United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I've just logged into the site and was wondering if anyone's gone through a similar experience.

I was in a wakeboarding accident last summer which resulted in a BPI. I went through numerous MRIs and X-rays and doctors found only tendonitis in my left shoulder. I went through one doctor after the next and they all said the pain and numbness was caused by tendonitis. I tried going back to work twice but couldn't do it. I even brought up the idea of doing an EMG to three different doctors and they all said it would be useless, that the test would show negative results. I finally went to the see the right doctor and I was finally properly diagnosed 7 months after the injury occurred.

Lucky for me my nerves have not been ruptured and I still have full range of motion. Coming to this website has made me realize how serious this injury can be. Even so, I'm finding it very hard. No one understands or sympathizes with my condition. People at work think I'm milking the system. Meanwhile, I don't seem to be improving very rapidly. Doctors have told me to give it at least two years.

I don't know if it's possible to fully recover, or if operating is an option. Anyone have any input?.

Yes it is a long slow recovery. The Drs at Mayo told us that it is unlikely you will get full use back but if nothing is ruptured or avulsed that is good. You can expect the best recovery this way. When they went in to check out my sons BP they removed scar tissue but decided to leave the rest heal itself as any further surgery at that time would slow down what was healing by itself. You should see an OT or PT and continue to work on strength and range of motion. We are 9 mos post accident and are finally seeing quicker response to the therapy. In about 2 weeks he went from moving less than one pound up to 8 lbs. Unfortunately it is still out of gravity but we are hoping this indicates we are getting closer.
Sorry to hear about your accident, but think you are in the right place for help and support as everyone here is familiar with what you are going through.
Sue

Josee,
Hi. My injury resulted from the position i was in during a c-section to deliver my daughter. Like you, I had no avulsions or tears. My injury happened 5/10/04 and it look a very long time for the pain to go away, about a year and a half. Now I'm doing well but I still have numbness from the elbow down mostly in my fingers. I still am weaker in the injured arm too, but not like before... I did speak with a doctor who said that if the numbness doesn't go away they could go in and clean up scar tissue and that may help. But honestly, I can live with the numbness. I'd rather do that then have surgery. Hope that information helps a little. Since you have no avulsions maybe you will have a good recovery. It stinks, but only time will tell.
Michelle

when i was 10 years old i injured my sholdour. It was after a swimming training session and I had been sick with the flu the week before. I had severe pain in my right shoulder and piercing pain up my neck and shooting pains down my arm and loss of sensation in my 4th and 5th fingers. I went from physio to physio to doctor to ortho to the best sports medicine doctor in western australia. no one could diagnose me with anything definitly and i had every kinda of test imaginable in huge amount of pain. the sports med doc diagnosed me with indefinite brachial plexus neurtitis, however he had only seen 1 or 2 cases of it and usually in 20 year old footballers not 10 year old girls. I am now 16 and still get pain in my shoulder when swimming and exercise involving movement of my right arm. It is not something that goes away even after years and years of physio and all kinda of treatment. i hope your shoulder feels better soon and the best thing you can do it heat pack it whenever possible and see your physio for massage and accupuncture and exercises to strengthen your shoulder and back muscles to take the strain off the injured muscles.