United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

hi! im mike from the philippines. i had an accident last April 2008 which resulted to brachial plexus injury according to my doctor. i cannot move my right arm and it has no feeling, it's like it is dead. i also cannot turn my head without turning my body bcoz of my neck. it still feel stiff/hard from inside.

is there a chance for me to be able to use my arm again? my neurologist told me to just wait until the inflammation/swelling of my neck is gone but he's not sure if it will take months or years.

i also consulted a neurosurgeon, he says that he can do an operation but there's only a 50% chance of recovery.

another neurologist who conducted nerve test on my right arm told me to not go on operation since there's a possibility that the nerve was just stuck/caught in the inflammation/swelling and not cut. he also told me to just wait and give my nerve a chance to heal itself.

its been already 3 months and im really beginning to lose hope...

badly need your advice.....

thanks in advance...

I must have missed this thread earlier. I replied on the General boards, sorry !

hi again priscilla! hehehe....

no need to say sorry...
i am very thankful for all the information i get here...
this site really helps me a lot on how to deal with my bpi...
the first time i heard from my doctor that i have a bpi, i thought that i'll be ok after a month or two of rest.
guess i was so dumb at that time, i have no idea what a bpi really means and what it can do to my life.
then after 2 months of no progress, that's when i search the net, and led me here.
sorry guys, guess im just feeling low today,...
ok that's all,.. before i starts to cry hehehe!

Sniper

Have you had a Myelogram (I recommend doing a search for previous discussions on myelograms on this site)? I believe it was the best diagnostic tool, beside exploratory surgery, in determining the actual damage done. No side effects for me, but others said they had headaches for a few days.

Exploratory surgery is the only real way to determine the extent of the damage done to your BP. Just make sure you've got the best surgeons you can get, because once they are in there, they'll be trying to repair anything that is damaged. And even the best surgeons are apprehensive about exposing the brachial plexus nerves at the spine, because the risk of possibly damaging them further, especially with bad scar tissue & swelling.

Best of Luck,
Chris

a few links for you...
http://www.umm.edu/radiology/myelog.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tuto ... /index.htm

I have BPI. My Ulnar & Median nerves were severed. My accident was 1/2/07. I had a skin graft 3/9/07, nerve graft 7/12/07. The Ulnar nerve was damaged beyond repair. I was used to graft the Median nerve. Nerves heal an inch a month. You can not speed the healing up. I still have no movement or feeling from my elbow down to my fingers.

I am having SCS (Spinal Cord Stimulation) done. The first attempt failed due to blockage in my spine. An MRI was performed. I'm waiting for the results to determine if the SCS can be done further up my spine safely. If yes, they will attempt the SCS again. If that test is successful the permanent implant will be done.

I believe the next step will be muscle transfer. BPI is a long slow process. Many in this group have suggested waiting three years prior to making any serious decisions. I have to agree with this suggestion.

I understand the frustration you are going through. I have the same issues. Everything has changed and you don't know how to turn the clock back to make your life the way it was. It hurts, it's difficult doing the everyday things, your loved want to help but they really don't understand. This group does understand. We have all been there or still are. Please talk to us we do know and do understand. Even you doctors don't understand as well as we do.

Hang in there. There is help out there. Find the doctors that know BPI. They are the ones to help you. If they don't know BPI they are guessing. Don't allow that to happen.

Keep us posted on how you are doing.
Janelle