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TOS Cervical Rib Removal and First Rib removal

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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

1 like, 198 replies

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  • mwaraniasis
    mwaraniasis Guest

    Posted

    Hi, I hope you are feeling better now.I am in the process of having mine removed.
  • gail91470
    gail91470 Guest

    Posted

    Hello y'all. Hope this finds everyone doing well. I had my first rib reception along with brachial plexus decompression surgery back on 30 July of this yesr. It's been a struggle as I still deal with some numbness, tingling, swelling & of course pain. I have the craziest sensation that I have an ice cube under my armpit at times, not sure what that is. I'm sure it's just the process of one of the nerve bundles healing. Right now I'm just frustrated because I feel like I'm at a stand still. I'm still on 5lb weight limit, no excessive upper body movement or prolonged sitting. My scapula is weak since I've been dealing with this injury for 2 1/2 years & along with this surgery I had my bicep reattached in Dec 2014 & then just 2 months ago had it detached & reattached to the humorous bone because the first surgery was not successful. Now the doctors & myself think that I have TOS & BPI on the left side. My first surgery I feel went well I just hate that it takes so long to heal up. I didn't have much pain post op & I had great support & that is the key.

    I'm so glad I found this site because I find that people that I generally talk to don't understand our pain. So now that I've rambled on & on I want to say God Bless & Merry Christmas to y'all.

    • dres777
      dres777 gail91470

      Posted

      I am going to be having transaxillary first rib resection surgery.... is a chest tube placed for draining fluid that you know of? I have heard many different things! Did they make you cough/breathe deeply? How long were you in the hospital? 

      Did anyone have their surgery done in Dallas Texas? 

  • manjari3003
    manjari3003 Guest

    Posted

    Hi, 

    I'm new to this discussion and since this is a really rare disease, I find it hard to make people understand what I go through. I used to wake up with numbness everyday for the past 3 years, till I was diagnosed with bilateral cervical ribs leading and TOS. Waking up is getting harder everyday and I feel this is getting progressively worse. only a few doctors in India know how to deal with Cervical Ribs, so I'd like to delay the surgery, wanted to know what can I do to delay the surgery. It's a lonely place this illness since noone can imagine what you go through. Just need to know if it does get better smile 

    • Guest
      Guest manjari3003

      Posted

      Hi,

      I am from India as well. Its been 18 months of TOS. Can you tell me who did you consult so far? I have consulted a few surgeons. But I am also on the look out of a good one. 

      Regarding delaying the surgery- I strongly recommend you to sleep only on your back. Minimize any overhead activity. Or find different ways of doing it. Do not take your hands above the shoulder height too frequently and for a long time. Start basic Physio to maintain the posture. Get a Massage on your lower body - back and legs. Wake up early and expose yourself to sun for 30 mins to maintain optimum Vit D and increase calcium absorption capacity. Take Vitamins supplement to keep yourself away from deficiency causing more pain and numbness.  Eat clean and mindfully healthy food to control your weight and fat retention. 

      Lastly, before you go to bed, apply hot water pack on your neck and upper back.

      Find out a good ayurvedic hospital to help you with medication. Try Arya Vaidya Sala, Google it and visit the nearest branch.

  • Rushyjune
    Rushyjune Guest

    Posted

    I'm having da same proble since 17 years now but I did only exercise which didn't answer me at all and only the pain increases.. doctors hr says it's better not to do the operation for me since the cervical rib is joinejoined eith da spine....does any one has da same issue and is it okay to accept a surgery..but my fingers neck right side head all gets number at times I didn't have a proper sleep so far both da sides aches and da d's pain starts from the shoulder and come downwards the chest then the pain is worst ..any suggestion what can be done for my situation..(sry for my bad English)

  • patricia37482
    patricia37482 Guest

    Posted

    I AM so nervous, I am having my op on 8th of December. I AM reading lots of scary stuff and wondering I it's the right thing to do. I AM in a lot of pain with this and it is getting worse every day. I hope I can manage the recovery. It just worries me .

  • j_71571
    j_71571 Guest

    Posted

    Had the surgery Tuesday removed scaline muscle for tos did you have some swelling about our incision in the neck area 
    • j_71571
      j_71571

      Posted

      Sorry meant to spell above the incision 
  • nilima91415
    nilima91415 Guest

    Posted

    I am having sevare pain in neck.Dr suggested for removing extra rib via surgery. Is this beneficial for me?
  • yolonda92221
    yolonda92221 Guest

    Posted

    Hi everyone,  TOS surgery has worked and it is worth the effort🙂

    I am a 49 year old female.  I am a mom, a farmer's wife and a school teacher.I suffered from TOS for 15 years  on my dominant side before I was diagnosed.  TOS turned my life upside down in a bad way.  It hurt 24 hours a day every day and it hurt BADLY. Like many of you I visited many doctors.  I had rotator cuff surgery, I had neck injections, I had gone through 14 years of PT and chiropractor appointments. 

    Finally an intelligent , very good and humble Shoulder Surgeon from the Rothman Institite said that he had only heard of it but had not diagnosed himself  - he believed that I may have TOS.  His hypothesis was based on other test results being negative and because I was in so much pain. Many doctors that I visited said TOS was not real!!!

    November 3rd, 2017 I met with Dr. Margeret Arnold , a vascular surgeon at John Hopkins.  She instantly diagnosed me with TOS and removed my first rib on November 20th. She was very honest and told me upfront that I would be uncomfortable for a month post surgery.  I was!!.  It has been 6 weeks now and I am sooo happy and relieved.  I would do the surgery again in a minute.   The 6 weeks that I was uncomfortable as I healed is nothing compared to the amount of discomfort, lack of sleep and unhappiness that I felt during the 15 years I suffered.

    John Hopkins treated me with the utmost care.  JH has  a staff specializing in the treatment of TOS. All of the diagnosing and testing  can be completed in house.  I have complete confidence that all of you who are suffering can be healed as well. 

    God Bless you and Happy Healing,

    Yolonda from Delaware

    • nicola29783
      nicola29783 yolonda92221

      Posted

      Hi Yolanda

      I'm same more than 15 yes to n from docs, pulled muscle arthritis etc etc I dropped on a trainee doc, n she noticed straight away my right hand was thinner than my left n weaker. She referred me for tests( they electrocuted me lol) and she found something so referred to vascular surgeon then neuro surgeon then back to vascular again. I'm now awaiting surgery for both cervical ribs removing. I've lost some use of my right hand , if they'd have diagnosed earlier this wouldn't have happened. Hopefully this will fix my problem x

    • yolonda92221
      yolonda92221 nicola29783

      Posted

      When is your surgery? Or, how did surgery go? Did you have a full or partial resection?

      Who did and where was your surgery done?

      I have to have a redo on my operative side.  Dr. Thompson in St Louis said he will take me as a patient but I have to give up using my John Hopkins Surgeon Dr. Arnold.

      I’ve liked her - I think I’m complicated. I can get to her in 2 hours.  He is a 17 hour drive but is considered the best in the country so I have heard..

    • nicola29783
      nicola29783

      Posted

      Having it done in lgi in leeds
    • nicola29783
      nicola29783 yolonda92221

      Posted

      Hi how long was you before you went back to work?? I'm a bus driver so I've no idea how long I'm going to be off work x

    • dres777
      dres777 nicola29783

      Posted

      Who is your Doctor? I am supposed to have this same surgery in October and they told me I will have to be off for 2-3 months! 
    • nicola29783
      nicola29783 dres777

      Posted

      dr curvy i think was his name. im 10 mths post op now my pain inmy shoulder has gone to an ache but i have less movement now in my hands than bedore and a constat buzzing feeling down my arm to my fingers

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