United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

i had car accident april 19th of this year, resulting in three of (at least thats what they tell me so far) nerves pulled from the spine and what makes me the most angry is i have a third arm that hurts like hell! i get shooting pains down this imaginary arm i also get them down my real bad arm but only to my elbow, why can't someone explain this and why isn't there a medicine that can at least lower the level of intensity of pain. if you can knowledge me about this i'd be grateful

i had car accident april 19th of this year, resulting in three of (at least thats what they tell me so far) nerves pulled from the spine and what makes me the most angry is i have a third arm that hurts like hell! i get shooting pains down this imaginary arm i also get them down my real bad arm but only to my elbow, why can't someone explain this and why isn't there a medicine that can at least lower the level of intensity of pain. if you can knowledge me about this i'd be grateful

Hello and welcome....sorry to hear you were injured in April. That wasn't that long ago....at least in the nerve pain arena. To be quite honest, I don't think research has caught up to nerve pain yet. I kind of compare nerve pain to a virus.....you can treat the symptoms, but you don't cure it. However.....there are good medications that can ease that pain, even if it is only temporary. And as you've already figured out, ANY relief is better than none.

If it helps any....my worst pain was during the first few months of the injury, then it got progressively easier. There are peeps here that have been injured far longer than I that will tell you time helps. I found out early that passively moving the arm, hand, and fingers helped get the blood flowing, and also helps to keep the joints loose. They freeze up rather quickly if left alone. Believe it or not, a hot bath works wonders !!

Are you're docs sure you have avulsions ??

George

wow, i had my accident on the same day and i have the same pain as you, exactly. that third arm kills me. i can sleep one to two hours at a time, a couple of times a night. i am scheduled for surgery in july. i hope that helps alittle. this is the first time i have seen this board. i have been reading all the posts all morning. gosh, i thought i was the only one. i think i have finally found a doctor i can trust, but it looks like i am in for the long haul. my nerves were pulled out also. sometimes i wake up in the middle of the night and just cry. stay in touch

tom

Hi guest, I'd have answered sooner but sometimes the 'guest' postings don't appear for a while and I miss them :0( This page might be of help http://tbpiukgroup.homestead.com/centralpainbpi.html George is right, you're in early days for a bpi, most of us do find that the pain diminishes with time. What you're describing about the third arm sounds like what is called 'Phantom Limb Pain' -I still have this after 22 yrs although it's not as intense. I 'feel' my lower arm hurting like crazy and go to comfort it in my lap (dunno about the rest of you with flail arms, mine lives permanently in my lap when I'm sitting) only to find it's not there, even though my brain is telling me it is. That's when I find (after a search-there's no way I can locate my arm if I can't see it, it seems unbelievable to an uninjured person but I have to follow the arm down from the shoulder to find it, it often gets 'lost' in bed) it's slipped down the side of the chair or one of my kids is sitting on it :0) I hope your pain is calming down now, it seems that drugs do not ease this type of pain, it's worth noting that I never get it when i'm busy, it seems if my brain is occupied it doesn't have time to invent extra arms!

I have to say I've never been angry, and I have no regrets what so ever, when you go ice climbing you know the risks, you just don't think anything is going to happen to you. A lot of people give me a hard time for going climbing when I had a family, & they said it was selfish, but they don't realise that climbing is a very selfish sport, but I would hate to get to 60 years of age & think I'd done nothing with my life. But I do have to say' I have a lot more patience now than what I had before the accident, & I don't have any problems with being embarresed to ask some stranger to tie my lace for me, to tell you the truth, nothing bothers me now, life is to short. So all you bpi's out there just go out there & do what you want in life & don't give a toss about what other people think. Take care.
bigsel
Scottish tbpi

Tom,

I am angry also. I don't feel your pain physically but emotionally I do.

I am angry because I lost my husband to this pain.

I am angry because the doctors don't seem to understand how bad he is hurting.

I am angry because there is nothing in this country and day of modern technology that can help with this pain.

I am angry because the supposedly best hospital and best doctors did not give him the advice that he needed to seek more help.

I am angry because I cannot do anything to help him relieve his pain.

Finally, I am grateful that I still have him here with me and he is alive.

I'm the mother of a 19 year old TLBPI son. I'm angry that the physicians could and should know what a BPI looks like, but don't, and then wait 5 months to finally tell you 8 months out from the accident. I'm angry to find out that surgery options are limited by that point for the most positive outcome. I'm angry with my HMO for making us jump through hoops seeing numerous neurologists and neurosurgeons all to be turned away because they don't know how to treat BP. I'm angry because we know of a doctor in another state who could possibly help because BP is all she does and the HMO won't give us their blessing to see her. I'm especially angry because this well qualified doctor is an approved provider through my HMO, but still can't get authorization for treatment from her! I'm angry because our Primary Care Physician drops the ball when we ask for help from them. I've written the HMO company, my Congressman, our state Senator, and I'm still waiting for action or at least a response. I'm angry because I feel like we've been pushed aside by everyone. I'm angry that the clock keeps ticking and help is dwindling away, never to get it back. I'm angry that TBPI doesn't have a "poster child" that would help gain recognition of this problem and enlighten people about the problems TBPI's face day to day. I'm angry, because I miss the 2 arm bear hugs my son used to give me. I'm angry that he may have to be disabled for the rest of his life because some clerk at an insurance company is a total dim wit. I'm angry for the depression this causes both him and me. I'm angry that employers are narrow sighted and think him incapable because he has only the use of one arm. I'm angry that the accident was someone else's fault. I'm angry that the accident took my son's friend's life. I'm angry that auto liability laws in South Carolina are among the worst in the country. I'm angry at money grubbing lawyers that are only looking out for themselves and don't care about my son's needs. I'm angry that all I can do to vent is type on a keyboard because none of my friends or co-workers understand anything at all about BPI. I'm angry at the wife I've become to my husband and mother to my daughter. I'm angry because I'm consumed by this fight to get adequate healthcare for my son.

I am grateful to God for sparing my son's life. I am grateful to the rescue workers that helped save my son. I am grateful to the Intensive Care ward for keeping him alive when it was all so precarious. I am grateful for the power of prayer and the strength of family. I have so much to be thankful for while another family mourns the loss of their son. I am thankful for this network bringing awareness, fellowship to the people and families of those who have BP.

Thanks for allowing me to rant. I feel better now. : )

I'm the mother of a 19 year old TLBPI son. I'm angry that the physicians could and should know what a BPI looks like, but don't, and then wait 5 months to finally tell you 8 months out from the accident. I'm angry to find out that surgery options are limited by that point for the most positive outcome. I'm angry with my HMO for making us jump through hoops seeing numerous neurologists and neurosurgeons all to be turned away because they don't know how to treat BP. I'm angry because we know of a doctor in another state who could possibly help because BP is all she does and the HMO won't give us their blessing to see her. I'm especially angry because this well qualified doctor is an approved provider through my HMO, but still can't get authorization for treatment from her! I'm angry because our Primary Care Physician drops the ball when we ask for help from them. I've written the HMO company, my Congressman, our state Senator, and I'm still waiting for action or at least a response. I'm angry because I feel like we've been pushed aside by everyone. I'm angry that the clock keeps ticking and help is dwindling away, never to get it back. I'm angry that TBPI doesn't have a "poster child" that would help gain recognition of this problem and enlighten people about the problems TBPI's face day to day. I'm angry, because I miss the 2 arm bear hugs my son used to give me. I'm angry that he may have to be disabled for the rest of his life because some clerk at an insurance company is a total dim wit. I'm angry for the depression this causes both him and me. I'm angry that employers are narrow sighted and think him incapable because he has only the use of one arm. I'm angry that the accident was someone else's fault. I'm angry that the accident took my son's friend's life. I'm angry that auto liability laws in South Carolina are among the worst in the country. I'm angry at money grubbing lawyers that are only looking out for themselves and don't care about my son's needs. I'm angry that all I can do to vent is type on a keyboard because none of my friends or co-workers understand anything at all about BPI. I'm angry at the wife I've become to my husband and mother to my daughter. I'm angry because I'm consumed by this fight to get adequate healthcare for my son.

I am grateful to God for sparing my son's life. I am grateful to the rescue workers that helped save my son. I am grateful to the Intensive Care ward for keeping him alive when it was all so precarious. I am grateful for the power of prayer and the strength of family. I have so much to be thankful for while another family mourns the loss of their son. I am thankful for this network bringing awareness, fellowship to the people and families of those who have BP.

Thanks for allowing me to rant. I feel better now. : )

Dori

I wish I could say something profound to help you, but I can't I just want you to know I feel for you and your family under this terrible circumstance.

I don't know if this will help... If you are in USA this might be a good place to start to fight your insurance company to get the proper timely services your son needs.

http://data.patientadvocate.org/

This is a site to help with education now if he is still in school.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/

I will keep you and your family in my prayers and I am glad you found a place to vent.

Kath