Sammy??

[sammyo1]

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

[feelbad]

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

[sammyo1]

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

[feelbad]

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

[sammyo1]

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