How to approach my dr tomorrow

[hdb1982]

After my lap surgery I somehow got merve damage to my arm which I am currently getting treated for. After my surgery my dr tried to cut my pain meds in half. After a call from my neuro doc telling my surgeon of his findings he all of a sudden believed how much pain I was in and gave me adaquate pain control. Friday he gave me an rx for 60 percocet 1-2 every 4 hours but said he wants to see me tomorrow, more than a week before my shceduled post op appt. So he gave me just enough pain meds to last until this appt tomorrow. After researching I have found he has had 4 malpractice suits against him for NERVE DAMAGE and he settled all suits. My IC is still kicking my ass and I have the added pain of my arm. I don't think he has any idea the added pain I am enduring b/c of this nerve damage. I had 2 EMG'S 1 MRI and another MRI next week. Laying in an MRI for 2 hrs is torture on an IC pt as you can imagine. I am afraid that he is going to try to cut my pain meds back down when he sees me tomorrow. My uro told him I could need increased pain meds for up to 2 months in some case. My neuro cant treat my pain b/c I am in a contract with this dr. How should I address this issue tomorrow if he does try to cut my meds? I have not taken everything he gave me friday . At my appt tomorrow I will have atleast 10 left. So I am not taking 2 every time. Sometimes I need 2 others I need 1 but I likt that option. Esp b/c of the IC flare and my nerve pain inmy arm. I am also taking 1200 mg Neurontin daily. His staff has treated me like garbage saying I should be pain free b/c of what he did in surgery. Like he fixed my IC or something. I will tell him how his nurse has treated me as I know a lot of times drs do not get the messages. Also when the hospital scheduled my next MRI they told me that neither myself or my ins. would be billed this was free of charge. I asked if the first was done improperly and she said no they just need to view more areas. Why would the hospital give me these test for free. Does it have something to do with the fact this is the same hospital where the nerve damage occured? I just need suggestions on how to handle this tomorrow. I am ready to go in an explode b/c of all of the extra pain and hassle I am dealing with b.c of this nerve injury. Help please!!

[Berkshire Road]

Be careful. If you are considering a lawsuit, the free MRI could possibly be construed as a "settlement" already in place, case dismissed. You should talk to a lawyer.

[hdb1982]

I just called a lawyer, he was with a client, but his sec said not to do anything he def. wants to talk to me and to hold tight he will call me as soon as he is done with his client. Thank you Carolyn I never would have though about that being a settlement.

[BrittanysDance]

Heather - I'm glad you called a lawyer - i wouldnt have thought of that either. Good thing Berkshire is around eh? :)

How on earth did your arm get damaged if they were doing a lap on you? I know you said you now have PN - thats what my neuro is saying I now have in all 4 extremities, from above the elbows and mid thighs, all the way down. It is the most painful aggrevating annoying thing I've ever had in my life! Everything keeps falling asleep, I keep falling and the pain is unbearable sometimes. I'm scheduled for an EMG and some MRI's in the upcoming weeks but I've never had an EMG before. I heard they hurt... .true? I dont know if they're going to do all 4 limbs or just one arm and one leg. The nurse asked me what the doc was going to do (as in all 4 or just 2) and I said I had no idea, she then said "You'd better hope he only does 2". Uhm.. :confused: Helloooooo...DONT say that to someone that has panic and anxiety already and is on the verge of a massive attack as it is because of this diagnosis, ESPECIALLY when the doc says there isnt much they can do to help because the meds they give you are allergic to! :rant:

So - how are you dealing with your situation and what is helping you? I tried to drive today and I almost wrecked my car - my legs and feet fell completely asleep from mid thigh down and were hurting so bad, not to mention my arms). I ended up having my daughter drive, who nearly got us killed but thats another story in itself!

Hugs,
Brittany

[leelee88]

Heather, So sorry to here you are having to deal with this! I am glad Carolyn pointed that out to you..(((hugs)))

[hdb1982]

My neuro called me and said the MRI images were not clear and they believe it was technical issues with the machine so that is why I have to re do it

[hdb1982]

Brittany,
I will not lie. The EMG was very painful. They took a 3 inch long needle and placed it in 6 different areas of my arm. While the needle was in my arm I had to make a fist and flex stuff like that. If they do you arm the most painful is the bottom of your palm. I guess the ball of your thumb. My dr did this first b/c he said this would make the others seem less painful. I am dropping things consistanly without warning b/c my hand/arm falls asleep. They also did a test where thy placed electrodes and shocked me. They did this to both arms using my right as the control reading. It was like a little zap, not bad at all. I hope you get some answers because I know how bad it is I couldn't imagine it being my leg. My lawyer told me to wait and get my MRI results and we will go from there. He don't think my surgeon is at fault but rather someone in the OR. The nurse or the surgical tech or the anastethiologist(sp) not my surgeon.

[BrittanysDance]

Heather,

*cringing here* Oh my Lord that doesnt sound pleasant by any means whatsoever :help:. *breathing...breatttttttthhhinnngg* :pray:. Thank you for your honesty - I'd much rather have honesty and know going in full well what it is REALLY like than have any surprises, you know? I sort of suspected that as soon as the nurse said what she did and then gave me one of those "pitiful looks" like "Oh dear..she doesnt know what its going to entail does she?" looks... :rolleyes:. Sheesh.... I kinda figured it out from her tone and expression but ggeeezz - keep it to yourself lady *small laugh* :o/ Guess I'll have someone drive me then since I dont know if they'll be doing all 4 limbs or not.

Oh I so know about dropping things -the other day in the grocery store I dropped one of those huge bottles of ranch dressing...luckily it didnt break but man... I thought for sure it was going to and I was already embarrassed as it was. One minute I had it..the next...I didnt :confused:.

I do hope everything works out for you and they can fix you. I will keep you in my prayers and thoughts that all will go well. I know how stressful and debilitating this can be on a person.

Again, thanks for your honesty, I really do appreciate it.

Lots of hugs,
Brittany

[hdb1982]

He said he does not doubt one bit that the nerve damaged was caused during my surgery. He thinks I was placed wrong on the table and perhaps secured too tightly with the straps. So it is the surgical team/nurse. Because he was no where near the nerves that are damaged. He said my endo is a stage 3-4 and very bad. He wants to help me get pregnant so he put me on Provera for 10 days and when I start my period I take Clomid days 5-9 of my cycle. Then 14 days after my cycle starts I go in for an ultrasound. He said the standards for endo aren't an option since I am trying to get pregnant. He said I can continue taking the pain meds and dose I am now but can go on something longer acting if I like. Just an update. I think I will start the Provera tonight.

[Breezy1218]

I am not a lawyer, but I would not think an MRI would constitute a settlement...wouldn't that be separate? This would just be to get an idea of the extent of damage...I could be wrong, though. Just my thought. You would have to know anyway what the damage might be in order to settle, and the doc can't lie about what the images show...a radiologist reads them, and you could always take the images to someone else for a second opinion.

Nerve damage to the arms can happen during any type of surgery. It has to do with the positioning of the arms on the table during surgery. I assume it is the ulnar nerve that is damaged (in the elbow)? That is usually where it is seen, if it happens. The elbows are always padded to try to prevent this; the problem is that since you asleep, you can't tell them if you feel numbness or tingling in your hands during the procedure, which would indicate too much pressure on that nerve. Your arms are in the same position for an extended amount of time, on a hard surface, so it's something they definitely take steps to prevent. The elbow is a bony prominence, and it's easy to have too much pressure on that spot and not know it. We'll have patients have temporary n/t in their hands post op, but it often goes away in time.

I am sorry this is happening to you. :( It's one of the things that is always a risk, but a small one, and one you don't realize/think about in light of all of the other things you are thinking about! I hope it's not permanent, and I hope you can get a lawyer to help you. I don't have much advice for your appointment, either (it may be too late anyway, I'm not sure). I hope the above info is a little helpful, though!

Good luck to you.

[hdb1982]

No not the ulnar nerve Breezy. It is radial nerve damage affecting my R6 nerve. One break in my bicep and 1 in my neck. Unless they have started strapping pts to the OR table by their necks I have no clue how a nerve in my neck broke. My procedure was very short. Less than an hour. I will give them the bicep one, if you may, from the BP cuff or maybe from transporting me from the OR table to the bed. If it is from the cuff it seems like that is a lot of pressure. The MRI is free because there were technical issues and lack of clarity of the film. Instead of going back to the same MRI place, the hospital that did the surgery, I am going back to WVUH. The hospital I have always used and had many procedures without problems. They have the best techology there also as they are a teaching hospital so they have a lot more funding. I repeat my MRI on Monday and see the neuro Wednesday. Tomorrow is my baby's 5th birthday so I am concentrating on that for now. Her class is going to WVU farm tomorrow AM, which I am chaperoning and then afterwards I am taking cake and pizza to her class so I have a busy day. Then her real birthday party Saturday in which I have to prepare for 60+ people. Atleast I rent out the park so I don't have to deal with all of these people at my house. LOL. Thanks to all for your concern ~ Heather