United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi Chris, welcome to the nuthouse. Quite a job you got there. I can't add anything to what's already been
written here, just wanted to say hello. Must agree that distraction helps the most. I believe your hand will
calm down soon, or at least I hope it does. That pain has got to be the most miserable. You've got a good
attitude it seems, and thats the best start. See that specialist though.........they understand what others
don't.

George

Hi Chris...same deal here bike crash aug 98...I can't say I ever had the boiling oil type pain ? Mine was more " hand clamped in vice " type thing...It's faded significantly after almost 4 years but the pain does flare up from time to time...I find it's bad when I'm tired or run down...

I did have corrective surgery ( within 3 months ), the goal was to regain my upper arm strength, below the wrist was shot from the get go due to the nature of the nerve damage. After this I suffered tons of electrical shooting pains. Eventually my bp got to the point were the pain was tolerable...now it's more of a nuisance than anything...

For some reason painkillers don't seem to help much other than to put you to sleep ? Cannibis werks great for me. It takes the edge off the pain and totally relaxes your nervous system...unless of course your laughing alot...still it's one thing that deadens the nerve pain and doesn't totally rot your gut out ( like pills can )...I know it's not for everyone but for some people it does the trick....

Still it's a stop gap measure, can't be stoned at work right. Keeping your mind busy helps. Any pain is easier to deal with if your not THINKING ABOUT IT.

The BP theory ( we thought this up ) is our brains are sending the signals down but because we are nerve damaged our limbs don't respond properly. Those signals don't get thru and instead of resonating feeling and movement they cause pain instead i.e. crushing, hot, cold, electrical, etc....the pain builds up and gets worse...

If you have not seen a hand and upper limb specialist do it soon. As Karl said time is very important. The motor end plates that actually make your muscles move will die without nerve innervation, then the muscle itself will atrophy. After that point muscle transfers may work but it gets iffy after 24 months.

Sorry to see your here, but welcome to our little party...lot's of good peeps to meet and chat with...

Take care, Mike

Hi Chris, great that you found us, it's a great web site i only found it a few months ago myself. I had my bpi about 3 years ago & i still get the (hand in boiling oil syndrome) but as everybody else says keep yourself busy. my accident was'nt on a motorbike like so many others it was in a climbing accident, a block of ice fell on top of me, i've been lucky i have a cracking 3 year old boy & a great wife to help me along & that's important having people around you that care. as for the pain i take neurontin it does'nt get rid of the pain completly but it does help a little bit, & as saying goes every little bit helps. Well goodluck in your challeng & keep us posted on how you progress with your challenges ahead, & the best of luck

bigsel

It can help if you dont mind the nightmires and bizarre dreams.

I strongly recommend the Neurotin- it really helped me w/ the firings and pain management. I have gone higher on dosage from the initial but still considered to be low value overall for the drug-- really feel pain and firings when it wears off- non-additive and I have had no side effects.