TOS Cervical Rib Removal and First Rib removal

Posted 14 years ago, 69 users are following.

Guest

I (have) had Thoracic outlet syndrome. It took approx 8 years to figure out what I had. Finally found a doctor I could agree with. He found cervical ribs both right and left. Only had symptoms on my right side. Pretty sure symptoms were brought on by a car accident (whiplash). Anyway.. Had the cervical rib removed and the first rib removed along with the skaleen muscle that was in a spasm. It has been 5 weeks and I am still taking pain meds, although I am finally starting to feel some relief. Not ready to quit the pain meds though. Although I'm gonna have to since my dr wants me off them. Wish he could feel this pain.My chest is numb but it is painful underneath. It burns like heck and the muscles, or it may be the facia that runs from my neck to my chest that is so tight it kills me. I try to do my stretches but it hurts. Mornings are awful. Be prepared to not sleep at first. I am thankful to have found this site. You feel like you are the only one out there who has been through this since it is such a rare anomaly. If you are going to have this surgery perpare yourself for not only the pain but the mental challenge of being in pain for so long. You will have some really down days. Good luck

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corrine313 Guest

Posted 9 years ago

Which pain meds do you guys feel you got the best relief? I want to be sure I go home with the proper pain medication.
When you say your 'neck was hard as rock' - is this something others experienced after surgery? What is this about?
I'm just asking questions as i'm scheduled for my surgery June 11 and just trying to plan and be aware of as much as possible. Thank you.
- Jopo corrine313
  
  Posted 9 years ago
  
  If you are in the U.S. You won't need to worry about pain relief from what I've heard, they tend to make sure your well equipped.
  If not, it really depends on the individual, I didn't tolerate morphine well so I came home with a synthetic alternative that but a similar strength, it took the edge off enough.
  Straight after surgery you may well have a morphine pain pump so you self administer small doses of morphine regularly which helps keep on top of the pain initially.
  Best advice is to have good communication with your care providers so your pain mess can be changed if needed to find what suits you best.
  Do you have a list of things to take in to the hospital? There are things that will make your recovery a bit easier, but I won't reel off a list of you already know
- a26543 corrine313
  
  Posted 9 years ago
  
  Above the site, my neck is hard and numb. The doctor said it was a hematoma ...pool of blood but the muscles and nerves sporadically harden and swell. It's weird. It's starting to ease now on day 9. But feels like a hard brick at first at the side of your neck. Now it's spasms and probably nerves healing because its like lightning bolts down my shoulder and arm. It's a way worse process than I anticipated but manageable. Just slow!
- a26543 corrine313
  
  Posted 9 years ago
  
  At the hospital they give you hydro morph. That with large doses of Tylenol. They sent me home with the same. I have Tramadol from when my arm used to pain so I am using that during the day just once and the hydro morph for night because trying to get comfortable is the biggest issue. That and I use ice packs. Seems to help.
- corrine313 a26543
  
  Posted 9 years ago
  
  Thank you.
- corrine313 Jopo
  
  Posted 9 years ago
  
  I am in U.S. I've never had morphine so I don't know how I will tolerate it. Yes, i will have more communications prior to surgery. I do NOT have a list of things to take to the hospital. Would appreciate any help you can provide. thanks very much.
- a26543 corrine313
  
  Posted 9 years ago
  
  I am from Canada and I hear they use this too in the us. It's hydro morph which is a synthetic morphine. I try to not take it unless its nighttime because getting comfortable is not fun at night. I've tried to stay with something we,er but honestly it barely touches the nerve pain on day 10. That's my worst complaint right now.
- a26543
  
  Posted 9 years ago
  
  ...weaker
Avril1234 Guest

Posted 9 years ago

I am one week post TOS decompression of scalens supraclavicular, no bones removed. Pain is bad and am numb around surgical site and chest. Have burning/tightness in my neck and site and still leaking lymph fluid from drain site. Is this usual? I am quite shocked at how bad I feel and want to know if this is normal. Thanks
- a26543 Avril1234
  
  Posted 9 years ago
  
  I am just a week past too and my drain was taken out after 3 days. I had the rib removed too and they punctured my lung which caused a lot of problems. I too have the burning bad tightness in my neck. At night it feels like lightning bolts going through my shoulder and elbow. I think the nerves are trying to heal. But I feel awful too. I wish I had more energy and nights seem to be awful with pain and spasms. I think you are normal. Not sure about the fluid. They sent me home with antibiotics since I had fluid in my lungs after the puncture. That's why I think my draining stopped so quickly. Hopefully after another week we will feel much better.
- corrine313 a26543
  
  Posted 9 years ago
  
  Hope you guys are doing better. I appreciate reading all the information. But some of this scares me. I guess everyone is different. I'm supposed to have cervical and first rib removed and the scalene. How did it take some of you to drive a car ??? Just trying to think of lots of things. Thank you.
- a26543 corrine313
  
  Posted 9 years ago
  
  I carefully drove about 7 days in just down the street to pick up my child. The surgeon said that as long as I wasn't on pain meds and could turn my head completely shoulder to shoulder I could drive. Finally yesterday on day 10 I went and drove a bit further.
- Jopo Avril1234
  
  Posted 9 years ago
  
  I felt pretty awful a week out...
  Leaking lymph fluid however is something to keep an eye on, if it doesn't stop then the liquid pools and hardens and needs manual drainage. Did the Dr say if he knicked your lymph node during surgery?
  That would be worth a call to your surgeon IMO.
  Good luck.
a26543 Guest

Posted 9 years ago

Yes I didn't ever hear the surgeon call it lymph fluid? It was fluid that starts the healing around the incision. It only lasted for two days for me and the started to dry up. But I would be having that checked for sure. That sounds like too long.
- Jopo a26543
  
  Posted 9 years ago
  
  The fluid you describe is "normal" it's not standard to be leaking lymph fluid... It usually means a lymph node has been nicked in surgery which isn't great, but can and does happen unfortunately

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