Re: Re: RSD shoulder torn - cervical sprain / Oh Crap! - MIKE

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/30/2004 16:03:33 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

mike@... writes:

Just exactly what got torn? Ligaments or tendons? And which ones

if you know? How much swelling and inflammation do you have, and if

so, where? As for the C3 bulge - does that refer to a subluxed

vertebrae or a disc problem? Anyone in your household into any of

the energy stuff yet?

***********

Dr. Le just called again... He has spoken with the ortho he refers to and

came back from the MRI facility reviewing the films with the radiologist.

Before, when I sent the email he had only a verbal from the radiologist.

Since he has worked me in to a 6:30 am slot on Monday morning.. there will be

no one around so he wanted to get as many answers as he could before the week

end.

Mike~~ I will start backwards with your questions.

Hum ... let me see...my household into energy stuff?

That would be me and my baby African Grey parrot!

Recently divorced and he is in Mexico helping to build houses for the poor,

best friend racing the vet again this weekend, Mom a " old school " nurse (need I

say more?) and dad best with a hammer, drill, level and saw!

{{{Really teasing about my mom. She would and could learn anything if it

would help and she was convinced it would not harm.}}}

I was wrong when I wrote C3 it is C5-6. He suspected that may be injured

too because the RSD pain is thumb AND first finger radiating to the elbow. The

last time I had RSD only the thumb and forearm was involved - pain wise. The

whole hand is purple and modeled, cold and sweaty and super sensitive to the

touch... I have noticed a bit of black hair growth too and it has only been 7

days since the injury. All this very classical, he is not sure if it was

triggered from the shoulder (which is now clinically diagnosed with tears) or

the

C5-6 bulge that he felt on exam.

He said that the C5-6 bulge is only slight so perhaps it is only the shoulder

that triggered the RSD. I know him well enough (he diagnosed the RSD

initially in 2002 post op my wrist reconstruction surgery and completed 10

Stellate

ganglion blocks successfully halting the progression of the RSD) to know he

will ponder this over the week end and might come up with a completely different

game plan when I see him on Monday ... in anycase I trust him and that is 90%

of the healing game.

The MRI showed only a " slight " bulge and I did not think to ask if it was

sublux or disk issue but he did say that on review of the MRI, T 1-2 (not sure)

was much more significantly bulged. Since I am not symptomatic he considers

that an ancillary finding.

Pain? I take 60 mg OxyContin BID, Roxicodone 15 mg for breaktru (usually

once a day) for background pain management daily. Since injury I have had to

increase the Roxy to every 4 hours and that is just barely holding me back from

tears.

Inflammation? (hard to say with shoulder) but I would say it is significant.

I am unable to lift my arm above parallel to my chest.

MRI showed ligament and tendon tears. I don't know which yet as my discussion

with Dr. Le centered on the most prudent way to halt the RSD prior to me

" fixing " the shoulder issues. Dr. Le understands the implications of EDS and

positive finding on the MRI. Historically I have never had positive findings on

such tests but open up a joint and you will get comments from my surgeons like

" I cant believe it she has the joint of an 80 year old tennis pro " . So for

the tear to actually show indicates it may be very significant. I was going to

try to pinpoint by palpation but after being in the tube for 2 hours with my

arm pinched at side it just hurts all over the whole shoulder socket.

Since I obviously cannot see my ortho (who has done previous surgery on right

shoulder and scoped this one) prior to Monday morning he has asked his ortho

friend to meet him Monday morning in the OR to read the films and be there

when he injects my shoulder. I will know exactly which ones on Monday since I

intend to ask the ortho and write it down.

BTW... Ice for swelling is best I know but the RSD goes nutso crazy with ice

so that is not possible. Heat helps but only for short periods of time.

Debbi