Here's some points about "our docs";

No matter whom we choose to see we are either going to like them or not.

If they help us and we do well post op they are great doctors. If they don't help us and we do poorly post-op people rip them apart.

The one thing though that can't happen is going back pre-op to reverse OUR decision to see whom we did, have the surgery we did, and grade our lives on a scale of being successful post op or not.

NO DOC says it is a cure, mine didn't. I did my research and decided who to go too. Yes, the medical books, journals and surveys do let us patients know who is good at what surgery. People need to remember just who picked their docs for them. Let's see, we did, didn't we?

Sometimes the race to get better is clouded by wanting to rush into something with the first doc that agrees with the patient that knows what is wrong with them. After spending countless amounts of time trying to figure what is wrong with them, many patients feel validated and a kin-ship with the first doctor to agree with them.

When these docs don't perform according to our scale of success they get ripped apart by patients all the while not understanding that the patient themselves weren't dragged yelling and screaming into the OR. They signed consent papers. If docs screw up, sue them if you want. But you need to read what malpractice is and you may change your mind. Did you know that if you lose you have to pay the docs lawyers fees? I'm sure many of you do.

Also, these docs DO KNOW of this web site as well as others. They often have their office help scan them on a regular basis. Anything said can be used against a person in a law suit.

People, remember, docs aren't God's. But I don't think one of them go into surgery having made a decision pre-op to ruin a patient.

Sometimes life sucks big time, but you can change that no matter what. Anger that festers like some posts that were made can hurt other family members too and cause emotional stress not only in that person but for their children and spouses.

Fight the good fight, but going at it with anger doesn't get one anywhere.

Just my opinion & I don't care if anyone agrees. I will not reply to any posts made seeing this is only a statment.

Wonderfully Put!!

Ok, I had to reply.........

Thank you Thank you very much..........

Don't you agree that ultimatley what it comes down to is that people refuse to take responsibility for their own health and healing? I am certainly not intending to imply a blanket statement here!
You need to be pro-active about your health. Follow your intuition, and listen to your gut ALONG with the medical opinions. You need to do your research, gather your information, and make your decision.
Ultimately, you need to be confident enough when you make that decision, to accept the consequences of your decision. If you have been responsible in educating yourself, and not expecting your doctor to be GOD, then you should be confident in your opinion.
We really need to remember that doctors are people too. There are more good people in this world than bad(in my sincere belief). People make mistakes, have bad days and bad things happen. We need to take control of our own lives, and not blame others for our misfortune.

Be responsible. Be pro-active. Get educated. Stop playing the blame game.

I never want anyone to get hurt. I think we all agree on that. I need to stay on the positive! I made the decision to have the surgery after a lot of research on here, and other places. If this doesn't work out. If I don't get better, it is NOT my doctor's fault. We work together as a team to try to acheive a positive outcome. If you are not an active part of your own health care team, you need to become one.
Now I am done my rant. All I want to see is everyone here to feel better and stay positive.
Love you all,
Tracy

Trix, I think you put it even better then myself.

Good Luck to you on your surgery and attitude is everything!

Thank you, hon, for posting that. I have strong opinions about my surgeon. I didn't at first...but then I spoke with OTHER surgeons who confirmed to me that his way of doing my surgery wasn't really the proper way. I also was speaking with someone else on BT before it crashed who used the SAME SURGEON who was having the SAME COMPLICATIONS I am now having....but then the board crashed, and i can't remember who that was. Too bad I cannot access the archives or my old mail over there. I'd like to find that person again.

Anyway...my reason for the surgery was because I had gone undiagnosed for so long, that when I finally found someone who CONFIRMED I wasn't nuts and who actually said, "I can help you" I was THRILLED. Even though I knew it wasn't going to be a COMPLETE cure, I would have done ANYTHING to get just a little bit of the pain to go away. And he assured me it would. A little over a week later, I was having the surgery.

Actually, i didn't go undiagnosed that long for real. I first heard the term "thoracic outlet" after my very first EMG. The report stated "ulnar nerve entrapment at the thoracic outlet." My md sent me to some specialist where I waited 3 hours only to be told, "I don't believe in TOS, have a nice life!" and that comment there, was the first, but surely NOT the last, time I heard that comment. Then began the long 5 year battle of not really finding someone who DID, but of my md sending me to specialist after specialist, who sent me for test after test, looking for anything OTHER THAN TOS. But what I figured out was this: If you go to a neurologist, they are going to look at you from THAT perspective. If you go to a vascular surgeon, they are going to look at you from THAT perspective. I've been to so many different types of specialists, i can't even remember what they are all called. I've had diagnosis from MS to RSI to anything BUT TOS. I wen to PT 4 times cuz every doctor who sent me swore THEIR therapist was the best. Once I was with them a while, they figured out it was TOS. But since the doctors wouldn't believe it, they were't allowed to treat me for it. My First and 4th PT were the same....and they DID treat me for TOS. However, the first time is because my MD sent me, and he DID believe in TOS (but he couldn't do anything about it - he wsn't a vascular surgeon and knew nothing about TOS), and the 2nd time was after my surgery.

ANYWAY....what the point of my long, drawn out tirade was supposed to be was .... No matter what you're told by anyone, when you have suffered wtih chronic pain, once you find an "Angel" (aka: Dr. who claims he can help you at least get rid of SOME of the pain) you ARE going to go thru with it, regardless of the NEGATIVE things ppl may say to you. If someone would have told me that this surgeon had a reputation of losing 99% of his patients right there on the operating table, I'd have STILL gone thru with it...cuz there was that 1% chance I'd have lived and been in 20% less pain.

I tried giving that advice to someone...to not go to this surgeon, to not have a sympathectomy...and they didn't listen. I understand why. I was there before. I wouldn't have listened either. The IDEA of having even the SLIGHTEST bit of relief is just too strong. I went thru it for 5 years. I know. There's a "pull" there.

Chronic pain is so overwhelming, and so completely takes over your life, that you'd do just about ANYTHING to get rid of it. So frankly, no matter what anyone tells you, it's not going to change their mind.

I liken it to love. If you love a man, there's nothing anyone can say to you about him to make you NOT love him. If your best friend told you she saw with her own eyes that he was an ax murderer, you'd tell her she was lying, and you'd tell her to get out of your life rather than leave him. CP is the same way.

STinks how it overwhelms your life so completely.

Now, I'm worse. I had bilateral TOS, and at that time had the surgery on my right side. I also had RSD PRIOR to the surgery, but my surgeon took no precautions as he should have by using blocks, etc, before doing the surgery. Instead, he said, "If the RSD doesn't resolve with this surgery, we'll do a sympathectomy when we do the left side." I knew NOTHING about RSD at that time, and was so busy "preparing" for my out of state trip for the surgery the following week, I didn't BOTHER to research. Had I had time, I'd have found that comment was very odd...as surgery MAKES RSD SPREAD. That would have been a huge hint to me that he didn't quite know what he was talking about. I'd also have found out that sympathectomies were a "last resort" and realized that him talking so "flippantly" about it was a "danger will robinson!" sign.

I came home and checked BT1 to find a post by someone telling me "NO! IF YOU ALREADY HAVE RSD, DON'T HAVE THE SURGERY!" It was too late....I had already had it done. But I believe I'd have done it anyway, even if I HAD read that prior to going. But....I do think I'd have insisted on a block prior to surgery though...and possible, with being so proactive in my care, prevented the spread of the RSD.

I was SO INTENT and SO FOCUSED on the hope that surgeon gave me of even the slightest bit of pain relief. All I kept thinking was, "I have lived in pain for 5 years...if this guy can get me even 20% better, even if it takes 2 years to heal from both surgeries, then that's better than living the rest of my life in this pain."

Well...I'm worse now. The RSD spread, and because I fear the LEFT side surgery making the rsd even WORSE, I won't hve it done. I do have to admit that the surgery on my right side did get rid of the tinglies, though my arm does tire easily. I still cannot lift it up high to reach high cabinets though, nor can I straighten it all the way cuz for some odd reason after the surgery my elbow was bent and wouldn't UNbend. We worked on that elbow like crazy after surgery. I also cannot do things like "reach into my back pocket" with the surgical side arm. So I am limited now in ways on the surgical side that I WASN'T before...and my RSD is much much worse, and i still live every day with the TOS on my left side.

But there's nothing I can do to change the past. So I worked my BUTT off trying to desensitize to the things I deal with in everyday life at home and at work. I had great OT and PT, who knew my goal was to be able to work. Even though working, then the 1.5 hr drive home, has me totally unable to even SHOWER MYSELF when I get home, I don't feel right letting go of my job. I've always worked hard. I was a single mom for a long time. I've HAD to work hard. I'm very good at what I do. I don't want to let this go. So, unfortunately, my homelife sufferes for it. If it gets in the way, yes, I'll quit working. For now, it's the only thing I have left of my "old life." So I hold onto it tightly.

Oh...sorry to rant. I have to get some shippers done in the next 5 minutes!

GREAT THREAD......I like everyone else who think there is a shot of getting better and develop confidence in the Dr, most will take the chance under the pretense it may lessen the pain! On the old BT I have heard good and I have heard bad about my choices in Drs. and hope and pray that my choices are right! I can not live like this for much longer... if it were not for my 2 oustanding boys and a loving wife, I do beleive I would have eaten a .45 ACP by now! I can not and will not elaberate further on this, though I hope that my workmans comp does come through in the near future 15 months without any form of income is tough and have to say major corporations such as large oil/gas firms would rather fight and pay major legal bills than take responsibility... on the letter from the court it has 3 companies and a major law firm against me and my lawyerso where does one stand??? I am sorry I got side tracked and think this is a good topic... I list Drs and Pts on the sticky, by peoples testimonial and feel it is up to the individual to decide who is the best care giver for themselves unless I hear otherwise by a majority!
GOD BLESS ONE AND ALL <GOOBER-n-MARK>

Lisa,

I'm sorry for your issues post-op. I hope you do better in the future. Positive thinking does help. It may not help certain conditions for people, but it can help the over all body and mind.

Take care

Mark,

Family is so important in ones medical problems. I'm so glad you found support and love in your family. I'm glad you gave up wanting to eat that ruffage. Keep positive thoughts.

Before I found out I had TOS I did so much research until I found the Dr that would do the best job for me..
Unfortinatley , I found out that I had Bilateral TOS..
But I put my best foot forward and knew that If I had any chance at all to get better and surgery at this point was my only option then I was going to go for it and I did.. It help me for a few months... It sure felt great.. I had less pain, my headaches were practically gone.. Life was better.. But then the pain started to return and he headaches came back..
I don't blame my Doctor in my eyes he's still the best for me.. It wasn't his fault that I have some adhesions returning... That's what the body can do.. As it has been said our doctors aren't God.. In fact I am scheduled to return to the OR with the same surgeon the end of January to have the adhesions removed and have extra seprafilm applied.. Then down the road I will have my left TOS surgery done with the same surgeon..
It is a personal choice to stay with the doctors we choose.. We are smart Intelligent adults in control of our life's and our future..
My Best Wishes to Everyone..
((Hugs Always))
Dawn