Paralysis due to pinched nerve

[ammielamb]

I am 3 weeks post AVR and have nerve damage in my right shoulder. I have paralysis in my right thumb & finger beside it, skin numbness from elbow to wrist on underside of arm and the whole thing internally feels like frost bite. The pain is excruciating, sleep is rare, no med seems to work. I was put on Neuronton 300 mg which didn't help and had a reaction to that. I ended up in ER 2 nights ago and received five 1 mg injections of morphine for the pain. After a reaction to Zocor, which I didn't need in the first place, I knew I wouldn't survive that again. I had a C Spine X-ray yesterday which came back normal. I have been given a referral to see a Neurologist but can't get in until August 2005. My system is extremely sensitive to different meds. I am on Coumadin now for life. The only thing that brings minimal relief now is Darvocet N 100's (2), 400 mg Ibuprofen and a Xanax all at once and then the relief is brief. Frost bite feeling goes away but the pins & needles and numbness never goes away. Does anyone else suffer with these post symptoms? Have a better solution for relief? Any idea how long this will last? Thanks so much for any advice you can offer and any input at all.

[ammielamb]

My left hemidiaphragm is paralyzed because the left phrenic nerve was damaged during my second heart surgery. But it has never caused me any pain, only slight shortness of breath. I'm sorry for what you're going through. Since you don't tolerate drugs well, maybe massage therapy, chiropractic or acupuncture could help.

As of tonight, my left hand finger & thumb are now showing signs of weakness / paralysis as in my right hand. Surgeons nurse suggested a chiropractor for rib alignment but not for several more weeks. Seeing a neurologist is almost a month away. Emotionally I'm not sure I can hold on that much longer, the pain is so intense. Will definitely try massage therapy & acupuncture for relief. Thank you Rachel.
Connie

[Karlynn]

Welcome to our site. So sorry to hear you are having problems like that, and so soon after surgery. I hope you are able to get some solutions.

[Joel]

Welcome to the site and sorry to hear about your problems - thanks for sharing the info though.

I would pursue getting a sooner appt with the neurologist. Perhaps a different neurogoist? It seems ridiculous to wait a month for an appt when you are in pain. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding at the Drs. Office about your condition? It seems you need to be looked at now.

[Marguerite53]

Welcome to this community. I'm so sorry for your pain. I have not had my surgery yet, nor have I ever experienced any deep pain (besides 3 childbirths) like you describe. I agree with ALL that has been offered here. Please do get a Chinese or Chinese trained acupuncturist. They are magicians!
Please DO call your surgeon or get your appointment made sooner -- someone needs to see you.

As for the pain right now, today. This may sound simplistic, but perhaps you could get abit more mentally involved with the pain and try to think it away. I have found that by calmly moving in toward the center of the pain, to the core, I can relax it, understand it, acknowledge it and cope with it more easily. This is streesing you out, understandably!! But perhaps the pain needs some attention toward relaxing. Hope this makes some sense and perhaps helps you.

Good luck. Please keep us posted. We all worry!

Marguerite

[ammielamb]

Welcome to the site and sorry to hear about your problems - thanks for sharing the info though.

I would pursue getting a sooner appt with the neurologist. Perhaps a different neurogoist? It seems ridiculous to wait a month for an appt when you are in pain. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding at the Drs. Office about your condition? It seems you need to be looked at now.

You all have been so wonderful & supportive, thank you.

I called Loma Linda International Heart Institute today and explained my problems to them. They were contracted to do my surgery but my insurance doesn't allow for any treatments there beyond that point. Anything they suggested would have been out of my pocket so they said to call my primary care physician and ride him hard about a pain clinic and getting in sooner to see the neurologist. I called them & told them what Loma Linda had said, insisted they get me in to a pain clinic and also a sooner appointment with the neurologist. It was turned over to the person that gets authorization for treatments and with past experience I'm sure I will never hear from them again. PacifiCare.... ya gotta love it.

The good news is.......... my daughter called a Chinese Acupuncturist and got me an appointment for this afternoon. After my first treatment, he told me he will be able to correct my situation 100% and it won't take more than six treatments. I have another appointment with him Monday morning. It's going to take some time of course, but I felt so good afterwards that I actually took a nap IN my bed for the first time since my surgery on June 14th. I've been sleeping in my recliner ever since and today was a real break through. So again......thank you all so much for your support and suggestions. I wish I'd found you all sooner! I will keep you posted on how things progress, in hopes of helping someone else with my symptoms..... just as you all have helped me. Thank you again.

Connie

[Marguerite53]

I'm so glad you have had some relief!! Wishing you continued success, even with the insurance people!! Let us know.

Marguerite