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bfff2020
11-12-12, 23:45
hello I'm here to get more support and to support others best I can.....

here's the issues I'm dealing with:

2002: diagnosed with severe generalized anxiety disorder with 'non cardiac chest/arm pain' that stops you still and is quite frightening it feels like stabbing and heavy tingling

2002 - 2008: chest xrays/physiotherapy/face to face cbt/phone cbt/trial & error with medication/psychiatrist help they tried pretty much everything including change of diet and even lifestyle but it just never improved no matter I've slowly had to accept that chest pain will be there permanently

2009- mid 2011: right and left hand severe CTS symptons application of splint for 6 months didn't help so surgery was booked for feb 2011 on the right hand (nerve conduction studies did not confirm CTS) onto sept 2011 and the surgery basically hadn't worked and I was told by a consultant with 20 years experience in hand surgery that I would never be pain free in my right hand

Jan 2012 - present: right and left severe CTS has deteriorated to the point where it's killing all the time and if I use either hand repetitively for more than a 3-5 minutes or so it's in agony so I have to stop it's as if it needs to recover

December 2012 - my new GP practice is much better they've today tried me on a fentanyl patch and provided some axsain gel so hopefully I get some relief

They've MRI'd my spine/spine thoracic, done neck xrays, electromyographic tests, more nerve conduction studies, blood tests

Having done all those tests they found nothing and have put it down to the severe GAD affecting more of my body saying it's years of over tensing myself without realizing

I've been referred to a pain management clinic and they've booked me in for acupuncture but it's a long wait, my GP has me on dihydrocodeine 240mg/day, ibuprofen 1200mg/day and paracetamol 4g/day which is a fairly strong combination AFAIK and it doesn't help much - it does lessen the stiffness in my neck

Your thoughts on this would be much appreciated this is a lot of pain (for me anyway) and it's constant I've been onto A & E several times and they give me tramadol which doesn't help

I've been doing CBT day in day out for nearly 10 years now and it's had some great positive effects on my anxiety but the physical symptoms have never improved which makes no sense to me

if someone offered me I'd take carpal tunnel over this anyday it's just constantly sore with what can only be described as electric shock feelings in my fingers/knuckles and up all the way to the shoulder, there's no swelling though

if you read this far well done and thanks for reading

if the deterioration rate continues like the last 6 months has I won't have any use come 2 years or so, I'm 28 years old

nomorepanic
11-12-12, 23:57
Hi

Can I ask if you have tried an osteopath or chiropractor at all?

bfff2020
12-12-12, 00:04
Hi

Can I ask if you have tried an osteopath or chiropractor at all?

no I've had GP's press on my neck/shoulders quite a few times presumably to try and find a trigger or pinched nerve but nothing was found

the most useful thing has probably been biofreeze gel but that's becoming too painful too apply properly now

thanks I'll have a read of the website

nomorepanic
12-12-12, 00:09
I have been treated for CTS but not convinced I have it.

I had hydrocortisone injections and they haven't worked.

I had physio and seen an osteopath and still nothing.

My hands /lower arms go numb at night and keeps me awake

bfff2020
12-12-12, 00:33
I have been treated for CTS but not convinced I have it.

I had hydrocortisone injections and they haven't worked.

I had physio and seen an osteopath and still nothing.

My hands /lower arms go numb at night and keeps me awake

sorry to hear that

I suppose CTS is easy to point to for doctors, the main tell normally would be no pain or numbness in the little finger compared to the rest of the hand

I know they normally try the steroid injection as a test at first to see if surgery would be worth doing, other injections can be tried like depo medrol if they think inflammation is the problem - they tried this injection on me but to no avail

where are they with your treatment? if you don't mind me asking

take care

nomorepanic
12-12-12, 00:48
I am seeing doctor tomorrow to tell him the last injection 3 weeks ago hasn't worked - I didn't hold out any hope for it.

The osteopath said I have incredible tension in my neck and back but after paying out £240 and no major improvement I had to give it up because of cost reasons.

You could try it though. Physio also helped me short term for a few days then it was just as bad.

I am not sure what is next for me - I don't want an op.

I had one session of acupuncture as well

bfff2020
12-12-12, 00:58
I don't blame you for not wanting an op I sure wish I'd never have had mine

have they done nerve conduction? it's the first thing they should be testing really, then go from there

nomorepanic
12-12-12, 01:04
Yes that was normal and they even told me they had never seen anyone go so high with the tests - they were are at maximum on most of them. Yes it hurt but I coped

nomorepanic
12-12-12, 13:15
Has anyone ever suggested a cervical rib to you?

bfff2020
12-12-12, 19:08
Has anyone ever suggested a cervical rib to you?

never heard of it no

limited info on wiki about it

nomorepanic
12-12-12, 19:11
I am now been tested for this lol

nomorepanic
12-12-12, 19:13
Sorry forgot to add that he wants me to wear my wrist splint in bed and if I still get a numb hand at night then it is not carpal tunnel syndrome

bfff2020
12-12-12, 19:55
Sorry forgot to add that he wants me to wear my wrist splint in bed and if I still get a numb hand at night then it is not carpal tunnel syndrome

I would wear the splint all the time just to keep the wrist neutral, I have my normal splints then a special night splint that I use it's much more comfortable

the numbness in CTS can happen at any time but I see the logic he's trying

hope they diagnose and treat/manage it for you soon

nomorepanic
12-12-12, 19:56
I need one for night cos it annoys me so I just throw it off lol

We will see. What about you - what's next for you?

bfff2020
12-12-12, 20:57
well I'm on day 2 with the fentanyl patch they take a few days to kick in apparently so hoping for some relief - if they could get my pain relief to the point where I could use my hands repetitively I'd have my life back

I've been trying a self hypnosis program by Maggie Philips called 'the pain solution' so hoping that may help - there's interesting research about how the body can become confused when pain has continued for so long it's interesting

still doing hours of CBT every day for anxiety/chest pain and exercising

looking forward to the acupuncture too it's worked wonders for some people

I imported an ice arm brace called pro-ice and that's helping a little

when I first saw my pain management specialist he said there's nothing they can do it was only when I pushed him on the subject that acupuncture entered the equation

nomorepanic
12-12-12, 21:12
I hope you find something soon that works for you - it is a lot of trial and error isn't it?

bfff2020
12-12-12, 23:00
I hope you find something soon that works for you - it is a lot of trial and error isn't it?

that's right something has to work, everything starts and everything stops

the pain started and so it must be possible to turn it off so to speak

keep me updated on how you get on, good luck

Lost2010
13-12-12, 02:24
Hey,

Sorry to hear what you're going through. I have problems with my nerves so can understand to some extent the pain you're going through. Have you considered having hypnotherapy for pain management? I haven't tried it for pain management myself but I've used it to control anxiety and it's apparently very effective at reducing pain. It's even used instead of anaesthetic in operations and dental procedures for people that choose it. Not saying you need to go that far but it might be worth a try! I was told about by a hypnotherapist who had been a GP for a number of years so may be worth finding someone with experience in hypnotherapy and conventional medicine.

Best of luck

bfff2020
13-12-12, 21:55
Hey,

Sorry to hear what you're going through. I have problems with my nerves so can understand to some extent the pain you're going through. Have you considered having hypnotherapy for pain management? I haven't tried it for pain management myself but I've used it to control anxiety and it's apparently very effective at reducing pain. It's even used instead of anaesthetic in operations and dental procedures for people that choose it. Not saying you need to go that far but it might be worth a try! I was told about by a hypnotherapist who had been a GP for a number of years so may be worth finding someone with experience in hypnotherapy and conventional medicine.

Best of luck

I will look into it thanks

I'll see how the self hypnosis program goes first

hope you're well