Surgery scheduled for 4 weeks time, so scared

I had my left side done in March and just recovering from the right one now. My left side was bad, still is in that the muscle wastage in my hand hasnt improved BUT - the pain is almost gone and amazingly I have adapted to using my left hand differently as my thumb is a bit useless! My right side was just numb and the occasional spasam but MRI showed it was the same so thats been done to prevent it getting worse. Like you I was petrified, even as they were wheeling me down I was asking myself if it was necessary all the usual stuff like what if it goes wrong. well I neednt have worried. Worse part is the putting the IV cannulation thing in your hand and its just a second. When you wake up they will have injected you with slow release painkillers and you will be wired up to morphene though this can make you feel dizzy and sick. You will be uncomfortable for 6-8 weeks (surgeon told me 2 weeks but what planet is he on!) but its getting better all the time. Loads of people seem to need the surgery but dont get offered it and most reports on here are not negative about the surgery (thiugh clearly some people do have a bad time) I guess people who are not scared dont look on here then if they have no problem afterwards you never hear their story.

Hi cobweb, thanks for the reply :-)

It's good to hear other peoples stories and really pleased your pain is better.

My surgeon thinks i should be back at work after 4 weeks so will see how that goes. All I can ask for is that this horrible pain goes away and that I get a full nights sleep :-)

Will keep looking on here and fingers crossed post how I get on with the surgery.

ive literally only just been diagnosed (not even confirmed by x-ray till wednesday) but I still wish you the best of luck, an as Cobweb says, its only normally the abd experiences that cause people to seek out others on the web to see the score, for every person that posts on here im sure there are 100 who have had a speedy recovery and no problems, I hope I fall into that category myself should they find ribs and do anything...

if they dont then im back to square 1

Hey midlands-nick

I hope you get some positive results, I was soooooo glad to actually have a def \"yes, this is what you have\" from the consultant I could have just hugged him. Made it feel like I wasn't just making it all up :-) Since then I have encouraged those close to me to read a bit about it so they might understand it a bit more.

Good luck with the X-rays, even if no ribs keep pushing the docs. We know our bodies well enough to know when things hurt etc. Let us know how you get on :-)

Good luck Midlands Nick and Fierychick, let me know how you both get on. I needed physio after the left side but not having any real problems with the right side (yet!) apart from I have a rotten cold at the mo and coughing or sneezing is not to be recommended whilst recovering so ban any guests with snivels!

Good luck

Helen

Hi folks

Glad to hear you think things are better Helen - been reading your posts and wondered if you were ok now. I've been researching c-rib surgery for a while - and you've now confirmed that you're better without the [b:94df482131]extra[/b:94df482131] ribs, along with quite a few people I've been talking to (esp in USA).

There's the docs who want to just take c-ribs out (which shouldn't be there) and then perhaps overgrown scalene (neck muscles) - OK.(above clavicle)

then there's the docs who want to take your 1st ([b:94df482131]ordinary[/b:94df482131]) rib out too (under arm surgery) - latter appears to be 'in case' unnecessary stuff without good consequences - please beware!

NOT THAT I KNOW NOTHING - I'm just an observer!

and I like to believe folks with successful surgery get on with their lives, and no longer post on TOS forums!

Hi spare ribs

I had the first rib partially removed and the scalene muscle too along with the c rib though they only take the tip of that. They have only taken a section of the 1st rib so didnt go in under the arm. I still have the lumps either side of my neck where the beginning of the c ribs are but I have I just have one scar either side about 3.5-4\" long and I expect both will be concealed easily with a necklace eventually when I can cope with something on the scar area!

I'm going to ask for a copy of my xray as there bust be 3 bone ends just dangling on either side. if I get it I will try to upload it though as I'm NHS Iit might be something they dont provide (still rather they spend money fixing us up)

They do say there is a 30-60% chance of recurrence in 3-5 years however this means there is more chance that it wont come back and thats good enough for me at least for now while I'm still working or trying to!