Wednesday, September 14, 2011

I've had my funny bone relocated, how about you?

Seriously, my funny bone was relocated about a year and a half ago!
Ok, in all seriousness, I had an ulnar nerve transposition last May because of ulnar neuropathy (the link is short, but rather informative), aka cubital tunnel syndrome.  I chose surgery and a 6 inch scar on the inside of my arm over losing function in my fingers (eventually, if left alone to progress).
Since the surgery, I had marked improvement in symptoms and problems.  That is, until the last 2 weeks or so.  I started having the tingling from my elbow down to my pinky and ring finger, turning into a light pain.  Then, I started noticing tiny muscle spasms that would move up my arm to cause my pinky to move on its own (creepy feeling).  Finally, I realized I'm having some weakness and lack of sensation in my pinky.  J encouraged me to call my neurologist.

We went to the appointment yesterday.  When I had the surgery, my doctor said that surgery is usually the cure to the problem.  So, he wasn't excited to see me yesterday...and I surely wasn't excited to see him!    He said that while unusual, it's not rare for someone's symptoms and problems to return or worsen after having seen improvement after surgery. 
My options are:
  • Anti depressant (Lyrica): I vetoed that idea.  I'm not taking an anti-depressant that will affect my whole body.  It's just my elbow that's depressed, not the rest of my body!  lol
  • Watch and wait: pretty well past that since I've already had one surgery, but we're kind of doing that, I'm to go back in 6 weeks if symptoms don't improve or go away
  • Surgery: if testing comes back that there is still some nerve damage that needs tending to
Testing?  What's that?  Oh, it's loads of fun let me tell you.  The nerve conduction test was the most torture for me the first go 'round.  The needles that they put in your skin were too big to pierce mine.  The needles are attached to a wire, attached to a computer and they somehow listen to your nerve's conduction.  Between the pain of the doctor not being able to get the huge needle to pierce my skin, and hearing the scritchsscritch noise, I nearly blacked out and she wasn't able to do the test.  However, she was able to shock the crap out of both of my arms and measure their reactions with some strange looking tazer type instrument.  Torture anyone?  Yeah.  It really sucks to have your arms and fingers move on their own because of electrical current!  lol
So, in six weeks, if I'm still having issues, he'll set up for me to see Dr Torture again and we'll go from there.
Best part of all of it?  The question I'm most asked?  What caused this...I don't know.  There's no telling.  I don't remember any trauma at any point, but who knows.  I played soccer 10 seasons in 5 years, so there's no telling what could have happened.  I started having symptoms every few-6 months ish when I was 18 or 19 years old.  I never was able to pin point what caused the symptoms, so I just figured I'd slept on it wrong each time it happened.  Until, finally the symptoms came and stayed about 80% of the time around 2009.  So, off I went for surgery.

On top of that, I'm sick today and ready to crawl in my bed and do nothing until I fall asleep and wake up in the morning. 
Hrm, I guess I could have thought of a funny story to tell...nope, no funny stories when I feel like this.

Come back tomorrow, surely I'll feel better and I'll tell you what's in my purse...because I know you're dying to find out what I lug around on a daily basis.  Almost done with the 30 day challenge

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