feelbad
04-04-2008, 12:35 PM
hey there hon,for some insane reason,i simply could not actually find 'our' thread? did ya see it?lol. just wondering how your PT went for you? i am sooo happy i actually went back to my old cranio and myofascial guy for this rotator PT stuff. despite the fact that he books up really fast,he does understand my screwed up body really well and i do trust him completely and knew he would know just where i was at physically. a new PT person kind of scared me quite frankly. then there is ALL that explaining to do all over again,that just gets old. its just way too complicated these days.
i saw him yesterday for PT number one. he is also doing some mild myofascial release on me too. god it was wonderful sammy. he finally released some of that insane tightness up in my neck and upper back areas? wow. i also got my pully thingy too and he showed me my excercises. i actually mentioned you to him and he mentioned the name of this tendon but i cannot for the life of me remember the name but he said if you actualy had this one particular tendon sewen up/worked on alot,it would be highly understandable just why your ribcage is the way it is right now. and just plain painful. i wish i could remember it,damn.
he was kind of suprised that i was able to do what i am at this point. the only reason i am even at this point is only becasue i HAD TO in order to just even "do' certain stuff with my left one missing so many fine motor muslces? and this new puppy stuff also helped too. this puppys needs are just there and have to be taken care of too. so honestly,i think you are probably right where you should be at this point in your recovery hon. i am just a bit over right now.
please let me know whats up with you and how your PT went,K? i do hope it didn't create a bigger mess than you already had going. i took a half a valium before my PT and the other half after,that really seemed to help some with pain and spasms. let me know hon,marcia
i saw him yesterday for PT number one. he is also doing some mild myofascial release on me too. god it was wonderful sammy. he finally released some of that insane tightness up in my neck and upper back areas? wow. i also got my pully thingy too and he showed me my excercises. i actually mentioned you to him and he mentioned the name of this tendon but i cannot for the life of me remember the name but he said if you actualy had this one particular tendon sewen up/worked on alot,it would be highly understandable just why your ribcage is the way it is right now. and just plain painful. i wish i could remember it,damn.
he was kind of suprised that i was able to do what i am at this point. the only reason i am even at this point is only becasue i HAD TO in order to just even "do' certain stuff with my left one missing so many fine motor muslces? and this new puppy stuff also helped too. this puppys needs are just there and have to be taken care of too. so honestly,i think you are probably right where you should be at this point in your recovery hon. i am just a bit over right now.
please let me know whats up with you and how your PT went,K? i do hope it didn't create a bigger mess than you already had going. i took a half a valium before my PT and the other half after,that really seemed to help some with pain and spasms. let me know hon,marcia
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sammyo1
04-06-2008, 09:58 AM
Marcia, Sounds like we started PT around the same time. I am glad about that.
I have a strange question for you, when they are evaluating you, do you have a hard time answering the questions? Such as do you have tingling here? Does this hurt? how far does the pain go down? By the time they start moving my arm around it is hard to tell because everything kind of acts up. Like at that time I could feel some tingling in acouple fingers but at other times when I am doing something I can feel it in all of them. I felt like a real air head, look after moving that arm around in a couple postions I can't tell what I feel, it all bothers me to some degree. So do you get what I am saying here?
That has been really bugging me. I want them to have all the correct info. but for me it is hard with all the movement in a matter of minutes. I did tell them that every day is different & that is the truth. They have set goals for me to work on, such as getting the coffe cup out(lifting the arm), making the bed (being able to pull the sheets up) & so on.. I did not realize the things I have learned to do to accomadate my limitations, like putting my head down to wash my hair instead of raising my arms.
They have already told me what they think, of course right away they stated there is definantly a problem in the rib cage, they also believe the neck is definantly contibuting to the problems & the I am limited with the shoulder in fact two of the therapists have told me to slow it down with my life, at home & work. I am not even suppose to be working, had an emergency pop up at work & had to bust my butt last week, not good.
I am happy they are going to work on the ribs. They ask me more then once did I have an x-ray on it, which I did but that was awhile ago. I will be addressing that with the surgeon, in fact I am curious to see what he thinks about the PTs notes, this is the second one who noticed some major issues with the ribs, although I know before is was really acting up when the first PT noticed. The other side (scapula area) they noted was really having issues with the muscles, over use.
I am really sore, down right pain. I just can't seem to do much without triggering the pain, although I know I over did it. I tried doing some scrapbooking, you don't realize how much you move the arm doing those small things, thought it was pretty safe to do, NOT, I am really suffering here this morning. I am bummed. Heck I'm more sore doing the small stuff, think about it your moving that arm more with alot of movements, just not really lifting or stretchin but still alot of movement. I just don't feel it till after I do something. Once agian hard to know your limitations.
I am useing the pullys to. I did not have much of a problem with them, got sore after a couple sets. The PT did say with me they will be taking it really slow. They did tell me to put the pillow between the arm & ribs as much as I can. Which I will be duct taping one today, keep finding it all over the place come moring or middle of the night. They were happy to see I am not in the sling alot, but want me to where it when I am real sore.
How about you, any comments made about the sling?
I am convinced I have a combination of problems & that stinks. Neck surgery scares the crap out of me. They are going to do very minor traction with the neck, anything more will trigger off violent headaches.
I wonder how much the surgeon will go by the PT notes? I hope he really takes them into consideration. Therapy tree times next week. Let me know what you think & please try to find out the name of that tendon, I will ask my PT about it to. Sammy
I have a strange question for you, when they are evaluating you, do you have a hard time answering the questions? Such as do you have tingling here? Does this hurt? how far does the pain go down? By the time they start moving my arm around it is hard to tell because everything kind of acts up. Like at that time I could feel some tingling in acouple fingers but at other times when I am doing something I can feel it in all of them. I felt like a real air head, look after moving that arm around in a couple postions I can't tell what I feel, it all bothers me to some degree. So do you get what I am saying here?
That has been really bugging me. I want them to have all the correct info. but for me it is hard with all the movement in a matter of minutes. I did tell them that every day is different & that is the truth. They have set goals for me to work on, such as getting the coffe cup out(lifting the arm), making the bed (being able to pull the sheets up) & so on.. I did not realize the things I have learned to do to accomadate my limitations, like putting my head down to wash my hair instead of raising my arms.
They have already told me what they think, of course right away they stated there is definantly a problem in the rib cage, they also believe the neck is definantly contibuting to the problems & the I am limited with the shoulder in fact two of the therapists have told me to slow it down with my life, at home & work. I am not even suppose to be working, had an emergency pop up at work & had to bust my butt last week, not good.
I am happy they are going to work on the ribs. They ask me more then once did I have an x-ray on it, which I did but that was awhile ago. I will be addressing that with the surgeon, in fact I am curious to see what he thinks about the PTs notes, this is the second one who noticed some major issues with the ribs, although I know before is was really acting up when the first PT noticed. The other side (scapula area) they noted was really having issues with the muscles, over use.
I am really sore, down right pain. I just can't seem to do much without triggering the pain, although I know I over did it. I tried doing some scrapbooking, you don't realize how much you move the arm doing those small things, thought it was pretty safe to do, NOT, I am really suffering here this morning. I am bummed. Heck I'm more sore doing the small stuff, think about it your moving that arm more with alot of movements, just not really lifting or stretchin but still alot of movement. I just don't feel it till after I do something. Once agian hard to know your limitations.
I am useing the pullys to. I did not have much of a problem with them, got sore after a couple sets. The PT did say with me they will be taking it really slow. They did tell me to put the pillow between the arm & ribs as much as I can. Which I will be duct taping one today, keep finding it all over the place come moring or middle of the night. They were happy to see I am not in the sling alot, but want me to where it when I am real sore.
How about you, any comments made about the sling?
I am convinced I have a combination of problems & that stinks. Neck surgery scares the crap out of me. They are going to do very minor traction with the neck, anything more will trigger off violent headaches.
I wonder how much the surgeon will go by the PT notes? I hope he really takes them into consideration. Therapy tree times next week. Let me know what you think & please try to find out the name of that tendon, I will ask my PT about it to. Sammy
feelbad
04-06-2008, 12:52 PM
if you could tell me just what areas you had the work done on or what it stated in your MRI about the 'bad' spots in those tendons,i know i would remember it if i saw it written. but he did say that would casue alot more significant rib issues just becasue its attached,ya know? you can also obtain the hospital records with the op notes in them too. i still have to get my records from mine. when you think about how bad the pain has been in other areas,it would make sense that you would have pain as well in the rib cage too. i DO know what its like to feel horrid pain in that ribcage tho. i have a combo of wierd types of pain just becasue that right kidney is so freaking big and sitting within and partially out of my ribcage now. i also,before my spinal cord surgery had just insane prying pressure types of pain that was stemming from that cavernoma just being in my cord. it was really just insane,thats the only way i can describe it. but it did suck. i do feel for ya sammy.
i am rather suprised that my pain level,just BECAUSE of those pully things has really gone up in my shoulder area now(i couldn't even do them yesterday in one area). things really were so good there and the excercises have pissed everything off again in there. its just way too deep for me to hit with the bio and lido right now too. NOW i wish i had not stopped the percs. i expected some increase in my pain but not this bad. my PT guy said this IS just a very painful surgery and recovery that is longer than alot of other types of surgey recoveries,and from what i have heard from others who have had this,its that way for them too. geez my PT guy was treating me like glass there for a while at the beginning til he got a better idea of where i was at. just that really light myofascial he did,and he said we are going to be starting off VERY slowly,really helped just to loosen up that whole shoulder area some. god i needed that. i know you do too. i am so happy i went back to this guy. he just really knows my body and how to deal with all my "hyper' body parts.
the PT people have to know that when trying to actually describe pain in an area where you have just alot of seperate pain generators and they are moving things would be next to impossible to pin down anything really specific,ya know? it really sounds like you just got a bit overwhelmed by it all. they just need to really slow down when they need you to describe where a particular pain is or what you are feeling. tell them that sammy. they are just going too quickly with you if you cannot actually define what it is and where it is actually coming from. just let them always know what it is you are feeling when they "do' anything that causes pain.
so far i am only seeing my PT once a week just becasue of HIS bookings fill up way too fast(this WAS the only real drawback if i went back to him). i have an appt on monday with him and have to schedule some more. he was very suprised tho at how far i already was in just movements. but man there are certain ones,like where i am hitting with those pullys,that just kill me,really bad there. i know what you mean about those little movements just adding up and creating problems. in some ways,since doing all these dang excercises in the 'new' way,i feel like i am right back at square one again too. believe me sammy,i can totally understand just why you are not yet off the percs. i do have my normal base meds but no real BT thru type meds to take that help during the bad times.
i really am happy at least the PT people are recognizing the rib cage issues tho. at least its getting their attention and thats half the battle. these people will be able to really ascess what is and is not considered 'normal' based upon how things feel to them and what you descibe. i really think getting an MRI or even a CT,not 'just' an x ray would really show that area in much clearer detail to really see if something isn't right. unless the pain starts to get better,you know what i mean? the point is,you do have ways to actually "look' in there and see whats up. at least its an option.
have you ever had an actual MRI done on your c spine sammy? i KNOW my c spine issues are contributing to the mess i am dealing with too. in alot of ways. it is just constantly inflammed and sending out signals to the muscles then they wad up on me creating those wonderful TPs. ya know,getting an actual c spine thru thorasic MRI wouldn't be a bad idea. you just really need to better define all possible contributing factors ya know? have you mentioned the sweating at all to them?
i think we are both just going to see how this all goes. i am glad i am not going thru all this alone tho hon. you have been such a great support. i know this surgery/recovery is really awful,but we can get thru this together. as usual hon,keep me posted. i have no clue as to how my next PT visit is going to actually go. man this sucks. but i am hangin in.til later hon,Marcia
i am rather suprised that my pain level,just BECAUSE of those pully things has really gone up in my shoulder area now(i couldn't even do them yesterday in one area). things really were so good there and the excercises have pissed everything off again in there. its just way too deep for me to hit with the bio and lido right now too. NOW i wish i had not stopped the percs. i expected some increase in my pain but not this bad. my PT guy said this IS just a very painful surgery and recovery that is longer than alot of other types of surgey recoveries,and from what i have heard from others who have had this,its that way for them too. geez my PT guy was treating me like glass there for a while at the beginning til he got a better idea of where i was at. just that really light myofascial he did,and he said we are going to be starting off VERY slowly,really helped just to loosen up that whole shoulder area some. god i needed that. i know you do too. i am so happy i went back to this guy. he just really knows my body and how to deal with all my "hyper' body parts.
the PT people have to know that when trying to actually describe pain in an area where you have just alot of seperate pain generators and they are moving things would be next to impossible to pin down anything really specific,ya know? it really sounds like you just got a bit overwhelmed by it all. they just need to really slow down when they need you to describe where a particular pain is or what you are feeling. tell them that sammy. they are just going too quickly with you if you cannot actually define what it is and where it is actually coming from. just let them always know what it is you are feeling when they "do' anything that causes pain.
so far i am only seeing my PT once a week just becasue of HIS bookings fill up way too fast(this WAS the only real drawback if i went back to him). i have an appt on monday with him and have to schedule some more. he was very suprised tho at how far i already was in just movements. but man there are certain ones,like where i am hitting with those pullys,that just kill me,really bad there. i know what you mean about those little movements just adding up and creating problems. in some ways,since doing all these dang excercises in the 'new' way,i feel like i am right back at square one again too. believe me sammy,i can totally understand just why you are not yet off the percs. i do have my normal base meds but no real BT thru type meds to take that help during the bad times.
i really am happy at least the PT people are recognizing the rib cage issues tho. at least its getting their attention and thats half the battle. these people will be able to really ascess what is and is not considered 'normal' based upon how things feel to them and what you descibe. i really think getting an MRI or even a CT,not 'just' an x ray would really show that area in much clearer detail to really see if something isn't right. unless the pain starts to get better,you know what i mean? the point is,you do have ways to actually "look' in there and see whats up. at least its an option.
have you ever had an actual MRI done on your c spine sammy? i KNOW my c spine issues are contributing to the mess i am dealing with too. in alot of ways. it is just constantly inflammed and sending out signals to the muscles then they wad up on me creating those wonderful TPs. ya know,getting an actual c spine thru thorasic MRI wouldn't be a bad idea. you just really need to better define all possible contributing factors ya know? have you mentioned the sweating at all to them?
i think we are both just going to see how this all goes. i am glad i am not going thru all this alone tho hon. you have been such a great support. i know this surgery/recovery is really awful,but we can get thru this together. as usual hon,keep me posted. i have no clue as to how my next PT visit is going to actually go. man this sucks. but i am hangin in.til later hon,Marcia
sammyo1
04-07-2008, 08:19 AM
All I know about the surgery is that the decompression was done. On the MRI it did not look so bad. It did show the ten./bur/ & arthritis. Since I had all kinds of rib pain before surgery I don't know if it was cause be a tendon. I will ask the PT. Boy when the ribs act up it feels like someone tackled you, at times it makes it hard to breathe.
Girl I am going to have to slow it down. I am causing this pain to increase.
If it was not for the perc. I would never be able to even move in the mornings. If therapy is causing you added pain perhaps you should go back on the perc.
You did not answer my question if after all the moving around during the evaluation is it hard to tell where pt exactly where you feel what? For me it is hard everything hurts or bothers me.
Your PT is not telling you anything we are ot finding out on our own, this is darn painful & long. I think perhaps you & I may be having abit of a tougher time, you have other factors involved & so do I.
I just plain out hurt, throb & ache. I will get this pulsating going on. Last night & this morning under my arm hurts. In fact it can get sore to touch even around the elbow, kind of towards the back right above the elbow, you get that way? I have to find a pillow to duck tape around my arm, mine are to big & bulky. My daughter has one but refused to let me duct tape it, she looked horrified, like I was going to steal her pillow when she turned her back, which I was (ha).
I know I am over doing it & after this week I have it to slow it down, if fact I am hoping to do it this week. I don't like the ideal that I am only able to go because of the perc. did not take one, thought I could cut out a dose sat. evening, I was up all night. Since the surgeon is going to be cutting back soon I thought I would try. I am worried, I have the other issue with the ribs, do you think he will consider that before cutting me back? Thank god the PT noted it. My first x-ray did not show anything with the ribs. I am hoping that they will run some tests if it keeps up. I have been taking motrin to, especially in the mornings. I will try the relafin again.
I wonder if x3 aweek will be to much, this will be my first week at x3. If so I will ask if I can cut back to 2 & go alittle longer.
You are not going to believe this I was paying the last therapist a co pay & come to find out I have no co pay, I was wondering why I did not recieve a bill from them, now I have to find a way to get my money back. I have a supplemental insurance that picks up the co-pay & did not know it at the time, because it just came out last year every one was confused about what it covered. That has got to be fraud or something to have the insurance pay along with me. I was so mad. I was wondering why they never sent me a bill for the rest of the visits. I was paying installments. I swear you can't trust anyone. Talk to you soon. Sammy
Girl I am going to have to slow it down. I am causing this pain to increase.
If it was not for the perc. I would never be able to even move in the mornings. If therapy is causing you added pain perhaps you should go back on the perc.
You did not answer my question if after all the moving around during the evaluation is it hard to tell where pt exactly where you feel what? For me it is hard everything hurts or bothers me.
Your PT is not telling you anything we are ot finding out on our own, this is darn painful & long. I think perhaps you & I may be having abit of a tougher time, you have other factors involved & so do I.
I just plain out hurt, throb & ache. I will get this pulsating going on. Last night & this morning under my arm hurts. In fact it can get sore to touch even around the elbow, kind of towards the back right above the elbow, you get that way? I have to find a pillow to duck tape around my arm, mine are to big & bulky. My daughter has one but refused to let me duct tape it, she looked horrified, like I was going to steal her pillow when she turned her back, which I was (ha).
I know I am over doing it & after this week I have it to slow it down, if fact I am hoping to do it this week. I don't like the ideal that I am only able to go because of the perc. did not take one, thought I could cut out a dose sat. evening, I was up all night. Since the surgeon is going to be cutting back soon I thought I would try. I am worried, I have the other issue with the ribs, do you think he will consider that before cutting me back? Thank god the PT noted it. My first x-ray did not show anything with the ribs. I am hoping that they will run some tests if it keeps up. I have been taking motrin to, especially in the mornings. I will try the relafin again.
I wonder if x3 aweek will be to much, this will be my first week at x3. If so I will ask if I can cut back to 2 & go alittle longer.
You are not going to believe this I was paying the last therapist a co pay & come to find out I have no co pay, I was wondering why I did not recieve a bill from them, now I have to find a way to get my money back. I have a supplemental insurance that picks up the co-pay & did not know it at the time, because it just came out last year every one was confused about what it covered. That has got to be fraud or something to have the insurance pay along with me. I was so mad. I was wondering why they never sent me a bill for the rest of the visits. I was paying installments. I swear you can't trust anyone. Talk to you soon. Sammy
feelbad
04-07-2008, 11:17 AM
i did answer your question hon,in the third paragraph of the last post? if you cannot define things really well,they are simply going too fast for you. they do need to just go more slowly doing one movement at a time,very gently so you can actually tell where what pain is coming from where,you know what i mean? some of this does just feel like one big hurting mess at times too for me,it depends on what i am doing.
i really do think obtaining that MRI on your c spine and the thorasic areas might show something within the actual spinal column that could be a contributing factor here in at least part of the rib cage pain. my cavernoma was at the upper thorasic and lower c spine areas and the pain i felt within my shoulder blade and upper ribcage area was horrid til it was removed.
if you have some level of herniation or stenosis or any number of possible spinal issues going on that is actually affecting even one nerve,this could also be sending out some pretty good pain signals too. at this point,it just really needs to either be ruled out or in as a contributor. having anything wrong at the thorasic level within your spine would affect the areas you are actually having(the ribcage) pain ,so it just needs to be done ya know? its just obtaining a basic dx. believe me sammy,just having any level of impingment or some other problem that is just really pissing off nerves within your spine really can create some horrid pain levels and really crazy sensations. what you have described within the lower arm and the hands could just be stemming from a spinal issue too.
for some reason,i too have a very tender elbow area except it only hurts when i touch it now. i did have a problem while using that sling where the material,mostly when i was sleeping with it,would push into the ulnar nerve. my ring and pinkie fingers kept getting painful and numb at times. she gave me some little 'cover" thingy that i could slide over that area that was just nice and cushy,after that,it did get better. but i STILL have a very tender area right there at the elbow now. i do think that sling created alot of problems in alot of places for the both of us.
i tried sleeping in my own bed last night for the first time.wow now that was fun. getting back into bed with the ultimate flip flopper(you two would kill each other if you ever slept in the same bed) was a bit scarey but he did seem to behave himself and didn't kill me in his sleep,lol. up til last night i had been sleeping inthe living room on a really comfy fold away bed that i placed pillows under the mattress at the head and under the leg areas. it was very comfy for me. but last night,i kept waking up from the pain. it was just a big change of posistion for me not having myself more "upright' anymore. man i woke up with some really awful shoulderblade pain in both blades just from not being used to lying more flat. that shoulder was alot more painful too than what i normally wake up with. i am going to have to do some changes tonight with my pillows.
you might want to try really setting yourself more upright with the pilows under your head somehow? this really made alot of difference in how much pain i woke up with and actually had during the night. last night was really bad compared to how things were when i was sleeping in that other bed with the whole(underneath my head and shoulders) mattress more upright. the flatter you lie when sleeping,as i just found out,REALLY adds to my pain. not too sure as to why,but it DID really matter with mine. i WAS sleeping thru the night just fine til last night. i thought i had the pillows up enough but very clearly,i did not and it just really made a huge difference. just a thought for you that seems to matter with my pain in the mornings.
i really do think sammy,given the way things have been and still are that three times a week PT is going to just kill you in many ways. thats just ALOT of excercise and extra movements three times a week ya know? at most,given your situation already,i would seriously think about starting out with just two or even one? just at the beginnig til you get a better handle on things or you will probably really suffer for it based on what you have told me here. i know we both want this sooo over,but at the same time we have to gage things everyday too just to try and be able to keep a handle on the pain that is going to come along for the ride with it. this pully thing is killing me here at home. i am hoping when i go today that i can just get more myo release. just something i think you really need to consider doing. things will get better eventually,but three times a week is,in my opinion anyways,just too much to start with for you,or me ya know?
i really would push to obtain that MRI hon,really. you just need to know what was causing that ribcage pain pre op and what may be going on within your spine,both with the c spine and the T. given your pain level and symptoms its just something,like i said before,just to rule it in or out as a possible problem area that could be responsible for at least some of your ongoing problems in a few different areas. you just have no clue as to what is going on in your spinal areas til you take a good look there and see. believe me, i never imagined what was lurking within my own spinal cord til it was 'incidently' found upon my MRI when just trying to see what disc i had herniated. i am in no way saying you have what i had,just you really need to take a good look there as a possible problem area.
well i gotta stop now. got my PT appt to get ready for today. as usual hon,keep me posted. Marcia
i really do think obtaining that MRI on your c spine and the thorasic areas might show something within the actual spinal column that could be a contributing factor here in at least part of the rib cage pain. my cavernoma was at the upper thorasic and lower c spine areas and the pain i felt within my shoulder blade and upper ribcage area was horrid til it was removed.
if you have some level of herniation or stenosis or any number of possible spinal issues going on that is actually affecting even one nerve,this could also be sending out some pretty good pain signals too. at this point,it just really needs to either be ruled out or in as a contributor. having anything wrong at the thorasic level within your spine would affect the areas you are actually having(the ribcage) pain ,so it just needs to be done ya know? its just obtaining a basic dx. believe me sammy,just having any level of impingment or some other problem that is just really pissing off nerves within your spine really can create some horrid pain levels and really crazy sensations. what you have described within the lower arm and the hands could just be stemming from a spinal issue too.
for some reason,i too have a very tender elbow area except it only hurts when i touch it now. i did have a problem while using that sling where the material,mostly when i was sleeping with it,would push into the ulnar nerve. my ring and pinkie fingers kept getting painful and numb at times. she gave me some little 'cover" thingy that i could slide over that area that was just nice and cushy,after that,it did get better. but i STILL have a very tender area right there at the elbow now. i do think that sling created alot of problems in alot of places for the both of us.
i tried sleeping in my own bed last night for the first time.wow now that was fun. getting back into bed with the ultimate flip flopper(you two would kill each other if you ever slept in the same bed) was a bit scarey but he did seem to behave himself and didn't kill me in his sleep,lol. up til last night i had been sleeping inthe living room on a really comfy fold away bed that i placed pillows under the mattress at the head and under the leg areas. it was very comfy for me. but last night,i kept waking up from the pain. it was just a big change of posistion for me not having myself more "upright' anymore. man i woke up with some really awful shoulderblade pain in both blades just from not being used to lying more flat. that shoulder was alot more painful too than what i normally wake up with. i am going to have to do some changes tonight with my pillows.
you might want to try really setting yourself more upright with the pilows under your head somehow? this really made alot of difference in how much pain i woke up with and actually had during the night. last night was really bad compared to how things were when i was sleeping in that other bed with the whole(underneath my head and shoulders) mattress more upright. the flatter you lie when sleeping,as i just found out,REALLY adds to my pain. not too sure as to why,but it DID really matter with mine. i WAS sleeping thru the night just fine til last night. i thought i had the pillows up enough but very clearly,i did not and it just really made a huge difference. just a thought for you that seems to matter with my pain in the mornings.
i really do think sammy,given the way things have been and still are that three times a week PT is going to just kill you in many ways. thats just ALOT of excercise and extra movements three times a week ya know? at most,given your situation already,i would seriously think about starting out with just two or even one? just at the beginnig til you get a better handle on things or you will probably really suffer for it based on what you have told me here. i know we both want this sooo over,but at the same time we have to gage things everyday too just to try and be able to keep a handle on the pain that is going to come along for the ride with it. this pully thing is killing me here at home. i am hoping when i go today that i can just get more myo release. just something i think you really need to consider doing. things will get better eventually,but three times a week is,in my opinion anyways,just too much to start with for you,or me ya know?
i really would push to obtain that MRI hon,really. you just need to know what was causing that ribcage pain pre op and what may be going on within your spine,both with the c spine and the T. given your pain level and symptoms its just something,like i said before,just to rule it in or out as a possible problem area that could be responsible for at least some of your ongoing problems in a few different areas. you just have no clue as to what is going on in your spinal areas til you take a good look there and see. believe me, i never imagined what was lurking within my own spinal cord til it was 'incidently' found upon my MRI when just trying to see what disc i had herniated. i am in no way saying you have what i had,just you really need to take a good look there as a possible problem area.
well i gotta stop now. got my PT appt to get ready for today. as usual hon,keep me posted. Marcia
sammyo1
04-08-2008, 08:23 AM
Marcia, wrapped some memory foam around the arm last night with the duct tape, worked well. I think using a wide strip of foam is less bulky, had some in my closet, my husband had purchased some when my old sling bothered me & an large piece to put behind my scapula area while sitting in the car. Good thing he remembered it, the piece was actually a perfect size to wrap around the arm. It goes from the area of the bicept to between the wrist & elbow, sound about right? So we will see how it goes in the long run. Shoulder not quite as sore this morning rib cage still throbbing abit.
I am going to ask the therapist today about the three days aweek deal, of course if I go three days aweek this week it will tell the story.
I believe I had the MRI of the thoracic along with the neck. I will look over the report don't believe much showed up in the thoracic. Had the rehab doc. bring up the thoracic to. I am hoping the pt can do something with the ribs, the surgeon wants me to go for osteo pathic treatment on the ribs if they do not improve soon here. I am not sure my insurance will even cover it. Not to mention that is another long periods of treatment, it is not to near my home & like pt they want you to come 2-3 times aweek. This is consuming my life, but then again so is the pain.
Had some little popping noises in that shoulder yesturday, hope that is not a bad thing.
Thanks for telling me about the duct tape I would never have thought about it & no way was the pillow going to remain where it should. I am hoping to cut back this week & rest alittle more, going to be alittle hard with PT but I am going to try.
Can you believe I have never even got my hair cut yet, My husband asked me if I ever planned on getting it done.
I keep trying to look on the positve side I do have better movement then before surgery I just can't get rid of the pain. I came across my little sample of bio freeze so I am saving it for my next day of work. If it helps I will ask the neighbor to pick some up for me, she works in the chiro office.
My next visit to the surgeon is april 28, I really hope he is not planning on cutting me back on the meds this comng month. I can't help but be worried about it. I am depending on the pt notes to help me out there. I am not sure how much the doctors go by the reports. I have pt today, really wish I just had a day to myself, got to work tommorrow. I don't know how I am doing it, I try not to think about it & just go, but if my meds are cut there is no way I will be able to work like I am if at all. What a bind I am in. Came home from work & put a huge ice pack on the upper back & shoulder felt so good. That is what I need to be able to slow it down & take the time to do those things. It is so hard I don't get medical pay & if I don't go in at this time I will loose my clients. Talk about pressure.
How is your other shoulder doing? Did you see the other thread here I believe it is by mary mae, she was sent to pt directly following surgery. Man I could have never, & I mean never. If someone would have worked that arm I would have been at the ER. Just thinking back of the few days post op makes me cringe. I am really hoping I am not facing future surgerys. I am scared of the neck problems. That is one surgery that has me shaking in my boots. Talk to you soon, once again thanks telling me about the duct tape. Sammy
I am going to ask the therapist today about the three days aweek deal, of course if I go three days aweek this week it will tell the story.
I believe I had the MRI of the thoracic along with the neck. I will look over the report don't believe much showed up in the thoracic. Had the rehab doc. bring up the thoracic to. I am hoping the pt can do something with the ribs, the surgeon wants me to go for osteo pathic treatment on the ribs if they do not improve soon here. I am not sure my insurance will even cover it. Not to mention that is another long periods of treatment, it is not to near my home & like pt they want you to come 2-3 times aweek. This is consuming my life, but then again so is the pain.
Had some little popping noises in that shoulder yesturday, hope that is not a bad thing.
Thanks for telling me about the duct tape I would never have thought about it & no way was the pillow going to remain where it should. I am hoping to cut back this week & rest alittle more, going to be alittle hard with PT but I am going to try.
Can you believe I have never even got my hair cut yet, My husband asked me if I ever planned on getting it done.
I keep trying to look on the positve side I do have better movement then before surgery I just can't get rid of the pain. I came across my little sample of bio freeze so I am saving it for my next day of work. If it helps I will ask the neighbor to pick some up for me, she works in the chiro office.
My next visit to the surgeon is april 28, I really hope he is not planning on cutting me back on the meds this comng month. I can't help but be worried about it. I am depending on the pt notes to help me out there. I am not sure how much the doctors go by the reports. I have pt today, really wish I just had a day to myself, got to work tommorrow. I don't know how I am doing it, I try not to think about it & just go, but if my meds are cut there is no way I will be able to work like I am if at all. What a bind I am in. Came home from work & put a huge ice pack on the upper back & shoulder felt so good. That is what I need to be able to slow it down & take the time to do those things. It is so hard I don't get medical pay & if I don't go in at this time I will loose my clients. Talk about pressure.
How is your other shoulder doing? Did you see the other thread here I believe it is by mary mae, she was sent to pt directly following surgery. Man I could have never, & I mean never. If someone would have worked that arm I would have been at the ER. Just thinking back of the few days post op makes me cringe. I am really hoping I am not facing future surgerys. I am scared of the neck problems. That is one surgery that has me shaking in my boots. Talk to you soon, once again thanks telling me about the duct tape. Sammy
feelbad
04-08-2008, 11:55 AM
let me tell ya sammy,you work on an FD for any good legth of time and you find out very quickly just how great duct tape actually is. we used to use it for many many patients or situations we had to deal with. it is always in the rescue trucks,its really some great stuff. i am just glad it is helping you in some way to deal with problem situations with your pain.
i haven't read the other thread yet but i saw it here. PT right after this hellish surgery?? no freaking way,noooo. gotta read that. everything is just way too overly hypersensitive for like the first two weeks ya know? god,just bumping into doorknobs when walking past them with that big cushion block on the sling was agony for me,i cannot even imagine doing that much. doing those little excercises helped alot in reducing some of my pain(once i could actually move that arm without wanting to throw up) tho,but not all out PT.
it really does sound like your PT people are on the ball here with you,but that three times a week hon,i really do think just considering how things have already been for you,is just overdoing it just a wee bit. going to at least two times and no more i really think would help you the most and not keep things as inflammed for you ya know? just my one time a week thing is more than enough since i am also doing the at home stuff. my PT guy did some really intense myo movements on my arm and shoulder yesterday(VERY slow tho). it actually felt much better after i left this time than it did that first day. i really think some myofascial release could do wonders for your pain too sammy. your fascia just HAS to be as bad if not more than what mine was and still is when things hit the fan.
okay,i am going from memory here but i do believe that tendon/muscle he was referring to is called the "subscapularis"? don't quote me on that directly tho. i asked him about it again yesterday and he did say it does runs from the bottom or towards the bottom of the blade area and thru on UP to the rotator in some way. but this is the one directly attached to the ribcage we were talking about? i would imagine if you just looked up "rotator cuff images" it would actually show where it is and how that runs. it may help you to actually see this whole configuration and how it runs. i do know there are some good rotator cuff pics out there on the net,i looked them up when i was trying to understand just what mine was all about. just seeing the whole thing and what your problem areas actually are may help to try and understand it better,i know it did help with me. you could also just ask the PT to show you a graphic pic of the rotator and explain your problem areas. they must have an actual pic hanging around somewhere. just some suggestions for ya.
ya know sammy,you DO always have the PM option so i wouldn't be too overly worried just yet about actual pain management being stopped by your surgeon at some point. i actually think this would be the best thing in your current situation for you just to better define what IS and is not an issue and what could be the possible SNS involvemnet. is that sweating still there? at least you have PM to fall back on if things don't continue with the surgeon. its an option for you to go to. so at least you wont be left hanging. you can always be referred just for that stellate injection i mentioned before? you just need to know ALL your pain generators in there in order to best treat them.
one thing about the MRI. if they were not directly looking at your c spine and thorasic areas(if you are talking about when you had your shoulder one?)it wont be as detailed in those areas,so it would be possible to miss some level of nerve issues. i am not sure if you are talking about a previous MRI done on those areas or the shoulder one you had? just an FYI.
well i gotta fly here,things to do ya know? gotta do my "pullys' ewww. let me know how things are going hon. marcia
i haven't read the other thread yet but i saw it here. PT right after this hellish surgery?? no freaking way,noooo. gotta read that. everything is just way too overly hypersensitive for like the first two weeks ya know? god,just bumping into doorknobs when walking past them with that big cushion block on the sling was agony for me,i cannot even imagine doing that much. doing those little excercises helped alot in reducing some of my pain(once i could actually move that arm without wanting to throw up) tho,but not all out PT.
it really does sound like your PT people are on the ball here with you,but that three times a week hon,i really do think just considering how things have already been for you,is just overdoing it just a wee bit. going to at least two times and no more i really think would help you the most and not keep things as inflammed for you ya know? just my one time a week thing is more than enough since i am also doing the at home stuff. my PT guy did some really intense myo movements on my arm and shoulder yesterday(VERY slow tho). it actually felt much better after i left this time than it did that first day. i really think some myofascial release could do wonders for your pain too sammy. your fascia just HAS to be as bad if not more than what mine was and still is when things hit the fan.
okay,i am going from memory here but i do believe that tendon/muscle he was referring to is called the "subscapularis"? don't quote me on that directly tho. i asked him about it again yesterday and he did say it does runs from the bottom or towards the bottom of the blade area and thru on UP to the rotator in some way. but this is the one directly attached to the ribcage we were talking about? i would imagine if you just looked up "rotator cuff images" it would actually show where it is and how that runs. it may help you to actually see this whole configuration and how it runs. i do know there are some good rotator cuff pics out there on the net,i looked them up when i was trying to understand just what mine was all about. just seeing the whole thing and what your problem areas actually are may help to try and understand it better,i know it did help with me. you could also just ask the PT to show you a graphic pic of the rotator and explain your problem areas. they must have an actual pic hanging around somewhere. just some suggestions for ya.
ya know sammy,you DO always have the PM option so i wouldn't be too overly worried just yet about actual pain management being stopped by your surgeon at some point. i actually think this would be the best thing in your current situation for you just to better define what IS and is not an issue and what could be the possible SNS involvemnet. is that sweating still there? at least you have PM to fall back on if things don't continue with the surgeon. its an option for you to go to. so at least you wont be left hanging. you can always be referred just for that stellate injection i mentioned before? you just need to know ALL your pain generators in there in order to best treat them.
one thing about the MRI. if they were not directly looking at your c spine and thorasic areas(if you are talking about when you had your shoulder one?)it wont be as detailed in those areas,so it would be possible to miss some level of nerve issues. i am not sure if you are talking about a previous MRI done on those areas or the shoulder one you had? just an FYI.
well i gotta fly here,things to do ya know? gotta do my "pullys' ewww. let me know how things are going hon. marcia
sammyo1
04-10-2008, 07:45 AM
Marcia, I have to tell you your reponses at times have me cracking up. Thats exactly what I thought, someone would have had knocked me out cold to get me into pt right after surgery.
I know the option of a PM is there but I don't have a PM & we all know how long that can take to get in to a new doc.
The hand can still sweat at times but so far not as bad as before. Strange.
The pt brought up the thoracic spine & said the MRI often misses things especially in the beginning stages. Also because of the lay down postion for the MRI, problems can be missed, she sounded pretty darn confident. She does without a doudt believe something else is going on in there & said no way would I be out of PT in four weeks. More like 8 to 10 weeks, I am getting some tingling right next to the spine on the left side in the center of my back when I bend forward abit, it does not occur all the time though. As for the shoulder it still hurts like heck in the morinings. As does the the other one now.
She maintains I need to slow it down & start icing as much as poosabe, the muscles stay in a state like they are being worked even when I am resting them, she said they were pretty bad. No wonder I am in pain, & no wonder I can't get a darn bra on. Hopefully as PT progresses I will be able to get an educated guess where the problem lies. Such as ribs themselves or the thoracic spine.
Not happy about that because I already know there are problems in the cervical. either way at least it gives me a general ideal of what is going on.
Had a problem with the arm being wrapped, woke up with it froze, could not straighten it out. Talk about pain. Same thing happened with the sling when I attempted to sleep in it. Talk about pain, I am going to continue to try to wear it & see what happens. Since she wants pillow put there often I will slide it on during the day to see how it goes.
I am thinking I may have to talk to the surgeon about a muscle relaxer, if the muscles are that bad. Mayber it will help to stop the throbbing in the ribs. I did let them know I would try the 3 days & if it was to much I would back down to 2, but they have been taking it easy thus far. I am a mess my friend.
My client was put on restriction for a month which means I have to continue to work abit more but my husband said if I remain like this I have to bring in help.
I just hope the surgeon pays attention to what is in those pt notes. That should let him know that I still need the pain med. I can't afford to screw around with pain control right know. I live in a state you don't risk your job in because they are hard to find.
I am trying to slow down, I am just as exhausted mentally running two households & I know my body is going to say enough at some point here. My daughter grabbed that arm playing around the other day OMG I have paid every since, it definantly increased the pain. funny there are times where I can move it pretty good & then times where I can't with out major pain. I have noted that as the day goes on the movement usually gets better. So I am glad I have PT in the mornings.
I think I will start to keep a journal like I did after surgery, I really am busy & forget alot of things. I am depending on this PT to help me determine if something else is going on. So perhaps a journal will help the pt to. Let me know how your pt is going, are you going twice a week? Sammy
I know the option of a PM is there but I don't have a PM & we all know how long that can take to get in to a new doc.
The hand can still sweat at times but so far not as bad as before. Strange.
The pt brought up the thoracic spine & said the MRI often misses things especially in the beginning stages. Also because of the lay down postion for the MRI, problems can be missed, she sounded pretty darn confident. She does without a doudt believe something else is going on in there & said no way would I be out of PT in four weeks. More like 8 to 10 weeks, I am getting some tingling right next to the spine on the left side in the center of my back when I bend forward abit, it does not occur all the time though. As for the shoulder it still hurts like heck in the morinings. As does the the other one now.
She maintains I need to slow it down & start icing as much as poosabe, the muscles stay in a state like they are being worked even when I am resting them, she said they were pretty bad. No wonder I am in pain, & no wonder I can't get a darn bra on. Hopefully as PT progresses I will be able to get an educated guess where the problem lies. Such as ribs themselves or the thoracic spine.
Not happy about that because I already know there are problems in the cervical. either way at least it gives me a general ideal of what is going on.
Had a problem with the arm being wrapped, woke up with it froze, could not straighten it out. Talk about pain. Same thing happened with the sling when I attempted to sleep in it. Talk about pain, I am going to continue to try to wear it & see what happens. Since she wants pillow put there often I will slide it on during the day to see how it goes.
I am thinking I may have to talk to the surgeon about a muscle relaxer, if the muscles are that bad. Mayber it will help to stop the throbbing in the ribs. I did let them know I would try the 3 days & if it was to much I would back down to 2, but they have been taking it easy thus far. I am a mess my friend.
My client was put on restriction for a month which means I have to continue to work abit more but my husband said if I remain like this I have to bring in help.
I just hope the surgeon pays attention to what is in those pt notes. That should let him know that I still need the pain med. I can't afford to screw around with pain control right know. I live in a state you don't risk your job in because they are hard to find.
I am trying to slow down, I am just as exhausted mentally running two households & I know my body is going to say enough at some point here. My daughter grabbed that arm playing around the other day OMG I have paid every since, it definantly increased the pain. funny there are times where I can move it pretty good & then times where I can't with out major pain. I have noted that as the day goes on the movement usually gets better. So I am glad I have PT in the mornings.
I think I will start to keep a journal like I did after surgery, I really am busy & forget alot of things. I am depending on this PT to help me determine if something else is going on. So perhaps a journal will help the pt to. Let me know how your pt is going, are you going twice a week? Sammy
feelbad
04-10-2008, 11:00 AM
i would have to tend to agree totally with your PT people,i REALLY do think there are other contributing factors with your situation,most definitely. she is also right about the MRIs,they cannot possibly pick up every single thing that is going on,it is not like taking a pic with a camera ya know,its simply a scan of an area. how long ago was that MRI done on your c and t spines? if it was an actual scan of the c and t areas that didn't show anything and not just that shoulder MRI then it does need to be done specifically on those areas,or if it was more than like a year or so. a standing MRI could also help better define your issues too, i do know they have those types of MRIs at alot more places now. best thing they ever invented espescially when a persons actual pain is only present when they are standing,helloo??
i was going to suggest the journal to you right after you mentioned about having 'good" and 'bad" times(this is kind of the way my pain is too). this could show some level of patterning going on too. it really does help. i always do this whenever i am starting a new med,just so i have a full listing of symptoms and side effects. you should read my lyrica and cymbalta journals,lol. man what "trips' those were,wow.
if you really want to make certain that your surgeon really pays attention to your PT notes hon,just start obtaining copies of them after every visit(ask the pts when they get those done and when you could obtain a copy,or just have them send out a copy to you,or even pick up the last one at the next visit? you do have options there). then you would be able to go over them BEFORE you ssee him again and ask any questions from them directly to him. signing one release there will able you to obtain them for one year. this way any 'news' wouldn't take you by suprise or make you wonder just why a particular finding or some other important info was left out of them,you know what i mean? at least this way you will know what HE is getting and can ask him about their findings. just a thought for your particular case.
i really DO think ,mostly becasue of what your PT said,that obtaining something like valium or vistral(just works better than other muscle relaxers i have personally tried) would be a very good idea. i take the valium before my PT appts now and my PT guy actually told me how much looser my arm felt this last time(it also didn;t feel as bad after PT). it really does help to just loosen up all that tightness we both have in a very severe way. mine is exactly like what you described,i do think some of this just comes with the territory and also having c spine issues doesn't help at all,trust me on that one. this particular surgery has just exascerbated the living heck out of all my pre existing issues up there. everything was just so inflammed and tighter than all get out before i started doing the light myo release. that has been the best help by far. he just worked very extensively with my ROM the last time but also did the light myo too. helped tons. he just did everything VERY slowly on me.
being that alot of your problems do have the muscle base,the valium would really help alot i think. it also wouldn't hurt to maybe ask if anyone at your PT place actually does myo release too. honestly sammy,this has really been so helpful for me and my pain and the godawful tightness i have up there. from both shoulder blades on up thru the base of my skull was just a mess,still is to a certain degree but that was already a mess before this surgery,just made things much much worse.
well i gotta go see my dentist again this morning about these two stupid teeth that kind of started their very own sympathetic pain syndrome when all i did was have that one stupid tooth filled about one week pre op? yep,it is still terrorizing me. unbelieveable really. but i would really start obtaining all your PT notes hon just so you know what your doc will be seeing. it would really benefit you and make certain that you would know just what he is talking about or being able to ask the right questions based on what the PT people are telling both you and him. its just a good idea for you at this point ya know? hang in there sammy,marcia
i was going to suggest the journal to you right after you mentioned about having 'good" and 'bad" times(this is kind of the way my pain is too). this could show some level of patterning going on too. it really does help. i always do this whenever i am starting a new med,just so i have a full listing of symptoms and side effects. you should read my lyrica and cymbalta journals,lol. man what "trips' those were,wow.
if you really want to make certain that your surgeon really pays attention to your PT notes hon,just start obtaining copies of them after every visit(ask the pts when they get those done and when you could obtain a copy,or just have them send out a copy to you,or even pick up the last one at the next visit? you do have options there). then you would be able to go over them BEFORE you ssee him again and ask any questions from them directly to him. signing one release there will able you to obtain them for one year. this way any 'news' wouldn't take you by suprise or make you wonder just why a particular finding or some other important info was left out of them,you know what i mean? at least this way you will know what HE is getting and can ask him about their findings. just a thought for your particular case.
i really DO think ,mostly becasue of what your PT said,that obtaining something like valium or vistral(just works better than other muscle relaxers i have personally tried) would be a very good idea. i take the valium before my PT appts now and my PT guy actually told me how much looser my arm felt this last time(it also didn;t feel as bad after PT). it really does help to just loosen up all that tightness we both have in a very severe way. mine is exactly like what you described,i do think some of this just comes with the territory and also having c spine issues doesn't help at all,trust me on that one. this particular surgery has just exascerbated the living heck out of all my pre existing issues up there. everything was just so inflammed and tighter than all get out before i started doing the light myo release. that has been the best help by far. he just worked very extensively with my ROM the last time but also did the light myo too. helped tons. he just did everything VERY slowly on me.
being that alot of your problems do have the muscle base,the valium would really help alot i think. it also wouldn't hurt to maybe ask if anyone at your PT place actually does myo release too. honestly sammy,this has really been so helpful for me and my pain and the godawful tightness i have up there. from both shoulder blades on up thru the base of my skull was just a mess,still is to a certain degree but that was already a mess before this surgery,just made things much much worse.
well i gotta go see my dentist again this morning about these two stupid teeth that kind of started their very own sympathetic pain syndrome when all i did was have that one stupid tooth filled about one week pre op? yep,it is still terrorizing me. unbelieveable really. but i would really start obtaining all your PT notes hon just so you know what your doc will be seeing. it would really benefit you and make certain that you would know just what he is talking about or being able to ask the right questions based on what the PT people are telling both you and him. its just a good idea for you at this point ya know? hang in there sammy,marcia
sammyo1
04-11-2008, 08:08 AM
Sorry about the teeth, hate anything to do with the teeth.
Not doing good. could not get through PT yesturday. the therapist is concerned, she is going to give it a bit longer & then call the surgeon if it does not get easier soon. Both shoulders a mess. Ribs really bad, swollen & sore. She pretty much said slow it down or else. So I promised that I would & see how it goes. I think Its going to take a few days. Felt like a kid, pretty much begged her to hold off on calling the surgeon & let me try to find some help at work. Really bad my friend, not a whole lot of movement with that arm with out pain yesturday. I have to admit they are careful there, they do not like to cause you pain at all. She is concerned about the whole rib thing. between being a wild women in my sleep & going back to work I really think I over did it, feel like I am loosing control of the pain.
I will try the valium today before pt, not sure how to tell the surgeon I took something though that he did not prescribe. Some docs. are funny about that. Although it was prescribed by the rehab. for this problem & to help calm me down, he thought I had a hard time accepting my limitations, imagine that, think that is why I am going backwards here (ha). I am a total mess. Of course I knew it would be to much.
So I am going to find some help at work, no choice at all, I feel abit foolish. The surgeon took me off work till april 15 & I have been working for probably over a month on & off. Although I usually don't have to do so much physically, my client got a pace maker put in on an emergency basis, so it was not expected & we did not get to plan for it & she is on physical restriction which caused me to have to do all the work plus my own at home.
I just don't know what the surgeon would say. Probably look at me like I am a fool, which I am.
My sister in law brought some stuff over for me to try. So I will give it a try today. She swears by it. I will let you know as much as I am able if it works. Not sure how that works with the rules here. I am willing to try just about anything at this point. But this is all natural & wont harm you so it is safe enough. I am back to icing big time. Feels good. The right side hurt pretty bad yesturday, especially the scapula area.
I am worried sick that the surgeon is going to cut back on the pain meds, at this point I just can't do it. I am tired of being sent from doc. to doc. & even though he is a general ortho. along with shoulder surgeon he did not offer to look into the rib cage, which I did not realize till I seen general ortho on his card which I grabbed on the way out.
you know it is the most stressful thing to worry about having someone treat this pain. Your talking about your life here. I don't get it because they did say it could take up to a year for a full recovery, we will see. Good luck at the dentist, will be taking a trip there myself soon. Sammy
Not doing good. could not get through PT yesturday. the therapist is concerned, she is going to give it a bit longer & then call the surgeon if it does not get easier soon. Both shoulders a mess. Ribs really bad, swollen & sore. She pretty much said slow it down or else. So I promised that I would & see how it goes. I think Its going to take a few days. Felt like a kid, pretty much begged her to hold off on calling the surgeon & let me try to find some help at work. Really bad my friend, not a whole lot of movement with that arm with out pain yesturday. I have to admit they are careful there, they do not like to cause you pain at all. She is concerned about the whole rib thing. between being a wild women in my sleep & going back to work I really think I over did it, feel like I am loosing control of the pain.
I will try the valium today before pt, not sure how to tell the surgeon I took something though that he did not prescribe. Some docs. are funny about that. Although it was prescribed by the rehab. for this problem & to help calm me down, he thought I had a hard time accepting my limitations, imagine that, think that is why I am going backwards here (ha). I am a total mess. Of course I knew it would be to much.
So I am going to find some help at work, no choice at all, I feel abit foolish. The surgeon took me off work till april 15 & I have been working for probably over a month on & off. Although I usually don't have to do so much physically, my client got a pace maker put in on an emergency basis, so it was not expected & we did not get to plan for it & she is on physical restriction which caused me to have to do all the work plus my own at home.
I just don't know what the surgeon would say. Probably look at me like I am a fool, which I am.
My sister in law brought some stuff over for me to try. So I will give it a try today. She swears by it. I will let you know as much as I am able if it works. Not sure how that works with the rules here. I am willing to try just about anything at this point. But this is all natural & wont harm you so it is safe enough. I am back to icing big time. Feels good. The right side hurt pretty bad yesturday, especially the scapula area.
I am worried sick that the surgeon is going to cut back on the pain meds, at this point I just can't do it. I am tired of being sent from doc. to doc. & even though he is a general ortho. along with shoulder surgeon he did not offer to look into the rib cage, which I did not realize till I seen general ortho on his card which I grabbed on the way out.
you know it is the most stressful thing to worry about having someone treat this pain. Your talking about your life here. I don't get it because they did say it could take up to a year for a full recovery, we will see. Good luck at the dentist, will be taking a trip there myself soon. Sammy
feelbad
04-11-2008, 01:09 PM
sammy hon, i can tell just from your posts here that you ARE way overdoing it,seriously. this is not helping YOU or your situation at all. one thing i just HAD to learn post spinal cord surgery is you just gotta let go of the things in your life that are making things worse for you. you just have to,your future function and mobility with that whole arm right now depends on it sweetie. your just wanting your "normal' back right now and that IS very understandable,but you just cannot afford to screw things up anymore than they already are,you just can't. it just sounds like you have everything fully inflammed all the time,and that wont help with healing,trust me there. somehow sammy,you just have to learn to accept your current situation and the limitations for the greater outcome here. for you,they are probably only temporary and once things get that chance to really calm down,things will stabilize more for you. i know exactly where you are at in your head,believe me,i have been down this road many times. you just have to take it easy if you want to progress from here. you just have to put your 'wants' aside right now and fully concentrate just on you,and only you and your very real "needs'. isn't there someone else who can take over your duties at your job right now for you?
i am not too certain just what you do for a living but i have a strong feeling that it involves you doing things that would not make your surgeon or the PT very happy with it? am i right? i am only telling you this hon becasue i care about you and really want you to get back to normal too,but you DO have to accept the temporary situation right now and just do what is the best possible thing for you,not someone else right now.
how you recover from this and how quickly that takes place is alot in your own hands sammy. i had to force myself to just accept some very permanent disabilities and some temporary set backs back in 03 post surgery on my spinal cord. it sucked of course but i just had to go there since it Was in my own best interest at that point to just do what my surgeon and my physiatrist were telling me i needed to do. cripes,i came home from rehab walking again but with a walker(i was only in my early 40s and using a flippin walker,it was sick),but i was upright and standing on my own power for the first time since that surgery knocked my entire left leg and hand totally out of commission. it took a heck of alot of constant work and dedication to just getting the heck out of the rehab hosp(i just wanted home again after being gone for over a month in two seperate hospitals)then continuing three times a week PT to just be able to "do' for myself again(i felt VERY needy and useless and selfish at the time believe me).but you just have to place you first for a change and concentrate on that for a change. i KNOW its hard to do just that but right now,you have to go there. it IS the best possible thing you can do right now.
sorry,didn't want to come over as a lecture or something but honestly sammy,you HAVE to look at the bigger picture here ya know? YOU come first for now. that will eventually change but for right now,you have to place yourself and your needs first or this will never end hon,it is just too inflammed to actually heal right now.
okay i am done with that now i promise,lol. i do think trying the valium just to see how it works would be a really good idea. even cutting them in half and trying to take one half just during the course of the day may help to keep the muscle crap at least,more on an even keel. this is what i have to do to keep the constant spasticy in both legs down to a dull roar(mine are only 5mg which i cut down to only half). it could help and be worth a try anyways. you wont know if this would actually work til you just try it. i seriously doubt your surgeon would have any real problems with trying the valium,mine actually encouarged it. it just really helps in keeping things a bit less tight and lowers spasming.
but i DO really think obtaining those PT notes would really be your best shot in ensuring that you and your surgeon,and the PT people are all onthe very same page here. getting your notes also from your surgeon would also be very helpful in just seeing what his overall "impressions" are about your ongoing issues. you just gotta stay on top of a few different things here and getting that info is really really helpful for you,just to know what is actually "in' other peoples heads about you and your conditon. and like i mentioned before,you DO have a PM option here too if your surgeon starts cutting you off before that pain really starts to go down. and you DO need that diagnostic stellate injection done,really sammy,you just do. so a PM really wouldn't be such a bad idea at this point actually. but given your ongoing situation,i really cannot imagine your surgeon just cutting you off this soon either. you still need that help just to tolerate PT you know what i mean?
you are just going to have to slow it down ALOT an see how things go from here, but do get those notes. and like i mentioned before,getting that MRI done on that c spine and T really wouldn't hurt either. you need to know what may be also contributing to your constant inflammation in there. its just really time to try and rule in and out other contributors. at least you would no either way and thats something to go on.
i really hope you were not offended in any way about what i told you hon,it really comes from just total concern and caring about what you are going thru. believe me sammy, i have been thru this kind of crap more times than i care to even count,and i learned my lessons the hard way by pushing myself to get my normal back just way too soon,and i did pay for it in alot of ways. i am just trying to spare you that. something has just got to give here and only you know what those things are that you need to try and remove from your life temporarily that will help YOU the most. you are just simply doing way too much way too soon and are paying already for it in some ways. healing just wont take place in the best possible way when there is simply too much constant inflammtion going on. just let some things go hon,i promise you things will really "feel' much better if you do just this. i am hanging in right there with ya sammy. til the morrow(aint i well mannered?)marcia
i am not too certain just what you do for a living but i have a strong feeling that it involves you doing things that would not make your surgeon or the PT very happy with it? am i right? i am only telling you this hon becasue i care about you and really want you to get back to normal too,but you DO have to accept the temporary situation right now and just do what is the best possible thing for you,not someone else right now.
how you recover from this and how quickly that takes place is alot in your own hands sammy. i had to force myself to just accept some very permanent disabilities and some temporary set backs back in 03 post surgery on my spinal cord. it sucked of course but i just had to go there since it Was in my own best interest at that point to just do what my surgeon and my physiatrist were telling me i needed to do. cripes,i came home from rehab walking again but with a walker(i was only in my early 40s and using a flippin walker,it was sick),but i was upright and standing on my own power for the first time since that surgery knocked my entire left leg and hand totally out of commission. it took a heck of alot of constant work and dedication to just getting the heck out of the rehab hosp(i just wanted home again after being gone for over a month in two seperate hospitals)then continuing three times a week PT to just be able to "do' for myself again(i felt VERY needy and useless and selfish at the time believe me).but you just have to place you first for a change and concentrate on that for a change. i KNOW its hard to do just that but right now,you have to go there. it IS the best possible thing you can do right now.
sorry,didn't want to come over as a lecture or something but honestly sammy,you HAVE to look at the bigger picture here ya know? YOU come first for now. that will eventually change but for right now,you have to place yourself and your needs first or this will never end hon,it is just too inflammed to actually heal right now.
okay i am done with that now i promise,lol. i do think trying the valium just to see how it works would be a really good idea. even cutting them in half and trying to take one half just during the course of the day may help to keep the muscle crap at least,more on an even keel. this is what i have to do to keep the constant spasticy in both legs down to a dull roar(mine are only 5mg which i cut down to only half). it could help and be worth a try anyways. you wont know if this would actually work til you just try it. i seriously doubt your surgeon would have any real problems with trying the valium,mine actually encouarged it. it just really helps in keeping things a bit less tight and lowers spasming.
but i DO really think obtaining those PT notes would really be your best shot in ensuring that you and your surgeon,and the PT people are all onthe very same page here. getting your notes also from your surgeon would also be very helpful in just seeing what his overall "impressions" are about your ongoing issues. you just gotta stay on top of a few different things here and getting that info is really really helpful for you,just to know what is actually "in' other peoples heads about you and your conditon. and like i mentioned before,you DO have a PM option here too if your surgeon starts cutting you off before that pain really starts to go down. and you DO need that diagnostic stellate injection done,really sammy,you just do. so a PM really wouldn't be such a bad idea at this point actually. but given your ongoing situation,i really cannot imagine your surgeon just cutting you off this soon either. you still need that help just to tolerate PT you know what i mean?
you are just going to have to slow it down ALOT an see how things go from here, but do get those notes. and like i mentioned before,getting that MRI done on that c spine and T really wouldn't hurt either. you need to know what may be also contributing to your constant inflammation in there. its just really time to try and rule in and out other contributors. at least you would no either way and thats something to go on.
i really hope you were not offended in any way about what i told you hon,it really comes from just total concern and caring about what you are going thru. believe me sammy, i have been thru this kind of crap more times than i care to even count,and i learned my lessons the hard way by pushing myself to get my normal back just way too soon,and i did pay for it in alot of ways. i am just trying to spare you that. something has just got to give here and only you know what those things are that you need to try and remove from your life temporarily that will help YOU the most. you are just simply doing way too much way too soon and are paying already for it in some ways. healing just wont take place in the best possible way when there is simply too much constant inflammtion going on. just let some things go hon,i promise you things will really "feel' much better if you do just this. i am hanging in right there with ya sammy. til the morrow(aint i well mannered?)marcia
sammyo1
04-12-2008, 09:31 AM
Marcia, I can't take offense when your just being honest. you have experianced much more then I have, so you would know. I am lucky to have you as a friend to give advice. The SNS is always in the back of my mind & I am hoping through therapy I can get some additional clues. She really seems attentive, although she does look at me like I am abit of a puzzle, like when she flexes the wrist a certian way the area I should feel it in I dont but another area all together where the nerve does not even run.
Once again the PT concerned with the spine, she said what every other doc. said, I have every symptom of cardiac, but I have had cardiac workups done. So what ever it is brings on those symptoms. She seems really dedicated, said she spent part of the night reading up on my issues.
The ribs are definantly an issue, a couple of them on the left are hypermobile & she said that is not good at all, she said its like I had injured them at some point. So she wants me to try a brace of sorts to bind the ribs & rest as much as possalbe. Lots of chest pain all evening after her working on them, so hopfully that will give her a clue, keeping a journal from this point to try to help her out, my symptoms are so wide ranged & can come & go. Once again she said just the ribs alone will not heal with out rest. So I am going to make more of an effort.
The shoulder is clicking again, I could feel it working on the pulleys, she could feel it her self while doing pt. Thank god. At times you run across someone who just don't get it.
She said that is not a good thing at all. It is a wait & see thing ot see if the ribs improve as the shoulder does. I am glad she is really focusing on them both & understands why its so painful. I can't wait to where a bra again. Also said my posture is super bad, probably from the way I held the shoulder for so long.
She takes it very slow, she said she does not want me to be in any additional pain & her notes will indeed be going to the surgeon, but still at this time is saying I should get another MRI or additional testing. Keeps saying its like I really injured myself.
Your a tiny thing like myself & had a pretty physical job. Do you think all the physical lifting & all the work on bodies for our size helped this all along?
I do know I would just ache after work but just kept going. I wish I would have never pushed myself.
Once again one of the assistants there said he had heard that the shoulder surgery is the worst, I have had only this surgery but I told him it is not one I would want to repeat. Got a gentleman in there still in pt 3months & going after shoulder surgery.
I am bringing someone in to work to do alot of the physical work to help me out, hopefully that works out. I have got a hard job my friend, my one client has alzteimers & its getting worse, it is hard to get her to listen to me in the first place but heck she just keeps forgetting what I tell her & the things she can do to help she just wont do. Very frustrating when its my job to get her to do these things. I am beyound frustrated because I know I have to start resting more but I can't get her or her husband to cooperate. Finally told them yesturday that No one can help them if they don't start helping theirselves. Just like me. I wrote them out a list of goals & told them I expect to see an effort made. I have had alot of success working with people & take my job very seriously, I am probably about as dedicated as you will find but I am going to have to be abit more demanding with them to do these things & listen or else its going to cause me problems. She is recovering from surgery to & if I don't make sure things are kept a certain way she she will attempt to do it.
I have no choices left but to try to get more rest I believe the therapist would like me to just rest period, nothing else, I hate the chest pain so I am going to work on those ribs. Man it can be tough, I have no pay coming in when off work & I need some kind of small income. I am going to cut back & hope for the best. Lots of rest though.
Thanks for letting me have it, I guess I need that. Let me know how your therapy is going. Man do I have the chest pain, don't you think that would indcate after working on the ribs that would be a huge clue there? Let me know what you think. Sammy
Once again the PT concerned with the spine, she said what every other doc. said, I have every symptom of cardiac, but I have had cardiac workups done. So what ever it is brings on those symptoms. She seems really dedicated, said she spent part of the night reading up on my issues.
The ribs are definantly an issue, a couple of them on the left are hypermobile & she said that is not good at all, she said its like I had injured them at some point. So she wants me to try a brace of sorts to bind the ribs & rest as much as possalbe. Lots of chest pain all evening after her working on them, so hopfully that will give her a clue, keeping a journal from this point to try to help her out, my symptoms are so wide ranged & can come & go. Once again she said just the ribs alone will not heal with out rest. So I am going to make more of an effort.
The shoulder is clicking again, I could feel it working on the pulleys, she could feel it her self while doing pt. Thank god. At times you run across someone who just don't get it.
She said that is not a good thing at all. It is a wait & see thing ot see if the ribs improve as the shoulder does. I am glad she is really focusing on them both & understands why its so painful. I can't wait to where a bra again. Also said my posture is super bad, probably from the way I held the shoulder for so long.
She takes it very slow, she said she does not want me to be in any additional pain & her notes will indeed be going to the surgeon, but still at this time is saying I should get another MRI or additional testing. Keeps saying its like I really injured myself.
Your a tiny thing like myself & had a pretty physical job. Do you think all the physical lifting & all the work on bodies for our size helped this all along?
I do know I would just ache after work but just kept going. I wish I would have never pushed myself.
Once again one of the assistants there said he had heard that the shoulder surgery is the worst, I have had only this surgery but I told him it is not one I would want to repeat. Got a gentleman in there still in pt 3months & going after shoulder surgery.
I am bringing someone in to work to do alot of the physical work to help me out, hopefully that works out. I have got a hard job my friend, my one client has alzteimers & its getting worse, it is hard to get her to listen to me in the first place but heck she just keeps forgetting what I tell her & the things she can do to help she just wont do. Very frustrating when its my job to get her to do these things. I am beyound frustrated because I know I have to start resting more but I can't get her or her husband to cooperate. Finally told them yesturday that No one can help them if they don't start helping theirselves. Just like me. I wrote them out a list of goals & told them I expect to see an effort made. I have had alot of success working with people & take my job very seriously, I am probably about as dedicated as you will find but I am going to have to be abit more demanding with them to do these things & listen or else its going to cause me problems. She is recovering from surgery to & if I don't make sure things are kept a certain way she she will attempt to do it.
I have no choices left but to try to get more rest I believe the therapist would like me to just rest period, nothing else, I hate the chest pain so I am going to work on those ribs. Man it can be tough, I have no pay coming in when off work & I need some kind of small income. I am going to cut back & hope for the best. Lots of rest though.
Thanks for letting me have it, I guess I need that. Let me know how your therapy is going. Man do I have the chest pain, don't you think that would indcate after working on the ribs that would be a huge clue there? Let me know what you think. Sammy
feelbad
04-12-2008, 11:59 AM
theres just one really huge thing that you have to be aware of once you place a rib wrap on and thats pneumonia(only becasue the lungs cannot fully expand). they wont even wrap fractured ribs anymore just for this very reason. i cracked a rib when i fell wrong onto a ladder(like there is a right way?lol) but they would not wrap my ribs since it does constrict your breathing and doesn't give those muscles there a chance to "build up' only because they are being supported,you know what i mean? just somethings you may want to ask your PT about.
i KNOW my job just really trashed my body over the fourteen years that i did it. there just was alot of heavy lifting with alot of sudden things that had to be taken care of. you just move your body in ways that it isn;t good to do. alot of FF/medics end up retiring early just because their bodies wore out becasue the nature of the job just places you in vulnerable posistions. i gather you do home health care?that can be a very demanding job in and of itself let alone being in your particular posistion right now. i do agree,someone else needs to at least be there with you during your recovery if you are going to continue to do this hon. its just alot of extra crap that you do not need right now. this is YOU and your future ability to even work we are talking about ya know? rest it now or pay later kind of thing? believe me, i would go back to my old job in a heartbeat if it was actually still possible.i just miss it that much. trust me sammy,you don;t want to screw yourself up.
just an FYI here for ya but post op,my surgeon actually told my hubby that i have an area where the sutures are just way too close to the bone and it will create a snapping noise.it almost "feels' to me like crepitus,but i know its the sutures. every once in a while i just will hear strange things coming from that surgical area. you could also just have a tendon that is now snapping over a bone. do you know if that tendon i mentioned was actually worked on? this could explain what the ribcage is feeling/doing at least to some degree anyways. but your best bet here really would to just get that good look inside with the MRI of that whole area along with the c and t spines too. this would be exactly what i would be pushing for if i was in your shoes right now. you have no idea really whether or not the actual sutures have even held in there ya know? that could be a possible issue given what you are describng as symptoms too. just a thought. i often wonder,just becasue i still could not actually quit smoking here,if i haven't screwed this up for myself to a point too? an MRI would at least start the ball rolling and answer some questions for you.
its just that this far out from post op,you really should be feeling things at a much more 'stable" level,ya know? i am very very relieved to know that you DO have some good PT people working with you,that really IS crucial. i have been sent to some really great PT like i see now,and also had the misfortune to go to others over time that were an absolute joke. did nothing really for me at all. so you did get lucky there sammy. its usually always best to go with whoever your surgeon actually recommends to you. believe me,they know the good and bad ones. they see it in how well patients are doing post op. i do think we both got really good peole. i know i am in the best hands going back to my cranio guy. my body is just too screwed up for words since the sp cord surgery created on going nightmares with my tracts and nerves/body systems.
right now sammy,i really would just push for the MRI from c spine down thru the shoulder/rib area to the T. these would be any areas that could possibly be contributing to your ongoing symptoms,therefore just need further evaluation ya know? you just very simply NEED to know what may or may not be a factor instead of everyone playing guessing games when something may be a real issue. it would just tell alot.
i got my next PT on wed. should be fun. it really does help that i am also getting the myo release. god i love this guy. he just knows what i need right now.(just push the MRI,K?)hang in there sammy,Marcia
i KNOW my job just really trashed my body over the fourteen years that i did it. there just was alot of heavy lifting with alot of sudden things that had to be taken care of. you just move your body in ways that it isn;t good to do. alot of FF/medics end up retiring early just because their bodies wore out becasue the nature of the job just places you in vulnerable posistions. i gather you do home health care?that can be a very demanding job in and of itself let alone being in your particular posistion right now. i do agree,someone else needs to at least be there with you during your recovery if you are going to continue to do this hon. its just alot of extra crap that you do not need right now. this is YOU and your future ability to even work we are talking about ya know? rest it now or pay later kind of thing? believe me, i would go back to my old job in a heartbeat if it was actually still possible.i just miss it that much. trust me sammy,you don;t want to screw yourself up.
just an FYI here for ya but post op,my surgeon actually told my hubby that i have an area where the sutures are just way too close to the bone and it will create a snapping noise.it almost "feels' to me like crepitus,but i know its the sutures. every once in a while i just will hear strange things coming from that surgical area. you could also just have a tendon that is now snapping over a bone. do you know if that tendon i mentioned was actually worked on? this could explain what the ribcage is feeling/doing at least to some degree anyways. but your best bet here really would to just get that good look inside with the MRI of that whole area along with the c and t spines too. this would be exactly what i would be pushing for if i was in your shoes right now. you have no idea really whether or not the actual sutures have even held in there ya know? that could be a possible issue given what you are describng as symptoms too. just a thought. i often wonder,just becasue i still could not actually quit smoking here,if i haven't screwed this up for myself to a point too? an MRI would at least start the ball rolling and answer some questions for you.
its just that this far out from post op,you really should be feeling things at a much more 'stable" level,ya know? i am very very relieved to know that you DO have some good PT people working with you,that really IS crucial. i have been sent to some really great PT like i see now,and also had the misfortune to go to others over time that were an absolute joke. did nothing really for me at all. so you did get lucky there sammy. its usually always best to go with whoever your surgeon actually recommends to you. believe me,they know the good and bad ones. they see it in how well patients are doing post op. i do think we both got really good peole. i know i am in the best hands going back to my cranio guy. my body is just too screwed up for words since the sp cord surgery created on going nightmares with my tracts and nerves/body systems.
right now sammy,i really would just push for the MRI from c spine down thru the shoulder/rib area to the T. these would be any areas that could possibly be contributing to your ongoing symptoms,therefore just need further evaluation ya know? you just very simply NEED to know what may or may not be a factor instead of everyone playing guessing games when something may be a real issue. it would just tell alot.
i got my next PT on wed. should be fun. it really does help that i am also getting the myo release. god i love this guy. he just knows what i need right now.(just push the MRI,K?)hang in there sammy,Marcia
sammyo1
04-13-2008, 08:11 AM
Marcia, I am glad you told me about the binding the ribs. I thought I would only keep them binded when I am working or really up & moving, which I hope not to be to much after this week. First I have to find something to bind them with. The pt told me to pick this thing up but the only thing I could find (told me to go to cvs) is a abdominal brace. That thing is big & looks like it would be to low, pharmacist said I may be able to position it up alittle. So I am still looking for something. I do think she is right, you can see those ribs & she could feel it, but heck I want to get something that is going to work, the location is right up there at the sternum. All I can do it give it a try. Any suggestions on what to use? What do they usually wrap the ribs with?
I will talk to the surgeon about all that MRI & other stuff my next follow up. That gives me some more PT time. I will tell you the pt's inform you a heck of alot more about whats going on then your doctors. you would have thought with all the pain I have had in the ribs that one of the doctors would have examined them, honestly. When I think of all the suffering I get so darn angry.
I swear I honestly believe women do not get taken seriously like men do when it comes to doctors. You know it is all in our minds, or we are depressed or anxious.
I'll tell you I am never going to let another doctor ignore my symptoms.
I am glad I ended up with a PT that is careful. Because of all the pain after her working on the ribs, it confirms that the ribs are causing all this chest pain. The sternum is tender to touch. I think the shoulder will get better before the ribs do. I was thinking the surgeon wanted me to try the osteo manipulation for the ribs, that would be three times a week, with pt at three times a week & work, no way could I do that.
So I have to put faith in the PT to really help me with those ribs & hopefully the surgeon does not get mad at me for not going for the osteo treatments.
I am thinking perhaps I may need an MRI of those ribs, do you know what the difference is between an what an MRI shows vs. a CT?
So two questions, suggestions on what to bind the ribs with? I am so darn small & that thing looks huge, & any suggestions on what I can do to improve my posture? I am finding myself hunching over & I try to catch myself but now that she brought is up I really do have a major problem with that, so what do you think?
I hope all is well with you, I am glad you have good therapists, you have to much going on in there to have anyone messing up with you. Sammy
I will talk to the surgeon about all that MRI & other stuff my next follow up. That gives me some more PT time. I will tell you the pt's inform you a heck of alot more about whats going on then your doctors. you would have thought with all the pain I have had in the ribs that one of the doctors would have examined them, honestly. When I think of all the suffering I get so darn angry.
I swear I honestly believe women do not get taken seriously like men do when it comes to doctors. You know it is all in our minds, or we are depressed or anxious.
I'll tell you I am never going to let another doctor ignore my symptoms.
I am glad I ended up with a PT that is careful. Because of all the pain after her working on the ribs, it confirms that the ribs are causing all this chest pain. The sternum is tender to touch. I think the shoulder will get better before the ribs do. I was thinking the surgeon wanted me to try the osteo manipulation for the ribs, that would be three times a week, with pt at three times a week & work, no way could I do that.
So I have to put faith in the PT to really help me with those ribs & hopefully the surgeon does not get mad at me for not going for the osteo treatments.
I am thinking perhaps I may need an MRI of those ribs, do you know what the difference is between an what an MRI shows vs. a CT?
So two questions, suggestions on what to bind the ribs with? I am so darn small & that thing looks huge, & any suggestions on what I can do to improve my posture? I am finding myself hunching over & I try to catch myself but now that she brought is up I really do have a major problem with that, so what do you think?
I hope all is well with you, I am glad you have good therapists, you have to much going on in there to have anyone messing up with you. Sammy
feelbad
04-13-2008, 11:04 AM
for your particular situation i would go with the MRI only becasue it does show to the nerve and spinal cord level. a CT however would really show the more structural aspects of the rib area. but given your symptoms,i do think doing the MRI of the C rib and T area would be your best bet right now. perhaps if they need further bone(hard structure) definition at some point,a CT would definitely be the way to go after an MRI. but i personally would opt for the MRI of those specific areas if this were me,right now,just becasue you DO need to really see that far down into the nerve level.
i am wondering if since they do not actually recommend rib wrapping anymore if you will be able to actually(just hit the dang caps lock again and had to erase like a whole paragraph here,dam mit)even be able to find one anymore ya know? you could try just looking in theyellow pages under orthotics or just look up drug stores that actually state they carry all types of bracing stuff? that would be a good place to start. or just try calling some of them and ask if they have or if they actually know of a place where you could get one. just some thoughts.
the actual rib wraps themselves are just a big long bunch of elastic(probably about 12" wide? and long enough to wrap around your chest a bit tightly) with velcro right at the full length at the ends so you can wrap it,pull it tight and then secure it with velcro. thats really all it consists of. if you only wore this at work it may be okay,but you also have to remeber that once you take that off,not to 'do' anything til you feel some strength return to that area since you are kind of temporarily shifting the load/stabilizing with the muscles type thing? i am just wondering if you could actually even tolerate it with them being the way they are right now you know what i mean? if you cannot yet even wear a bra,whats this thing going to actually feel like? just some things to consider.
i personally would be very interested in just what may show up on your MRI of those three key areas. there is defintiely something strange(not normal?) going on in there. you just really need to know how all those areas actually are in there.
its just from what you have described it almost sounds like something is not actually "attached' right,you know what i mean? if that one particular tendon is involved tho,it could explain alot from what my PT told me. i am going to look that rotator area up again and see what exactly runs where. my PT gave me the impression that the bottom tendon,that sub scapularis just runs from the bottom on up thru the side,the outside of the ribs and back up to the actual rotator. it just covers a pretty large area within the area where you are having the most problems with your ribs,ya know? just ask your PT person what they did(what areas were involved in surgery),they should actually have a full copy of your op notes from your surgery if they are as thorough as mine is. i know my PT has mine. you just really need to know just what areas they worked on in what ways.
i wish i could help more with the rib wrap,i definetly wouldn't recommend the duct tape for this one,lol.owie. just check out your yellow pages,thats what i would do. you should be able to track one down somewhere ya know? til later hon,Marcia
i am wondering if since they do not actually recommend rib wrapping anymore if you will be able to actually(just hit the dang caps lock again and had to erase like a whole paragraph here,dam mit)even be able to find one anymore ya know? you could try just looking in theyellow pages under orthotics or just look up drug stores that actually state they carry all types of bracing stuff? that would be a good place to start. or just try calling some of them and ask if they have or if they actually know of a place where you could get one. just some thoughts.
the actual rib wraps themselves are just a big long bunch of elastic(probably about 12" wide? and long enough to wrap around your chest a bit tightly) with velcro right at the full length at the ends so you can wrap it,pull it tight and then secure it with velcro. thats really all it consists of. if you only wore this at work it may be okay,but you also have to remeber that once you take that off,not to 'do' anything til you feel some strength return to that area since you are kind of temporarily shifting the load/stabilizing with the muscles type thing? i am just wondering if you could actually even tolerate it with them being the way they are right now you know what i mean? if you cannot yet even wear a bra,whats this thing going to actually feel like? just some things to consider.
i personally would be very interested in just what may show up on your MRI of those three key areas. there is defintiely something strange(not normal?) going on in there. you just really need to know how all those areas actually are in there.
its just from what you have described it almost sounds like something is not actually "attached' right,you know what i mean? if that one particular tendon is involved tho,it could explain alot from what my PT told me. i am going to look that rotator area up again and see what exactly runs where. my PT gave me the impression that the bottom tendon,that sub scapularis just runs from the bottom on up thru the side,the outside of the ribs and back up to the actual rotator. it just covers a pretty large area within the area where you are having the most problems with your ribs,ya know? just ask your PT person what they did(what areas were involved in surgery),they should actually have a full copy of your op notes from your surgery if they are as thorough as mine is. i know my PT has mine. you just really need to know just what areas they worked on in what ways.
i wish i could help more with the rib wrap,i definetly wouldn't recommend the duct tape for this one,lol.owie. just check out your yellow pages,thats what i would do. you should be able to track one down somewhere ya know? til later hon,Marcia
sammyo1
04-14-2008, 10:40 AM
Marcia, the pt claims that because the pressure would be more evenly distrubted it may not be as painful as wearing a bra.
What you are describing almost sounds like the abdominal support but perhaps abit smaller. Good thing you are so knowlegdable, I would have never even thought to be careful after taking it off. Boy I am so glad I have you to get some opinions & advice from. you are so valuable to me my friend. I am going to see what the surgeon says after viewing the pts notes.
I am alittle worried, woke up with that right hand numb & tingling so bad that it actually was darn painful, every time I would raise it, it would get worse. My whole upper back is so painful, both scapulas & everything in between. Could hardly use either arm this morning. Man this can really get to you, you know?
Pulled out one of my books from my MA class, looked over the diagrams of the ribs, seems like it is the 6-8 area & probably some in the upper chest, hard to tell in that location. The xiphold process located at the very end of the sternum gets so sore & tender, the slightest pressure is to much.
I'll tell you sucks to have to worry about the doctors pushing you off on another. I am concerned that even if he thinks there is a problem in the spine it will be a wait to get into another specialist. He is in an office where there are several ortho surgeons together, all specializing in one area or another. I am going to ask him if he can deal with the ribs, my gosh he is an ortho. It is just all getting to me. Tired of all the pain & worry. I swear every single day is different. I have started a journal again because of that reason, to try to help the PT, I explained to her how difficult it is because every day can be different & mornings are the worst, at times it is hard to remember when you are still half a sleep, heck so sore at times it is hard to even write. Ever get like that?
How is the teeth? My daughter got a kick out of the duct tape comment around the ribs.
Trust me I value you opinions & am keeping them tucked away, theis surgeon is pretty much waiting to see how everything goes as the shoulder heals, so I am trying to be patient. Of course I am going to look like a real idiot when he finds out I went back to work. It was not planned. More of an emergency type deal. I swear if I just left this couple hanging at this point I don't think they would do well. I know there are other people out there but I pretty much handle everything & no one else is going to do that. Took me along time to learn to deal with each or them & their illnesses, but I am going to have my sister pitch in, try to give her a crash course on what to watch for, at least know she will inform me of everything. I just hope they don't scare the heck out of her, they have alot ot things going on. I am realizing in no way am I going to improve with out taking it easy, period.
How many days are you going for therapy? & hows it going? Still wearing the sling at all?
Still icing? So focused on me I want to hear how your coming along. Talk to you soon. Sammy
What you are describing almost sounds like the abdominal support but perhaps abit smaller. Good thing you are so knowlegdable, I would have never even thought to be careful after taking it off. Boy I am so glad I have you to get some opinions & advice from. you are so valuable to me my friend. I am going to see what the surgeon says after viewing the pts notes.
I am alittle worried, woke up with that right hand numb & tingling so bad that it actually was darn painful, every time I would raise it, it would get worse. My whole upper back is so painful, both scapulas & everything in between. Could hardly use either arm this morning. Man this can really get to you, you know?
Pulled out one of my books from my MA class, looked over the diagrams of the ribs, seems like it is the 6-8 area & probably some in the upper chest, hard to tell in that location. The xiphold process located at the very end of the sternum gets so sore & tender, the slightest pressure is to much.
I'll tell you sucks to have to worry about the doctors pushing you off on another. I am concerned that even if he thinks there is a problem in the spine it will be a wait to get into another specialist. He is in an office where there are several ortho surgeons together, all specializing in one area or another. I am going to ask him if he can deal with the ribs, my gosh he is an ortho. It is just all getting to me. Tired of all the pain & worry. I swear every single day is different. I have started a journal again because of that reason, to try to help the PT, I explained to her how difficult it is because every day can be different & mornings are the worst, at times it is hard to remember when you are still half a sleep, heck so sore at times it is hard to even write. Ever get like that?
How is the teeth? My daughter got a kick out of the duct tape comment around the ribs.
Trust me I value you opinions & am keeping them tucked away, theis surgeon is pretty much waiting to see how everything goes as the shoulder heals, so I am trying to be patient. Of course I am going to look like a real idiot when he finds out I went back to work. It was not planned. More of an emergency type deal. I swear if I just left this couple hanging at this point I don't think they would do well. I know there are other people out there but I pretty much handle everything & no one else is going to do that. Took me along time to learn to deal with each or them & their illnesses, but I am going to have my sister pitch in, try to give her a crash course on what to watch for, at least know she will inform me of everything. I just hope they don't scare the heck out of her, they have alot ot things going on. I am realizing in no way am I going to improve with out taking it easy, period.
How many days are you going for therapy? & hows it going? Still wearing the sling at all?
Still icing? So focused on me I want to hear how your coming along. Talk to you soon. Sammy
feelbad
04-14-2008, 11:51 AM
considering everything,focusing on YOU is kind of important right now,i am not as bad as you are sammy. those ribs HAVE to be screwed up,or the "connections' there in order for you to actually be feeling real pain in the xiphoid process? holy crap sammy. this really does NEED deeper evaluation,thats just not right at all. i didn't realize it was the whole entire ribcage that was the problem,i just thought it was all isolated in the back area. an MRI is now a must hon,really. this just is not right at all. i really can see why your PT people are concerned. its just too wierd ya know? something just doesn't sound like its actually where its supposed to be structurally. honestly sammy,i have pain and sometimes it does get kinda ugly,but you really sound very inflammed in there for some reason. and i personally,based upon your symptoms,really don't think this has anything to do with arthritis or the tendonistis,this really sounds like a structural problem to me.
in order to actually have pain in the xiphoid,you would have to actually have some level of pressure forcing upon it from the back? you know what i mean?it sounds like something is either too tight or not tight enough? just how do your ribs move? bilaterally in every way or is there any difference at all in your chest rise? or just the way your ribs look when you look at them in the mirror,or when lying down?
it would be to your benefit to go back and look at what areas were the problems per your MRI report pre op,and also to take a look at the op notes just to find out the areas where the bigger issues were(and more importantly what they actually did and did not do). if they don't include that subscap muscle/tendon in any way shape or form, something may going on within your spine. it would,like i said,really take a more detailed exam and eval with that MRI to really see what may be going on back there. either way sammy,you just really NEED that good look in there to see what in the heck is atually going on,espescially in the areas where surgical repairs were done. the way you were actually moving very early on in this during your sleep 'could' just could,have caused something to not fully go back together in some way or heal improperly? just some possibilities that could explain this horrid pain within your ribcage.
my pain is mostly right in that joint area and also right at the top of the upper arm for some stupid reason. i do have pain in my blades but that is from other things that were kind of there and casuing me problems way before the rotator surgery happened. these areas are from my c spine and upper T,along with having my right kidney kind of stuck partially under my right ribcage in the front. totally different reasons there ya know? yours just really 'sounds' much more structural,espescially with xiphoid pain?
i have pushed and prodded many a xiphoid processes over the years just looking for the CPR landmark in scenerios with real people and doing this on patients when CPR was needed,it is simply a piece of carteledge and nothing more ya know? to have pain when you are pressing down would really require actual pressure pushing on it,perhaps even from both sides leading up to the sternum? do you know what it is i am trying to say here? to find that source of pain,you really need that good look at the back. if i were you at this point i would just really really push hard for that MRI. there would be no sense in continuing on with PT if there actually is some level of problem,espescially possible structural issues,that would not really be doing anything for you except to keep aggrevating and inflamming the areas and casuing you lots of uneeded pain.
i am glad you are now trying to shift off some of this responsibility with your patients to someone who can better physically handle it right now. this seriously is making things much worse hon,it just does. taking the time now will actually KEEP you employed in the future. trust me sammy,you do NOT want to end up like i am,wishing i could work again. you need to find out just what IS going on back there before doing anything else. something just isn't right back there,and your PT people already know this and i am willing to bet,your surgeon does too.
alot of what we feel after any given surgery is what was actually being worked on and how it impacted other areas. your surgery,depending upon what EXACTLY was done or left,may be the reason for what you are feeling or it may not be,you know what i mean? this is why it is so crucial for you to really see the op notes and that MRI of the pre op rotator and summary of what was wrong. then obtain the new MRI but on those three areas i mentioned. this would be a good comparative study for at least part of the MRI with the old one.
honestly sammy,sometimes YOU just have to play detective to try and explain things in your own body(this comes down to plain advocating for yourself). i did after my sp cord surgery and evrything was just going crazy on me. i had to learn alot about neuroanatomy and also spinal cord injury just to even begin to explain the 'new' me. i just know WAY too much now becasue of all the crap my son has gone thru and trying to explain why my body just is the way it is now too. it does help to know this stuff,espescially when speaking with your surgeon,and your PT people too. knowing your very own conditions is just crucial to get the best possible care in this day and age.
i did some checking about that subscap yesterday and given the way it runs,this could be a potential issue if it was worked on hon(it would appear that this actually runs from top to bottom from right under the supraspinatus way on top(my injury) to way down towards the bottom of the ribcage right behind the side of the inner blade). i would highly recommend doing some basic research on the rotator tendons/muscles and the overall structures and how they actually connect with the ribcage and where. you just really need to understand the connections in any problem areas you may have going on,espescially in your type of post op situation.
believe me sammy,i am just glad that we are going thru all this together and can compare notes here. i am happy that someone else can actually benefit from the crap i have had to go thru. that does make ME feel a little better if someone else doesn't have to deal with what i did just becasue i wasn't aware of something,ya know? you just learn as you go. i am only doing PT once a week(but doing the excercises and the pully at home) and thats working okay for me so far. i knew going into this if i did go back to this same wonderful PT guy that he did book quickly,but its going okay so far.
i just really would push for that MRI and get the op notes and go thru them so you actually know for certain just what was done on you. you just really NEED to know whats up at this point in order to not just hurt yourself further,you know what i mean? its a must for you right now. just really "know" your inury or pain process as best you can,it does help tons,believe me.
keep me posted hon and PLEASE take it easy sammy. marcia
in order to actually have pain in the xiphoid,you would have to actually have some level of pressure forcing upon it from the back? you know what i mean?it sounds like something is either too tight or not tight enough? just how do your ribs move? bilaterally in every way or is there any difference at all in your chest rise? or just the way your ribs look when you look at them in the mirror,or when lying down?
it would be to your benefit to go back and look at what areas were the problems per your MRI report pre op,and also to take a look at the op notes just to find out the areas where the bigger issues were(and more importantly what they actually did and did not do). if they don't include that subscap muscle/tendon in any way shape or form, something may going on within your spine. it would,like i said,really take a more detailed exam and eval with that MRI to really see what may be going on back there. either way sammy,you just really NEED that good look in there to see what in the heck is atually going on,espescially in the areas where surgical repairs were done. the way you were actually moving very early on in this during your sleep 'could' just could,have caused something to not fully go back together in some way or heal improperly? just some possibilities that could explain this horrid pain within your ribcage.
my pain is mostly right in that joint area and also right at the top of the upper arm for some stupid reason. i do have pain in my blades but that is from other things that were kind of there and casuing me problems way before the rotator surgery happened. these areas are from my c spine and upper T,along with having my right kidney kind of stuck partially under my right ribcage in the front. totally different reasons there ya know? yours just really 'sounds' much more structural,espescially with xiphoid pain?
i have pushed and prodded many a xiphoid processes over the years just looking for the CPR landmark in scenerios with real people and doing this on patients when CPR was needed,it is simply a piece of carteledge and nothing more ya know? to have pain when you are pressing down would really require actual pressure pushing on it,perhaps even from both sides leading up to the sternum? do you know what it is i am trying to say here? to find that source of pain,you really need that good look at the back. if i were you at this point i would just really really push hard for that MRI. there would be no sense in continuing on with PT if there actually is some level of problem,espescially possible structural issues,that would not really be doing anything for you except to keep aggrevating and inflamming the areas and casuing you lots of uneeded pain.
i am glad you are now trying to shift off some of this responsibility with your patients to someone who can better physically handle it right now. this seriously is making things much worse hon,it just does. taking the time now will actually KEEP you employed in the future. trust me sammy,you do NOT want to end up like i am,wishing i could work again. you need to find out just what IS going on back there before doing anything else. something just isn't right back there,and your PT people already know this and i am willing to bet,your surgeon does too.
alot of what we feel after any given surgery is what was actually being worked on and how it impacted other areas. your surgery,depending upon what EXACTLY was done or left,may be the reason for what you are feeling or it may not be,you know what i mean? this is why it is so crucial for you to really see the op notes and that MRI of the pre op rotator and summary of what was wrong. then obtain the new MRI but on those three areas i mentioned. this would be a good comparative study for at least part of the MRI with the old one.
honestly sammy,sometimes YOU just have to play detective to try and explain things in your own body(this comes down to plain advocating for yourself). i did after my sp cord surgery and evrything was just going crazy on me. i had to learn alot about neuroanatomy and also spinal cord injury just to even begin to explain the 'new' me. i just know WAY too much now becasue of all the crap my son has gone thru and trying to explain why my body just is the way it is now too. it does help to know this stuff,espescially when speaking with your surgeon,and your PT people too. knowing your very own conditions is just crucial to get the best possible care in this day and age.
i did some checking about that subscap yesterday and given the way it runs,this could be a potential issue if it was worked on hon(it would appear that this actually runs from top to bottom from right under the supraspinatus way on top(my injury) to way down towards the bottom of the ribcage right behind the side of the inner blade). i would highly recommend doing some basic research on the rotator tendons/muscles and the overall structures and how they actually connect with the ribcage and where. you just really need to understand the connections in any problem areas you may have going on,espescially in your type of post op situation.
believe me sammy,i am just glad that we are going thru all this together and can compare notes here. i am happy that someone else can actually benefit from the crap i have had to go thru. that does make ME feel a little better if someone else doesn't have to deal with what i did just becasue i wasn't aware of something,ya know? you just learn as you go. i am only doing PT once a week(but doing the excercises and the pully at home) and thats working okay for me so far. i knew going into this if i did go back to this same wonderful PT guy that he did book quickly,but its going okay so far.
i just really would push for that MRI and get the op notes and go thru them so you actually know for certain just what was done on you. you just really NEED to know whats up at this point in order to not just hurt yourself further,you know what i mean? its a must for you right now. just really "know" your inury or pain process as best you can,it does help tons,believe me.
keep me posted hon and PLEASE take it easy sammy. marcia
sammyo1
04-15-2008, 10:24 PM
Marcia, I went into to therapy today with my little list of questions for my pt & she was out sick. Ended up with some guy who looked very nice & kind, not. He is not working on me again. Although he made some good recommendations I have no interest in letting him near me in the near future. He said my whole pec area in the chest was looked swollen, very tight & I was sore today so you think that would have given him a clue. I did mention the whole rib thing & he did say it could be from the shoulder but he interesting enough ask what area & what exactly did the surgeon do? Boy I am in one bad mood. No relief, that constant ache, you know. My ribs throb, even the chest area can do that, man did I have the muscle spasms,my whole breast hurt all the way into the ribs around the back to scapula.
I am the proud owner of my own set of pulleys, although what I went through today was not worth getting them. He did not work on me anything like the other therapist. I really appreciate her now.
I have not heard from anyone back yet in regaurds to helping at work, everyone needs money & wants a job but at their conveinance, what the h*** is wrong with people.
My ribs look kind of like they are bulging in that perticulair area, I think it is like maybe 6-8, not positive guessing. She did notice some issues in the back but most of my pain is in those ribs & yes you can see a nice bulge there alot of the time. Hurts like crazy, but after reading your post you have got to have some major pain yourself so you would know what that is all about. I am not sure how they are moving, she noted it right away.
I did find a binder but I am showing it to her first to double check. This guy today he just kind of said grin & bear it, & try not to breathe to deep because it must hurt, Idiot. I have done that on & off for 3 yrs & everyday for the last year. Crazy how each therapist is diiferent, ya know, different approaches & all. I could not go through todays therapy on a regular basis, I would be in ER. He wants me to take motrin for two wks straight throughout the day to get the inflammation down, my stomach will love me.
Now you see why I am in such a rotten mood, no one in my family wants to talk to me & that is fine with me. I will try to start the pulleys tommorrow at home. How do you like them? he says it will help the healing got speed up. After all the motrin he wants me to take I should not have a problem (ha). Crazy.
He explained how there is a huge scab under there trying to heal, lovely.
He also said I should have less painful movement by now, I explained everyday is different & I often have a delayed reaction, do something now & pay later.
He thinks the stiffness & ability to move first thing in the morning can be the arthritis to, & he asked does a hot shower help, which it normally does, feels great. He was kind of getting on my nerves, you know how some therapists second guess the doctor. I let him know the surgeon thus far has reminded me that this is a long recovery & not ot freak out. I do not like a therapist who ignores what a doctor says to a patient. I value their input but it can get confusing to the patient. I told hime I may have to ask the surgeon for something for the muscles, he more or less said "well he is done with the surgery, so he probably won't give you anything else, he did his job more or less" well I am still suffering here so what the heck.
Got to tell you I get fed up with everyones opinions, I am nervous enough about all this pain & recovery crap. I will probably end up with more tests, but I am hoping to see some improvement with therapy. I still can hope, you never know. We will see. Man what a day. I will ask my PT about the myofacial stuff next visit, along with a couple other things. Might as well get my moneys worth & ask away, heck I learn more from your therapist (ha) Sammy
I am the proud owner of my own set of pulleys, although what I went through today was not worth getting them. He did not work on me anything like the other therapist. I really appreciate her now.
I have not heard from anyone back yet in regaurds to helping at work, everyone needs money & wants a job but at their conveinance, what the h*** is wrong with people.
My ribs look kind of like they are bulging in that perticulair area, I think it is like maybe 6-8, not positive guessing. She did notice some issues in the back but most of my pain is in those ribs & yes you can see a nice bulge there alot of the time. Hurts like crazy, but after reading your post you have got to have some major pain yourself so you would know what that is all about. I am not sure how they are moving, she noted it right away.
I did find a binder but I am showing it to her first to double check. This guy today he just kind of said grin & bear it, & try not to breathe to deep because it must hurt, Idiot. I have done that on & off for 3 yrs & everyday for the last year. Crazy how each therapist is diiferent, ya know, different approaches & all. I could not go through todays therapy on a regular basis, I would be in ER. He wants me to take motrin for two wks straight throughout the day to get the inflammation down, my stomach will love me.
Now you see why I am in such a rotten mood, no one in my family wants to talk to me & that is fine with me. I will try to start the pulleys tommorrow at home. How do you like them? he says it will help the healing got speed up. After all the motrin he wants me to take I should not have a problem (ha). Crazy.
He explained how there is a huge scab under there trying to heal, lovely.
He also said I should have less painful movement by now, I explained everyday is different & I often have a delayed reaction, do something now & pay later.
He thinks the stiffness & ability to move first thing in the morning can be the arthritis to, & he asked does a hot shower help, which it normally does, feels great. He was kind of getting on my nerves, you know how some therapists second guess the doctor. I let him know the surgeon thus far has reminded me that this is a long recovery & not ot freak out. I do not like a therapist who ignores what a doctor says to a patient. I value their input but it can get confusing to the patient. I told hime I may have to ask the surgeon for something for the muscles, he more or less said "well he is done with the surgery, so he probably won't give you anything else, he did his job more or less" well I am still suffering here so what the heck.
Got to tell you I get fed up with everyones opinions, I am nervous enough about all this pain & recovery crap. I will probably end up with more tests, but I am hoping to see some improvement with therapy. I still can hope, you never know. We will see. Man what a day. I will ask my PT about the myofacial stuff next visit, along with a couple other things. Might as well get my moneys worth & ask away, heck I learn more from your therapist (ha) Sammy
feelbad
04-16-2008, 11:21 AM
i have my PT a littel earlier than normal today so i will have to get the heck off this PC here really soon. yep,the PT place and the people you see really DO matter,alot. i have found this out along the way with having variuos PTs and rehabs and had some of the best and the worst. the place i referred to last year,the womam was a flippin joke and spent about ten out of the alloted 30 minutes with her hands actually on the TP problem areas. not at all like i had with the PT while i was in a rehab hospital after my spinal cord surgery or the wonderful guy i have now,absolutely no comparrison there.
i really do think getting that MRI ALONG with also,at some point here also obtaining that stellate inj would be your best bets as far as trying to pin down the generators here. this is the first time you actually mentioned having swelling? this too could be a sign of a more SNS involved type of pain syndrome too. may or may not be,you are so inflammed in there right now hon,it really would be very hard to say either way ya know?
i agree,ask as many questions of your 'regular' PT person,they are there for you ya know? you DO need to know this stuff in order to do the best possible rehab and make decisions too.
i saw my surgeon yeasterday and he told me i am much further along at this point than he expected becasue of all my other crap going on up there. he said he was pleasently suprised. i am to continue seeing my PT guy and around the 1 of may,he wants me doing some level of lifting or "pulling' with those bands thingys? just to gain back more strength. but he said everything looked great right now and my ROM is really much better than he expected. i know it is all due to actually being able to have the myofascial release done. it really does help alot sammy. it just helps 'release" the over tightened fascia that actually is covering all your muscles and tendons. with the inflammtion you have had going,i am willing to bet that fascia is really pulled up tight right now,and probably has been for quite some time even before your surgery. this is just something you really need to speak to your PT person about. it really helps hon.
i cannot remember if i told you about this one med called cytotec? this med was made specifically for people who have to be on any type of NSAID therepy. taking just one cyto with your motrin really helps to prevent stomach issues(even ulcers) from happening. this worked amazingly well for me many years ago when i had to take the 800mg motrin? my neurologist actually Rxed it for me. this really helps your stomach alot. either thator find out if you can take zantac one hour prior to taking your anti inflammatory. this was what i had to do when i HAD to take cipro becasue of a possible infection(that wasn't) in my knee post op? i couldn;t take just about any real anti B by mouth without suffering horribly in my stomach for it for days and days. the zantac one hour before really helped. you need to check with your pharm tho just to make sure it wouldn;t interfere with absorbtion. just some good suggestions for ya that have worked for me.
well,i gotta fly here. please keep me posted hon.marcia
i really do think getting that MRI ALONG with also,at some point here also obtaining that stellate inj would be your best bets as far as trying to pin down the generators here. this is the first time you actually mentioned having swelling? this too could be a sign of a more SNS involved type of pain syndrome too. may or may not be,you are so inflammed in there right now hon,it really would be very hard to say either way ya know?
i agree,ask as many questions of your 'regular' PT person,they are there for you ya know? you DO need to know this stuff in order to do the best possible rehab and make decisions too.
i saw my surgeon yeasterday and he told me i am much further along at this point than he expected becasue of all my other crap going on up there. he said he was pleasently suprised. i am to continue seeing my PT guy and around the 1 of may,he wants me doing some level of lifting or "pulling' with those bands thingys? just to gain back more strength. but he said everything looked great right now and my ROM is really much better than he expected. i know it is all due to actually being able to have the myofascial release done. it really does help alot sammy. it just helps 'release" the over tightened fascia that actually is covering all your muscles and tendons. with the inflammtion you have had going,i am willing to bet that fascia is really pulled up tight right now,and probably has been for quite some time even before your surgery. this is just something you really need to speak to your PT person about. it really helps hon.
i cannot remember if i told you about this one med called cytotec? this med was made specifically for people who have to be on any type of NSAID therepy. taking just one cyto with your motrin really helps to prevent stomach issues(even ulcers) from happening. this worked amazingly well for me many years ago when i had to take the 800mg motrin? my neurologist actually Rxed it for me. this really helps your stomach alot. either thator find out if you can take zantac one hour prior to taking your anti inflammatory. this was what i had to do when i HAD to take cipro becasue of a possible infection(that wasn't) in my knee post op? i couldn;t take just about any real anti B by mouth without suffering horribly in my stomach for it for days and days. the zantac one hour before really helped. you need to check with your pharm tho just to make sure it wouldn;t interfere with absorbtion. just some good suggestions for ya that have worked for me.
well,i gotta fly here. please keep me posted hon.marcia
MountainReader
04-17-2008, 02:41 AM
Sammy and Feelbad,
I hope you don't mind that I posted on your thread. I know you have both been going through alot after your surgeries and that you have other things that are complicating your recoveries. (I really do wish you both well as you go through your healing process.) The question I have for both of you is if your doctors or PT's have ever actually told you what a "typical" time frame is for healing from shoulder decompression?
I had my subacromial decompression on April 3. I started PT on the 8th and am scheduled twice a week. My PT says I am on track. (Whatever that means.) My doctor (who is incredibly good-specializes in shoulders and works on lots of athletes) didn't even do an examination when I went for my one week follow-up. He just showed me the picts of my shoulder from during the surgery and explained what he found and what he did. He said he was pleased with how things went. Again, this really didn't tell me anything about what to expect during the healing process. The only thing I really got out of him was that I should be able to begin bowling again when the fall leagues start.
By the way, the thing I am liking best about my PT is the time he spends 'stretching' my shoulder. He spends about 15 minutes gently 'pulling' and manipulating my shoulder while I have it relaxed. He stops at any point it is painful so he isn't doing anything to make it hurt. I really think it will help build my range of motion back quicker. I am living for the day I can move my arm up behind my back again. I haven't been able to for about 14 months. Got to have something to look forward at the end of going through all this.
Well wishes,
Mountain Reader
I hope you don't mind that I posted on your thread. I know you have both been going through alot after your surgeries and that you have other things that are complicating your recoveries. (I really do wish you both well as you go through your healing process.) The question I have for both of you is if your doctors or PT's have ever actually told you what a "typical" time frame is for healing from shoulder decompression?
I had my subacromial decompression on April 3. I started PT on the 8th and am scheduled twice a week. My PT says I am on track. (Whatever that means.) My doctor (who is incredibly good-specializes in shoulders and works on lots of athletes) didn't even do an examination when I went for my one week follow-up. He just showed me the picts of my shoulder from during the surgery and explained what he found and what he did. He said he was pleased with how things went. Again, this really didn't tell me anything about what to expect during the healing process. The only thing I really got out of him was that I should be able to begin bowling again when the fall leagues start.
By the way, the thing I am liking best about my PT is the time he spends 'stretching' my shoulder. He spends about 15 minutes gently 'pulling' and manipulating my shoulder while I have it relaxed. He stops at any point it is painful so he isn't doing anything to make it hurt. I really think it will help build my range of motion back quicker. I am living for the day I can move my arm up behind my back again. I haven't been able to for about 14 months. Got to have something to look forward at the end of going through all this.
Well wishes,
Mountain Reader
feelbad
04-17-2008, 12:09 PM
from what you have stated,it really does sound like you got one of the better PT people. some will actually just stck you on a machine or let you do "something' all by yourself that can really screw you up. having your PT person actually manipulating your surgical area really is key in getting that whole arm back on track as soon as possible,really. if that joint freezes up on you becasue of lack of manipulation,you are going to be one hurtin unit,you know what i mean?
so,from what i read it sounds like you 'just' only had actual joint work with no tear repairs of any kind done? if so,starting PT as soon as you did would be more normal than what sammy and i went thru. we had to heal tissue so things get a bit behind as opposed to just structural work within the joint alone. if you have a really good ortho who says you are actually on track,then most likely,you probably are. mine told me that on tuesday. still got a ways to go to be released from him tho. he told me another six weeks and we should be able to do just that(my surgery was on feb 6th) but i am going to be doing PT for quite awhile yet. i was actually seeing MY PT guy before my surgery just to get better pain control over my other c spine and upper torso issues,so we will still be working on all things. this is the nice part of going back to just him ya know?
every surgeon kind of has a set sort of timeframe they like to follow and set benchmarks from,but that can change for patients for alot of different reasons. your particular surgery was an actual 'part" of what mine consisted of. i had also some full thickness tears within the tenndons and so did sammy,so our timeframe would be very different than yours,you know what i mean? the best possible person for you to get "your' timeframe from would be your actual surgeon. they just kind of know when certain things should be 'expected" its their guideline set by experience in doing these surgeies over and over agin. i would think,if he thinks you are on track,then you should be expecting a release from him whenever you hit a certain benchmark in your recovery. he would know that better than anyone really. but because of the extent of my surgery and sammys,we will be doing the PT thing for probably much longer than you would be. just guessin here.
please dont ever worry about jumping into a thread when you need questions asked/answered. this isn;t an exclusive type of forum. i know sammy would feel the same way. we are all just navigating thru our crap along with everyone else and if someone can actually help someone else,well,thats what its all about ya know? i do wish you luck on your recovery MR.please let us know how things are goin,K? Marcia
so,from what i read it sounds like you 'just' only had actual joint work with no tear repairs of any kind done? if so,starting PT as soon as you did would be more normal than what sammy and i went thru. we had to heal tissue so things get a bit behind as opposed to just structural work within the joint alone. if you have a really good ortho who says you are actually on track,then most likely,you probably are. mine told me that on tuesday. still got a ways to go to be released from him tho. he told me another six weeks and we should be able to do just that(my surgery was on feb 6th) but i am going to be doing PT for quite awhile yet. i was actually seeing MY PT guy before my surgery just to get better pain control over my other c spine and upper torso issues,so we will still be working on all things. this is the nice part of going back to just him ya know?
every surgeon kind of has a set sort of timeframe they like to follow and set benchmarks from,but that can change for patients for alot of different reasons. your particular surgery was an actual 'part" of what mine consisted of. i had also some full thickness tears within the tenndons and so did sammy,so our timeframe would be very different than yours,you know what i mean? the best possible person for you to get "your' timeframe from would be your actual surgeon. they just kind of know when certain things should be 'expected" its their guideline set by experience in doing these surgeies over and over agin. i would think,if he thinks you are on track,then you should be expecting a release from him whenever you hit a certain benchmark in your recovery. he would know that better than anyone really. but because of the extent of my surgery and sammys,we will be doing the PT thing for probably much longer than you would be. just guessin here.
please dont ever worry about jumping into a thread when you need questions asked/answered. this isn;t an exclusive type of forum. i know sammy would feel the same way. we are all just navigating thru our crap along with everyone else and if someone can actually help someone else,well,thats what its all about ya know? i do wish you luck on your recovery MR.please let us know how things are goin,K? Marcia
sammyo1
04-18-2008, 08:55 AM
Mountain, Fall sounds about right. Four months for the pain for most to be really down there & 4 to 6 mnths for recovery, but for some it can take up to a year. Really it probably depends on all that was done & the preexisting condition before surgery, of course the success of the surgery. Just don't push it. Thats my best advice. Yes a good therapist is worth their weight in gold. Should never be real uncomfortable after.
I have other problems so that is effecting my recovery big time, I also was foolish & did more then I should have & went back to work before I should have. Took major steps backwards. I am good at telling others, not good at following my own advice.
Marcia, My pt is doing the myfascial therapy. Boy it feels good. Went in & had such a hard time breathing, darn ribs, what a relief. My pain level yesturday morining was an easy 8 & climbing when I got out of bed. I told her I really appreciate her after having the other therapist. She just said it has to be really slow & if I don't slow it down I will be taking a trip to the hospital.
Got a binder, had to get the abdominal because the rib just ended where it was still painful. I wore it yesturday & it felt ok, kind of gave me abit relief but I hate to jump the gun so hopefully today I will be able to tell more.
Also she said that there is a tendon running through to the ribs, shoulder & the whole area, & actually that was one of my sore spots yesturday & all the muscles chest, scapula, ribs are all kind of linked. Because my ribs & chest hurt so bad after the last therapist it kind of leads me to believe perhaps it is all related.
She was pretty convicnced that for me the binder was a must to try. She said the only reason she has not called the surgeon was due to all the tests I have been through, & not to run out of meds. I was in so much pain then it is hard to remember. Of course I checked them when I got home & I am running out, want to bet my surgeon is not in today.
I am really bad at that, because I use the 7day dispenser I forget to check teh remaining amount. Man I am still going through abit more of pain meds then I would like. The pt said I should be back on full medical leave.
Had two people who wanted to work for me & one never called & the other just called, so hopefully next week I will be cutting back. If need be I will train her enough to take a week off. I promised the pt I would do exactly that. I am only a couple miles down the road if something occurs.
After yesturday I know I have to, between trying to breathe & the nausea I have had it. I just could not get enough air in, like I was to swollen, boy that is tough. I would inhale & could not inhale deep enough. The ribs really are a nasty thing to deal with when there is something wrong, you would know I am sure.
I have not even worked on the pulleys at home yet, to sore will start that this weekend. Sling will be worn now & again, pt says it may help the ribs to keep that arm from moving to much. That thing bugs the crap out of me.
I really like her she is gentle & understanding thus far & tells it like it is.
She is really pushing me to take it easy & I am really trying to get some help. I'll tell you I felt so exhausted yesturday morning that I felt run down, you know? She said that I am the kind of person that just keeps pushing myself through working & then when I am done, Boom. She is right. I don't feel how bad it is till I stop. I am sorry I did this but I can't abandon my clients but realize I have to have back up & help for along time to come. Probably two more months of pt. I don't think I had an MRI of the ribs or chest, the insurance would not approve the chest one, so the Rehab ordered a chest ct on the left side. At this time I feel the ribs are just as the therapist said, hypermoble, they can bulge like you would not believe. Every therapist has noted the ribs, but as I said not one doctor has ever even fully examined them. Strange, when it has been one of the most painful areas.
How long will you have PT?
Seen Sombra at the med supply have seen it mentioned on the PM board, ever try that? Talk to you soon, Sammy
I have other problems so that is effecting my recovery big time, I also was foolish & did more then I should have & went back to work before I should have. Took major steps backwards. I am good at telling others, not good at following my own advice.
Marcia, My pt is doing the myfascial therapy. Boy it feels good. Went in & had such a hard time breathing, darn ribs, what a relief. My pain level yesturday morining was an easy 8 & climbing when I got out of bed. I told her I really appreciate her after having the other therapist. She just said it has to be really slow & if I don't slow it down I will be taking a trip to the hospital.
Got a binder, had to get the abdominal because the rib just ended where it was still painful. I wore it yesturday & it felt ok, kind of gave me abit relief but I hate to jump the gun so hopefully today I will be able to tell more.
Also she said that there is a tendon running through to the ribs, shoulder & the whole area, & actually that was one of my sore spots yesturday & all the muscles chest, scapula, ribs are all kind of linked. Because my ribs & chest hurt so bad after the last therapist it kind of leads me to believe perhaps it is all related.
She was pretty convicnced that for me the binder was a must to try. She said the only reason she has not called the surgeon was due to all the tests I have been through, & not to run out of meds. I was in so much pain then it is hard to remember. Of course I checked them when I got home & I am running out, want to bet my surgeon is not in today.
I am really bad at that, because I use the 7day dispenser I forget to check teh remaining amount. Man I am still going through abit more of pain meds then I would like. The pt said I should be back on full medical leave.
Had two people who wanted to work for me & one never called & the other just called, so hopefully next week I will be cutting back. If need be I will train her enough to take a week off. I promised the pt I would do exactly that. I am only a couple miles down the road if something occurs.
After yesturday I know I have to, between trying to breathe & the nausea I have had it. I just could not get enough air in, like I was to swollen, boy that is tough. I would inhale & could not inhale deep enough. The ribs really are a nasty thing to deal with when there is something wrong, you would know I am sure.
I have not even worked on the pulleys at home yet, to sore will start that this weekend. Sling will be worn now & again, pt says it may help the ribs to keep that arm from moving to much. That thing bugs the crap out of me.
I really like her she is gentle & understanding thus far & tells it like it is.
She is really pushing me to take it easy & I am really trying to get some help. I'll tell you I felt so exhausted yesturday morning that I felt run down, you know? She said that I am the kind of person that just keeps pushing myself through working & then when I am done, Boom. She is right. I don't feel how bad it is till I stop. I am sorry I did this but I can't abandon my clients but realize I have to have back up & help for along time to come. Probably two more months of pt. I don't think I had an MRI of the ribs or chest, the insurance would not approve the chest one, so the Rehab ordered a chest ct on the left side. At this time I feel the ribs are just as the therapist said, hypermoble, they can bulge like you would not believe. Every therapist has noted the ribs, but as I said not one doctor has ever even fully examined them. Strange, when it has been one of the most painful areas.
How long will you have PT?
Seen Sombra at the med supply have seen it mentioned on the PM board, ever try that? Talk to you soon, Sammy
feelbad
04-19-2008, 12:55 PM
don't know exactly what "sombra' is,i must not have read that thread or something where somone talked about it. what is it?
i think that tendon/muscle the PT was referring to IS that subscapularis.it does run thruout that area pretty big compared to the others. could explain alot if this was one you had worked on. i am just wondering considering how much 'big movement' you were doing at the very beginning of this whole thing post op,if those sutures may have become loosened or something just didn't 'adhear" right in some way,you know what i mean? how else could they actually explain a hypermobile ribcage? seems like there could be a connection in there somehow. the only way you could actually have part of a ribcage that is moving would be if it is actually "detached' in some way from its anchor points. you know what i mean? that would be the muscle/tendon thing in most cases. you do also have ligamnets that attach to the actual bone too. i just really cannot see how a plain x ray is actually going to even let them see the areas that these attachments are supposed to be at. it wont show that real well or at all in some cases. cripes,even a CT would be a much better idea than just an x ray,ya know? i don;t understand why the ins co wont go further than x ray given your ongoing symptoms. its kinda stupid for them to deny this. so you get to basically suffer in agony and have to play detective using other ongoing testing and BS while they "could' take one look in there with an MRI and actually see the possible problem and get it treated? yep,sounds very 'insurancy' to me. its just soo stupid.
i spent like a good hour yesterday typing out this same response only to have the flippin page go completely white on me and when it popped back,my response was all gone. GOD i was pissed. so i just moved on since there was no way i was going to go thru all that again,plus the puppy needed an out.
i did break down at my last ortho appt and asked for some percs for just strictly PT. that joint is awful after i move the angle again and we restart this nasty recycled pain process all over agin. i cannot actually do anything two days in a row after a change just becasue of the pain. sooo we are trying this and seeing if it helps. i have just never ever had a surgical recovery like this one has been and i have been thru six and an aneurysm coiling just for fun and excitement. its just really an insane recovery process like no other. even my two c spine surgery and recoveries were like a walk in the park compared to this. we are both just very lucky to have good PT people working with us,believe me sammy,some are just awful. we did get good ones.
let me know how things are going once you actually 'cut back' a bit on the work load????just be very careful about that rib thing,K? as usual,keep me posted hon,marcia
i think that tendon/muscle the PT was referring to IS that subscapularis.it does run thruout that area pretty big compared to the others. could explain alot if this was one you had worked on. i am just wondering considering how much 'big movement' you were doing at the very beginning of this whole thing post op,if those sutures may have become loosened or something just didn't 'adhear" right in some way,you know what i mean? how else could they actually explain a hypermobile ribcage? seems like there could be a connection in there somehow. the only way you could actually have part of a ribcage that is moving would be if it is actually "detached' in some way from its anchor points. you know what i mean? that would be the muscle/tendon thing in most cases. you do also have ligamnets that attach to the actual bone too. i just really cannot see how a plain x ray is actually going to even let them see the areas that these attachments are supposed to be at. it wont show that real well or at all in some cases. cripes,even a CT would be a much better idea than just an x ray,ya know? i don;t understand why the ins co wont go further than x ray given your ongoing symptoms. its kinda stupid for them to deny this. so you get to basically suffer in agony and have to play detective using other ongoing testing and BS while they "could' take one look in there with an MRI and actually see the possible problem and get it treated? yep,sounds very 'insurancy' to me. its just soo stupid.
i spent like a good hour yesterday typing out this same response only to have the flippin page go completely white on me and when it popped back,my response was all gone. GOD i was pissed. so i just moved on since there was no way i was going to go thru all that again,plus the puppy needed an out.
i did break down at my last ortho appt and asked for some percs for just strictly PT. that joint is awful after i move the angle again and we restart this nasty recycled pain process all over agin. i cannot actually do anything two days in a row after a change just becasue of the pain. sooo we are trying this and seeing if it helps. i have just never ever had a surgical recovery like this one has been and i have been thru six and an aneurysm coiling just for fun and excitement. its just really an insane recovery process like no other. even my two c spine surgery and recoveries were like a walk in the park compared to this. we are both just very lucky to have good PT people working with us,believe me sammy,some are just awful. we did get good ones.
let me know how things are going once you actually 'cut back' a bit on the work load????just be very careful about that rib thing,K? as usual,keep me posted hon,marcia
sammyo1
04-21-2008, 08:07 AM
Marcia, Took alittle trip to urgent care yesturday. Ribs & shoulder just hurting like crazy.
That pulsating throb & just aching, I swear I could feel pain all the way to my hip. So an injection of anti inflammatory, flexerall & steroid pack & scipt for motrin 800, of course they let me know since the surgeon was treating the pain they could not give me anything else for pain. I said that was fine never asked, just give me something to try to get the inflammation down.
I just could not get a full breath in, felt to swollen. Still in alot of pain this morning.
The chest area throbs & strange the right chest hurts to touch. I feel like I am going backwards here. Both darn shoulders are sore. the urgent care mentioned good PM care. I hope the steroid pack kicks in, sometimes it works sometimes it don't.
I came home & slept for hours, which is something I never do. I am getting worried here I cant handle the chest pain & not being able to breathe. Of course I know I over did it but heck this is painful. I have help starting at work today, thank god.
I am going to ask in detail where that tendon runs at pt today, like does it run around through the front of the chest wall around to ribs or what. This is driving me crazy.
I am beginning to wonder if there is something internally that can cause all this, the surgeon mentioned if need be ruling out other things. I know it feels like something is in there trying to push the ribs outwards. Hernia or something... I am at the point I want to know whats going on in there.
I am glad you got more meds no sense in suffering. This is one long recovery. I could handle the pain in one area but not all of it. When its all acting up forget it. Here we go agian docter to docter, but you can bet I am going to be putting some pressure on this time. What do you think, ever here of anythng that can cause all of this? Talk to you soon. Sammy
That pulsating throb & just aching, I swear I could feel pain all the way to my hip. So an injection of anti inflammatory, flexerall & steroid pack & scipt for motrin 800, of course they let me know since the surgeon was treating the pain they could not give me anything else for pain. I said that was fine never asked, just give me something to try to get the inflammation down.
I just could not get a full breath in, felt to swollen. Still in alot of pain this morning.
The chest area throbs & strange the right chest hurts to touch. I feel like I am going backwards here. Both darn shoulders are sore. the urgent care mentioned good PM care. I hope the steroid pack kicks in, sometimes it works sometimes it don't.
I came home & slept for hours, which is something I never do. I am getting worried here I cant handle the chest pain & not being able to breathe. Of course I know I over did it but heck this is painful. I have help starting at work today, thank god.
I am going to ask in detail where that tendon runs at pt today, like does it run around through the front of the chest wall around to ribs or what. This is driving me crazy.
I am beginning to wonder if there is something internally that can cause all this, the surgeon mentioned if need be ruling out other things. I know it feels like something is in there trying to push the ribs outwards. Hernia or something... I am at the point I want to know whats going on in there.
I am glad you got more meds no sense in suffering. This is one long recovery. I could handle the pain in one area but not all of it. When its all acting up forget it. Here we go agian docter to docter, but you can bet I am going to be putting some pressure on this time. What do you think, ever here of anythng that can cause all of this? Talk to you soon. Sammy
feelbad
04-21-2008, 11:32 AM
mornin sammy. have to ask this, do you feel ANY burning sensation anywhere in that area at all? sounds like they at least got you loaded up with some good ant inflammatories,that is partially your problem i think,just ALOT of inflammation ya know?
i know i have said this before hon,but you DO need to have the MRI done and not just the x ray. if they really want to see whats up in there,this IS the very best way to start ruling other things out. it just really NEEDS to be done in your particular case hon. this is what i would really be pushing for above all else right now. no one yet has bothered to "just" look in there ya know? that alone would answer tons of ongoing questions you and they also have. its pretty stupid at this point to not be doing what would show the best detail of the problem areas. something just is not right inside that ribcage area or on the outter edges.
as far as i can think of off hand the only thing that would be running towards the front in that area would be the fascia under the ribcage or it could also be partially more towards the top there but from what i remember from my anatomy and physiology classes,everything actually attaches in the back or more towards the sides there,nothing actually in the front,you know what i mean? i personally think there IS some level of detachment there too or that ribcage would not be the way it is ya know? it is normally well anchored by ligaments. if i remeber right it goes bone to ligament, ligament to muscle and muscle to tendon? or i could have those last two mixed up with the tendon to muscle thing the actual way. it HAS been a very long time,lol. was there ANY mention of ligament problems in your MRI at all?
they just HAVE to get that good look inside there for ya sammy before they will actually really have a flippin clue as to whats up so they can actually properly treat it. its a must at this point for you hon,really. i would demand someone to speak with your ins co,like your PT,or primary or surgeon about getting this test done. or speak diorectly to a memeber services rep about this whole situation at your ins co and see if you can sway them to do this Vs you having to rack up other charges when you have to go to the ER or the urgent care??? and seeing other specialists to just get this evaluated properly, maybe they will get it? you just HAVE TO find out why this is the way it is before you can even begin to heal this properly ya know? it just shouldn't be THIS bad hon. not at the point you are at.
please DO start looking at how the anatomy is along with the tendons,muscle and ligaments and just how things actually are within that ribcage area. you REALLY need to do this just to get a basic understanding of how all things run inthere. believe me sammy,i have had to learn way more than i ever wanted to about neuroanatomy,spinal cord injury,brain injury,aneurysm,bi polar,liver failure and everything else i have had to deal with with me and my son,just to get a basic level understanding of what we were actually dealing with in every little nightmare scenerio i have had thrown at me since the day my son puked up blood at school in 99. finding out just what you are dealing with combined with YOU just using the resource right in front of you to get the full skinny on all structures within that area will make you better able to make choices for your care and start demanding things be done here for you. this waiting has gone on long enough hon. i KNOW you feel that too. the better you understand the affected areas,the better questions and info you will be able to have,and just speaking with whoever is taking care of you too. this just really really helps me,alot sammy. just understanding what my body has been doing to me since that cord got damaged,well its been a lifesaver for me many times in also knowing when i was being lied to by my neurosurgeons nurse way back before my spinal cord surgery and the other NS i had. that was a whole nightmare within a nightmare there. just hit the net and start researching hon. you will be very glad you did,trust me.
i am wondering about the possle sympathetic connection here too if you have any level of actual burning or stinging like pain combined with your other symptoms? the sweating and the swelling and now the 'hypersensitivity?? it 'could" possibly be just basic swelling that is also pushing out that ribcage too hon. believe me,when swelling is going on,it can actually push other structures very hard. that is what happened to my kidney when i took lyrica? that crap took my already enlarged kidneys and made them swell up so much larger that they popped out of my back and into my front now and have never gone back. that was 'just' swelling that did that. they just got 'pushed' from basic swelling there. but i still have a really strong feeling about that possible sns connection hon.
you just have to get that MRI done before you are going to really have any answers here sammy,really. i would make getting this thing done a very high priority right now if i were you. no one can give you any real answers til that look gets taken inside there. call your ins co ans let them completely know what up and just how much money they are going to end up spending on what they are going to have to do otherwise to just simply obtain the right info in order to fully Dx the problem. denying that MRI in your case is just a really stupid move on their part. the one thing i have learned over my very long drawn out bunch of crap here is that sometimes you do have to just get a bit aggressive with certain people in order to get your needs fully met(especially with the old ins co). you do what you have to in order to get the proper care hon. hopefully the anti inflams and the steriods will help you some. have you felt any good response yet from them? as usual,keep me posted sammy. i really do feel for you.
i will be answering your other thread in the pain forum hon. see you there. Marcia
i know i have said this before hon,but you DO need to have the MRI done and not just the x ray. if they really want to see whats up in there,this IS the very best way to start ruling other things out. it just really NEEDS to be done in your particular case hon. this is what i would really be pushing for above all else right now. no one yet has bothered to "just" look in there ya know? that alone would answer tons of ongoing questions you and they also have. its pretty stupid at this point to not be doing what would show the best detail of the problem areas. something just is not right inside that ribcage area or on the outter edges.
as far as i can think of off hand the only thing that would be running towards the front in that area would be the fascia under the ribcage or it could also be partially more towards the top there but from what i remember from my anatomy and physiology classes,everything actually attaches in the back or more towards the sides there,nothing actually in the front,you know what i mean? i personally think there IS some level of detachment there too or that ribcage would not be the way it is ya know? it is normally well anchored by ligaments. if i remeber right it goes bone to ligament, ligament to muscle and muscle to tendon? or i could have those last two mixed up with the tendon to muscle thing the actual way. it HAS been a very long time,lol. was there ANY mention of ligament problems in your MRI at all?
they just HAVE to get that good look inside there for ya sammy before they will actually really have a flippin clue as to whats up so they can actually properly treat it. its a must at this point for you hon,really. i would demand someone to speak with your ins co,like your PT,or primary or surgeon about getting this test done. or speak diorectly to a memeber services rep about this whole situation at your ins co and see if you can sway them to do this Vs you having to rack up other charges when you have to go to the ER or the urgent care??? and seeing other specialists to just get this evaluated properly, maybe they will get it? you just HAVE TO find out why this is the way it is before you can even begin to heal this properly ya know? it just shouldn't be THIS bad hon. not at the point you are at.
please DO start looking at how the anatomy is along with the tendons,muscle and ligaments and just how things actually are within that ribcage area. you REALLY need to do this just to get a basic understanding of how all things run inthere. believe me sammy,i have had to learn way more than i ever wanted to about neuroanatomy,spinal cord injury,brain injury,aneurysm,bi polar,liver failure and everything else i have had to deal with with me and my son,just to get a basic level understanding of what we were actually dealing with in every little nightmare scenerio i have had thrown at me since the day my son puked up blood at school in 99. finding out just what you are dealing with combined with YOU just using the resource right in front of you to get the full skinny on all structures within that area will make you better able to make choices for your care and start demanding things be done here for you. this waiting has gone on long enough hon. i KNOW you feel that too. the better you understand the affected areas,the better questions and info you will be able to have,and just speaking with whoever is taking care of you too. this just really really helps me,alot sammy. just understanding what my body has been doing to me since that cord got damaged,well its been a lifesaver for me many times in also knowing when i was being lied to by my neurosurgeons nurse way back before my spinal cord surgery and the other NS i had. that was a whole nightmare within a nightmare there. just hit the net and start researching hon. you will be very glad you did,trust me.
i am wondering about the possle sympathetic connection here too if you have any level of actual burning or stinging like pain combined with your other symptoms? the sweating and the swelling and now the 'hypersensitivity?? it 'could" possibly be just basic swelling that is also pushing out that ribcage too hon. believe me,when swelling is going on,it can actually push other structures very hard. that is what happened to my kidney when i took lyrica? that crap took my already enlarged kidneys and made them swell up so much larger that they popped out of my back and into my front now and have never gone back. that was 'just' swelling that did that. they just got 'pushed' from basic swelling there. but i still have a really strong feeling about that possible sns connection hon.
you just have to get that MRI done before you are going to really have any answers here sammy,really. i would make getting this thing done a very high priority right now if i were you. no one can give you any real answers til that look gets taken inside there. call your ins co ans let them completely know what up and just how much money they are going to end up spending on what they are going to have to do otherwise to just simply obtain the right info in order to fully Dx the problem. denying that MRI in your case is just a really stupid move on their part. the one thing i have learned over my very long drawn out bunch of crap here is that sometimes you do have to just get a bit aggressive with certain people in order to get your needs fully met(especially with the old ins co). you do what you have to in order to get the proper care hon. hopefully the anti inflams and the steriods will help you some. have you felt any good response yet from them? as usual,keep me posted sammy. i really do feel for you.
i will be answering your other thread in the pain forum hon. see you there. Marcia
sammyo1
04-21-2008, 08:02 PM
well Marica you are right. The PT went abit over all the ligaments attatching the muscles & all that good stuff today. She is really shocked at how hyper mobile the ribcage is, took another look today twice, she thought the first time she did it she misjudged & repeated it before I left, she just pretty much said wow, you have got to have some pain with that, that it is pretty bad. Wrote my PCP a letter because she was a bit concerned about the arorta in the stomach, the center is very tender in between the ribs, stomach area & because it can kind of have alittle throbbing in that area to they want it checked out to be sure there is nothing going on, so more cardiac testing.
To be honest I was in such a bad mood between urgent care & my pcp, I walked in showed all the meds that I have never finished such as the oxy, I am just sick of all these doctors thinking that you want pain meds. He was not to pleased I think, tough. I got the pt telling me how painful this has got to be & the doctors just ignoring it.
I just flat out told him I am not asking for stronger pain meds just figure out whats going on, the surgeon suggested the same, make sure there is nothing internal going on to. Can't win. Well he said well your pretty messed up there so you will have to a rehab doc, for the muscles, I told him I was seeing one for several months before the surgey. The one I was seeing did not want to continue treating the pain, so where does that leave me.
I am just fed up, at least the PT is trying & keeps an eye on the ribs. She just keeps saying she finds it hard to believe they were not injured. Now I have to hope to find a PM who can work on the muscles/ribs or a rehab. who will treat the pain. Great. Lets just hope the pt works out.
I don't think I can stand much more to top it all off I really am getting worried, I am going to let them do this testing & continue some pt, if it get worse I will ask them to look into more tests on the ribs. It really can be painful. He said stay on the steroids & muscle relaxers, but the pt wants me to half the relaxer & use it only when I need to because the muscles are already weak, so now I have to see if I can break the flexerril in half. I swear I would rather just take the valium. God forbid I say that. I did tell him that the ribs hurt pretty darn bad, he said well take the pain meds, surgeon will love to hear that.
Can't seem to get through to these doctors, they just want to pass you off to the next one. No wonder people in pain get depressed. Oh yea, back off work as of next week, well only going in one more day I think this week.
The pt wants me to stay in the binder, she says the ribs are just to hyper mobile & at least that will help keep them alittle in place, she wants me to try to sleep in it, well you know how I do in my sleep, great no telling where the thing will end up. Not a good day. I don't have the buring pain in the ribs, forget to answer that for you or heat, the pt has been kind of checking for body tempature changes at times there.
Sammy
To be honest I was in such a bad mood between urgent care & my pcp, I walked in showed all the meds that I have never finished such as the oxy, I am just sick of all these doctors thinking that you want pain meds. He was not to pleased I think, tough. I got the pt telling me how painful this has got to be & the doctors just ignoring it.
I just flat out told him I am not asking for stronger pain meds just figure out whats going on, the surgeon suggested the same, make sure there is nothing internal going on to. Can't win. Well he said well your pretty messed up there so you will have to a rehab doc, for the muscles, I told him I was seeing one for several months before the surgey. The one I was seeing did not want to continue treating the pain, so where does that leave me.
I am just fed up, at least the PT is trying & keeps an eye on the ribs. She just keeps saying she finds it hard to believe they were not injured. Now I have to hope to find a PM who can work on the muscles/ribs or a rehab. who will treat the pain. Great. Lets just hope the pt works out.
I don't think I can stand much more to top it all off I really am getting worried, I am going to let them do this testing & continue some pt, if it get worse I will ask them to look into more tests on the ribs. It really can be painful. He said stay on the steroids & muscle relaxers, but the pt wants me to half the relaxer & use it only when I need to because the muscles are already weak, so now I have to see if I can break the flexerril in half. I swear I would rather just take the valium. God forbid I say that. I did tell him that the ribs hurt pretty darn bad, he said well take the pain meds, surgeon will love to hear that.
Can't seem to get through to these doctors, they just want to pass you off to the next one. No wonder people in pain get depressed. Oh yea, back off work as of next week, well only going in one more day I think this week.
The pt wants me to stay in the binder, she says the ribs are just to hyper mobile & at least that will help keep them alittle in place, she wants me to try to sleep in it, well you know how I do in my sleep, great no telling where the thing will end up. Not a good day. I don't have the buring pain in the ribs, forget to answer that for you or heat, the pt has been kind of checking for body tempature changes at times there.
Sammy
feelbad
04-22-2008, 12:36 PM
really glad to see you answer in that last paragraph hon. this would be very much there with SNS involvement at some point,thats why she keeps checking it. but i personally still think it is involved in some way too. but thats just me being worried about you and wanting to make certain you don't have what i do.
my my docs and surgeons are fun aren't they? you get told one thing by one and a totally different thing by another. the thing is sammy. one contrasted MRI would be able to show them SOOO much in there,and also the aorta if that is a concern. the contrast would highlight it. its just all so very simple if they would JUST do that one test for you. it just seems ridiculous to me that no one has done this one very simple REVEALING test yet but everyone keeps 'wondering' whats wrong? helloooo? i can totally see why you are frustrated. its just soo flippin easy ya know?
something IS wrong there and everyone who has looked at you KNOWS this,get the MRI done already for gods sake people? honestly sammy,i would be pushing like hell at this point to just obtain an MRI with the contrast. its so simple and tells SO much. one test. this 'whats wrong with the ribs thing" has gone on way too long already and i KNOW you know that. i would be getting a bit pushy and bitc** at this point just to get this very real NEED met. this one contrasted scan would answer so many different questions for you and for them and they could quit dorking around with you ya know? i would be seriously talking with your surgeon but first get your PT to back up the NEED for the MRI first,then just tell him how much this is actually needed right now. if he cannot answer a simlpe question from you as to what IS going on in there,you need that MRI period. and tell him that too hon. it pretty basic,either tell me right now whats wrong or send me for that MRI. what else can he do ya know?
you are kind of stuck in "limbo' here with what anyone can actually "do' for you til you just know the facts and that will take one simple contrasted type of test. i cannot even begin to imagine the total frustration you must be feeling at this point hon. i really am so sorry that you are stuck in this 'place' you are and have been pretty much since the beginning. it's time to start the "squeeky wheel gets the grease" type of behavior? its just advocating for yourself and knowing what needs to be done and getting someone who 'can' okay this and push it thru your ins co to just do their job for you.
i would ask your PT person about who they may know of as a good PM doc. you just need to start some simple planning ahead hon. this will be the next step unless your stupid surgeon does something differently for you. the PM could be the best move you ever actually made for yourself hon. mine was. but first,an actual Dx would help.
just keep hanging in hon. i really do think that one simple contrast MRI would show something for you and it would answer alot of questions about what is actually generating this rib cage thing. you just need some answers in order to get the best treatment for whats going on in there. it really does sound like a possible combo of things at this point. now go start kicking butt and takin names. keep me posted sammy. i am thinking of you,really,alot. Marcia
my my docs and surgeons are fun aren't they? you get told one thing by one and a totally different thing by another. the thing is sammy. one contrasted MRI would be able to show them SOOO much in there,and also the aorta if that is a concern. the contrast would highlight it. its just all so very simple if they would JUST do that one test for you. it just seems ridiculous to me that no one has done this one very simple REVEALING test yet but everyone keeps 'wondering' whats wrong? helloooo? i can totally see why you are frustrated. its just soo flippin easy ya know?
something IS wrong there and everyone who has looked at you KNOWS this,get the MRI done already for gods sake people? honestly sammy,i would be pushing like hell at this point to just obtain an MRI with the contrast. its so simple and tells SO much. one test. this 'whats wrong with the ribs thing" has gone on way too long already and i KNOW you know that. i would be getting a bit pushy and bitc** at this point just to get this very real NEED met. this one contrasted scan would answer so many different questions for you and for them and they could quit dorking around with you ya know? i would be seriously talking with your surgeon but first get your PT to back up the NEED for the MRI first,then just tell him how much this is actually needed right now. if he cannot answer a simlpe question from you as to what IS going on in there,you need that MRI period. and tell him that too hon. it pretty basic,either tell me right now whats wrong or send me for that MRI. what else can he do ya know?
you are kind of stuck in "limbo' here with what anyone can actually "do' for you til you just know the facts and that will take one simple contrasted type of test. i cannot even begin to imagine the total frustration you must be feeling at this point hon. i really am so sorry that you are stuck in this 'place' you are and have been pretty much since the beginning. it's time to start the "squeeky wheel gets the grease" type of behavior? its just advocating for yourself and knowing what needs to be done and getting someone who 'can' okay this and push it thru your ins co to just do their job for you.
i would ask your PT person about who they may know of as a good PM doc. you just need to start some simple planning ahead hon. this will be the next step unless your stupid surgeon does something differently for you. the PM could be the best move you ever actually made for yourself hon. mine was. but first,an actual Dx would help.
just keep hanging in hon. i really do think that one simple contrast MRI would show something for you and it would answer alot of questions about what is actually generating this rib cage thing. you just need some answers in order to get the best treatment for whats going on in there. it really does sound like a possible combo of things at this point. now go start kicking butt and takin names. keep me posted sammy. i am thinking of you,really,alot. Marcia
sammyo1
04-22-2008, 04:43 PM
Marcia, I am really, really suffering here. I have so much darn chest & ribs pain & the pt is really worried & glad they are doing some tests, cardiac, not sure if anything will show the only other thing I can think of is the stomach, which is tender to even touch between the breast bones.
Pt is pretty concerned & she said the same as you push the doctors, she felt some of the throbbing in the ribs today. Everytime they work the shoulder they aggravate the ribs. It is way out of hand. Thsi pain is hardly under control with the percocet, she keeps saying that all the muscles are so tight, chest (major & minor), lots of back pain, even dang scapula area. Trust me I am barely hanging on.
The pt believes even though the ribs may be suffering due to the shoulder there is definantly something else going on in there, she said write down every single thing.
I broke down & took a muscle relaxer we will see how that goes, along with a zantac.
Steroid pack is not doing a thing. Back in the sling to try to take the pressure off the ribs. Crazy.
I can't go on like this, honestly I am miserable. I don't care I am taking the perocet every four hrs, & I will tell the surgeon that my pcp told me to stay on it for the rib pain, heck it is barely working & that is what has me worried, can't get rid of all this chest & rib pain. I wonder if the muscles are so tight will that make it harder for the pain med to do its job, what do you think?
This is the worst I have felt since surgery, I am going in for my last pt before seeing the surgeon, if I can & telling them just theraputic that is it till I see the surgeon. I need to make sure she emphasizes how bad it is in here report. She did say that the ribs & chest are holding back the shoulder therapy although there is alittle improvement there. I am not sure if the surgeon will ever tackle the ribs, I am going to say not. I am definantly asking for pain managment till this is figured out. I am not suffering anymore, they can keep looking for a solution.
I would say nothing shows in cardiac then the stomach is next. Although we know the ribs are messed up pretty bad, the pt thinks there is more & so do I at this point. Almost could not take it today, only the fear of laying in ER kept me from going. I am doing nothing at all until this pain goes down. I have to say I am getting worried, chest pain is getting worse, my PCP thinks it is the muscles in the chest wall but how does that help me in controlling this pain, the only thing else I can think of is the thoracic spine. I am hoping that with the pt's input maybe an MRI will be brought up at least for the ribs.
I will see, but again I am almost positive the surgeon will not want to get to involved with the ribs. Funny the movement of the shoulder really set thems off right now so in some way it is linked, you know. Very complicating. The PT mentioned that doctors get stuck on one thing & do not investigate further, like it totally escapes them that there could be multiple things going on. I even thought of an ulcer, I know that can really be nasty. I am grasping at straws of course but no way could I go on like this.
At this rate I was better before pt, I know I messed going back to work but pt is not helping right now. So it is theraputic or nothing for the time being. The PT is really helpful with suggestions & I am depending on her to let the surgeon know how bad it is, that is why I am hanging in there. Crap, I can't even tell you how painful this is, I would much rather have the shoulder pain then the chest & ribs. Let me know what you think about the muscles being that tight, getting sharp pains right in the breat bone along with lots of pulsating throbbing in chest & ribs. Even my whole upper back hurts. I have had so many cardiac tests done in the past other wise I would be freaking out.
Has to be something. I am staying on all the meds, pain, zantac, if the flexerill does not kick in then I am trying the valium, not messing around with this pain. Have 3 more days of steroids & they said not to mix the motrin due to the stomach. It gets so bad I just can't get a full inhalation in, you know. Something had to trigger this to be this bad.
I did get a jolt in the shoulder form my daughter along with the very aggressive pt on the same day, it really got bad after that, whether that is a coincedence I don't know.
Anyway just venting, aren't you lucky!
You know how I value your opinion so what do you think of it all? Sammy
Pt is pretty concerned & she said the same as you push the doctors, she felt some of the throbbing in the ribs today. Everytime they work the shoulder they aggravate the ribs. It is way out of hand. Thsi pain is hardly under control with the percocet, she keeps saying that all the muscles are so tight, chest (major & minor), lots of back pain, even dang scapula area. Trust me I am barely hanging on.
The pt believes even though the ribs may be suffering due to the shoulder there is definantly something else going on in there, she said write down every single thing.
I broke down & took a muscle relaxer we will see how that goes, along with a zantac.
Steroid pack is not doing a thing. Back in the sling to try to take the pressure off the ribs. Crazy.
I can't go on like this, honestly I am miserable. I don't care I am taking the perocet every four hrs, & I will tell the surgeon that my pcp told me to stay on it for the rib pain, heck it is barely working & that is what has me worried, can't get rid of all this chest & rib pain. I wonder if the muscles are so tight will that make it harder for the pain med to do its job, what do you think?
This is the worst I have felt since surgery, I am going in for my last pt before seeing the surgeon, if I can & telling them just theraputic that is it till I see the surgeon. I need to make sure she emphasizes how bad it is in here report. She did say that the ribs & chest are holding back the shoulder therapy although there is alittle improvement there. I am not sure if the surgeon will ever tackle the ribs, I am going to say not. I am definantly asking for pain managment till this is figured out. I am not suffering anymore, they can keep looking for a solution.
I would say nothing shows in cardiac then the stomach is next. Although we know the ribs are messed up pretty bad, the pt thinks there is more & so do I at this point. Almost could not take it today, only the fear of laying in ER kept me from going. I am doing nothing at all until this pain goes down. I have to say I am getting worried, chest pain is getting worse, my PCP thinks it is the muscles in the chest wall but how does that help me in controlling this pain, the only thing else I can think of is the thoracic spine. I am hoping that with the pt's input maybe an MRI will be brought up at least for the ribs.
I will see, but again I am almost positive the surgeon will not want to get to involved with the ribs. Funny the movement of the shoulder really set thems off right now so in some way it is linked, you know. Very complicating. The PT mentioned that doctors get stuck on one thing & do not investigate further, like it totally escapes them that there could be multiple things going on. I even thought of an ulcer, I know that can really be nasty. I am grasping at straws of course but no way could I go on like this.
At this rate I was better before pt, I know I messed going back to work but pt is not helping right now. So it is theraputic or nothing for the time being. The PT is really helpful with suggestions & I am depending on her to let the surgeon know how bad it is, that is why I am hanging in there. Crap, I can't even tell you how painful this is, I would much rather have the shoulder pain then the chest & ribs. Let me know what you think about the muscles being that tight, getting sharp pains right in the breat bone along with lots of pulsating throbbing in chest & ribs. Even my whole upper back hurts. I have had so many cardiac tests done in the past other wise I would be freaking out.
Has to be something. I am staying on all the meds, pain, zantac, if the flexerill does not kick in then I am trying the valium, not messing around with this pain. Have 3 more days of steroids & they said not to mix the motrin due to the stomach. It gets so bad I just can't get a full inhalation in, you know. Something had to trigger this to be this bad.
I did get a jolt in the shoulder form my daughter along with the very aggressive pt on the same day, it really got bad after that, whether that is a coincedence I don't know.
Anyway just venting, aren't you lucky!
You know how I value your opinion so what do you think of it all? Sammy
feelbad
04-23-2008, 10:58 AM
did you mention in one of your other posts that this particular PT IS doing some form of actual myofascial relaease on you at one time? honestly sammy,the myo was the ONLY thing that really seemed to 'unlock" that whole tightend scrunched up area for me. i am so glad i went back to my same pT guy just for this alone. the thing here is if you ARE getting it,it really should be helping to rid some of that tension and tightness in there ya know? my whole upper right from the base of my skull thru the blade was sooo tight it felt like someone was like turning a key back there and just winding and winding me tighter and tighter. even that very first session with my PT guy and he just did some very light myo,it really did help in lowering that intensity in there.
i am certain that you are also dealing with some really solid trigger points in there too. you simply cannot have that much ongoing inflammation without getting those hidious wads of muscle and tissue wadding up on you. i still have tons but i had these really bad for years even before my shoulder surgery was done. the myo, lido patches and biofreeze are about the only things that have really honestly helped with mine. let me know whether or not you are actually getting the myo hon. if you are,tell me what actually takes place when she does it,K? there is a particular reaction you 'should' be getting if she is actually doing this on you and doing it right. what does your arm do while she is doing this? does it 'move' by itself at all when she does it?
personally i find valium to be the most helpful with all my tension up there. i take it mostly for my legs to keep the spasms down to a duller roar,but it also really helps up there too. i really DO feel you desperately NEED that MRI right now sammy.that really would just actually 'show" that area the best and that IS what you need to see ya know? when they use the contrast it would also higlight the arterial structures too,so the aorta would be shown upon the right angles of the MRI too. they just do things that way when you have the MRI. whatever needs looking into,they can do just that for you.
it would be unlikely that your surgeon would really want to take onthe rib thing since,despite their being a real connection there,it IS another issue that HE is not actually responsible for,you know what i mean? surgeons are like that,believe me. i had the very same problem with my NS that did my c spine surgeies on me. that was a trip. that is what actually sent me up to the U of MN. just to find out whether or not my cavernoma in my cord was causing this ungodly hidious pressure/prying sensation under my right shoulder blade post op. of course,it was,despite what the other NS kept telling me. thats what over 30 years experience as the head teaching prof and the head of neurosurgery did for me. that man was an amazing neurosurgeon. too bad he upped and retired on me two years after he did my cord surgery. but he did do one last wonderful thing for me. he sent me for an MRA just because i felt changes in paresthsias in my face, just to rule out an aneurysm, guess what,he was right. man was i lucky. my aneurysm never actually showed upon plain MRI(i have to decline contrast becsue of my kidney disease) but did upon that MRA,loud and clear.
the one thing that this surgeon DOES owe you tho hon is getting that MRI done so he can refer you to who you need to see depending upon what is or is not found in there. it just really needs to be done sammy,this IS so ridiculous that they just have not yet done this for you. SOOO many questions would be answered with one test. also seeing that PM for the stellate too would help to either rule the SNS in or out,you just do have the symptoms of at least somelevel of involvement,and it would help your pain situation if it is related in any way.
despite the crap you have going on in there,your main gol in your body is to try and keep things the least inflammed so those muscles will also calm down. tall order i know,but the less crap going on will help up there. i also got slammed in the back of my shoulder by this stupid puppy. he is a greatdane/english mastiff mix that at only at 15 weeks has the mass and the muscle of most full grown dogs. got me really good two days ago while i was trying to locate my missing slipper and was kind of bent over? he came running up behind me and just nailed the back of that shoulder. oh owieee. its just been more painful overall ever since. that kind of scares me a bit. i see my PT guy on friday so i am going to have him run thru the ROM and see if there could be a glitch there. i sure hope not. things were going so well ya know? the PT pain was bad enough when i started that. this whole thing has just sucked for both of us in soo many ways,but i know yours is like ten times what my pain is. i really do worry about you sammy. i just want you to get the right stuff done as soon as possible so you can get and just 'feel" better soon. this really has gone on more than long enough without the benefit of any real Dx as to what IS the underlying problem.
i would have that serious talk with your surgeon about your very real "needs' here soon. the PT person should also speak directly with him too. just push for what you know needs to be done hon. hang in there sammy. and good luck in getting this all done for you. Marcia
i am certain that you are also dealing with some really solid trigger points in there too. you simply cannot have that much ongoing inflammation without getting those hidious wads of muscle and tissue wadding up on you. i still have tons but i had these really bad for years even before my shoulder surgery was done. the myo, lido patches and biofreeze are about the only things that have really honestly helped with mine. let me know whether or not you are actually getting the myo hon. if you are,tell me what actually takes place when she does it,K? there is a particular reaction you 'should' be getting if she is actually doing this on you and doing it right. what does your arm do while she is doing this? does it 'move' by itself at all when she does it?
personally i find valium to be the most helpful with all my tension up there. i take it mostly for my legs to keep the spasms down to a duller roar,but it also really helps up there too. i really DO feel you desperately NEED that MRI right now sammy.that really would just actually 'show" that area the best and that IS what you need to see ya know? when they use the contrast it would also higlight the arterial structures too,so the aorta would be shown upon the right angles of the MRI too. they just do things that way when you have the MRI. whatever needs looking into,they can do just that for you.
it would be unlikely that your surgeon would really want to take onthe rib thing since,despite their being a real connection there,it IS another issue that HE is not actually responsible for,you know what i mean? surgeons are like that,believe me. i had the very same problem with my NS that did my c spine surgeies on me. that was a trip. that is what actually sent me up to the U of MN. just to find out whether or not my cavernoma in my cord was causing this ungodly hidious pressure/prying sensation under my right shoulder blade post op. of course,it was,despite what the other NS kept telling me. thats what over 30 years experience as the head teaching prof and the head of neurosurgery did for me. that man was an amazing neurosurgeon. too bad he upped and retired on me two years after he did my cord surgery. but he did do one last wonderful thing for me. he sent me for an MRA just because i felt changes in paresthsias in my face, just to rule out an aneurysm, guess what,he was right. man was i lucky. my aneurysm never actually showed upon plain MRI(i have to decline contrast becsue of my kidney disease) but did upon that MRA,loud and clear.
the one thing that this surgeon DOES owe you tho hon is getting that MRI done so he can refer you to who you need to see depending upon what is or is not found in there. it just really needs to be done sammy,this IS so ridiculous that they just have not yet done this for you. SOOO many questions would be answered with one test. also seeing that PM for the stellate too would help to either rule the SNS in or out,you just do have the symptoms of at least somelevel of involvement,and it would help your pain situation if it is related in any way.
despite the crap you have going on in there,your main gol in your body is to try and keep things the least inflammed so those muscles will also calm down. tall order i know,but the less crap going on will help up there. i also got slammed in the back of my shoulder by this stupid puppy. he is a greatdane/english mastiff mix that at only at 15 weeks has the mass and the muscle of most full grown dogs. got me really good two days ago while i was trying to locate my missing slipper and was kind of bent over? he came running up behind me and just nailed the back of that shoulder. oh owieee. its just been more painful overall ever since. that kind of scares me a bit. i see my PT guy on friday so i am going to have him run thru the ROM and see if there could be a glitch there. i sure hope not. things were going so well ya know? the PT pain was bad enough when i started that. this whole thing has just sucked for both of us in soo many ways,but i know yours is like ten times what my pain is. i really do worry about you sammy. i just want you to get the right stuff done as soon as possible so you can get and just 'feel" better soon. this really has gone on more than long enough without the benefit of any real Dx as to what IS the underlying problem.
i would have that serious talk with your surgeon about your very real "needs' here soon. the PT person should also speak directly with him too. just push for what you know needs to be done hon. hang in there sammy. and good luck in getting this all done for you. Marcia
sammyo1
04-23-2008, 03:41 PM
Marcia, my husband is going to try to go monday with me to the surgeon, I feel this is going to be the most important visit. Since I already have the cardiac tests ordered I will go, so once & for all we can rule it out. I will have to ask the surgeon about PM.
I so intend to ask tommorrow about the myofascial release at therapy.
You have it, all the therapist keeps saying is how tight it all is, & how bad the ribs are.
What do you think an MRI would pick up in that rib area?
I did some looking into the hypermobile ribs, & indeed I do have all the symptoms.
It may very well have to do with the tendons & ligaments just not doing their job.
I am to the point I have to come out & ask that the ribs be focused on in pt in order to work the shoulder. If the arm is moved to much at this point it just triggers the pain in the ribs. God knows I have tried everything, I will try once again the lido patch on the ribs themselves.
Alittle better today because not doing much, but still in pain.
No way can the shoulder recieve the therapy it needs with the ribs like this.
Don't you think it would be wise to see if the therapist will focus on the ribs?
I to took a hit to the shoulder & really am wondering along with all the work if that may have been the last straw, does seem that after the real tough visit with the one pt & the shoulder being hit is when everything just flared right up. Second time I have accidently done something to that shoulder, the first was tripping on the stairs & had to put that arm out to catch myself, I am sure it can't be good for it.
Least I know you are feeling it from the puppy so I am sure I am somewhat from the impact I took. Things happen, we are not living in a bubble, you know.
I have been really down, to much more & I will loose my job. I know my health comes first, but I worked so hard to get this far, & already lost my other clients.
Anyone in this state would be worried about loosing their job, trust me.
I will be off for next week & hopefully the rest will help, heck I am not even sure I should have pt at this point. If they can't work on those ribs I just don't see it.
I sure did not not feel I got any real feed back from the pcp, only that is thinks the chest wall is inflamed, well I am at the point I need to be sure, enough is enough.
I have not felt like this since right after or before surgery. I am really paying attention to everything just to get any clues as to what it could be.
I have no clue what the surgeon will say but I do know the shoulder recovery is being held back & he is still treating the shoulder, lets hope he does not try to just drop that to. Heck of a bind I am in. Pretty depressing. I am taking a muscle relaxer to see if it helps, I will try it today if not enough relief I will move to what I have left of the valuim tommorrow to see if there is a difference. I don't feel I have a choice but to see what is going to work best, same meds I was pretty much on before surgery so I know it should be ok .
Any words of wisdom to help me with my surgeons visit? I am pretty much just worried about good PM while we are looking into what may be wrong, so I am focusing on trying to get him to help me find a PM & praying he will continue my care until then. Let me know what you think. Sammy
Let me know what you think about the pt
I so intend to ask tommorrow about the myofascial release at therapy.
You have it, all the therapist keeps saying is how tight it all is, & how bad the ribs are.
What do you think an MRI would pick up in that rib area?
I did some looking into the hypermobile ribs, & indeed I do have all the symptoms.
It may very well have to do with the tendons & ligaments just not doing their job.
I am to the point I have to come out & ask that the ribs be focused on in pt in order to work the shoulder. If the arm is moved to much at this point it just triggers the pain in the ribs. God knows I have tried everything, I will try once again the lido patch on the ribs themselves.
Alittle better today because not doing much, but still in pain.
No way can the shoulder recieve the therapy it needs with the ribs like this.
Don't you think it would be wise to see if the therapist will focus on the ribs?
I to took a hit to the shoulder & really am wondering along with all the work if that may have been the last straw, does seem that after the real tough visit with the one pt & the shoulder being hit is when everything just flared right up. Second time I have accidently done something to that shoulder, the first was tripping on the stairs & had to put that arm out to catch myself, I am sure it can't be good for it.
Least I know you are feeling it from the puppy so I am sure I am somewhat from the impact I took. Things happen, we are not living in a bubble, you know.
I have been really down, to much more & I will loose my job. I know my health comes first, but I worked so hard to get this far, & already lost my other clients.
Anyone in this state would be worried about loosing their job, trust me.
I will be off for next week & hopefully the rest will help, heck I am not even sure I should have pt at this point. If they can't work on those ribs I just don't see it.
I sure did not not feel I got any real feed back from the pcp, only that is thinks the chest wall is inflamed, well I am at the point I need to be sure, enough is enough.
I have not felt like this since right after or before surgery. I am really paying attention to everything just to get any clues as to what it could be.
I have no clue what the surgeon will say but I do know the shoulder recovery is being held back & he is still treating the shoulder, lets hope he does not try to just drop that to. Heck of a bind I am in. Pretty depressing. I am taking a muscle relaxer to see if it helps, I will try it today if not enough relief I will move to what I have left of the valuim tommorrow to see if there is a difference. I don't feel I have a choice but to see what is going to work best, same meds I was pretty much on before surgery so I know it should be ok .
Any words of wisdom to help me with my surgeons visit? I am pretty much just worried about good PM while we are looking into what may be wrong, so I am focusing on trying to get him to help me find a PM & praying he will continue my care until then. Let me know what you think. Sammy
Let me know what you think about the pt
feelbad
04-24-2008, 11:58 AM
you are now into a chronic pain type of sittuation,so for him to actually refer you to a good PM would just be part of his job for you,ya know? you do actually need that stellate too. i also would outright ask him how he feels as far as having any possible sns involvement(both pre and post op) going on given your symptoms. make a list of questions to ask so you don;t forget those really important ones. thats what i had to start doing. i think i mentioned this before to you,but just leave like a notebook and a pen sitting out in the open so when you actually think of a good question for him,you go IMMEDIATELY to that paper and write it down,or you may forget a really great question. i know i did before i started doing this one thing. it does help when you are sitting in that docs office ya know?
you could ask your PT person about any PMs she knows of that are the "good' ones,you know the ones who really care about their patients pain? the thing is,most PMs really don;t 'do' diagnostics at the level you really need. they can Dx pain problems and possible generators but its not like seeing a real specialist just for a Dx,you know what i mean? normally by the time people are sent to PM,they actually have a solid Dx that needs treating. you just really do need that MRI. now THAT any good PM would want you to have just to check for generators of pain. but having an evaluation from a PM would be a really great idea. they do this at your very first visit. he could do that stellate(they would set it up at a later date or your surgeon could just refer you for that alone too) just to see if there is any sns involvement that can be contributing to the problem. the ribs possibly just could be hypermobile from very real inflammation and swelling that culd be going on somewhere inside too. like i said before,swelling can actually "push' other organs and other solid structures around too.
just what info did you find out about what could actually be causing hypermobile ribs when you looked it up? all i can think of is really ligaments since these are what actually attach to the bone itself. they could either be too lax or even pulled too tight that they are actually pulling 'out' your ribcage kind of thing? it would depend upon alot of diffent factors. just obtaining that MRI sammy would show alot of possible issues you could have going on in there. this would be the only type of actual test(given what you are trying to find out) that would show the key areas. its all done from the tech end, but they can go beyond the ribs to the underside and see whats up in there. i just really see this test as your real best bet here for any solid answers at this point ya know? your main 'need' right now is to just actually KNOW for certain what IS or is not actually going on inside that very painful area. it cannot possibly be treated properly and appropriately til you KNOW what it is and whats generating the pain. its pretty simple but no one else seems to think this way other than you me and your PT person.geez.
i would simply tell your surgeon right at the outset of that appt,either tell me for sure whats wrong or send me for the MRI so i CAN find out whats wrong in there. its just sick to leave you hangin like this for this long without bothering to try and find other possible answers to your pain process ya know? soo many of your ongoing symptoms sammy just all sound so sympathetically created. my RSD knee is soo hypersensitive to even light touch just like my central pain syndrome is. its just that hyper. but in MY particular case,i have completely lost the ability to even sweat from my level of injury at the c8 nerve level on down to my freaking toes but only on that one right side. very insane. but when that SNS was first damaged and created the horners syndrome in my left eye,i actually only sweated on the right side of my face with absolutely NO sweating on the left for a couple of years. my body is just sooo screwed up right now from various forms of spinal cord and nervous system damage. just nuts really,espescially when i actually try and explain to anyone what actually occurs in here.
you just need to start some very real in depth testing that should have started a while ago given whats been happening. its time to start ruling out or in things. i personally,unless you really 'feel" otherwise,don;t think this is in any real way a cardiac issue,not with your symptoms(i have treated many a heart attack and other cardiac issues over the years). throbbing can also come from deep inflammation just like heat does. it just sounds like a very big longshot when other tests would actually be able to rule this in or out and also tell you much more than any real cardiac testing would first ya know? i think your money would be better spent hitting that MRI machine FIRST then based upon what is or is not there,then go for the other testing if needed at that point. the MRI would be the best 'baseline' type of test to just start with ya know? this one test would or could lead to the other tests or directions just based upon what is or isn;t there. if this were me sammy,i can guarentee you given all you have already been thru and what they have not yet done for you,would be demanding this one test,with contrast. your surgeon just owes you this hon. you just simply NEED to actually SEE in there.
hopefully you will get somewhere with your surgeon. like i said,simply ask him to tell you whats wrong or send you for the MRI that may have all the answers right there. oh,you didn't say whether or not the PT is actually doing the myo on you? if she was,like i said,you would know it by what your arm and body would do. its really crazy to watch and feel. good luck hon,start asking people who would know who the best PMs are in your area. marcia
you could ask your PT person about any PMs she knows of that are the "good' ones,you know the ones who really care about their patients pain? the thing is,most PMs really don;t 'do' diagnostics at the level you really need. they can Dx pain problems and possible generators but its not like seeing a real specialist just for a Dx,you know what i mean? normally by the time people are sent to PM,they actually have a solid Dx that needs treating. you just really do need that MRI. now THAT any good PM would want you to have just to check for generators of pain. but having an evaluation from a PM would be a really great idea. they do this at your very first visit. he could do that stellate(they would set it up at a later date or your surgeon could just refer you for that alone too) just to see if there is any sns involvement that can be contributing to the problem. the ribs possibly just could be hypermobile from very real inflammation and swelling that culd be going on somewhere inside too. like i said before,swelling can actually "push' other organs and other solid structures around too.
just what info did you find out about what could actually be causing hypermobile ribs when you looked it up? all i can think of is really ligaments since these are what actually attach to the bone itself. they could either be too lax or even pulled too tight that they are actually pulling 'out' your ribcage kind of thing? it would depend upon alot of diffent factors. just obtaining that MRI sammy would show alot of possible issues you could have going on in there. this would be the only type of actual test(given what you are trying to find out) that would show the key areas. its all done from the tech end, but they can go beyond the ribs to the underside and see whats up in there. i just really see this test as your real best bet here for any solid answers at this point ya know? your main 'need' right now is to just actually KNOW for certain what IS or is not actually going on inside that very painful area. it cannot possibly be treated properly and appropriately til you KNOW what it is and whats generating the pain. its pretty simple but no one else seems to think this way other than you me and your PT person.geez.
i would simply tell your surgeon right at the outset of that appt,either tell me for sure whats wrong or send me for the MRI so i CAN find out whats wrong in there. its just sick to leave you hangin like this for this long without bothering to try and find other possible answers to your pain process ya know? soo many of your ongoing symptoms sammy just all sound so sympathetically created. my RSD knee is soo hypersensitive to even light touch just like my central pain syndrome is. its just that hyper. but in MY particular case,i have completely lost the ability to even sweat from my level of injury at the c8 nerve level on down to my freaking toes but only on that one right side. very insane. but when that SNS was first damaged and created the horners syndrome in my left eye,i actually only sweated on the right side of my face with absolutely NO sweating on the left for a couple of years. my body is just sooo screwed up right now from various forms of spinal cord and nervous system damage. just nuts really,espescially when i actually try and explain to anyone what actually occurs in here.
you just need to start some very real in depth testing that should have started a while ago given whats been happening. its time to start ruling out or in things. i personally,unless you really 'feel" otherwise,don;t think this is in any real way a cardiac issue,not with your symptoms(i have treated many a heart attack and other cardiac issues over the years). throbbing can also come from deep inflammation just like heat does. it just sounds like a very big longshot when other tests would actually be able to rule this in or out and also tell you much more than any real cardiac testing would first ya know? i think your money would be better spent hitting that MRI machine FIRST then based upon what is or is not there,then go for the other testing if needed at that point. the MRI would be the best 'baseline' type of test to just start with ya know? this one test would or could lead to the other tests or directions just based upon what is or isn;t there. if this were me sammy,i can guarentee you given all you have already been thru and what they have not yet done for you,would be demanding this one test,with contrast. your surgeon just owes you this hon. you just simply NEED to actually SEE in there.
hopefully you will get somewhere with your surgeon. like i said,simply ask him to tell you whats wrong or send you for the MRI that may have all the answers right there. oh,you didn't say whether or not the PT is actually doing the myo on you? if she was,like i said,you would know it by what your arm and body would do. its really crazy to watch and feel. good luck hon,start asking people who would know who the best PMs are in your area. marcia
sammyo1
04-25-2008, 08:23 AM
Marcia, That sweating thing you have is really strange. Wow you have been through h***.
I am going for the cardiac this morning & then if nothing comes from these tests I can get them all off the cardiac thing, which with my symptoms everyone of them keep bringing up.
I am not sure what can cause the hypermobility, the shoulder being injured for so lone & held a certain way can be one cause, an actual injury to the ribs can be another. The pt mentioned anything enlarged internally could be another.
I will tell you no way am I going through a year of guessing, like with the shoulder. All the guessing & treatments before an MRI was even ordered.
My pcp is already saying he thinks it just inflammation of the chest wall, well then it has been that way for along time & all the rest I have had inbetween has not taken care of it, so I don't buy that. I have no choice but to speak up or I will end up like this forever, you know?
The pt is sending just enough notes to the surgeon to let him know how bad the ribs are & that the shoulder pt is being held up. She is doing it that way in order to try to continue pt but on the ribs first. I need to get an order with the ribs on it, so she can focus on the ribs. Yes she has done some myofascial on it, but she said she has to do the shoulder because of the way the order is written up for the insurance. That is why she wants a new pt order written up specifically for the ribs. Can't do the shoulder with out addressing the ribs first. She really is nice & is trying to let the surgeon know what is going on. She also said I may indeed have to have good PM to get through therapy & to push for tests on that area no matter what. She agrees something is going on there & is actually very concerned.
I plan on asking the surgeon for a good pms name & letting him know what the pt said.
I just hope he will continue to treat me until I can get into a pm, its not like there in no proof somethings going on, you can see & feel it. whether he likes it or not the shoulder is involved. I am just afraid he won't do anything at all, order tests or handle my meds till I find a pm. I know my pcp won't handle cp patients. who ever orders the mri will have to fight the insurance company & none of the doctors like to do that.
Tell me do you know if the mri will cover from the chest down, since that is where my pain is? & I know you already said it once but what all will it show? & what is the difference between with contrast & with out?
I will be writing a list of questions for him, no way will I remember unless I do.
It is the toughest thing to sit & worry. I may take a week off from pt along with work just to see if I can get control of all this pain, the pt said what ever I decide with the surgeon just let her know, she is curious to see what the surgeon says. Bless her, she really is concerned & is pushing me to push the doctors. She just keep saying the ribcage should not be like that & it can indeed be causing me all this pain. Once again she did say it could be in the ligaments &/or tendons.
I am so afraid of staying in all this pain while the doctors do the guessing & bouncing me around thing. The pt wants the operative report to. So we will see. Sammy
I am going for the cardiac this morning & then if nothing comes from these tests I can get them all off the cardiac thing, which with my symptoms everyone of them keep bringing up.
I am not sure what can cause the hypermobility, the shoulder being injured for so lone & held a certain way can be one cause, an actual injury to the ribs can be another. The pt mentioned anything enlarged internally could be another.
I will tell you no way am I going through a year of guessing, like with the shoulder. All the guessing & treatments before an MRI was even ordered.
My pcp is already saying he thinks it just inflammation of the chest wall, well then it has been that way for along time & all the rest I have had inbetween has not taken care of it, so I don't buy that. I have no choice but to speak up or I will end up like this forever, you know?
The pt is sending just enough notes to the surgeon to let him know how bad the ribs are & that the shoulder pt is being held up. She is doing it that way in order to try to continue pt but on the ribs first. I need to get an order with the ribs on it, so she can focus on the ribs. Yes she has done some myofascial on it, but she said she has to do the shoulder because of the way the order is written up for the insurance. That is why she wants a new pt order written up specifically for the ribs. Can't do the shoulder with out addressing the ribs first. She really is nice & is trying to let the surgeon know what is going on. She also said I may indeed have to have good PM to get through therapy & to push for tests on that area no matter what. She agrees something is going on there & is actually very concerned.
I plan on asking the surgeon for a good pms name & letting him know what the pt said.
I just hope he will continue to treat me until I can get into a pm, its not like there in no proof somethings going on, you can see & feel it. whether he likes it or not the shoulder is involved. I am just afraid he won't do anything at all, order tests or handle my meds till I find a pm. I know my pcp won't handle cp patients. who ever orders the mri will have to fight the insurance company & none of the doctors like to do that.
Tell me do you know if the mri will cover from the chest down, since that is where my pain is? & I know you already said it once but what all will it show? & what is the difference between with contrast & with out?
I will be writing a list of questions for him, no way will I remember unless I do.
It is the toughest thing to sit & worry. I may take a week off from pt along with work just to see if I can get control of all this pain, the pt said what ever I decide with the surgeon just let her know, she is curious to see what the surgeon says. Bless her, she really is concerned & is pushing me to push the doctors. She just keep saying the ribcage should not be like that & it can indeed be causing me all this pain. Once again she did say it could be in the ligaments &/or tendons.
I am so afraid of staying in all this pain while the doctors do the guessing & bouncing me around thing. The pt wants the operative report to. So we will see. Sammy
feelbad
04-25-2008, 07:00 PM
one big thing here sammy is that any surgeon who does any surgery on any person DOES have a certain level of responsibility and liability to assure that everything is being taken care of for you til the day you are released from his or her care. that kind of comes with the territory. since he has been very well aware of your need for ongoing pain meds/management,i seriously cannot see him just letting you go on in agony til he KNOWS that you have been passed onto someone who WILL continue to manage your pain. that IS his responsibility to you as his patient. sometimes surgeons need to be reminded of this. he simply cannot leave you in this type of posistion KNOWING how much pain and problems you are in and having. he needs to continue to manage this til someone can properly take over that part.
i REALLY feel espescially in your current posistion that it really is a must and rather crucial for you to just obtain ALL of this ongoing clinic notes from him just to see where his head has been at and his overall impression of your situation and symptomolgy that has been pretty insane from even before your actual surgey took place. these notes(which most surgeons actually do more in the form of a letter to the referring doc? your primary would have been getting periodic updates after every visit with the surgeon you have had)just reading thru that stuff would be the very best way to really see just what his overall impression of your situation actually is. believe me, i have found out more about how my surgeons impressions are in just reading these little "letters" than in any other way,just the surgeon himself,ya know? you just really need that level of insight into his head right now to be able to hit the bigger things. it does help alot sammy or believe me i wouldn;t be telling you to do this.
as far as the MRis go,depending upon just what the referring doc is actually looking for or trying to Dx will dictate just what and how the MRI gets done. they can really hit amazingly small areas depending upon just how things are set up. any contrasted pics just really pick up alot of other areas that just don't alays show really well upon the 'basic" MRI. things like arteries are a biggie here since that contrast actually travels thruout the vessels. that would show the aorta really well for you and other surrounding blood flow too. its all in just what amy doc actually orders to be looked at that really dictates what areas get checked the most in depth. the thing is,if anything odd or not normal is just seen upon doing this MRI,it WOULD be noted as an 'incidental" finding. thats what my cavernoma showed up as upon that simple c spine MRI. it just happened to be seen and noted by the rad inside me spinal cord as an incidental finding.
you just sooo need this one test sammy,really. i cannot express that enough to you at this point. the only way they can really start to rule things out is by doing the very best type of diagnostics for 'your" type of symptomology,which in your case would be the contrasted MRI,period. this would be the best 'baseline' type test just to really actually SEE for the first time what IS or is NOT actually there as a possible contributor to your ongoing situation ya know? everyone keeps commenting how they really "feel" or "think' there is more going on than can be seen but no one has yet taken that one good look at the areas from the inside. thats part of the big delay here in you just actually knowing anything really about possible triggers or contributors. its so freaking simple to just do this for you. one referral from your surgeon to the ins co telling them the "whys' in whcih this is the best test for your situation should be able to seal the deal with them.
just what doc actually tried to refer you the time they denied this? it may have just been way to early in your actual recovery for them to really feel that what you were actually experiening was anything more than the 'normal' for the level of pain we now know as actually pretty normal at the beginning. but this is far from normal for you at this point and needs better testing just to see whats up in there. timing is everything ya know?
you just REALLy need to express to your surgeon in any way you can the absolute NEED for the MRI just to obtain basic Dx info at this point. i would just push as hard as i possibly could at this point sammy. this one test would help you in so many ways. you would also most likely need this before any referral to a PM. the PM would want these problem areas scanned as thoroughly as possible in order to find the best ways to try and treat your bigger issues. with your PTs help,you should be able to get this finally done. just based upon the fact that everyone agrees this IS an issue that needs to be seen should be more than enough to secure that referral. like i told you before, just simply ask your surgeon 'whats going on in there" if he cannot tell you exactly,then just say then PLEASE refer me to the one test that 'can" tell me. i would be sooo beyond frustrated at this point if i were you that i would be doing bodily harm to that damn surgeon by now,lol. i am serious hon,he OWES you this test if he simply cannot actually tell you whats wrong and just to find out whats going on in there. just ask him to please do this for you. it just shouldn't be this hard given your ongoing symptoms ya know? i do think between you and your PT who is actually lying hands on that area that your suregon should be able to feel by this time it is just that needed. this has just been way too dragged out at this point and someone needs to take that bull by the horns and do whats right for their patient.
i really do wish you sooo much luck at that appt with the surgeon hon. just make certain to write down EVERYTHING that pops into your head,ASAP. its just time to really find that source. "something" IS firing off everything in there,that i really DO feel. now,lets just do the right thing for our patient and FIND IT! i am pullin for ya sammy. don't let your surgeon intimidate you. i am glad that hubby is coming along with you,it really does help with feeling less intimidated and more confident. you just 'deserve" much better than this sammy and you ARE in the right,don;t ever forget that. keep me posted hon,Marcia
i REALLY feel espescially in your current posistion that it really is a must and rather crucial for you to just obtain ALL of this ongoing clinic notes from him just to see where his head has been at and his overall impression of your situation and symptomolgy that has been pretty insane from even before your actual surgey took place. these notes(which most surgeons actually do more in the form of a letter to the referring doc? your primary would have been getting periodic updates after every visit with the surgeon you have had)just reading thru that stuff would be the very best way to really see just what his overall impression of your situation actually is. believe me, i have found out more about how my surgeons impressions are in just reading these little "letters" than in any other way,just the surgeon himself,ya know? you just really need that level of insight into his head right now to be able to hit the bigger things. it does help alot sammy or believe me i wouldn;t be telling you to do this.
as far as the MRis go,depending upon just what the referring doc is actually looking for or trying to Dx will dictate just what and how the MRI gets done. they can really hit amazingly small areas depending upon just how things are set up. any contrasted pics just really pick up alot of other areas that just don't alays show really well upon the 'basic" MRI. things like arteries are a biggie here since that contrast actually travels thruout the vessels. that would show the aorta really well for you and other surrounding blood flow too. its all in just what amy doc actually orders to be looked at that really dictates what areas get checked the most in depth. the thing is,if anything odd or not normal is just seen upon doing this MRI,it WOULD be noted as an 'incidental" finding. thats what my cavernoma showed up as upon that simple c spine MRI. it just happened to be seen and noted by the rad inside me spinal cord as an incidental finding.
you just sooo need this one test sammy,really. i cannot express that enough to you at this point. the only way they can really start to rule things out is by doing the very best type of diagnostics for 'your" type of symptomology,which in your case would be the contrasted MRI,period. this would be the best 'baseline' type test just to really actually SEE for the first time what IS or is NOT actually there as a possible contributor to your ongoing situation ya know? everyone keeps commenting how they really "feel" or "think' there is more going on than can be seen but no one has yet taken that one good look at the areas from the inside. thats part of the big delay here in you just actually knowing anything really about possible triggers or contributors. its so freaking simple to just do this for you. one referral from your surgeon to the ins co telling them the "whys' in whcih this is the best test for your situation should be able to seal the deal with them.
just what doc actually tried to refer you the time they denied this? it may have just been way to early in your actual recovery for them to really feel that what you were actually experiening was anything more than the 'normal' for the level of pain we now know as actually pretty normal at the beginning. but this is far from normal for you at this point and needs better testing just to see whats up in there. timing is everything ya know?
you just REALLy need to express to your surgeon in any way you can the absolute NEED for the MRI just to obtain basic Dx info at this point. i would just push as hard as i possibly could at this point sammy. this one test would help you in so many ways. you would also most likely need this before any referral to a PM. the PM would want these problem areas scanned as thoroughly as possible in order to find the best ways to try and treat your bigger issues. with your PTs help,you should be able to get this finally done. just based upon the fact that everyone agrees this IS an issue that needs to be seen should be more than enough to secure that referral. like i told you before, just simply ask your surgeon 'whats going on in there" if he cannot tell you exactly,then just say then PLEASE refer me to the one test that 'can" tell me. i would be sooo beyond frustrated at this point if i were you that i would be doing bodily harm to that damn surgeon by now,lol. i am serious hon,he OWES you this test if he simply cannot actually tell you whats wrong and just to find out whats going on in there. just ask him to please do this for you. it just shouldn't be this hard given your ongoing symptoms ya know? i do think between you and your PT who is actually lying hands on that area that your suregon should be able to feel by this time it is just that needed. this has just been way too dragged out at this point and someone needs to take that bull by the horns and do whats right for their patient.
i really do wish you sooo much luck at that appt with the surgeon hon. just make certain to write down EVERYTHING that pops into your head,ASAP. its just time to really find that source. "something" IS firing off everything in there,that i really DO feel. now,lets just do the right thing for our patient and FIND IT! i am pullin for ya sammy. don't let your surgeon intimidate you. i am glad that hubby is coming along with you,it really does help with feeling less intimidated and more confident. you just 'deserve" much better than this sammy and you ARE in the right,don;t ever forget that. keep me posted hon,Marcia
sammyo1
04-26-2008, 09:15 AM
Marcia, Went for the abdominal aorta ultra sound & Echo cardio., OMG, was it painful. All the pushing on that area. The tech who did the ultra sound actually walked down with me to talk to the tech who was doing the echo, she said it was going to be tough & painful because of pushing on the ribs so she wanted to let the tech know about my situation. I cried like a baby all the way through. I did not even realize how bad the chest hurt until she had to do all the pushing, most of the whole rib area hurt like heck. She was really good & tried to hurry it along. Crazy. You could not pay me to go back through that again. That really brought it all home how sore that area is. Even the techs were surprised.
I was so miserable I told my husband I want that area looked at. Can't press on the stomach either, area between the ribs under the sternum. The tech that did aorta said she was glad that no more of the area had to be done, she said it would have been to painful.
I have had it, went all evening just sitting there, if I moved around it would start, I feel like someone is stabbing me in the middle of my chest, right in the sternum area.
My pcp just wants to call it Costochondritis & let it go, well no way. This has been part of my problem all along & I have had plenty of time to rest, its more then that & I want to know what is causing it.
The Rehab. doc is the one who wanted to MRI of the chest. Because of so much chest pain. He said maybe I had a tear or something that just never healed, of course he was just guessing. At this point I believe I had multiple things going on & the shoulder was just one of them. I can't seem to get it through to the doctors how long this has been bothering me & all the lifting & physical work I have done in the past. I am taking a guess that I really injured myself & it just continued to get worse over time.
No way can the shoulder get better until the othe problem is looked into. I can't use it with out aggravating the chest/rib area. I can feel the shoulder aching, probably because I cant really use it like I should, then I am back to using the other & its getting sore again. So that has got to involve the surgeon some how. This is taking over my life.
I can't sit in a chair of bed the rest of my life.
I thought back & I honestly believe my pcp may very well been alittle peeved that the PT was kind of forcing his hand, he was very abrupt. The way the letter is worded pretty much is telling him he needs to rule out any abdominal aorta pathology. I would bet he would have not ordered any tests had she not put it in writing. She said doctors don't like the pts to over step themselves. To bad. I should have let her call the surgeon when she wanted to. I could kick myself, but I did not think it would get this bad. I don't think with the pt involved they can ignore it, do you?
I can't believe after all the surgery rehab. I have all this pain. doctors need to look at the whole picture instead of one possability. No way am I letting this go, I can't.
I have throbbing & pain most of the time & the perc., motrin, muscle relaxer, & steroid pack is not controlling it. I know its making it more tolerable but that is it. I could feel part of my rib just kind of sticking out right under where sternum ends. To weird.
When the symptoms do not go away it gets alittle scary. I would rather them do the MRI with contrast but I am not sure how to recommend or enforce the contrast part, any suggestions as to why I should request the contrast? If, of course I can get them to do the MRI. Will the MRI show if the muscles, tendons or ligaments have a major problem?
I have not choice but to be forceful, at this point I have no quality in my life.
I can tell you it is really getting to my family. My husband is so fed up & it is hard to not feel guilty. It is depressing me to think of another summer of this, I love to work & as of now can't, not at home or else where. I honeslty feel I can very easily become depressed at this point, it hard to live in pain & worry that you don't even know whats going on in there. Its like starting all over again. At least if noting shows in the tests for cardiac I can get them to move forward. I am really worried because of lack of pain control. I am writing notes to take to surgeon, so please any suggestions on how to get the MRI with contrast would be welcome. I am just focusing on how to stay out of ER or urgetn care for the weekend. Sammy
I was so miserable I told my husband I want that area looked at. Can't press on the stomach either, area between the ribs under the sternum. The tech that did aorta said she was glad that no more of the area had to be done, she said it would have been to painful.
I have had it, went all evening just sitting there, if I moved around it would start, I feel like someone is stabbing me in the middle of my chest, right in the sternum area.
My pcp just wants to call it Costochondritis & let it go, well no way. This has been part of my problem all along & I have had plenty of time to rest, its more then that & I want to know what is causing it.
The Rehab. doc is the one who wanted to MRI of the chest. Because of so much chest pain. He said maybe I had a tear or something that just never healed, of course he was just guessing. At this point I believe I had multiple things going on & the shoulder was just one of them. I can't seem to get it through to the doctors how long this has been bothering me & all the lifting & physical work I have done in the past. I am taking a guess that I really injured myself & it just continued to get worse over time.
No way can the shoulder get better until the othe problem is looked into. I can't use it with out aggravating the chest/rib area. I can feel the shoulder aching, probably because I cant really use it like I should, then I am back to using the other & its getting sore again. So that has got to involve the surgeon some how. This is taking over my life.
I can't sit in a chair of bed the rest of my life.
I thought back & I honestly believe my pcp may very well been alittle peeved that the PT was kind of forcing his hand, he was very abrupt. The way the letter is worded pretty much is telling him he needs to rule out any abdominal aorta pathology. I would bet he would have not ordered any tests had she not put it in writing. She said doctors don't like the pts to over step themselves. To bad. I should have let her call the surgeon when she wanted to. I could kick myself, but I did not think it would get this bad. I don't think with the pt involved they can ignore it, do you?
I can't believe after all the surgery rehab. I have all this pain. doctors need to look at the whole picture instead of one possability. No way am I letting this go, I can't.
I have throbbing & pain most of the time & the perc., motrin, muscle relaxer, & steroid pack is not controlling it. I know its making it more tolerable but that is it. I could feel part of my rib just kind of sticking out right under where sternum ends. To weird.
When the symptoms do not go away it gets alittle scary. I would rather them do the MRI with contrast but I am not sure how to recommend or enforce the contrast part, any suggestions as to why I should request the contrast? If, of course I can get them to do the MRI. Will the MRI show if the muscles, tendons or ligaments have a major problem?
I have not choice but to be forceful, at this point I have no quality in my life.
I can tell you it is really getting to my family. My husband is so fed up & it is hard to not feel guilty. It is depressing me to think of another summer of this, I love to work & as of now can't, not at home or else where. I honeslty feel I can very easily become depressed at this point, it hard to live in pain & worry that you don't even know whats going on in there. Its like starting all over again. At least if noting shows in the tests for cardiac I can get them to move forward. I am really worried because of lack of pain control. I am writing notes to take to surgeon, so please any suggestions on how to get the MRI with contrast would be welcome. I am just focusing on how to stay out of ER or urgetn care for the weekend. Sammy
feelbad
04-26-2008, 01:13 PM
sammy, i really am so sorry you are where you are at with this,believe me, i can sooo relate to what you are feeling and how this all effects your family too. there are just alot of crappy things that come along for the ride when you are dealing with ANY chronic medical situation that you really don't have alot of control over. that is why you really have to try control the things you can. and for you,its just standing up for yourself and demanding at this point that someone JUST take that look inside,period. THAT is where the problem lies,it would make total sense to just finally look into the area and actually SEE whats up ya know? this will at least give you "some' level of actual power and control back again,right now,everyone around you has it BUT you and that can make you feel exactly like you just explained above,believe me. i have been thru this type of crap over and over and over again,both with me and my son. just taking some control back in the areas you can really DOES help you both mentally and emotionally trust me.
the reason i really mentioned the contrast was mainly to actually see that aorta,but since you have had that horrid test,(i AM so sorry they put you thru that in your already bad situation hon,believe me, my kidneys that are humongous go thru this every single year)the actual NEED is a bit less for the contrast. just GETTING the MRI at this point and mentioning if contrast may help when you do it,may get that need met. some docs just automatically request the contrast anyways.
ya know,your primary kind of really sounds like a dink. no primary should be THAT touchy and heartless ya know? my primary would be pulling out all the stops and doing whatever needed to be done to get me the best possible dx,espescially if i just presented to his office in the shape and pain you are having. many times i have told him,i think its time for my yearly ultrasound or my shoulder was doing this or that can i get this scanned? you know what i mean? i am just kind of suprised that as a primary,he has an ego like that. you usually see that more with those golden specialists who feel they know everything? maybe its time to find a more caring basic primary doc whos job it is to find out whats wrong with you??? just a thought there.
your symptoms are just so wayyy beyond what they should be at this point in time,any doc with a ounce of a brain would know that and just order that MRI for you. tho costo "could' have been playing a part in some of this,it most certainly is NOT the underlying trigger here,no way no how. my hubby had this like ten years ago and we honestly thought he was having a freaking heart attack. after his primary ran a strip and just did a simple x ray,he Dxed it as the costo. after a round of steriods and then the anti inflams and just resting the area,he was good to go. now does that sound like what you have been dealing with here at all?
everything you have just mentioned or asked in that last post sammy is right on. your surgeon,at this point in your recovery KNOWS this is way beyond the basic rotator rehab pain and symptoms, he HAS to or he is pretty damn stupid. obtaining the MRI would simply be the very next step here in finding the true trigger or problem areas for you. it would show,just like it did with your shoulder,all the tendons and ligaments and muscle. plus the nerves too. like i said,its all i nthe way the tech utilizes the controls on their end and just what the doc orders to be scanned that would dictate just what actually would show. tho the contrast would be a bonus,since they have done that US,it is not as crucial as it would otherwise be right now. you just simply have a real need for an MRI at this point ya know? just simply ask your surgeon that one big question i told you before. either tell me whats wrong right now or send me for the MRI. period. you have just paid your dues here and suffered way more than anyone should have to. its timefor the people you hired to do that job for you just take it one step further for you ya know? this IS pretty much standard procedure when a post op surgical patient is not doing as expected. even my stupid NS finally saw the need after i bugged the living heck out of his wonderful 'nurse" and just sent me for an MRI and when that came up inconclusive for fusion in my c spine,then a CT. still didn;t get the answers but at least he had done his job for me ya know? your surgeon just 'owes' you this since things are in no way shape or form,going as they should be post op.
i would simply tell your surgeon what you told me,how this whole thing is really impacting your life and that you are just wanting a reason for it. pretty simple,and he should finally "get it'? right now,just obtaining the MRI with or without the contrast is the only true way you are going to know ANYTHING about whats up inside. it just is way past due for you considering everything and needs to be done for you. this is just pretty standard stuff for any post op patient who is exhibiting what you have been for this long with no real improvement. you just simply cannot progress til you can actually tolerate PT. emphasize that with your surgeon. between what YOU tell him and what the PT is telling him it should be a no brainer? tell him that hey,i need your help with this,please just send me for the MRI that will hopefully show the problem so we can deal with it and i can properly heal with much less pain.
i really wish i could help you more sammy. i do KNOW how you are feeling,and it just plain sucks to be there. but you NEED to get some control back asap before you feel completely out of control with this. or it WILL just overtake your life. its almost there only because people are not doing the jobs you hired them for. its just high time that they step up and do for you. you just really NEED to know whats wrong. when do you actually see the wondersurgeon again? plan way ahead for this appt so you can just hit him with the right questions and do not let him intimidate you. ask him what the very best type of test would be to actually try and find the real trigger here. i am sure the MRI will pop up inside his head,duh? also having your hubby tell the idiot just how bad this has been and how this has been affecting your entire family and quality of life would really seal the deal too. just pull out all the stops at your next appt and let him know exactly how beyond frustarted and in pain you still are. geez he wouldn;t let his flippin dog suffer like this but its okay for you??sick,really.
just hang in sammy. just gettingthe MRI with help from anyone who can possibly help you right now really IS a major priority for you to be able to get beyond this and actually heal. if they cannot work on your shoulder becasue the ribs are holding you back,well geez,you would think he would simply do this one thing ya know? i am keeping everything i can still cross,actually crossed for you in that your surgeon will just finally do the right thing by you. but be totally prepared for this next visit with him hon,thats your best bet right there.Marcia
the reason i really mentioned the contrast was mainly to actually see that aorta,but since you have had that horrid test,(i AM so sorry they put you thru that in your already bad situation hon,believe me, my kidneys that are humongous go thru this every single year)the actual NEED is a bit less for the contrast. just GETTING the MRI at this point and mentioning if contrast may help when you do it,may get that need met. some docs just automatically request the contrast anyways.
ya know,your primary kind of really sounds like a dink. no primary should be THAT touchy and heartless ya know? my primary would be pulling out all the stops and doing whatever needed to be done to get me the best possible dx,espescially if i just presented to his office in the shape and pain you are having. many times i have told him,i think its time for my yearly ultrasound or my shoulder was doing this or that can i get this scanned? you know what i mean? i am just kind of suprised that as a primary,he has an ego like that. you usually see that more with those golden specialists who feel they know everything? maybe its time to find a more caring basic primary doc whos job it is to find out whats wrong with you??? just a thought there.
your symptoms are just so wayyy beyond what they should be at this point in time,any doc with a ounce of a brain would know that and just order that MRI for you. tho costo "could' have been playing a part in some of this,it most certainly is NOT the underlying trigger here,no way no how. my hubby had this like ten years ago and we honestly thought he was having a freaking heart attack. after his primary ran a strip and just did a simple x ray,he Dxed it as the costo. after a round of steriods and then the anti inflams and just resting the area,he was good to go. now does that sound like what you have been dealing with here at all?
everything you have just mentioned or asked in that last post sammy is right on. your surgeon,at this point in your recovery KNOWS this is way beyond the basic rotator rehab pain and symptoms, he HAS to or he is pretty damn stupid. obtaining the MRI would simply be the very next step here in finding the true trigger or problem areas for you. it would show,just like it did with your shoulder,all the tendons and ligaments and muscle. plus the nerves too. like i said,its all i nthe way the tech utilizes the controls on their end and just what the doc orders to be scanned that would dictate just what actually would show. tho the contrast would be a bonus,since they have done that US,it is not as crucial as it would otherwise be right now. you just simply have a real need for an MRI at this point ya know? just simply ask your surgeon that one big question i told you before. either tell me whats wrong right now or send me for the MRI. period. you have just paid your dues here and suffered way more than anyone should have to. its timefor the people you hired to do that job for you just take it one step further for you ya know? this IS pretty much standard procedure when a post op surgical patient is not doing as expected. even my stupid NS finally saw the need after i bugged the living heck out of his wonderful 'nurse" and just sent me for an MRI and when that came up inconclusive for fusion in my c spine,then a CT. still didn;t get the answers but at least he had done his job for me ya know? your surgeon just 'owes' you this since things are in no way shape or form,going as they should be post op.
i would simply tell your surgeon what you told me,how this whole thing is really impacting your life and that you are just wanting a reason for it. pretty simple,and he should finally "get it'? right now,just obtaining the MRI with or without the contrast is the only true way you are going to know ANYTHING about whats up inside. it just is way past due for you considering everything and needs to be done for you. this is just pretty standard stuff for any post op patient who is exhibiting what you have been for this long with no real improvement. you just simply cannot progress til you can actually tolerate PT. emphasize that with your surgeon. between what YOU tell him and what the PT is telling him it should be a no brainer? tell him that hey,i need your help with this,please just send me for the MRI that will hopefully show the problem so we can deal with it and i can properly heal with much less pain.
i really wish i could help you more sammy. i do KNOW how you are feeling,and it just plain sucks to be there. but you NEED to get some control back asap before you feel completely out of control with this. or it WILL just overtake your life. its almost there only because people are not doing the jobs you hired them for. its just high time that they step up and do for you. you just really NEED to know whats wrong. when do you actually see the wondersurgeon again? plan way ahead for this appt so you can just hit him with the right questions and do not let him intimidate you. ask him what the very best type of test would be to actually try and find the real trigger here. i am sure the MRI will pop up inside his head,duh? also having your hubby tell the idiot just how bad this has been and how this has been affecting your entire family and quality of life would really seal the deal too. just pull out all the stops at your next appt and let him know exactly how beyond frustarted and in pain you still are. geez he wouldn;t let his flippin dog suffer like this but its okay for you??sick,really.
just hang in sammy. just gettingthe MRI with help from anyone who can possibly help you right now really IS a major priority for you to be able to get beyond this and actually heal. if they cannot work on your shoulder becasue the ribs are holding you back,well geez,you would think he would simply do this one thing ya know? i am keeping everything i can still cross,actually crossed for you in that your surgeon will just finally do the right thing by you. but be totally prepared for this next visit with him hon,thats your best bet right there.Marcia
sammyo1
04-27-2008, 11:59 AM
Marcia, yes it does feel like your having a freaking heart attack, when your husband was suffering from the rib issue did he find it hard of difficult to breath at all?
Had it all somewhat under control yesturday, wore the binder all day & night so I thought perhaps I am getting somewhere. Soon as I started moving around & had my shower boom, throbbing like crazy & hard to get a full breath in. I was getting light headed to the point I could not even think. it definantly is being aggravated by moving that left arm, even had the darn shoulder Pain & whole upper back. Scared the heck out of me, I was thobbing in the center chest area so bad I was shaking.
I just feel so swollen that I can even feel it down to the left hip. Feels like there is just not enough room in there. Strange. Took a muscle relaxer to see if it will calm down.
I just can't move much or is starts. who can live like that?
This is not normal & I have to do something. Someones going to have to look into it.
If it was just the chest wall being inflamed it should have gotten bettter with all the rest. This has been part of the whole problem for 2yrs or more & I have had enough.
Its no picnic when you can't breathe & your in major pain.
This is more then I can handle. I can't live my life wondering & not doing anything out of fear or this occuring.
I honestly thing the doctors don't want ot deal with the insurance company, trying to get them to approve the MRI. I swear if I have to suffer much more someones going to pay for it.
No way can tis be let go any longer. That pain & throbbing is getting worse & feels like its creating more pressure in other areas, to strange to even try to describe.
Think about it if you are that swollen in that left side from the chest down to the whole rib cage what is that inflammation interferring with in there? I am so hypermobile I would think it would interfer with breathing, shoulder & what ever else. The ribs are pushing upwards, so what is occuring when that happens, you know?
I can't handle it anymore mentally or physically. Who in their right mind could?
I go to the surgeon tommorrow afternoon, & I am nervous. I have no choice but to ask for his help, I am not going to be able to work on the shoulder rehab like this.
I appreicate your advice, & I will take it.
Let me know if your husband experianced anything like I am.
They keep saying if it is the ribs they will have to heal on their own, but that is not happening & I am getting really worried. Did you get the under arm pain & down the bicept area during your recovery? Getting some of that occuring to. Any last minute advice you want to add before tommorrows appointment feel free. I am going to make sure the pt sends something to him to. Wish me luck, god knows I will need it. Sammy
Wanted to let you know my sister in law took me to see a naturalistic doctor, god awful morning & I'll tell you it scared me, I had such chest pain, started to feel light headed, I could not even think.
To cut along story short, he shocked me with what he discoverd with this test he performed & he was stunned at the inflammation I have, he said pretty much the whole left side, he believes it is having an impact internally, he thinks the left lower lobe of the lung, the heart, which he believes its not a cardiac problem but is effecting me cardiac wise, the kidneys & adrenal glands. I won't get into why he believs this because to lengthy, but he did tell me some of the same things that were discovered in previous test. He told me some things that I was having problems with today & I never told a soul. Strange. He did voice his concern because he said that the inflammation is pretty much engulfing the whole left side & even he was shocked how inflammed it was. I will not be seeing him because he travels state to state & is not even from this state. My sister inlaw attended a seminar over the weekend & had the number to call & ask if he would see me. So I went. I figured why not?
If anything he made it clear that this is pretty bad & get it looked into, in the mean time I will try some safe methods to see if I can ease the pain. Getting more then alittle worried now. I don't think I can handle it if this surgeon blows this off tommorrow, I really think I will loose it. I am going to rest & ice all week, I don't have a choice now. Sammy
Had it all somewhat under control yesturday, wore the binder all day & night so I thought perhaps I am getting somewhere. Soon as I started moving around & had my shower boom, throbbing like crazy & hard to get a full breath in. I was getting light headed to the point I could not even think. it definantly is being aggravated by moving that left arm, even had the darn shoulder Pain & whole upper back. Scared the heck out of me, I was thobbing in the center chest area so bad I was shaking.
I just feel so swollen that I can even feel it down to the left hip. Feels like there is just not enough room in there. Strange. Took a muscle relaxer to see if it will calm down.
I just can't move much or is starts. who can live like that?
This is not normal & I have to do something. Someones going to have to look into it.
If it was just the chest wall being inflamed it should have gotten bettter with all the rest. This has been part of the whole problem for 2yrs or more & I have had enough.
Its no picnic when you can't breathe & your in major pain.
This is more then I can handle. I can't live my life wondering & not doing anything out of fear or this occuring.
I honestly thing the doctors don't want ot deal with the insurance company, trying to get them to approve the MRI. I swear if I have to suffer much more someones going to pay for it.
No way can tis be let go any longer. That pain & throbbing is getting worse & feels like its creating more pressure in other areas, to strange to even try to describe.
Think about it if you are that swollen in that left side from the chest down to the whole rib cage what is that inflammation interferring with in there? I am so hypermobile I would think it would interfer with breathing, shoulder & what ever else. The ribs are pushing upwards, so what is occuring when that happens, you know?
I can't handle it anymore mentally or physically. Who in their right mind could?
I go to the surgeon tommorrow afternoon, & I am nervous. I have no choice but to ask for his help, I am not going to be able to work on the shoulder rehab like this.
I appreicate your advice, & I will take it.
Let me know if your husband experianced anything like I am.
They keep saying if it is the ribs they will have to heal on their own, but that is not happening & I am getting really worried. Did you get the under arm pain & down the bicept area during your recovery? Getting some of that occuring to. Any last minute advice you want to add before tommorrows appointment feel free. I am going to make sure the pt sends something to him to. Wish me luck, god knows I will need it. Sammy
Wanted to let you know my sister in law took me to see a naturalistic doctor, god awful morning & I'll tell you it scared me, I had such chest pain, started to feel light headed, I could not even think.
To cut along story short, he shocked me with what he discoverd with this test he performed & he was stunned at the inflammation I have, he said pretty much the whole left side, he believes it is having an impact internally, he thinks the left lower lobe of the lung, the heart, which he believes its not a cardiac problem but is effecting me cardiac wise, the kidneys & adrenal glands. I won't get into why he believs this because to lengthy, but he did tell me some of the same things that were discovered in previous test. He told me some things that I was having problems with today & I never told a soul. Strange. He did voice his concern because he said that the inflammation is pretty much engulfing the whole left side & even he was shocked how inflammed it was. I will not be seeing him because he travels state to state & is not even from this state. My sister inlaw attended a seminar over the weekend & had the number to call & ask if he would see me. So I went. I figured why not?
If anything he made it clear that this is pretty bad & get it looked into, in the mean time I will try some safe methods to see if I can ease the pain. Getting more then alittle worried now. I don't think I can handle it if this surgeon blows this off tommorrow, I really think I will loose it. I am going to rest & ice all week, I don't have a choice now. Sammy
sammyo1
04-27-2008, 08:26 PM
Marcia, you will see this is my second post in a row. I was so bad this morning my sister in law made me an appointment to get an evaluation with a naturalistic doctor, kind of like homapathic, I believe instead of an M.D. its an N.D. Anyway he did some testing & examination & was stunned at how much inflammation there is. I mean really stunned. He pretty much said there is no way this is not effecting me internally. He does believe the heart & lower lobe of the left lung are being effected. i won't go into much detail, but lets just say I never told him where all my pain was before he ran this computeried test & he knew after the test with out me telling him about specific areas. To strange. When he lifted my top my sister in law was pretty stunned at how the rib cage was & the muscles around the back.
Oddly enough he asked me if they could have nicked or did anything to that left lung during surgery. I told him I doudt it since I was having alot of discomfort before surgery.
It is worse then before at this point. I pretty much went to appease my sisterinlaw but he was right nose with some of what he said, he knew that there was a problem in the hip, I never said anything to anyone about my hip & leg bothering me today, but this guy knew.
Of course he pretty much confirmed alot of what I knew but made me realize how bad it is.
So I am trying some natural alternatives in hopes it will give me some better pain control. He was concerned, this guy travels around the states doing seminars & so forth using oils & natural techniques, he is becoming pretty popular & knows his stuff, so when he voiced his concerns I realized this is pretty serious & I really better doing everything in my power to get something done here.
He also thinks the kidneys & adrenal glands are being effected. Which kind of tells me why I am on the toilet every fifteeen minutes when I am having major pain. He said I definantly have a problem in the back.
He believes could be in the lower back, but the area of the thoracic spine is where I had alot of pain today, but then again thats pretty much the rib area is it not?
I know sounds far fetched but this guy knew some of the things that showed up in my medical tests & I never told him any of it.
I will not be seeing him because he is just here for seminars & my sister in law was at one yesturday & knew how to contact him which she did to get me in today. She was pretty surprised on bad it was & let me know that she did not realize it was so bad & really is pushing me to get it looked into.
I am pretty worried, I was before today but this guy was really shocked at how much inflammation there was, the whole left side is inflammed big time. I know that because it hurts so dang much. Can't use that left arm hardly at all. So I am going to follow orders rest & ice all week, & hopefully the surgeon will help me out getting me into PM & ordering any other tests. I am taking your advice & laying it on the line, I have no quality right now & not much pain control at all.
Oddly enough he asked me if they could have nicked or did anything to that left lung during surgery. I told him I doudt it since I was having alot of discomfort before surgery.
It is worse then before at this point. I pretty much went to appease my sisterinlaw but he was right nose with some of what he said, he knew that there was a problem in the hip, I never said anything to anyone about my hip & leg bothering me today, but this guy knew.
Of course he pretty much confirmed alot of what I knew but made me realize how bad it is.
So I am trying some natural alternatives in hopes it will give me some better pain control. He was concerned, this guy travels around the states doing seminars & so forth using oils & natural techniques, he is becoming pretty popular & knows his stuff, so when he voiced his concerns I realized this is pretty serious & I really better doing everything in my power to get something done here.
He also thinks the kidneys & adrenal glands are being effected. Which kind of tells me why I am on the toilet every fifteeen minutes when I am having major pain. He said I definantly have a problem in the back.
He believes could be in the lower back, but the area of the thoracic spine is where I had alot of pain today, but then again thats pretty much the rib area is it not?
I know sounds far fetched but this guy knew some of the things that showed up in my medical tests & I never told him any of it.
I will not be seeing him because he is just here for seminars & my sister in law was at one yesturday & knew how to contact him which she did to get me in today. She was pretty surprised on bad it was & let me know that she did not realize it was so bad & really is pushing me to get it looked into.
I am pretty worried, I was before today but this guy was really shocked at how much inflammation there was, the whole left side is inflammed big time. I know that because it hurts so dang much. Can't use that left arm hardly at all. So I am going to follow orders rest & ice all week, & hopefully the surgeon will help me out getting me into PM & ordering any other tests. I am taking your advice & laying it on the line, I have no quality right now & not much pain control at all.
feelbad
04-28-2008, 11:16 AM
god sammy, we kind of already knew that you were suffering from some level of extreme inflammation or the pain wouldn't be what it has been ya know? some of the more homeopathic types of therepies and meds can do wonders and others are not what you may think,so you just kind of have to be careful when "choosing' or "doing' things,espescially if this guy travels around alot? wheres his base ya know? the thing is,what he told you that is being affected,in alot of cases comes down to basic connections and anatomy? one particular area just naturally would affect the other kind of thing? BUT,on that flipside,if there is anything this guy or someone similar could do that would actually help,well its always worth a shot ya know what i mean?
the cranio and myo that i get,or used to with the cranio,are forms of more homeopathic medicine and they DO work amazingly well. i really have been amazed at just how well this has worked given what my normal pain levels have been since 03 with the damage. my ins co would not payat all for myo when i really desperately needed it after the spinal cord surgey left me with(and i am not kidding here or exagerating)like if you took a softball and cut it in half and placed them under my skin type of wadded up TPs? they were ugly little suckers and extremely painful. my PT at the rehab hosp tried like heck to get my ins co to pay for myo but no go. now,all of the sudden,that same ins co is paying for every visit i have,of course withthe 20.00 co pay,but heck its well worth it. interesting how a little time and what must have been some level of learning at the ins co end will now pay for.
my hubbys costo sammy was over and done with pretty quickly. not anything like what you have described here. the thing is,now you are getting really angry and have had enough,thats a GOOD thing. use it to your advantage when you see that surgeon again,really. you have been dealing with this ongoing nightmare inside your body for long enough and deserve some answrs here. asking your surgeon or just simply asking what type of test would show things in there the best and have HIM make that MRI decision would boost his ego and get you what you so desperately have needed all this time,a good look inside. i would ask about a round of higher dose prednisone.that medrol dosepack was just not enough for your level of inflammation right now. when my hubby threw out his low back,his doc Rxed both hydro and 20-30mgs of pred to be taken like two or three times per day. it really did help tons with his extreme(oh it was soo bad sammy)pain. it wasn't the hydro that helped the most,it definitely was the pred itself. you just need to be hitting this level much much harder to get it to actually calm down for you.
the very best thing that could happen right now sammy is what is going on with you. you have had enough of the ongoing BS without any real answers. this WIILL help when you see that surgeon,trust me. you tend to get a bit more direct and less intimidated when you are at the point you are in all this. it does work to your advantage hon. it sucks to have to get to this point,but use it now to get your needs met. letting HIM make that decision would be the best way for 'him' to feel like he is in charge still with you getting the MRI you have needed all this time. but if he doesn't bring it up,get angry sammy,you DO have a right to your feelings in all the crap you have had to go thru ya know? what you have been feeling here with those ribs is simply not NORMAL. it needs a Dx and the only way to actually see in there would be with that MRI. he just owes you this right now. you have 'waited' long enough. like i said. either tell me whats wrong or send me for that test that will tell us.
you have just had a really insane recovery from this surgery with much higher than the norm levels of pain and really crazy symptoms. depending upon just what shows up or doesn't show up on an MRI would kind of dictate your next step here ya know? i would also outright ask him about the possible SNS connection. your symptoms hon are just 'in' that catagory to a certain degree and at some point,it does have to be checked out with that one injection that would tell you alot about what may be generating the more pronounced types of symptoms. believe me sammy, very pronounced swelling 'can" move out your ribs(but if they are actually 'moving around' thats coming from the back). my right ribcage sticks out much more on the bottom ribs on my right side where that right kidney now sits in the front? you can see this when i even have a shirt over the area. its just the sheer size of that kidney being under part of that ribcage. swelling back there would also possibly be pushing upon other organs like that lung on that side??
the actual 'attachment" from the muscle/tendon/ligaments does sit right kind of in the back area of your ribcage. if that subscapularis i mentioned before is any part of this,it could explain alot. ask your surgeon just exactly what he did back there,or get a copy of your op notes. he has one,ask to read thru it and have him explain it to you(your PT should also have a copy). he did surgery on you and you DO have a right to know just what he did and where. now is just the time to start getting a bit icky with people who should be doing this already for you hon. i have had to pretty much demand certain things be done just based upon my symptoms with past post op recoveries and what was basic common sense. i had to bug the heck out of my then NSs nurse for nine flippin months just to actually "see' my own freaking NS to find out why i was having all of these non fusion symptoms? my primary knew i was not fused(you could actually 'hear" the bone plug grinding away in there),but try telling my NSs nurse that? it was just ugly there for awhile til she finally 'let me" see him(his time is so precious you know). i finally had had enough of being blown off and got pissed,that got me somewhere and my needs met. its pretty simple,your surgeon 'owes' you some answers at this point and if he cannot do that he needs to grant you the MRI that will. period.
but i would ask him about higher dose pred for at least a week and see how that does for you. you are just soo beyond the capabilities of the medrol at this point. did that help even a little bit when you were on it? the thing is,if you have any real relief with the higher dose pred you will know for certain that some of the pain anyways is stemming from pure inflammation depending upon just how things feel after or during.
i have been having ALOT of inner joint pain since the puppy slammed me but i am not sure if this is from that or just because i am working new areas. my PT ran thru the ROMs the other day and didn;t 'feel' anything unusual and i do trust him. but i have always,even before surgery had this really just plain 'sore' area right below my armpit in that muslce area there in that outter area at the top that is still there to a degree? this was also the area where i actually "felt pain' during my somewhat awake surgery? my surgeon just cannot explain that one at all. he said he has had patients who feel pain in the more outter edges covered by the block but this was smack in the middle of that blocked area. i just remember waking up and going owe owe owe and someone asking me wheres the owe marcia. i said my upper arm,then boom,i was back out like a light. he just cannot explain it(and he has done hundreds of surgerys like mine) but that WAS the area he was working in at the time i suddenly felt this. just insane. my body is soo screwed up sammy.
i wish you sooo much luck with this appt hon and hope that your surgeon will now see the need for further evaluation of that area. you just have to get thru to him how really totally debilitating this actually is and that you NEED some reasons/answers right now. that is your main goal right now. sure wish i could go with you. i have had to go thru this type of crap soo many times,just to get what i knew needed to be done actually accomplished. stay angry,it really does help. i will be thinkingof you sammy. please push as hard as you possibly can for that MRI. its just very badly needed right now. let me know how things go hon. Marcia
the cranio and myo that i get,or used to with the cranio,are forms of more homeopathic medicine and they DO work amazingly well. i really have been amazed at just how well this has worked given what my normal pain levels have been since 03 with the damage. my ins co would not payat all for myo when i really desperately needed it after the spinal cord surgey left me with(and i am not kidding here or exagerating)like if you took a softball and cut it in half and placed them under my skin type of wadded up TPs? they were ugly little suckers and extremely painful. my PT at the rehab hosp tried like heck to get my ins co to pay for myo but no go. now,all of the sudden,that same ins co is paying for every visit i have,of course withthe 20.00 co pay,but heck its well worth it. interesting how a little time and what must have been some level of learning at the ins co end will now pay for.
my hubbys costo sammy was over and done with pretty quickly. not anything like what you have described here. the thing is,now you are getting really angry and have had enough,thats a GOOD thing. use it to your advantage when you see that surgeon again,really. you have been dealing with this ongoing nightmare inside your body for long enough and deserve some answrs here. asking your surgeon or just simply asking what type of test would show things in there the best and have HIM make that MRI decision would boost his ego and get you what you so desperately have needed all this time,a good look inside. i would ask about a round of higher dose prednisone.that medrol dosepack was just not enough for your level of inflammation right now. when my hubby threw out his low back,his doc Rxed both hydro and 20-30mgs of pred to be taken like two or three times per day. it really did help tons with his extreme(oh it was soo bad sammy)pain. it wasn't the hydro that helped the most,it definitely was the pred itself. you just need to be hitting this level much much harder to get it to actually calm down for you.
the very best thing that could happen right now sammy is what is going on with you. you have had enough of the ongoing BS without any real answers. this WIILL help when you see that surgeon,trust me. you tend to get a bit more direct and less intimidated when you are at the point you are in all this. it does work to your advantage hon. it sucks to have to get to this point,but use it now to get your needs met. letting HIM make that decision would be the best way for 'him' to feel like he is in charge still with you getting the MRI you have needed all this time. but if he doesn't bring it up,get angry sammy,you DO have a right to your feelings in all the crap you have had to go thru ya know? what you have been feeling here with those ribs is simply not NORMAL. it needs a Dx and the only way to actually see in there would be with that MRI. he just owes you this right now. you have 'waited' long enough. like i said. either tell me whats wrong or send me for that test that will tell us.
you have just had a really insane recovery from this surgery with much higher than the norm levels of pain and really crazy symptoms. depending upon just what shows up or doesn't show up on an MRI would kind of dictate your next step here ya know? i would also outright ask him about the possible SNS connection. your symptoms hon are just 'in' that catagory to a certain degree and at some point,it does have to be checked out with that one injection that would tell you alot about what may be generating the more pronounced types of symptoms. believe me sammy, very pronounced swelling 'can" move out your ribs(but if they are actually 'moving around' thats coming from the back). my right ribcage sticks out much more on the bottom ribs on my right side where that right kidney now sits in the front? you can see this when i even have a shirt over the area. its just the sheer size of that kidney being under part of that ribcage. swelling back there would also possibly be pushing upon other organs like that lung on that side??
the actual 'attachment" from the muscle/tendon/ligaments does sit right kind of in the back area of your ribcage. if that subscapularis i mentioned before is any part of this,it could explain alot. ask your surgeon just exactly what he did back there,or get a copy of your op notes. he has one,ask to read thru it and have him explain it to you(your PT should also have a copy). he did surgery on you and you DO have a right to know just what he did and where. now is just the time to start getting a bit icky with people who should be doing this already for you hon. i have had to pretty much demand certain things be done just based upon my symptoms with past post op recoveries and what was basic common sense. i had to bug the heck out of my then NSs nurse for nine flippin months just to actually "see' my own freaking NS to find out why i was having all of these non fusion symptoms? my primary knew i was not fused(you could actually 'hear" the bone plug grinding away in there),but try telling my NSs nurse that? it was just ugly there for awhile til she finally 'let me" see him(his time is so precious you know). i finally had had enough of being blown off and got pissed,that got me somewhere and my needs met. its pretty simple,your surgeon 'owes' you some answers at this point and if he cannot do that he needs to grant you the MRI that will. period.
but i would ask him about higher dose pred for at least a week and see how that does for you. you are just soo beyond the capabilities of the medrol at this point. did that help even a little bit when you were on it? the thing is,if you have any real relief with the higher dose pred you will know for certain that some of the pain anyways is stemming from pure inflammation depending upon just how things feel after or during.
i have been having ALOT of inner joint pain since the puppy slammed me but i am not sure if this is from that or just because i am working new areas. my PT ran thru the ROMs the other day and didn;t 'feel' anything unusual and i do trust him. but i have always,even before surgery had this really just plain 'sore' area right below my armpit in that muslce area there in that outter area at the top that is still there to a degree? this was also the area where i actually "felt pain' during my somewhat awake surgery? my surgeon just cannot explain that one at all. he said he has had patients who feel pain in the more outter edges covered by the block but this was smack in the middle of that blocked area. i just remember waking up and going owe owe owe and someone asking me wheres the owe marcia. i said my upper arm,then boom,i was back out like a light. he just cannot explain it(and he has done hundreds of surgerys like mine) but that WAS the area he was working in at the time i suddenly felt this. just insane. my body is soo screwed up sammy.
i wish you sooo much luck with this appt hon and hope that your surgeon will now see the need for further evaluation of that area. you just have to get thru to him how really totally debilitating this actually is and that you NEED some reasons/answers right now. that is your main goal right now. sure wish i could go with you. i have had to go thru this type of crap soo many times,just to get what i knew needed to be done actually accomplished. stay angry,it really does help. i will be thinkingof you sammy. please push as hard as you possibly can for that MRI. its just very badly needed right now. let me know how things go hon. Marcia
sammyo1
04-28-2008, 03:24 PM
Marcia, just popped on before getting ready for my appointment, a ton of throbbing & pain today.
I am focusing on trying to get some PM & the MRI out of him.
Can't do hardly anything at this point with the left arm, getting some under the arm pain.
What are TPs? kind sounds like what may be going on with me abit.
At this time I am totally confused. The last two days been having alot of burning sensation & pain going down my left leg with some hip pain, It feels like someone is running something hot down my left leg. Which makes me think of the back. The more pain I have in the rib/chest area (inflammation) the more I feel other things popping up.
I am angry & I think anyone in my shoes would be.
I know it has got worse after that blow to the shoulder, I just don't know it that is the one cause, it was sore before that but not this throbbing heavy pain.
I am emotionally drained.
It comes down to I can't live like this, not being able to move without pain. Sammy
Ok I have added to update you on surgeons appointment.
Had to call pt to get her to fax note to surgeon while there. What ever was in that note really got his nurses attention. She came into the room to let my husband & I know that the they received the fax & said that the surgeon would definantly want to see this report.
Well he pretty much went over what he thought was causing the rib/chest pain, he does believe it is myofascial pain & the place he wants me to go is the only one around who does the maniplulation in this way & they have a good success rate. He said they should be able to tell me the first visit if they think it will work with me. He never hesatated to order an MRI on the chest, with & with out contrast. He did say its time to rule out tumors & so forth. He will keep treating my pain for now & at the end of six months if I am still in this kind of pain he will refer me to PM. Of course he said by now he usually weans his patients off the pain meds, but in my case he realizes I need them, thus far, so he said take them as instructed after surgery, if I need two take two.
Along with the muscle relaxers & motrin.
What ever the PT faxed over got his attention & really got his nurses. No more pt until the test are done & I try the osteo treatment. He also said it is not uncommon for women to get this problem in the chest/rib area. I will call the pt & ask her what was in the note. I know she wanted an MRI done.
Amazing how the doctors pay attention when someone else is involved. First the pcp ordered the cardiac tests, now the surgeon wiht the MRI. I know these test would have never been ordered without the pts involvement, at least not this soon.
Lets hope the surgoen remembers all this when I need a refill on my meds. Thank god my husband came with me I could not remember a thing, I was so upset because of the back on the restriction & starting all new treatment, worrying about the MRI (left lung was brought up), worrying about the pain control & so on... I will tell you I think I pretty much need a referral to get into a PM by him, thats the way it came across to me as he was explaining it. So we will see.
The one thing that did strike me as odd, is he never checked the shoulder at all, no ROM or anything. Nor did he look at the ribs. I am assuming he went by the pts note. He always checks the ROM, so that I did find alittle odd.
I am thankful he did not release me. His nurse did tell my husband although he specializes in the shoulders he treats a few other things. I know enough to count my blessings. He does not deal in the thoracic area.
I did over hear him discussing a patient & pain meds. I believe the guy wanted something other then percocet, he said he would try him on ultrum (I think that is what he said) then release him. Pretty much making it clear he does not deal with alot of pain meds. He went back into the guys history & noticed he had been on them fore years for his back. I heard his nurse mention PM & he kind of blew it off. That had me thinking I hope he doesn't do that with me. Thank god for the PT in my case.
What all will the MRI with contrast pick up, do you know if it will show any musclear or tendon/ligament problems in the chest or rib area? he said with the chest MRI it will cover the entire rib area.
Thanks Marcia for being there for me, I really need some support & you have been a rock for me. Sammy
I am focusing on trying to get some PM & the MRI out of him.
Can't do hardly anything at this point with the left arm, getting some under the arm pain.
What are TPs? kind sounds like what may be going on with me abit.
At this time I am totally confused. The last two days been having alot of burning sensation & pain going down my left leg with some hip pain, It feels like someone is running something hot down my left leg. Which makes me think of the back. The more pain I have in the rib/chest area (inflammation) the more I feel other things popping up.
I am angry & I think anyone in my shoes would be.
I know it has got worse after that blow to the shoulder, I just don't know it that is the one cause, it was sore before that but not this throbbing heavy pain.
I am emotionally drained.
It comes down to I can't live like this, not being able to move without pain. Sammy
Ok I have added to update you on surgeons appointment.
Had to call pt to get her to fax note to surgeon while there. What ever was in that note really got his nurses attention. She came into the room to let my husband & I know that the they received the fax & said that the surgeon would definantly want to see this report.
Well he pretty much went over what he thought was causing the rib/chest pain, he does believe it is myofascial pain & the place he wants me to go is the only one around who does the maniplulation in this way & they have a good success rate. He said they should be able to tell me the first visit if they think it will work with me. He never hesatated to order an MRI on the chest, with & with out contrast. He did say its time to rule out tumors & so forth. He will keep treating my pain for now & at the end of six months if I am still in this kind of pain he will refer me to PM. Of course he said by now he usually weans his patients off the pain meds, but in my case he realizes I need them, thus far, so he said take them as instructed after surgery, if I need two take two.
Along with the muscle relaxers & motrin.
What ever the PT faxed over got his attention & really got his nurses. No more pt until the test are done & I try the osteo treatment. He also said it is not uncommon for women to get this problem in the chest/rib area. I will call the pt & ask her what was in the note. I know she wanted an MRI done.
Amazing how the doctors pay attention when someone else is involved. First the pcp ordered the cardiac tests, now the surgeon wiht the MRI. I know these test would have never been ordered without the pts involvement, at least not this soon.
Lets hope the surgoen remembers all this when I need a refill on my meds. Thank god my husband came with me I could not remember a thing, I was so upset because of the back on the restriction & starting all new treatment, worrying about the MRI (left lung was brought up), worrying about the pain control & so on... I will tell you I think I pretty much need a referral to get into a PM by him, thats the way it came across to me as he was explaining it. So we will see.
The one thing that did strike me as odd, is he never checked the shoulder at all, no ROM or anything. Nor did he look at the ribs. I am assuming he went by the pts note. He always checks the ROM, so that I did find alittle odd.
I am thankful he did not release me. His nurse did tell my husband although he specializes in the shoulders he treats a few other things. I know enough to count my blessings. He does not deal in the thoracic area.
I did over hear him discussing a patient & pain meds. I believe the guy wanted something other then percocet, he said he would try him on ultrum (I think that is what he said) then release him. Pretty much making it clear he does not deal with alot of pain meds. He went back into the guys history & noticed he had been on them fore years for his back. I heard his nurse mention PM & he kind of blew it off. That had me thinking I hope he doesn't do that with me. Thank god for the PT in my case.
What all will the MRI with contrast pick up, do you know if it will show any musclear or tendon/ligament problems in the chest or rib area? he said with the chest MRI it will cover the entire rib area.
Thanks Marcia for being there for me, I really need some support & you have been a rock for me. Sammy
feelbad
04-29-2008, 12:37 PM
well,finally some GOOD news. thats great sammy,really.you GOT what has been needed for sooo long. TPs are trigger points that develop from guess what? inflammation of the nerves which trigger the muscle and surrounding tissue to just contract and wad up on you. mine have always been bad,but amazingly,this PT guy i now have was actually able to release even two that i have had for over ten years deeply under my right shoulder blade. i am wondering if your surgeon is sending you for deep myofascial release. this would be what you need right now. this is not a rigid type of therepy,it is actually somewhat relaxing. i always 'feel' much more 'loose" back there after he does his thing up in that bad area.
your fascia just HAS TO be so incredibly tight and inflammed at this point from everything you are feeling and have been thru,this therepy should give that part some good relief. i am thrilled you got the MRI hon,honestly,this has been sooo needed for you just to see what is or is not actually back there right now firing off all of this ungodly pain. it will show pretty much like what showed up upon your shoulder one? the muscle/tendon/ligaments and the surrounding organs and tissue too. hopefully they will be able to identify the true problem areas with this. this would also give a looksee into the thorasic spine to a certain degree. the contrast should help with that.
all in all it does sound at least that your surgeon now is fully aware of how bad this situation actually is for you or believe me hon,at this point in your recovery,he probably would have stopped the narcotics completely on you. he KNOWS something just is not right at this point. i too would be very curious to know just exactly what that fax contained too. it obviously impacted him and that nurse too.hmmm.
i am thinking the only reason he did not actually try and check your ROM is simply becasue he knows how bad this is and how any movements that he would have had to do would completley set off another pain experience for you. i am pretty certain if he said no more PT that he is a bit afraid to even 'do' anything physical to that area right now. as you already are aware much more than me,any movements in that area just set off a pain syndrome of sorts that does get triggered. he also had all your PTs notes and whatever popped up in that fax. so i think he is already aware of what your actual ROMs are just based upon those couple things. i would be relieved that he didn;t or you would be in much more pain right now than before that appt ya know? tho it would appear odd on the surface for him to not do that again,under the circumstances i think he was just trying not to make a bad situation worse for you. he already KNOWS your ROM ya know?
one bit of advice before you have that MRI done,and this does come from ALOT(16 MRIs)of actual experience? make sure you have a driver to it,then take one of your pain meds before you leave your house then take another when you get there. also,if you have any valium left,take one of those too(or just half,depending upon the strength). this really does help just to be able to relax and ease any pain from just having to lie there. for some of us,just the lying there part can get ugly. you will need to try and stay as still as possible or they will have to redo the whole thing since you changed a posistion and things wont line up right? so get as comfy as you possibly can and go with the flow just to get it all over as quickly as possible. i ALWAYS keep my eyes closed during it and just imagine myself like lying on a beach somewhere. it does help to imagine you are somewhere else. you tend to stay more relaxed that way. so when is this set for or have you not got that far yet?
i really am happy forya sammy,honestly. i do so feel for you and what you have had to go thru with this dang surgery and recovery. hopefully we are now on the right track and this MRI will actually show the problem back there. you just really NEEDED this test hon. i am happy i have been able to at least help keep you focused on the big things hon. believe me,when i have ahd surgeries that didn;t go as planned,i only wished someone was there for me to help me thru it. someone who had just gone thru or ever had gone thru what i was dealing with would have helped sooo much. this also makes ME feel like i am doing something positive for someone else who is suffering too. so its just not you that is benefitting from our chats hon,lol. i totally have always believed that things are just supposed to happen the way they do for a specific reason.seeing what i did while working ems and the insane things that i saw and who lived and who died for some really incredibly wierd ways or reasons really helped reaffirm that everything happens for reasons that we don;t always know or understand. but they DO happen for a reason. luckily,we both were going thru the very same thing at almost the very same time. we just naturally helped each other cuz we were both feeling things that no one else understood. i do consider you a true friend sammy,despite the fact we don;t actually know each other? i am just happy that i have been able to help you with this in any way.
well,that hard part is done so now just look to the MRI and hopefully at least some things will be explained. you just got past one huge hurdle sammy and that IS progress. sometimes progress comes in baby steps ya know? knowing your surgeon is not going to just cut off the only thing that makes this bearable is also a huge deal too. i think you made ALOT of progress today hon.
find out just exactly what this new therepy actually is,K? i do think since he feels some of this is actually myo,that is what he is sending you for. it DOES help alot for me sammy. i couldn't wait to get back to my PT JUST for this myofascial relaease therepy,i just knew it would help alot based upon my past experience with him.
hopefully this will be your turningpoint sammy and things will only get better. you sooo deserve some peace in your life. as usual,keep me posted. hang in there sammy. Marcia
your fascia just HAS TO be so incredibly tight and inflammed at this point from everything you are feeling and have been thru,this therepy should give that part some good relief. i am thrilled you got the MRI hon,honestly,this has been sooo needed for you just to see what is or is not actually back there right now firing off all of this ungodly pain. it will show pretty much like what showed up upon your shoulder one? the muscle/tendon/ligaments and the surrounding organs and tissue too. hopefully they will be able to identify the true problem areas with this. this would also give a looksee into the thorasic spine to a certain degree. the contrast should help with that.
all in all it does sound at least that your surgeon now is fully aware of how bad this situation actually is for you or believe me hon,at this point in your recovery,he probably would have stopped the narcotics completely on you. he KNOWS something just is not right at this point. i too would be very curious to know just exactly what that fax contained too. it obviously impacted him and that nurse too.hmmm.
i am thinking the only reason he did not actually try and check your ROM is simply becasue he knows how bad this is and how any movements that he would have had to do would completley set off another pain experience for you. i am pretty certain if he said no more PT that he is a bit afraid to even 'do' anything physical to that area right now. as you already are aware much more than me,any movements in that area just set off a pain syndrome of sorts that does get triggered. he also had all your PTs notes and whatever popped up in that fax. so i think he is already aware of what your actual ROMs are just based upon those couple things. i would be relieved that he didn;t or you would be in much more pain right now than before that appt ya know? tho it would appear odd on the surface for him to not do that again,under the circumstances i think he was just trying not to make a bad situation worse for you. he already KNOWS your ROM ya know?
one bit of advice before you have that MRI done,and this does come from ALOT(16 MRIs)of actual experience? make sure you have a driver to it,then take one of your pain meds before you leave your house then take another when you get there. also,if you have any valium left,take one of those too(or just half,depending upon the strength). this really does help just to be able to relax and ease any pain from just having to lie there. for some of us,just the lying there part can get ugly. you will need to try and stay as still as possible or they will have to redo the whole thing since you changed a posistion and things wont line up right? so get as comfy as you possibly can and go with the flow just to get it all over as quickly as possible. i ALWAYS keep my eyes closed during it and just imagine myself like lying on a beach somewhere. it does help to imagine you are somewhere else. you tend to stay more relaxed that way. so when is this set for or have you not got that far yet?
i really am happy forya sammy,honestly. i do so feel for you and what you have had to go thru with this dang surgery and recovery. hopefully we are now on the right track and this MRI will actually show the problem back there. you just really NEEDED this test hon. i am happy i have been able to at least help keep you focused on the big things hon. believe me,when i have ahd surgeries that didn;t go as planned,i only wished someone was there for me to help me thru it. someone who had just gone thru or ever had gone thru what i was dealing with would have helped sooo much. this also makes ME feel like i am doing something positive for someone else who is suffering too. so its just not you that is benefitting from our chats hon,lol. i totally have always believed that things are just supposed to happen the way they do for a specific reason.seeing what i did while working ems and the insane things that i saw and who lived and who died for some really incredibly wierd ways or reasons really helped reaffirm that everything happens for reasons that we don;t always know or understand. but they DO happen for a reason. luckily,we both were going thru the very same thing at almost the very same time. we just naturally helped each other cuz we were both feeling things that no one else understood. i do consider you a true friend sammy,despite the fact we don;t actually know each other? i am just happy that i have been able to help you with this in any way.
well,that hard part is done so now just look to the MRI and hopefully at least some things will be explained. you just got past one huge hurdle sammy and that IS progress. sometimes progress comes in baby steps ya know? knowing your surgeon is not going to just cut off the only thing that makes this bearable is also a huge deal too. i think you made ALOT of progress today hon.
find out just exactly what this new therepy actually is,K? i do think since he feels some of this is actually myo,that is what he is sending you for. it DOES help alot for me sammy. i couldn't wait to get back to my PT JUST for this myofascial relaease therepy,i just knew it would help alot based upon my past experience with him.
hopefully this will be your turningpoint sammy and things will only get better. you sooo deserve some peace in your life. as usual,keep me posted. hang in there sammy. Marcia
sammyo1
04-29-2008, 09:09 PM
Marcia, I am so glad I have to explain some of what to expect. Trust me when I tell you, you my friend have pretty much held my hand through this & I would not be holding up near as well without you. It does not matter one bit that we have never laid eyes on each other, its the time, compassion & caring that creates friendship & jyou have given me all of that & more. I hate that you have had to go through so much to share your knowledge with me, but god works in mysterious ways.
I am really getting bad here, I'll tell you not hardly any relief today, in fact my whole upper back really hurt. I swear its the stangest thing I will just throb, & you can put your hand on me & feel it. Freaked my husband out yesrturday, by the time we got in the waiting room I was throbbing something terrable, my husband put his had on my rib cage & in between, under the sternum & he was pretty shocked. He let the surgeon know to that I throb so much he can feel it, as the pt could. That is what triggered her worry along with the icrease in pain. I called her today & she called me back with in the hour (bless her), I promised I would let her know what the surgeon said. She was so happy that the MRI was ordered. She said she expressed her concern in the fax much as she did with my pcp, she is alittle worried with all the pulsating & throbbing that is going on, & said it is time to at least start to rule internal problems out. She did say it just is not normal at all with this increase in pain.
I have gone over some of the reports from past tests & found alittle info. I was not aware of, such as the MRI of the shoulder did mention the supraspinatus tendon is thickened, which would indicate rotator cuff tendinosis. The brachial plexus MRI showed DDD & c5-6, c6-7 wiht ventral flattening of teh thecal sac, but could not find definite compression of teh spinal cord in the exam. I am wondering if that is why I still ahve some issues on & off with my fingers & hands. My Pt reminded me again today that she does not put as much faith in the MRI's as some do, she had seen to much, & believes because of being in one position the test does not pick up on everything we are led to believe & I have to agree. Now that is just worded abit different then what was shown in the MRI for the c & t spine. I will be interested in seein the MRI with contrast, I dohope it shows some of the T spine, since that was a concern of the pts. Another concern is that aorta & top of the stomach. I am assuming that will show as well. If the MRI consumes of the entire rib cage which the surgeon said it does. I believe I am having alot of issues with the last two ribs, so I need it to show as much as possable.
I will be blown away if nothing shows, with all this pain & swelling I will be back at square one. Every MRI has shown something, but not what is causing all these problems.
I am assuming it will show all the muscle & show forth so it should answer the question of if this is all in the hyper mobile left rib, does that sound about right? I am wondering if one of those muscles were injured, the pec. muscle has been commented on a few times. That area stays inflammed & tight, bad muscle spasms. The sternum is where all the sharp stabbing pains are. Like I said I would be shocked if nothing shows. I still have to be sure my insurance will approve it, they better this is the second request to have that MRI done by two different doctors.
I am tracking down some other test results that I have given to the doctors & never had returned. Wont do that again. They will only get a copy.
The specialist I am going to see will be doing osteo manipulation. She is a regualar doc. so can order test, do injections if needed & so forth. I will be asking about the myofascial therapy. I will not allow anyone to increase this pain. Teh surgon said they should be able to tell me in the first visit their opinion on if this will be a good option for me. It's suppose to be a very lon detailed visit.
In the surgical report it says that a complete bursectomy was carried out. & elevated 3 to 4 mm off the acromion to make it flat. Sounds like all the tendons were intact.
Although he metioned the arthritis to my husband & showed the pictures of it, it is not mentioned in the report. But I believe that also showed on the bone scan. I will be getting a copy of that tommorrow. Use to have it all then the doctors kept my copies.
I will definantly be comparing reports after this MRI. I would love to know how many people find out something missed in a previous MRI, has that happened to you? you had quite a few of them.
Like I have said just know I injured myself moving in & am curious to see if there is any indication of that shows. I hate to put to much faith in it but thats all you have to go by. The script say MRI wth & without contrast. Does that mean they will do it both ways, if so why is that? Ok I am done asking my two hundred questions for you tonight.
I am blessed to have you as a friend & know how valuable you are to me, If I had to go through surgery with anyone I am glad it was you.
I told my husband that I hope this surgeon keeps his word with my meds, cause I am in some wicked pain my friend. What do you think about all that throbbing, if you can feel it & actually see it at times what the heck do you make of that?
It does sound like I may indeed have experianced the tps. Man if that is what I have felt it hurts. I am almost postive that is what was going form my shoulder up to the base of the neck when the rehab did the injections, he said he could see them move as he was tryint ot inject. He asked my husband to take a look. of course my husband had his head turned & eyes closed, he was holding my shirt aside for the rehab to inject. But I would bet thats exactly what that was. That was when I could not get rid of the headache & pain, after he injected it started to subside. I remember he said that there were like little balls all knotted up of muscle. I gave you some more questions here, aren't you glad you are so knowledgable, I can drive you crazy with all my questions. Probably should start a new thread before we get into trouble. God if I did not have you to bug wiht my questions & cry on your shoulder I would probably have a break down. Talk to you soon, Sammy
I am really getting bad here, I'll tell you not hardly any relief today, in fact my whole upper back really hurt. I swear its the stangest thing I will just throb, & you can put your hand on me & feel it. Freaked my husband out yesrturday, by the time we got in the waiting room I was throbbing something terrable, my husband put his had on my rib cage & in between, under the sternum & he was pretty shocked. He let the surgeon know to that I throb so much he can feel it, as the pt could. That is what triggered her worry along with the icrease in pain. I called her today & she called me back with in the hour (bless her), I promised I would let her know what the surgeon said. She was so happy that the MRI was ordered. She said she expressed her concern in the fax much as she did with my pcp, she is alittle worried with all the pulsating & throbbing that is going on, & said it is time to at least start to rule internal problems out. She did say it just is not normal at all with this increase in pain.
I have gone over some of the reports from past tests & found alittle info. I was not aware of, such as the MRI of the shoulder did mention the supraspinatus tendon is thickened, which would indicate rotator cuff tendinosis. The brachial plexus MRI showed DDD & c5-6, c6-7 wiht ventral flattening of teh thecal sac, but could not find definite compression of teh spinal cord in the exam. I am wondering if that is why I still ahve some issues on & off with my fingers & hands. My Pt reminded me again today that she does not put as much faith in the MRI's as some do, she had seen to much, & believes because of being in one position the test does not pick up on everything we are led to believe & I have to agree. Now that is just worded abit different then what was shown in the MRI for the c & t spine. I will be interested in seein the MRI with contrast, I dohope it shows some of the T spine, since that was a concern of the pts. Another concern is that aorta & top of the stomach. I am assuming that will show as well. If the MRI consumes of the entire rib cage which the surgeon said it does. I believe I am having alot of issues with the last two ribs, so I need it to show as much as possable.
I will be blown away if nothing shows, with all this pain & swelling I will be back at square one. Every MRI has shown something, but not what is causing all these problems.
I am assuming it will show all the muscle & show forth so it should answer the question of if this is all in the hyper mobile left rib, does that sound about right? I am wondering if one of those muscles were injured, the pec. muscle has been commented on a few times. That area stays inflammed & tight, bad muscle spasms. The sternum is where all the sharp stabbing pains are. Like I said I would be shocked if nothing shows. I still have to be sure my insurance will approve it, they better this is the second request to have that MRI done by two different doctors.
I am tracking down some other test results that I have given to the doctors & never had returned. Wont do that again. They will only get a copy.
The specialist I am going to see will be doing osteo manipulation. She is a regualar doc. so can order test, do injections if needed & so forth. I will be asking about the myofascial therapy. I will not allow anyone to increase this pain. Teh surgon said they should be able to tell me in the first visit their opinion on if this will be a good option for me. It's suppose to be a very lon detailed visit.
In the surgical report it says that a complete bursectomy was carried out. & elevated 3 to 4 mm off the acromion to make it flat. Sounds like all the tendons were intact.
Although he metioned the arthritis to my husband & showed the pictures of it, it is not mentioned in the report. But I believe that also showed on the bone scan. I will be getting a copy of that tommorrow. Use to have it all then the doctors kept my copies.
I will definantly be comparing reports after this MRI. I would love to know how many people find out something missed in a previous MRI, has that happened to you? you had quite a few of them.
Like I have said just know I injured myself moving in & am curious to see if there is any indication of that shows. I hate to put to much faith in it but thats all you have to go by. The script say MRI wth & without contrast. Does that mean they will do it both ways, if so why is that? Ok I am done asking my two hundred questions for you tonight.
I am blessed to have you as a friend & know how valuable you are to me, If I had to go through surgery with anyone I am glad it was you.
I told my husband that I hope this surgeon keeps his word with my meds, cause I am in some wicked pain my friend. What do you think about all that throbbing, if you can feel it & actually see it at times what the heck do you make of that?
It does sound like I may indeed have experianced the tps. Man if that is what I have felt it hurts. I am almost postive that is what was going form my shoulder up to the base of the neck when the rehab did the injections, he said he could see them move as he was tryint ot inject. He asked my husband to take a look. of course my husband had his head turned & eyes closed, he was holding my shirt aside for the rehab to inject. But I would bet thats exactly what that was. That was when I could not get rid of the headache & pain, after he injected it started to subside. I remember he said that there were like little balls all knotted up of muscle. I gave you some more questions here, aren't you glad you are so knowledgable, I can drive you crazy with all my questions. Probably should start a new thread before we get into trouble. God if I did not have you to bug wiht my questions & cry on your shoulder I would probably have a break down. Talk to you soon, Sammy
feelbad
04-30-2008, 12:53 PM
thanks for the words hon they actually are making what was starting out to be a bad day a good one for me. honey,i can GUARENTEE you that you DO have trigger points,probably in alot of places you don't even realize.it would be almost impossible to not have them given the mess you got goin there. all it takes is a pissed off nerve and boom TP. i have two really ugly ones right now at the base of both sides of my freaking neck that are killing me. can't wait to see the PT. what a great person he is. this therepy has really been the only thing that has given any real and lasting results for me in years.
the pics they take first with the MRI will be the ones without the contrast. then they inject you with contrast and do them again(you will have an IV). this just offers them a better kind of comparitive study between the two. it can help better define certain areas that are just not seen well upon plain MRI. its a good thing sammy,just go with that,lol. and your PT IS right on the money about some things not getting picked up upon MRI or any type of scan. you have to remeber that this IS just a scan of an area not a kodak moment ya know? the best way in my opinion to actually even DO any MRI would be in the posistion that reproduces the symptoms. posistion DOES matter,espescially with spinal issues since the load on the spine changes when you are lying down and standing up,but thats something you cannot always control either.they DO have standing MRIs now tho,thats progress. so,we will just have to see what shows. but you ARE finally getting what has been needed to be done.
if nothing really 'hard" or definite shows up(tho i am sure something at the back area will),then you go for that stellate inj to see how much of what you are actually feeling "could' possibly be stemming from SNS involvement. has your PT ever actually mentioned that possibility to you at all? you just do have so many seperate types of possible sns generated symptoms that it cannot simply be stated no,this is not a possibility,you know what i mean?
it really sounds like what that throbbbing thing is is just a huge amount of inflammation whcih could be coming from a few different possibilities. when you have alot of inflammation you just naturally have alot more bloodflow to that area,thus the throbbing going on? the area where the heaviest throb is,is it warmer than the other areas at all? is it more external or internal throbbing? i can only imagine how completely baffled the PT and the surgeon actually are. tho i wouldn;t wish anything insane like what you have on you,it is nice to know i am not the only little "freak' in the world. honestly sammy,my body and its wiring are just sooo completly off the wall sometimes and create things i never knew the human body could create. its just the nature of spinal cord injury and the particular areas that all show their own damage their own ways.hopefully you WILL get some good solid answers soon.
there can always be things upon MRIs that don't get picked up on one but then do with another. some of that is actually the experience of the tech who is doing them and other factors too. then there is the actual radiologists interpretation which quite honestly comes down to 'only' their particular level of knowledge and experience. thats why any good specialist really wants to see the hard films themselves. i have had some pretty big things missed by a rad and the MRI done at an actual hospital one time that were very plainly seen when i had had the same type of MRI on the very same area only six months before at the rad place i have had the majority of them done,they now know me there now, go figure. ya gotta wonder ya know? you will just have to wait and see what pops up hon and go from there. thats all you can do for now.
i seriously don't hink at this point and given what you are dealing with that your ins co will have the slightest issue with a surgeon ordering an MRI on a recently operated area that is simply unable to heal for "some' reason,ya know? this IS desperately needed right now just to Dx a condition that is not allowing proper healing. they just wouldn't be that stupid since they would be setting themselves for having to pay out even more money trying to Dx this in other ways. in most cases,when any actual 'surgeon' orders any types of testing,they know its needed. let me know when they have this set.
ya know sammy,you commited the one cardinal sin by handing over your own documnets to anyone and not just telling them to make a copy of it and give it back. but i know you already know that. i NEVER ever give over any of my own records. just tell them,here you can make a copy from mine. and it comes right back to me. for this shoulder/ribcage issue sammy,you really DO need to amke sure you are getting your own copies of every single document that has been generated onthis starting with the MRI,thru the hosp stay(includingthe important op notes) and beyond. then keep this all ina nice little expanding folder. this has really helped me to just stay on top of all my and my sons ongoing medical issues. my computer room tho looks like a medical storage facility with all my MRIs and angios and every other rad study i have had along with all the big envelopes of medical records i have accumulated. it kinda makes me a little sick when i have to look at it all tho. its just been a really long hard road since the day my son got sick back in 99. all downhill from there.
i think i have amswered the majority of questions you asked hon. if i missed something crucial,let me know,K? i am just happy that things for the moment anyways are going your way for once. people are now 'feeling' this in a different way for you and that helps tons,believe me. keep me posted sammy,Marcia
the pics they take first with the MRI will be the ones without the contrast. then they inject you with contrast and do them again(you will have an IV). this just offers them a better kind of comparitive study between the two. it can help better define certain areas that are just not seen well upon plain MRI. its a good thing sammy,just go with that,lol. and your PT IS right on the money about some things not getting picked up upon MRI or any type of scan. you have to remeber that this IS just a scan of an area not a kodak moment ya know? the best way in my opinion to actually even DO any MRI would be in the posistion that reproduces the symptoms. posistion DOES matter,espescially with spinal issues since the load on the spine changes when you are lying down and standing up,but thats something you cannot always control either.they DO have standing MRIs now tho,thats progress. so,we will just have to see what shows. but you ARE finally getting what has been needed to be done.
if nothing really 'hard" or definite shows up(tho i am sure something at the back area will),then you go for that stellate inj to see how much of what you are actually feeling "could' possibly be stemming from SNS involvement. has your PT ever actually mentioned that possibility to you at all? you just do have so many seperate types of possible sns generated symptoms that it cannot simply be stated no,this is not a possibility,you know what i mean?
it really sounds like what that throbbbing thing is is just a huge amount of inflammation whcih could be coming from a few different possibilities. when you have alot of inflammation you just naturally have alot more bloodflow to that area,thus the throbbing going on? the area where the heaviest throb is,is it warmer than the other areas at all? is it more external or internal throbbing? i can only imagine how completely baffled the PT and the surgeon actually are. tho i wouldn;t wish anything insane like what you have on you,it is nice to know i am not the only little "freak' in the world. honestly sammy,my body and its wiring are just sooo completly off the wall sometimes and create things i never knew the human body could create. its just the nature of spinal cord injury and the particular areas that all show their own damage their own ways.hopefully you WILL get some good solid answers soon.
there can always be things upon MRIs that don't get picked up on one but then do with another. some of that is actually the experience of the tech who is doing them and other factors too. then there is the actual radiologists interpretation which quite honestly comes down to 'only' their particular level of knowledge and experience. thats why any good specialist really wants to see the hard films themselves. i have had some pretty big things missed by a rad and the MRI done at an actual hospital one time that were very plainly seen when i had had the same type of MRI on the very same area only six months before at the rad place i have had the majority of them done,they now know me there now, go figure. ya gotta wonder ya know? you will just have to wait and see what pops up hon and go from there. thats all you can do for now.
i seriously don't hink at this point and given what you are dealing with that your ins co will have the slightest issue with a surgeon ordering an MRI on a recently operated area that is simply unable to heal for "some' reason,ya know? this IS desperately needed right now just to Dx a condition that is not allowing proper healing. they just wouldn't be that stupid since they would be setting themselves for having to pay out even more money trying to Dx this in other ways. in most cases,when any actual 'surgeon' orders any types of testing,they know its needed. let me know when they have this set.
ya know sammy,you commited the one cardinal sin by handing over your own documnets to anyone and not just telling them to make a copy of it and give it back. but i know you already know that. i NEVER ever give over any of my own records. just tell them,here you can make a copy from mine. and it comes right back to me. for this shoulder/ribcage issue sammy,you really DO need to amke sure you are getting your own copies of every single document that has been generated onthis starting with the MRI,thru the hosp stay(includingthe important op notes) and beyond. then keep this all ina nice little expanding folder. this has really helped me to just stay on top of all my and my sons ongoing medical issues. my computer room tho looks like a medical storage facility with all my MRIs and angios and every other rad study i have had along with all the big envelopes of medical records i have accumulated. it kinda makes me a little sick when i have to look at it all tho. its just been a really long hard road since the day my son got sick back in 99. all downhill from there.
i think i have amswered the majority of questions you asked hon. if i missed something crucial,let me know,K? i am just happy that things for the moment anyways are going your way for once. people are now 'feeling' this in a different way for you and that helps tons,believe me. keep me posted sammy,Marcia
sammyo1
04-30-2008, 05:20 PM
Marcia, I am glad to make someones day. I am going crazy with cabin fever here. I am ADHD so this is not easy for me. I am trying different things to get some good control of the pain, Back in the sling, binder & taking my meds abit more close together. Always have been afraid of meds. I have low BP & alway fearful of dropping it to low.
So far better contol today. Never pain free but better control. Darn I hope this sling does not have to be worn again, but if it is making a difference that is what I will do. Although my upper arm is abit sore from it. The throbbing is drivng me crazy so I will do what ever if takes. I pretty much put the binder on loose but can feel it tighten as the morning progressed so I take it I was getting alittle more inflammed. To strange.
I did indeed ask for copies to be made & reports returned, my problem is not chekcing to make sure all the reports were returned to me. Then you have to turn around & pay for more copies. Well this time the office is getting copies from mine.
I am alittle nervous about mondays MRI, I really hate them & will take your advice with the pain meds. Can I do that, take 1/2 the dose & wait that length of time to take the other 1/2? This is the first time they never told me how long the test would take. The last MRI I had I was in tears after, I figure it can't be as bad as when the ultra sound & echo were done, all the pressing on the rib cage/chest area. But then again my pain level has risen.
I just hope that surgeon remembers the talk we had about me having to stay on the pain meds. I swear I have the biggest fear of being left in pain. I will need another script by next week.
Being pretty immobolized is tough, I am alittle bored.
I am glad you don't feel like you have to be a "freak" alone, at least I come in handy for something, glad to help you out there.
All this wondering can make you feel like your going crazy at times. I'll tell you the more I have to sit around & the more pain I am in, the more I think back of all the doctors that did treat me like a bored housewife with issues. No wonder I don't trust doctors.
I ended up with a good pt & she really stepped up to the plate when it came to these doctors. We both know she could have just ended pt & not voiced her concerns.
How old is your son now & how is he doing? You have really been through alot & I feel like abit of a whimp when I look at all you have been through.
The throbbing woke me up this morning, that is a first. It is just the strangest thing. It will throbb at times & not have alot of pain & the boom. I just can't handle all the chest pain, it feels like someone is stabbing me repeatably in the center of the chest. I just want to know what is happening, I can't possably be the only one to ever go through this.
I am alittle scared, as is my husband & some of my family. My father had a huge amount of pain in his ribs, thought he injured himself only to find it was cancer in the lung.
They are wanting a look at that left lung. In the back of my mind I know I injured myself but you just start to worry, especially after my sister in law loosing her battle with CA at 45. I hate the wait. My husband is pretty much just wanting me to sit around, its funny he woke me up yesturday doing the dishes before he left for work, I swear I almost fainted, I thought I was still a sleep. The man is really worried. Bless him, I know that wont last. He comes home & checks to see if the house is clean, then tries to figure out if I have done anything. I am really hyper & I am doing my best to not do much. Heck with all the pain I don't want to, but at times I will force myself & he knows that. I have to try to stop that OC behavior. I can't stand anything to be to messed up. But I don't mind getting out of making dinner for awhile (ha).
Thanks for explaining why they do the MRI with & without. I just hope what ever is going on shows I want to know & try like h*** to get my life back. Giving you a break, only asked a couple questions this time around. Then again its early in the week yet (ha). Sammy
So far better contol today. Never pain free but better control. Darn I hope this sling does not have to be worn again, but if it is making a difference that is what I will do. Although my upper arm is abit sore from it. The throbbing is drivng me crazy so I will do what ever if takes. I pretty much put the binder on loose but can feel it tighten as the morning progressed so I take it I was getting alittle more inflammed. To strange.
I did indeed ask for copies to be made & reports returned, my problem is not chekcing to make sure all the reports were returned to me. Then you have to turn around & pay for more copies. Well this time the office is getting copies from mine.
I am alittle nervous about mondays MRI, I really hate them & will take your advice with the pain meds. Can I do that, take 1/2 the dose & wait that length of time to take the other 1/2? This is the first time they never told me how long the test would take. The last MRI I had I was in tears after, I figure it can't be as bad as when the ultra sound & echo were done, all the pressing on the rib cage/chest area. But then again my pain level has risen.
I just hope that surgeon remembers the talk we had about me having to stay on the pain meds. I swear I have the biggest fear of being left in pain. I will need another script by next week.
Being pretty immobolized is tough, I am alittle bored.
I am glad you don't feel like you have to be a "freak" alone, at least I come in handy for something, glad to help you out there.
All this wondering can make you feel like your going crazy at times. I'll tell you the more I have to sit around & the more pain I am in, the more I think back of all the doctors that did treat me like a bored housewife with issues. No wonder I don't trust doctors.
I ended up with a good pt & she really stepped up to the plate when it came to these doctors. We both know she could have just ended pt & not voiced her concerns.
How old is your son now & how is he doing? You have really been through alot & I feel like abit of a whimp when I look at all you have been through.
The throbbing woke me up this morning, that is a first. It is just the strangest thing. It will throbb at times & not have alot of pain & the boom. I just can't handle all the chest pain, it feels like someone is stabbing me repeatably in the center of the chest. I just want to know what is happening, I can't possably be the only one to ever go through this.
I am alittle scared, as is my husband & some of my family. My father had a huge amount of pain in his ribs, thought he injured himself only to find it was cancer in the lung.
They are wanting a look at that left lung. In the back of my mind I know I injured myself but you just start to worry, especially after my sister in law loosing her battle with CA at 45. I hate the wait. My husband is pretty much just wanting me to sit around, its funny he woke me up yesturday doing the dishes before he left for work, I swear I almost fainted, I thought I was still a sleep. The man is really worried. Bless him, I know that wont last. He comes home & checks to see if the house is clean, then tries to figure out if I have done anything. I am really hyper & I am doing my best to not do much. Heck with all the pain I don't want to, but at times I will force myself & he knows that. I have to try to stop that OC behavior. I can't stand anything to be to messed up. But I don't mind getting out of making dinner for awhile (ha).
Thanks for explaining why they do the MRI with & without. I just hope what ever is going on shows I want to know & try like h*** to get my life back. Giving you a break, only asked a couple questions this time around. Then again its early in the week yet (ha). Sammy
feelbad
05-01-2008, 10:42 AM
glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humor hon,lol. that IS the one thing that keeps me going sometimes,just being able to laugh. honestly my youngest who just turned 21 and my husband sit and act sometimes like they are a old married couple with little snipes at each other(all in good humor,nothing nasty) and just do really stupid stuff to each other,it just cracks me up. this is how my son handled being in the hospital too. it was sooo grim sometimes but when we first would walk in the door of his room,my hubby would hit him with a "zing' of some kind and if he immediately came back with one,we knew he was having an okay kind of day. but when he didn't go there,we knew he was suffering that day. it was horrid sammy,really horrid. but by the grace of god and things just timed out in like down to the minute with certain things just 'happeneing at key times. we got his new liver. it really was miraculous. and such a beautiful one of a kind gift from a family who had just had to pull the plug on their brain dead 12/13 year old daughter. i never forget that family or their child and the true real gift of life they gave him. so far so good with things actually going much much better for him than i ever thought possible now for the past ,almost eight years. it will be eight in june. unreal actually. but you get thru the bad stuff sammy at some point and things will turn around for you too. it will just take that specific testing to reveal whats going on,but you WILL find out. just keep hangin on to that sense of humor hon,really. it helps me get thru the bad days.
i would imagine that the MRI,if they have to use this stupid little brace thingy that they did on me for you,it will be a bit painful. depending upon what you normally dose when you actually take your "normal" perc dose,just half that before you go and then take the other when you get there. it just will keep the coverage going a bit better. how 'used to' the ten mg are you at this point? do you ever have to take two at a time? if you have done this before then i honestly would take a full one pre and then another full one there. or half the next one instead. you know more about what you take normally and i don't so plan around that. but the valium really does help me get thru this too. you just HAVE TO try and stay as still as possible so you don;t have to stay in there longer ya know? one thing that actually helps me is to have them place a blanket around my upper body then i kind of pull it tighter around my arms so it helps to stabilize the chest area better since my arms do tend to have a mine of their own sometimes like my legs? this just holds them tighter to my body along the sides so any little spasm wont screw things up. it really does help. your just kind of wrapping yourself up some(remember how you used to wrap your babies?).
sammy,you not only got a 'good' pt person,you actually probably got one of the best in your area just based upon everything you have yold me about her and the things she has done and informed your surgeon about. she is also advocating FOR you too. shes a keeper in my book,seriously. some i have had were not worth me actually even showing up for all the real 'help' they provided me in just mamaging pain and other muscle issues. the PT guy i have now i wouldn't trade for anything. hes just that good and that caring about how well i am really doing. thats a huge deal sammy. we both got lucky there. don't ever lose this lady if you can possibly help it,she IS the right person for your situation.
i really am happy you are at least feeling some reduction in the overall nastiness today.thats always a huge plus. i too am going freaking crazy right now with not being ableto just 'do' anything either. just gotta take it slow. my upper arm in that very same area where i actually woke up to pain during that half asleep surgery is just killing me right now. i wish i could actually take aleeve or some other anti inflam right now but can't becasue of the aneurysm/asa thing. i KNOW some of that pain is inflammation within that joint from just going into the newer areas but man this sucks. its like a recycled pain process that keeps repeating over and over everytime i get it calmed down again. but that one icky spot just always stays sore(that upper arm like in the actual bicep or some muscle there). my surgeon has no clue as to how or why i actually felt any pain in the middle of that blocked area during the surgery. it just doesn't seem possible,but i KNOW what i felt and woke up to,and he was in that area at the time too. just too freaky when it comes to my body.
well,keep me posted hon. just take it easy on yourself. let hubby DO whatever the heck he wants for you right now. i am sure there is much payback coming your way if your hubby is anything like mine???take what you can get while you can get it,lol. hope you have a good day sammy,marcia
i would imagine that the MRI,if they have to use this stupid little brace thingy that they did on me for you,it will be a bit painful. depending upon what you normally dose when you actually take your "normal" perc dose,just half that before you go and then take the other when you get there. it just will keep the coverage going a bit better. how 'used to' the ten mg are you at this point? do you ever have to take two at a time? if you have done this before then i honestly would take a full one pre and then another full one there. or half the next one instead. you know more about what you take normally and i don't so plan around that. but the valium really does help me get thru this too. you just HAVE TO try and stay as still as possible so you don;t have to stay in there longer ya know? one thing that actually helps me is to have them place a blanket around my upper body then i kind of pull it tighter around my arms so it helps to stabilize the chest area better since my arms do tend to have a mine of their own sometimes like my legs? this just holds them tighter to my body along the sides so any little spasm wont screw things up. it really does help. your just kind of wrapping yourself up some(remember how you used to wrap your babies?).
sammy,you not only got a 'good' pt person,you actually probably got one of the best in your area just based upon everything you have yold me about her and the things she has done and informed your surgeon about. she is also advocating FOR you too. shes a keeper in my book,seriously. some i have had were not worth me actually even showing up for all the real 'help' they provided me in just mamaging pain and other muscle issues. the PT guy i have now i wouldn't trade for anything. hes just that good and that caring about how well i am really doing. thats a huge deal sammy. we both got lucky there. don't ever lose this lady if you can possibly help it,she IS the right person for your situation.
i really am happy you are at least feeling some reduction in the overall nastiness today.thats always a huge plus. i too am going freaking crazy right now with not being ableto just 'do' anything either. just gotta take it slow. my upper arm in that very same area where i actually woke up to pain during that half asleep surgery is just killing me right now. i wish i could actually take aleeve or some other anti inflam right now but can't becasue of the aneurysm/asa thing. i KNOW some of that pain is inflammation within that joint from just going into the newer areas but man this sucks. its like a recycled pain process that keeps repeating over and over everytime i get it calmed down again. but that one icky spot just always stays sore(that upper arm like in the actual bicep or some muscle there). my surgeon has no clue as to how or why i actually felt any pain in the middle of that blocked area during the surgery. it just doesn't seem possible,but i KNOW what i felt and woke up to,and he was in that area at the time too. just too freaky when it comes to my body.
well,keep me posted hon. just take it easy on yourself. let hubby DO whatever the heck he wants for you right now. i am sure there is much payback coming your way if your hubby is anything like mine???take what you can get while you can get it,lol. hope you have a good day sammy,marcia
sammyo1
05-02-2008, 09:36 PM
Marcia, You are one strong lady, Bless your family. Talk about the gift of life. I am so very happy your son is here with us today. Glory be to god. I'll tell you for those non believers that is a miracle in itself. I have heard of organ transplants & those who receive. How special. Your son is the same age as my daughter, 21, my youngest is 151/2. I can only handle the two, well plus my husband that makes 3, he is 49 going on 16. I swear I have to tell that man to do the work before play time, he actually will tell our neighbor when he calls he can't come out to play, he has to do the bills or something. No wonder my mother in law told me there was a no return policy. I am really going to have to look into haircolor that covers the gray.
I'll tell you my friend I am so tired of feeling like crap, between all the meds & pain control I honestly can't say what it feels like to feel normal.
I am more worried that nothing will show on the MRI then anything else, I don't think I could handle it. My pt said she does not trust them. I can't be suffering & nothing be going on. My surgeon warned me that it could indeed be all in the muscles. I am really get tired of it all, the wondering more then anything.
I usually take 1 to 11/2 or perc. in the morning, I refuse to go back up to 2 which is stupid, but I worry with all the meds I am on, I know it probably is not alot compared to some. I take three doses aday with the motrin & flex. in between. For now I am trying to take 1/2 doses of the flex. & motrin if I can, been feeling aliitle dazed & light headed I wonder if it could be the Flexerri? I just know how bad it all is for your body. I tried 1/2 of a perc for this last dose of the day, if I don't feel relief I take the other half with in the hour. All I can do is try. If I would not get up so freaking early I could probably get away with two doses, but never fails, up with the sun, 7:00 is sleeping in for me.
I have been back in the sling along with the binder, but I stayed in them all day yesturday & about a half hour after going to bed I had such pain in my chest I swear I thought I was having a heart attack. I thought maybe it was from the arm being in the sling all day. I am trying what ever works. Went out for abit today & just could not wait to get home. I just can't seen to use the left arm or do much. Man, if it is the muscles how long does is take to heal you know? I know I have more pain control through resting this past week but it really gets to me. I just started getting some better pain control so I know the best I feel is when I do nothing & stay off my feet, that is hard to do.
I plan on taking valium & half the pain med. before the MRI, if I can timeit right. It bothers me that I really have not been able to cut back more then abit since surgery. I am beginning to wonder if pushing myself caused more injury. I felt so tired today & out of it that when I was out I felt so darn depressed, I know the meds are making me tired to & I am loosing alot of weight.
I don't think I have ever been more nervous over a test. I just think I will loose it it nothing shows. Its funny the pt & my family know somethng is up but I often feel like because the doctors can't figure it out they think its in my head or something, or just slap on a dx such as the chest wall crap, for 3 yrs, give me a break.
I have had so many tests that I am so afraid that if this does not show what else can they do? I have been having this dang pain go into the hip & burning pains in my leg, yet I am afraid to say anything to anyone. I know I should but I just can't have the pcp looking at me like I am the 8th wonder of the world. I think the binder helps so I will stay in it. I go for an osteo manipulation appointment this week, it's what the surgeon wants so I fugure I'll give it a try. I am aliitle hesatant that they will aggravate that area. It took months to get into this place so they have to be pretty successful. I am going to put a new thread up, just for the heck of it, to see if anyone has had this type of problem. I am feeling it in that back scapula area abit to. How about you, any problems?
Going to have to do a new thread or we are going get this one closed down, you think?
Can't have that, I would go nuts with out you to vent to, who else would tell me what to expect before all these tests, & I just joined the "freak "club. Talk to you soon, Sammy
I'll tell you my friend I am so tired of feeling like crap, between all the meds & pain control I honestly can't say what it feels like to feel normal.
I am more worried that nothing will show on the MRI then anything else, I don't think I could handle it. My pt said she does not trust them. I can't be suffering & nothing be going on. My surgeon warned me that it could indeed be all in the muscles. I am really get tired of it all, the wondering more then anything.
I usually take 1 to 11/2 or perc. in the morning, I refuse to go back up to 2 which is stupid, but I worry with all the meds I am on, I know it probably is not alot compared to some. I take three doses aday with the motrin & flex. in between. For now I am trying to take 1/2 doses of the flex. & motrin if I can, been feeling aliitle dazed & light headed I wonder if it could be the Flexerri? I just know how bad it all is for your body. I tried 1/2 of a perc for this last dose of the day, if I don't feel relief I take the other half with in the hour. All I can do is try. If I would not get up so freaking early I could probably get away with two doses, but never fails, up with the sun, 7:00 is sleeping in for me.
I have been back in the sling along with the binder, but I stayed in them all day yesturday & about a half hour after going to bed I had such pain in my chest I swear I thought I was having a heart attack. I thought maybe it was from the arm being in the sling all day. I am trying what ever works. Went out for abit today & just could not wait to get home. I just can't seen to use the left arm or do much. Man, if it is the muscles how long does is take to heal you know? I know I have more pain control through resting this past week but it really gets to me. I just started getting some better pain control so I know the best I feel is when I do nothing & stay off my feet, that is hard to do.
I plan on taking valium & half the pain med. before the MRI, if I can timeit right. It bothers me that I really have not been able to cut back more then abit since surgery. I am beginning to wonder if pushing myself caused more injury. I felt so tired today & out of it that when I was out I felt so darn depressed, I know the meds are making me tired to & I am loosing alot of weight.
I don't think I have ever been more nervous over a test. I just think I will loose it it nothing shows. Its funny the pt & my family know somethng is up but I often feel like because the doctors can't figure it out they think its in my head or something, or just slap on a dx such as the chest wall crap, for 3 yrs, give me a break.
I have had so many tests that I am so afraid that if this does not show what else can they do? I have been having this dang pain go into the hip & burning pains in my leg, yet I am afraid to say anything to anyone. I know I should but I just can't have the pcp looking at me like I am the 8th wonder of the world. I think the binder helps so I will stay in it. I go for an osteo manipulation appointment this week, it's what the surgeon wants so I fugure I'll give it a try. I am aliitle hesatant that they will aggravate that area. It took months to get into this place so they have to be pretty successful. I am going to put a new thread up, just for the heck of it, to see if anyone has had this type of problem. I am feeling it in that back scapula area abit to. How about you, any problems?
Going to have to do a new thread or we are going get this one closed down, you think?
Can't have that, I would go nuts with out you to vent to, who else would tell me what to expect before all these tests, & I just joined the "freak "club. Talk to you soon, Sammy
feelbad
05-03-2008, 12:47 PM
i guess that could be a possibility. we may have to go there. don't know just how that all works.
there are sooo many possible problems that could be contributing to all that is going on that it will just take that MRI to just better define things out for the doc sammy. one big thing i have now is like a 'cramp' feeling inside the actual joint itself that seems to radiate out into the front in that side of the chest wall? this is new. i think this stupid puppy,and just having to pull on him and also since him and the other dog like to 'wrestle" around on the floor all the time,i seem to be a magnet for them and end up with being slammed into a wall or my bad knee gets hit with that stupid big head that 'puppy' has. god,the puppy just turned like 18weeks? and is as big as our full grown dog already. hes just forcing my arm to have to do things since way long ago,that i really should not have been doing. he has these big old mitts for paws. god i am going to get killed here soon.
i am just having more real pain now than i did pre PT,and the TPs i have are just sooo nasty. we cannot get into the 'deep' myo right now and the crainio is an absolute no no til i am released from the surgeon with alot more solid rehab done. but even the light myo i have been getting does help tons in its own way. i just love my PT guy. i am really curious mysekf about what the osteo people are going to be doing to you too. i am sure whatever it is,they WILL be very gentle with that area considering everything. hopefully they also do myofascial for you,since this IS an osteopathic type of treatment. maybe even the craniosacral? there is a big link between traumas that happen to our body and how they actually store themselves or imprint onto or into our central nervous system. any traumas(pretty much anything that has caused you alot of pain?)tend to kind of impint just like things do within our brains in some way? i didn't know this either til i started seeing the new PT guy.this man has been doing this stuff for over 18 years now and i have learned ALOT about my own body from him and why things are the way they are. he said when they actually cut into my cord,it was a major major trauma to my CNS. he also asked about past injury and i just cracked up. i was sooo accident prone as a kid and growing up(tom boy ya know) that my dad told me he was going to wrap me up in cotton and just keep me in the local ER in a room somewhere,he WAS joking of course. but it seem we were at that ER an awful lot with me. we have alot of "traumas' stored in here. this osteo therepy could be the best thing for you right now ya know? thats the big thing i have found in trying to actually manage this ongoing hell inside my body. don't knock it til you have actually given something a really good go.
i really thought that this therepy my PMs NP was telling me about(the cranio andthe myo) was going to be some stupid thing that was not going to 'do' anything for what i had going on since no other type of therepy really has? but she was very pssionate about it and couldn't say enough about this therepist she wanted me to see so i just thought,what do i have to lose ya know(found out from him that my NP also sees him on a professional basis,go figure)? much to my suprise,even afetr the first visit,i could really just 'feel" certain changes in my body. a bit less tense up in my neck and upper back area? it went away soon after but not becasue it did not work,but becasue i just have that bad bad TP problem going on that has to be worked out over time. kept going back and things really did start to finally loosen up up there. unfortunetly just when things were starting to get much better,the last of that shoulder tendon tore and i had to stop. BUT i am going to be going back into that therepy again once i am cleared to do it. this pt place is also connected to my surgeons group practice(did not plan it this way,it just happened to be where he works out of) and they know how great of a therepist he is. you just wont know what is really going to work for ya sammy. if you can,and you remember,lol, ask them just what therepys they are doing on you when they do it,i really am curious. just go with the flow and see how things go.
from what you stated here,it sounds like you actually have that MRI on monday? is that right? when is your osteo appt? DEFINITELY tell the MRI place when you fill out the forms before hand about that burning area you have going on,it will help when the rad reads your films to actually know just what areas of your body are being affected and by what. they NEED that info in order to try and track it back to a source. did you mention this to your surgeon at all or PT? they should know too hon. that 'could' be spinal or muscle. it just needs to be on that pre MRI form that you fill out ya know? to me,in what i have just dealt with,it really sounds spinal in order to be felt as low as it goes on you ya know what i mean? something is really irritating the heck out of the nerves back there. it actually sounds possibly like your sciatic actually. but if this is all interconnected to what IS your upper torso at this point,one thing can trigger another. you just DO have alot of inflammation going on in there.
just be as specific and forthcoming with ALL of your symptoms,and where. if you need more room,write an arrow to the back and finish there. just let the tech know that that info is on the back. believe me, i have ahd to do this too when there has been way more symptoms and very little room to write them. they will be faxing the stuff to whoever will be doing your interpretting so just make certain they know there is also info on the back. ya know, i don;t think you ever actually answered the one question i asked about whether or not you feel any temp changes at the area of throbbing? does this actually feel warmer to the touch than other areas? if it does,make certain to tell them that too.they just need EVERY detail of your ongoing symptoms connected to that particular area. depending upon what you actually put down will dictate just what areas they look into more in depth. you just need and want the best read possible,and all the right angles.
well glad you got abck here hon,was a bit worried when i didn;t see a new post yesterday. i am like that. i am kind of curious as to what i have in store at my next PT since at my last ortho visit,he said he was going to allow me to use the bands? it is more strength training than anything. this should be fun feeling like i do right now. just take it VERY easy hon. god i hope that MRI shows some good solid info for ya. i do think maybe tomorrow we should really start a new thread,ya think? i am sure the mods would be happy. til later. marcia
there are sooo many possible problems that could be contributing to all that is going on that it will just take that MRI to just better define things out for the doc sammy. one big thing i have now is like a 'cramp' feeling inside the actual joint itself that seems to radiate out into the front in that side of the chest wall? this is new. i think this stupid puppy,and just having to pull on him and also since him and the other dog like to 'wrestle" around on the floor all the time,i seem to be a magnet for them and end up with being slammed into a wall or my bad knee gets hit with that stupid big head that 'puppy' has. god,the puppy just turned like 18weeks? and is as big as our full grown dog already. hes just forcing my arm to have to do things since way long ago,that i really should not have been doing. he has these big old mitts for paws. god i am going to get killed here soon.
i am just having more real pain now than i did pre PT,and the TPs i have are just sooo nasty. we cannot get into the 'deep' myo right now and the crainio is an absolute no no til i am released from the surgeon with alot more solid rehab done. but even the light myo i have been getting does help tons in its own way. i just love my PT guy. i am really curious mysekf about what the osteo people are going to be doing to you too. i am sure whatever it is,they WILL be very gentle with that area considering everything. hopefully they also do myofascial for you,since this IS an osteopathic type of treatment. maybe even the craniosacral? there is a big link between traumas that happen to our body and how they actually store themselves or imprint onto or into our central nervous system. any traumas(pretty much anything that has caused you alot of pain?)tend to kind of impint just like things do within our brains in some way? i didn't know this either til i started seeing the new PT guy.this man has been doing this stuff for over 18 years now and i have learned ALOT about my own body from him and why things are the way they are. he said when they actually cut into my cord,it was a major major trauma to my CNS. he also asked about past injury and i just cracked up. i was sooo accident prone as a kid and growing up(tom boy ya know) that my dad told me he was going to wrap me up in cotton and just keep me in the local ER in a room somewhere,he WAS joking of course. but it seem we were at that ER an awful lot with me. we have alot of "traumas' stored in here. this osteo therepy could be the best thing for you right now ya know? thats the big thing i have found in trying to actually manage this ongoing hell inside my body. don't knock it til you have actually given something a really good go.
i really thought that this therepy my PMs NP was telling me about(the cranio andthe myo) was going to be some stupid thing that was not going to 'do' anything for what i had going on since no other type of therepy really has? but she was very pssionate about it and couldn't say enough about this therepist she wanted me to see so i just thought,what do i have to lose ya know(found out from him that my NP also sees him on a professional basis,go figure)? much to my suprise,even afetr the first visit,i could really just 'feel" certain changes in my body. a bit less tense up in my neck and upper back area? it went away soon after but not becasue it did not work,but becasue i just have that bad bad TP problem going on that has to be worked out over time. kept going back and things really did start to finally loosen up up there. unfortunetly just when things were starting to get much better,the last of that shoulder tendon tore and i had to stop. BUT i am going to be going back into that therepy again once i am cleared to do it. this pt place is also connected to my surgeons group practice(did not plan it this way,it just happened to be where he works out of) and they know how great of a therepist he is. you just wont know what is really going to work for ya sammy. if you can,and you remember,lol, ask them just what therepys they are doing on you when they do it,i really am curious. just go with the flow and see how things go.
from what you stated here,it sounds like you actually have that MRI on monday? is that right? when is your osteo appt? DEFINITELY tell the MRI place when you fill out the forms before hand about that burning area you have going on,it will help when the rad reads your films to actually know just what areas of your body are being affected and by what. they NEED that info in order to try and track it back to a source. did you mention this to your surgeon at all or PT? they should know too hon. that 'could' be spinal or muscle. it just needs to be on that pre MRI form that you fill out ya know? to me,in what i have just dealt with,it really sounds spinal in order to be felt as low as it goes on you ya know what i mean? something is really irritating the heck out of the nerves back there. it actually sounds possibly like your sciatic actually. but if this is all interconnected to what IS your upper torso at this point,one thing can trigger another. you just DO have alot of inflammation going on in there.
just be as specific and forthcoming with ALL of your symptoms,and where. if you need more room,write an arrow to the back and finish there. just let the tech know that that info is on the back. believe me, i have ahd to do this too when there has been way more symptoms and very little room to write them. they will be faxing the stuff to whoever will be doing your interpretting so just make certain they know there is also info on the back. ya know, i don;t think you ever actually answered the one question i asked about whether or not you feel any temp changes at the area of throbbing? does this actually feel warmer to the touch than other areas? if it does,make certain to tell them that too.they just need EVERY detail of your ongoing symptoms connected to that particular area. depending upon what you actually put down will dictate just what areas they look into more in depth. you just need and want the best read possible,and all the right angles.
well glad you got abck here hon,was a bit worried when i didn;t see a new post yesterday. i am like that. i am kind of curious as to what i have in store at my next PT since at my last ortho visit,he said he was going to allow me to use the bands? it is more strength training than anything. this should be fun feeling like i do right now. just take it VERY easy hon. god i hope that MRI shows some good solid info for ya. i do think maybe tomorrow we should really start a new thread,ya think? i am sure the mods would be happy. til later. marcia
MountainReader
05-03-2008, 03:17 PM
Feelbad,
I know I am not going through as much as you during the healing process, but I can tell you I started having the "cramping" in my shoulder for the last 1 1/2 weeks. I get it throughout the day. My PT explained the healing process to me and said it is fairly normal. He said to keep icing my shoulder down throughout the day to help. It does hurt though. I have taken to using my Lortab this week. I pretty much stopped them after the first week post surgery. He indicated it should start getting better in the next week or two.
Mountain Reader
I know I am not going through as much as you during the healing process, but I can tell you I started having the "cramping" in my shoulder for the last 1 1/2 weeks. I get it throughout the day. My PT explained the healing process to me and said it is fairly normal. He said to keep icing my shoulder down throughout the day to help. It does hurt though. I have taken to using my Lortab this week. I pretty much stopped them after the first week post surgery. He indicated it should start getting better in the next week or two.
Mountain Reader
feelbad
05-04-2008, 10:43 AM
thanks MR. this is the most insane surgical recovery process i have ever gone thru,really. i have had six surgeries with two on my right knee two on my c spine,one into my spinal cord and just for the heck of it ,an aneurysm coiling,and this one,except for the first few days after my cord was actually cut into and the pain from that for the first couple days i just wanted to die, this has been right up there only more drawn out.
its just been one heck of a long road with this pain that you think is gone then you just do a little something at a different angle in PT or at home,and bam,its all back again.
i did see where you posted setting up a shoulder board,and i would have to agree that it IS a needed one. we have kind of had alot of posts from people more recently with the same shoulder type issues. i knew right away that this mess and pain i was feeling was not coming from my c spine.
thanks again for the info. man this sucks. FB
its just been one heck of a long road with this pain that you think is gone then you just do a little something at a different angle in PT or at home,and bam,its all back again.
i did see where you posted setting up a shoulder board,and i would have to agree that it IS a needed one. we have kind of had alot of posts from people more recently with the same shoulder type issues. i knew right away that this mess and pain i was feeling was not coming from my c spine.
thanks again for the info. man this sucks. FB
feelbad
05-06-2008, 11:24 AM
hey hon,was thinking of you yesterday. hope things weren't too bad for ya. i do hope your pain isn;t keeping you from posting. if you are reading this,i am sending a nice warm but gentle hug your way. give me an update when you can,just a bit worried thats all. hope all is well. marcia