TOS Survivors:
Recently I was going to conduct a poll or two...or three. I'm really curious
about other peoples experience with medication and TOS. I know in the past we
have gone over board with our discussions regarding whats not ok to discuss here
and I thought that discussing medication might not be ok since some people may
think it gives people the idea who dont take meds we are a bunch of druggies.
Well I have a better idea. You can personally email me your answer if you took
medication or used to. My first question is to people who have had TOS surgery,
all types, especially Rib Resection, only from a vascular surgeon.
Question is,"After the surgery for TOS what effects did the surgery have on your
medication use?"
For example: Did you lessen your meds? by how much? What meds? If your answer is
"No, my medication is the same after surgery," then please explain to me why and
what went wrong or what did the Dr. tell you was normal?
I will be having Rib Resection in a year or so and I have TOS on both sides. I
am Permanently disabled from it. I take only one Pain Med, Norco. I used to take
5 meds! By the way it is the best newest drug I've have used for TOS after being
diagnosed by a state board medical evaluator 4 yrs. ago. My neurologist who is
new started me on it a few months ago and even though it is an Opioid I have to
believe that it was made for me and I do not misuse it since it is more
effective.
Once again I am not implying here at all that people with TOS should take meds
and that I believe that people with TOS should also be aware of natural
remedies, physical therapy, massage, exercises, yoga and all the other
non-addicting approaches before using pain killer to make you feel better.
RMM

thoracicoutletsyndrome@yahoogroups.com wrote:

There is 1 message in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1. Re: doctor
From: nidia.mc@...


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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 22:37:01 +0000
From: nidia.mc@...
Subject: Re: doctor

Another suggestion would be to see a physiatrist or an orthopedic Dr. who
specializes with work injuries and such. They would be more accustomed to
dealing with this type of injury/symptoms, etc. This would possibly be in
conjunction with a pain specialist who deals with the same types of cases.
I, too am on neurontin. started on lower doses, ie. 500 mg/day. It worked really
great until the insurance co. forced me into voc. rehab. I certainly wasn't
ready for it and it was too much computer time for me, although not much (2-3
hours a day). My pain got extremely worse and I went up drastically on
neurontin. We started out slow, adding in 100 mg doses and now I take
2700mg/day. I feel that had a lot of things gone different, maybe I could have
avoided surgery but now the only way I will ever be off pain meds is to have it.
I also take morphine, baclofen, lidoderm patches, imitrex, celebrex, and
cymbalta. In addition to the TOS I have problems with my neck and my upper and
lower back. I am looking at botox injections for my neck having already done 2
epidurals with great success. My back is another story...it's chronic muscle
pain and spasms and I've just got to deal with it. Trigger point injections help
a lot and I'm grateful for those.
Getting in the hands of the right Dr is key. It makes a huge difference to feel
like you have someone on your side and willing to fight for you.
Nidia
-------------- Original message --------------

> Liz,
>
> Let me suggest a great website for support for TOS.
> It is called Brain Talk Communities. Just scroll down
> until you find TOS on the list and go into the forum.
> Post your questions and the area you live in and you
> will get some response to help you.
>
> They started me on Neurotin also and it worked
> alittle. I finally, 8 weeks ago had surgery. It helped
> alot, but still have a few problems that I know I will
> just have to learn to deal with.
>
> It's not fun Liz. Just take one day at a time. I would
> suggest getting to either a Vascular Surgeon or Neruro
> Surgeon to discuss your proper medications. Family
> doctors haven't a clue what your going thru and really
> don't know how to treat TOS.
>
> Hope to see ya in Brain Talk Communites!
>
> Peggy Schatzberg
>
>
> --- liz31aub wrote:
>
> > I posted a letter the other day and didnt get any
> > responses. I have
> > alot of pain with my tos. I was wondering what other
> > people doctors
> > were giving them for tos. I have taken neurotin for
> > a pretty good while
> > and it doesnt help at all so now I am back to taking
> > nothing. I am 32
> > years old and my family doctor will not give me
> > anything for pain
> > because he said I was to young and didnt want me to
> > get addicted to
> > pain medicine. I live in Kentucky and was wondering
> > if there were any
> > doctors around here that deals with tos.
> > Thanks, Liz
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Start your day with Yahoo! - Make it your home page!
> http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>

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