United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

My name is Ken, i posted here a while back. always a wealth of information here. my question is , when i got my bpi, my arm did not get paralised immediately, my arm was dislocated and when i went to get off the strecher i let my injured arm go while i was hopping off the strecher. my injured arm dropped like dead weight, thats when it went numb, and i lost all feeling in my arm. a lot of people i have talked to, say you dont gradually go numb! i would like to know if other members, could email me , telling me if their arm went numb immediately. i would really appreciate your answers. i would loke to show them to my doctor. thanks, ken

Hey Ken- My accident was July 2003. My diagnosis is 5 total avulsions. I don't remember anything after the accident, but am told that I fought off anyone trying to help me. The paramedics had to strap me down. The ER team had to intubate me and highly sedate me because I was punching doctors, nurses and anyone else that was near me. It is even written in my initial report that I was using all extremities. When I woke up from sedation, all I could do was yell and cry how bad my arm hurt so they put me on morphine. The next few reports state that I had some loss of use in my left arm and finally, that my arm was unresponsive. Today I have total paralysation of that arm, but like you, the loss of function came on slow. I don't know if that answers your question, but it was what happened with me.
THANX LOVE SUSAN

Hi Ken...very hard to answer this one because I was totally unconcious for nearly 2 weeks before I came around.... and realised my arm was not only numb, but not moving at all. It really felt like the worst kind of pins and needles, not really pain or numbness as such, but just like if I could have given it a good rub to get the circulation going, it would have moved (this was well before I heard the words brachial plexus injury; cervical nerves etc etc..!)

I hope you get some answers on this...but it might be as difficult for others to say whether their arm was numb from the outset for the same reason...it seems most of us were out cold at the time we got the injury. I wouldn't mind betting though that almost everyone will say they noticed it was numb as soon as they became more aware.

Hope this helps...

Lizzy B

Thanks Liz, I was kind of vague in my post, my arm went flail also, its been five years. i had a tendon transfer 2 years ago, i can move my arm, and clench mt hand. Iguess most of my injury was a stretch, except for my hand. my point is that when i went to the hospital i could still feel and move my hand, after it fell thats when it went numb and flail. it was during the ambulance transfer, when i went to get off the stretcher, my arm dropped like dead weight becuase they did not put it in a sling. Im just showing my consel that there is no waiting period

Hi Ken.......I was knocked out cold. When I woke up (maybe 15 minutes later) I was cradling my arm to my chest. Thought it was just broken, then I noticed it was numb and I couldn't move it. It was pretty much immediate numbness..........and still is. I have regained a lot of movement since, but most of the arm is still numb.

George

lizzyb described it perfect for me...in lala-land for a few days/weeks, but when I came out of it the effects were immediately noticeable (once someone actually pointed it out to me). I'd wager tho, since mine's a complete c5-t1 avulsion, that the effects would've been immediately noticeable (given a conscience state at the time).

i nailed a hydro pole on my bike, concious the whole time, and my arm was gone instantly. i was asking my friends where my arm was.

Hi everyone~
I don't remember my accident or 2 weeks after but my father told me that in ER I kept on asking him to rub my arm because it felt asleep. I can't remember when I or the Drs noticed my arm wasn't working. It always felt sore, like a sore muscle. I'd beg for someone to rub it. Now it just hurts all the time. When I went to Mayo my signs immediately after my accident were conclusive of others with our injury. I have C5, 6, and 7 avulsed.
Kath in Chicago