United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

El..you never answered my emails...maybe you never got them (like a few people lately..)I wondered how you were getting on...not too good by the sound of it. It makes me sick to my stomach when I hear about how some of the Drs have treated you...like a druggie when all you need is respite from the pain and a Dr that actually BELIEVES in you....you'd think that would be easy and not too much to ask for in the 21st century.

Dr Belzburg sounds like the man to see and/or talk to; I met him very briefly a few years ago. Give the man a call; what harm can it do? At the very least, he is experienced in treating peeps with a TBPI, and won't think your pain is all in yer mind. I'm tempted to suggest you tell the other so-called Drs and 'specialists' to go **** themselves and to try gently roasting their arm on a barbeque for a few hours and then YOU tell THEM the pain is all in their mind! t**s&rs!! (anyone of of a delicate nature reading this 'scuse my expletives)

If you decide to speak to Dr Belzburg (and I hope you do) ask him about DREZ; you should seriously consider this surgery I reckon. Several of the blokes in the UK TBPI group have had this and never regretted it; they got their lives back; also a lady in the U.S. called Sue had it done recently and as far as I know, has never looked back. There must be more, but I don't know any of them.

Throw the trazedone down the toilet mate...you KNOW we're ALWAYS here to listen and we feel your pain right along with you; calling it a day just ain't an answer; you seriously have no idea how many people would be affected by such an action...believe me, I know this from personal experience. Stick with us...we ALL help each other here, some of us have bonded for life because of this injury; Please email me anytime with anything...even if its just to rant. That goes for ANYONE who is going thru sh** at the moment; use the liz@tbpi-group.org email addy; at least THAT one seems to be working okay...

Big one-armed hug comin your way...

Liz B x

Hang on Ronin. The "specialist" got be you. Because they never understand the pain.
Please wait still for better days to come. As we all do.

Warm regards, direct from Portugal!
Paulo G

Hi Ronin,

I just wanted to let you know that I made an appointment for my first visit with Dr. Belzberg. I though it would take a real long time to get in, but I called this past week and only have to wait about 4 weeks. If you have not already, you should call him. It is really calming to know that I have a chance at some relief rather than face the rest of my life struggling to much to deal with the pain and other realities of my injury.

Good Luck

Ronin
I can say I know what you are going thru but that would be a lie. I am obpi and had been in pain for years..... I know that we are alot different in injuries and that our pain is different but that our pain is real. I heard Dr. Belzberg speak at camp and decided to go to a pain clinic. It was the best thing I ever did for myself. The doctor I went to has me on methadone, and for the first time I can actually say I have relief from pain without feeling high or stoned out of my mind. It leaves me feeling like a "normal" person. Please give Dr. Belzberg a call he can help. He truley understands pain. I wish you the best of luck. We care alot about you...Please feel free to e-mail me if you want to chat.... Judy

Yes I am in fact back on methadone at this time. I saw the best Dr I've ever had experience with all these years and I started back on it. It is almost a miricle drug because it relieves my pain yet I feel "like myself"-i.e. not 'stoned' thankyou-Ronin

Thank you for your words of hope. I am much better. I got back on a medicine called methadone that helps with the pain but does not make me feel "stoned" Tell your Dad I wish him the best and to be strong-we all need each other to deal with this problem. Your friend -Ronin

Hey Liz--I didn't get any mail from you and kinda wondered...Well-I had a real bad spell and I was up to 40 mgs of methadone a day w/ No RELIEF.In my experience if 40 doesn't work then 100 won't work. I got really bad.These f-ing Drs...some of them treat me like a f-ing science experiment. They can't help me-but they want to see this "rare injury" that they read about in med school.Then they test me and test me-MRI's. mylegrams, nerve conduction 'needle' tests....just so they can diagnose me with EXACTLY what I told them I had on the first appointment.As far as this injury goes, I feel like I've BEEN to med school myself.Hell I could probably get on line and do my OWN nerve grafts.There is this one Dr tho--he's high$$ but he keeps me on methadone and it works better than anything I've ever tried. It helps w/ the pain but leaves me feeling "like myself". i.e. Not stoned or not in control. I tried smoke--not much help. I don't drink AT ALL anymore. It's like I been on so many different meds it's taken all the fun out of partying in ANY way. My e-mail is ronin121293@yahoo.com- love to hear from you- Ronin

Hiya...I mailed you...have a look in your bulk folder on Yahoo just in case it bounced as 'spam' which apparently a lot of my emails have been doing lately...ggrrrrrrr dontcha just luuuurrrvve 'puters??!

Lizzy B

Aurelia~
have you had DREZ? Do alot of research on that. It is a last resort-A VERY LAST RESORT! And the % of the pain coming back is high. Alot can go wrong in surgery from that proceeder. Be careful.

nope..I don't have bad pain but I thought Ronin should look at it as a last resort as he has been 10 years in constant pain and if I was in that bad pain I would take the risk. I hear and read contradictory reports about DREZ. It would be good to hear some real people who have had real experiences of it together in a topic.