wrong because she wouldn't even touch my neck. She kept asking me if I was sure I had never been in a car accident....

However I quit PT because it wasn't working. She even told me it wouldn't help for my lower back problems.