Hello everyone,

My question is about safe return to work. I had left ulnar transposition March, 2005. My emg showed at the elbow 9.5, from what i understand, the nerve is almost dead. I was in physiotherepy for 6 months, but my neurosurgeon took me off after 6 months because it was not helping. Anyways, now I have tightening of the bicep, and tricep area, along with needle like pains in the collarbone area. My hand still falls asleep, as well as the 4th, and 5th, finger are numb alot. I am starting to have some uncomfortable pain in right arm/shoulder as well, neurosurgeon says it's from overcompensating. Anyways, i was at work for 4 hours a day, after being off for 21 months. The job I was doing was easy, it's just that i found at the end of the 4 hours, my hand/arm felt worse on some days. My neurosurgeon took me off work again, march 20, 2007 saying it is best to wait till I see orthopedic surgeon for shoulder problems, which could be linked to ulnar nerve. Comp. is making me see a mediator next week due to the fact they say I can do the job. Has anyone dealt with anything simular to this situation, if so how do I handle this? I have never been on comp. before, but I do know what my arm feels like and do not want to make matters worse. Any advice would be great!! Thank you

Hi,ihave Been On Comp 1st Time For My Cts Surgery In Aug I Had No Problem Collecting Was Out Of Work 8 Weeks. Went Backand The Pain Got Worse Iwentfor P/t 3x A Weekfor 24 Sessions No Relief Ithink It Made It Worse. Thedr Put Me Out Again This Jan Been Out Since Collecting Comp But Now They Reduced My Payments Because Their Dr Said I Could Go Back To Work But I Cant Do Any Repeitve Things An I Must Break Every10 Minutes So Naturally I Cantgo Back Towork.i Too Get The Pain In Theshoulder Andneck And The Tingling Pins Andneedles And Numbness Has Never Goneaway Andihave Coldhans Allthetimethe Dr Thinksits Rsd??? Andtold Metreatment Is Shots In Theneck To Dull The Nerve, So I Wont Be Doing That As Ithinkit Is Too Dangerous I Am Afraid That He Might Criple Me. I Will Live With The Pain.
Anyway In Ans To Your ? Geta Note From Your Dr.that Injury Is Work Realted And File With Your Co.for Comp . If They Denyyou Get An Atty To Fight For You As This Is Their Game.andyou Mayalso File For Ss Disability Because You Cant Survive On Comp Checks.
Dont Take Thisinjury Lightly As This Is An Epedemic And Companies Are Not Doing There Best To Help Us Avoid Injury Alltheywant Is Production And Theydont Care Who Gets Hurt.
Hurten

Hello Hurten, Thank you for your info. Sorry to hear about your situation, like they say you always think it's bad for you until you hear someone else's story. best of luck to you. I also seen an orthopedic specialist in the emergency room, who wanted to give me cortizone shots, to this day I can't understand why, when he even admitted it would dull the pain temporarily, WHY? So I could do further damage and not realize it until it's to late. That is the reason, I am in this position now, I have a high tolerance of pain, and let this go to far. My adjudicator is being difficult(VERY), if you don't mind what was your emg results? my shoulder 39, elbow 9.5, wrist 41. I don't take this lightly, I get frustrated when doing minor things and my arm or fingers get cramped or the electric shock, very annoying, very discouraging, my Dr. says my right arm is overcompensating for left, and to be extremly careful. Thank you for your answer, My Dr. also says that I may damage my arm worse if not careful. Thanks again and take care!!

I Dont No What My Emg #'s Were.ididnt Thinkto Ask.i***now That I Too Get Frustrated When I Cant Do Something. Like When Thing Fall Out Of My Hands Because I Cant Feel Them Or Trying To Open A Jar Ortoothpaste. Or I Love Toread And It Hurts To Turnthe Pages.
Sometimes Ido Nothing Allday And Then I Use My Hand S For 5 Minutes And The Pain And Tingling Start.
Itsd No Joke And I Feel That Work Is Responsible For It And They Did Not Take Me Serious Because I Dont Looksick. So Im Home Doing Nothing Allday.
How About You???

Hello Hurten, Chaterbox,

I am so sorry that you guys are in so much pain I really can relate!

I have been on workers comp for almost 3 years! I have had 4 surgeries on my left arm!

The first was for carpal tunnel, then a thing called a TFCC repair. (Triangular Fibro Cartilage Complex) That surgery is to repair an area of the wrist that is similar to haveing a torn miniscus in your knee. It is the main support area of the wrist. So after the second surgery I started to have some serious pain in my elbow. I complained and complained and at one point they wanted to do an injection but I had another surgery for another health problem and they decided not to do it., because it would slow down the healing process or something! After a long time almost a year I finally got to see a doc in another state about my wrist, an orthepedic DOc who is one of the most renown Ortho's in the country, all the while I am also still complaining of the elbow. Anyway they did the 3rd surgery called the DRUJ, (Distal Radial Ulnar Joint) Basically they did a wrist reconstruction. This involved using my Palmaris Longus and drilling holes in the Ulna and radius and then taking the palmarus longus and threading it through and tieing to creat a new support system for my wrist. This surgery flarred up the elbow so bad that finally after another very long and painful 19 months they finally did a 4th surgery for Ulnar nerve transposition in the elbow.

I too have some numbness and tingling that I was told may never go away, as well as an area that is almost completly numb around where the inscision was and it to my be permanent. The buring sensation that was there prior to the elbow surgery is gone and I have a minimal amout of pain. Just nerve regeneration and sorness from Physical therapy.
I have issues with the right arm from over use as well as the left rotator cuff on the left arm being at a huge risk now because of lack of use of my left arm for 3 years. I go to PT for those things. Slow to regain strength!

Hurten, In my state I have learned to just keep on bugging my workers comp people untill they get things done. In my state you may ask for an Independent Medical Evaluation. This is when a Doctor that Has never seen you before does an evaluation of your injury as it is now and then he/she makes a recomendation if they think that will help. That person has to have all your medical records from the begining of the injury. Make sure you get a copy of the records that are sent so that you can make sure that they send the right information. In my case they did not do that and no doc would see me. I finally figured out why and threw a fit for them to get it right. After they did, it had prolonged my care for at least 4-5 months. In this state my Comp carrier has assigned me a nurse case manager that goes to doctor appointments with me and then she gets all the doctors orders approved in a really timely fashion, like days. The last 2 surgeries were approved with in a week with the nurse on the case. I am also going to a Pain Management Doctor that has helped me out tremendously!!! There is no reason i the world that you should have to suffer!! If it was not for Him and the nurse working together to get me on the right track with treatments (meds, surgeries, tests, etc) I can only imagine where I would be.
It has been a long road and I am now weaning off all the meds and hoping to go off the workers comp soon.

Please please do not let them push you around!! It is your body and your lively-hood that they are not managing very well.
Every state is different for workers comp but if you look in the phone book under atterneys, you may find ones that are sate appointed. In my phone book it is listed in the atterney section under Nevada Aterneys For Injured Workers. They answered some questions for me and sent me a packets that explained what MY rights were as the injured worker.

I am wishing yo the best of luck and most importantly some relief of your pain. If you have any more question please make a post and ask, as I have learned a bunch from my experience. I don't know it all but some!!! :)
Chrissy

I had mine done (decompression) in the same time frame. I have problems with all the nerves in my arms, as well as several in my leg now. It doesn't sound like mine were as bad to begin with - mine was moderate in one arm and mild in another.

Fortunately (?) I'm a stay at home mom. But they can't figure out why the nerves have gone bonkers.

hi crissy,
wow you certainly have been through the ringer.
i have been to 5 i.m.e.appts. each time the dr did agree with surgery. thats not the problem. after the surgery i did not heal and istill have pain so i too went to pain mgt. he gave me pills enough to choke a horse, each one gave me some sort of reaction. so i opted not to take meds. now because i cant domuch iget depressed andsoi see a therapist,
i cant believe such a simple operation could turn bad and make me incapacitated.
ihave been oncomp now for 5 months, the drs say ishouldhave my other hand done i am refusing because my left hand is no good my atty says they cant force me .
we are now at the stage to see what my dissability rating is, because icant goback to work, iuse my hands allday atwork andthats the reasonfor my condition.
ireallyhopeallgoes wellfor you.
as for me i'mjust waiting.
hurten

Hey Hurten,

Did they ever do an MRI or CT scan to see your hands in more detail? Is it the same doctor who did the release who wants to do more surgery? I would say you want another doc! I am wondering if the nerve is compressed in another area as well as the wrist/hand.
Do you have pain in your elbow on the inside or outside? Did you you have a computer job? After the carpal tunnel release my hand still had a bunch of problems, and the only way that they figured that out was to see an MRI.
Please don't let them sign you out yet!! There has to be something else they can do. Maybe a nerve block until they can figure out why the surgery has coused you so much more pain. If you let them sign you off then it becomes your issue. You would have to use your personal insurance for any other help.
What was the other surgery that they say you need now?

Hurten, I am so sorry that this is where you are right now. I so completely feel all of your stuff, I lived it for 3 years. I can't believe that your atterney is going to let them have you evaluated, so soon to get you off the workers comp! What a jerk. He should be pushing on them to help you. Not squish you out of the system.
So many people let this happen.
There was no way in h**L that I was going to take no for an answer from the workers comp people. I just know my body, and it was still telling me there was something wrong, and I just kept on insisting untill I got what I wanted. The right care and the right treatments. Yess it took a long long time, but if you had known me last October, wich was around the time the worst of it, then you would never even believe the difference form then until now. Even the pain management doc and the nurse case manager said I am like black and white!
I had huge fears about having a fourth surgery, but like I said if there was a 20% chance to have any amout of less pain I was willing to take the risk.

I will be here to continue to support you the best I can. Please keep me posted and let me know how your doing!!

Sending a huge hug your way...Chrissy

HICRISSY,
i havent had an mri or ct scan yet,ihave changed drs.waitingfor authorizations for tests.
irefused the nerve block,iheard some horror stories and the dr could not give me a guarentee.
if comp makes me a settlement of monthly payments then the case is still open for treatments, but at the same time it frees me upthat i dont have to live on their schedule, i can go to the dr when i want and there wont be any more ime's unless i seek new treatments.
we are just tryingto determine the degree of dissability right now.
i cant goback to work as using the hands for long periodsof time cause me more pain,and yes the spasms go up the arm on the inside and sometimes it feels like my hands and arms are in a vice, and sometimes they are ice cold. and the pain and discomfort are through the night even with the braces on.
my atty is tryingto guide me butin the end thedecision is mine,and i opt for no more treatments atthis time because of the pain it has causd me before.
thanks andi also willkeep you in my prays,
hurten

Hey,

Well sounds like a plan. Workeres comp must work different there!
Yes being under their thumb does totally bite! I have been under their rein for almost 3 years.
About a year into it I decided to go back to school. It is something I really wanted to do for a long time, but never made the leap. So being faced wih nothing to do all day I enrolled in colleg and have been going ever since. I jsut completed my fifth emesterwith a 3.65 or above average. How cool is that.
Workers comp at one point a while back made a stink about it. I think it was sometime last year. Anyway they were saying if I could go to school I could work. I got the Doctor on board with that and they backed off. I am sure that there are many folks that just sit around and do nothing on purpose. I mean the ones without pain and are commintting possible fraud.
I am glad that you have changed doctors. I am so interested to hear what tests he wants and the results. If you are anything like me you have already search on the net about your symptoms. I actually self diagnosed my self about my elbow about 4-5 months befoe the docs would even see me.
Any wayu best of luch and I am hear to help as much as posssible. Please feel free to vent if you need to......Chrissy

Thanks Crissy, I Didnt No U Cango To School While On Comp?
I'mgoing To Look Into It , Its Tuff Sitting Around All Day.just Doing Little Chores Around Thehouse Givesme Pain For 2 Days After.so I Try To Limit Everything I Do Includingthe Computer.
I Amgoing To Askmy Atty Ifi Can Go To School. Ifidont Have To Use Thehands Repitively Idont See The Harm.
You Take Care. And Really Thats So Greataboutyougoing To School And Your Grade Point Is Fantasic!!!!!
Hurten

Right on Hurten<

I am glad to hear it. Sitting around is no fun and only makes us focus more on our issues. Please keep me posted as to what is going on and what they say. I am still just wondering what is the other surgery they said they wanted to do now?
Chrissy

Crissy, They May Want To Operate On My Left Hand Again.
And I Still New Surgery On My Right Hand. So Far I Dont Want It As My Sitiuation My Get Worse. And I Might End Up Withthe Use Of Both Hands And Comp Will Not Give Me Any Help When It Comes To Cleaning Cooking And Shopping.
Thanks
Hurten

Hurten,

I want you to know that I live alone and have no kids. My Mom came for a few days with the surgeries and helped but she could not stay all the time because she lives in another state 2 1/2 hours away.
I had four surgeries on the left arm and I had no other choice but to learn to adapt when it came to washing dishes and laundry and showering and everything, The only time that I really needed major help was after the last surgery I had to get to school everyday and I could not drive for 3 weeks. Taxi's are expensive for this town and I did not have a lot of money. I got the school part figured out and when I had to go to the doc my Mom had to come here and Drive me to CALIF. were the surgeron is. About 3 hours from here.
Anyway I know they don't help with that stuff, but if you decide to have the surgeries it will all work out.
Do you know the name of the surgeries? What are they called is what I was asking Example: Carpal Tunnel 1st and 2nd compartment releases, or Subcutaneous Ulnar nerve transposition at the elbow?
Anyway keep me posted, and I am here to help and support ya! :) Chrissy

crissy, it was carpal tunnel release,
thats all i know. when i ask too many ?'s the dr thinks im going to sue him and changes the subject.
i tried cooking the other day and dropped the tongs and gave my self second degree burns, now my skin is peeling off, just a wonderful experience.
i cant remember when i have had so much fun and still been awake. lol hurten

Hey Hurten,

Carpal tunnel release is one of the easier ones. I wonder if you have some other thing going on in your hands besides that!

I started out by having the diagnosis of tenonitis and then carpal tunnel. They did know when they did the carpal tunnel that I had that injury on top of the carpal tunnel I think from all the heavy pulling. Same as having a torm maniscus except in your wrist. It was very painful. Could not do anything with that hand. It was terrible.
I also had been kicked by a horse when I was about 8-9 and broke that same left wrist. So there was a fragment or something in there that the Doc tried to take out when repairing the torn maniscus thing. Actually the surgery is call (TRIANGULAR FIBRO CARTILAGE COMPLEX) repair or a TFCC repair. After the failing of that surgery is when the most terrible pain of all started.
I hope they give you some other tests to see what is really going on in there. It is not fair that you are dealing with this awful pain. I am so sorry!

Hang in there and keep me posted as to what is going on. It will be interesting to see what any other testing shows.
Do you like the newer Doc? I hope so.
I am sorry I did not post for so long. I have been sick from getting off all the prescription drugs. Even though I never abused them I still have to go through the physical part. Hated those pain meds! But they helped so much, No Way could I have done it with out them. Not with the terrible nerve pain and damage that I have......
Chrissy