new with (maybe) Brachial Plexus

[Annekeg]

Hello Everybody!

More than 3 months ago I fell on the ice.
I had a few severe fractures in my left arm and a shattered elbow.
Immediately after my fall I felled as if something snapped. And I didn’t feel my hand.
In the hospital they did surgery (I now have a lot of metal in my arm).

However now three months later I still can’t use my hand (wrist drop and I can’t lift my fingers). I’ve got a splint to support me hand.
The neurologist did a nerve conduction test and he and also some of his colleagues suspect a Brachial Plexes injury.
I have a lot of Physical Therapy. I still can’t bend my elbow after all these sessions and my therapist is worried about that. I also have trouble with lifting my arm (shoulder movement).

I’m hoping t find a lot of information about this subject. I am sorry for my bad English; I am a new (Dutch) immigrant in Canada.

Thank you all very much for “listening” to me and I wish you all a soon recovery.

Ann
Canmore, AB, Canada

[Joshua B]

sorry to hear about your injury. my name is joshua and i had a car accident last october and have a brachial plexus injury(bpi) on my non dominant arm(c5 & c6 avulsion), which basically means the nerves that are connected to the shoulder muscles and the bicep are disconnected. however i still have my hand which is associated w/ c7, i believe. your injury sounds like a bpi, i was told by 3-4 months there should be some return of movement, i only regained the hand. doing something about this injury in a timely fashion is important somewhere between 6 mos to a year. you should see a surgeon. i had surgery last month with dr nath (houston, tx) who was great. there is also the mayo clinic in minnesota. check out dr nath's website if you want i think it is drnathbrachielplexus.com or something like that. just google it you should find it. if you want you can email at benavidesja@yahoo.com. if i can help, i will. just hang in there.

joshua

[Joshua B]

i misspelled brachiEl it should be brachiAl in the website for dr.nath. www.drnathbrachialplexus.com

[cbe411]

Hi Ann! It sounds to me like you could definitly have a brachail plexus injury but we are NOT doctors here so you should try to get to e specialist as soon as possible. YOu can look here http://ubpn.org/medicalresources/canada-bpi.html for the listing we have compiled of doctors that work with this injury. You can also look here http://ubpn.org/medicalresources/us-bpi.html for doctors in the States..... Please feel free to ask questions, we have all be through it or are currently doing it! Good luck and let us know how you get on...

COurt xx

PS Josh how are things going with you??

[Annekeg]

Thanks Joshua and Court,

Right now I am just trying to gather as mich info as possible.
I am in pain constantly but I guess that's prett normal and I am just trying to deal with that by enjoying all the good things!

Sleeping is a bit of a problem, does one of you regognize this? It's so hard to find a good way to put me arm. I place it at a stack of pillows besides me but it hurts in my schoulder and upper arm.

I also have a lot of pain in my wrist and elbow during exercises. The surgent told the Phys. Ther. to go throug my pain borders (I hope this is good English).
Is that a common threatment.
I now have to deal with so many doctors and therapists that I sometimes doubt a little.

Thanks again also for this great website and forum!

Ann

[Joshua B]

i use just one pillow folded in half and put only my hand on it and rest my elbow on the bed. i had pain in my elbow at first but then it subsided. hope this helps.