Can someone please steer me in the right direction? Please

Posted by skylee @skylee, Jul 22, 2023

Hi, I am Lori and I am at a loss. On March 7th I had surgery on my elbow. I have had 11 surgeries prior to this and I've never had a problem with anesthesia, and also know that it does burn for a couple seconds where it is inserted.
before my surgery on March 7th I asked the nurse if she would please put the IV in my arm and not in my hand. She ignored me and put it in my hand I just let it go. Then anesthesia, when the female anesthesiologist was putting the anesthesia through my ID it started burning and I was waiting for it to go away. However it did not, it was the worst excruciating burning pain I have ever felt in my life. It burned so bad for my hand up to my shoulder the whole time she put the anesthesia in my IV. I was crying I looked up to her and asked her to please stop, but she just looked at me didn't say a word and kept pushing the syringe. The male anesthesiologist turned on my heart monitor and it was going crazy. So he yelled at me you have to calm down. So I just laid there and cried until I went to sleep. I woke up went home I tried to forget about it. 3 days later my arm started going numb from my hand to my shoulder. this isn't a light tingling this is like when your foot falls asleep and you can't walk on it feeling. Sometimes I feel pain sometimes I feel burning. It is hard for me to grasp something get a good grip on it, and I even dropped a few items since then. This has been going on every day all day since March 10th. My arm is perfectly fine before I went into surgery now this. And that was of neurologist virtually, she said it sounded like I have carpal tunnel or overtime nerve damage and that maybe the anesthesia exasperated it. So on Thursday I had an EMG done to see if I have carpal tunnel or overtime nerve damage. The test was negative no carpal tunnel no overtime nerve damage. so the neurologist message sent me a message online and it just said your EMT was normal that's it. So I had a message back and ask her what do I do now? I like my arm is going on this I'm not faking this there is a problem and I need it identified and corrected so what do I do now? She responded I can get you a referral to neuro muscular that's exactly what she said and that was it. she put it to where I can't respond to her messages now. I am not out to sue anybody or anything I just want to find out the problem and get it fixed but I think that everybody thinks I'm going to sue so they don't want anything to do with me. So what am I supposed to do how am I supposed to prove that my arm is going numb and get it fixed when nobody will even help me? please somebody please if you're if you respond like nobody else does can somebody steer me in the right direction I'm getting frustrated and running out of options. Thank you have a blessed day Lori

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@skylee

Hi, I apologize for not getting on here. I have been so busy. And I want to thank each of you for all of your helpful responses you are all Earth bound angels. I will keep updating on here for those interested and also to hopefully help someone in someway.
I went to my PCP yesterday and she did a manual nerve test on my arm. Ex. Pin prick, rubbed with rubber gloves on, and had me push and pull her hands. While the EMG I had done did not show anything wrong, this test proved a problem with my radial nerve. She said it is aggravated. How ironic so am I ..lol she said she does not know if the anesthesia went in the nerve the wrong way or if it just aggravated the nerve.
That makes me so mad that anesthesiologist should have stopped. At least to look and see if something was wrong. Because now I have this numbness and drop things every day for 5 months now. I have had an EMG and those are not fun. Had to see 3 doctors now, took steroids, and had manual nerve test.
Now I have to take gabapentin and do occupational therapy for 6 weeks. My PCP is hoping the medication and therapy will calm the nerve down. And it frustrates me because Friday is the last day for physical therapy on the atm I had surgery on. Had to do that for 4 months. So was so happy to be done. But now have to do 6 weeks for this crap!!!
If it is not better in 6 weeks, I have to get another EMG with my PCPs group neurologist and on my shoulder and neck to be sure there isn't more going on and an MRI on my arm.
So, I will know more in about 7 weeks, but as of now my radial nerve is for sure aggravated from the anesthesia they just can't say whether it went in the vein wrong or if it just aggravated it. Ugh!!!! So, frustrating!!!
Well, I hope you all have a great week and I will respond to any responses as soon as I can .. thank you
Lori

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Thanks for the update! That is so frustrating to just finish PT and now need to start OT, and of course not to be believed in the first place.

But I feel encouraged your PCP listened and thought things through. I hope your radial nerve is irritated like you said and will calm down in time. Most of the OTs I’ve met have been wonderful, so I hope things go smoothly with OT.

Similarly, well, it wasn’t as traumatic as what happened with your surgery, but I developed an ulnar nerve injury (the nerve on that runs down the other side of the elbow) because an overzealous PT didn’t believe something was wrong with the movements and manual therapy he was doing. Nothing showed up on my EMG either, which is a good thing I guess.

It did take months for it to mostly resolve though. It could be because I take longer to heal because I have chronic pain, but they also told me nerves can take longer to calm down. Fingers x’d your recovery will be quicker and there’s nothing else going on. Hope you feel better soon.

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@skylee

Hi, I apologize for not getting on here. I have been so busy. And I want to thank each of you for all of your helpful responses you are all Earth bound angels. I will keep updating on here for those interested and also to hopefully help someone in someway.
I went to my PCP yesterday and she did a manual nerve test on my arm. Ex. Pin prick, rubbed with rubber gloves on, and had me push and pull her hands. While the EMG I had done did not show anything wrong, this test proved a problem with my radial nerve. She said it is aggravated. How ironic so am I ..lol she said she does not know if the anesthesia went in the nerve the wrong way or if it just aggravated the nerve.
That makes me so mad that anesthesiologist should have stopped. At least to look and see if something was wrong. Because now I have this numbness and drop things every day for 5 months now. I have had an EMG and those are not fun. Had to see 3 doctors now, took steroids, and had manual nerve test.
Now I have to take gabapentin and do occupational therapy for 6 weeks. My PCP is hoping the medication and therapy will calm the nerve down. And it frustrates me because Friday is the last day for physical therapy on the atm I had surgery on. Had to do that for 4 months. So was so happy to be done. But now have to do 6 weeks for this crap!!!
If it is not better in 6 weeks, I have to get another EMG with my PCPs group neurologist and on my shoulder and neck to be sure there isn't more going on and an MRI on my arm.
So, I will know more in about 7 weeks, but as of now my radial nerve is for sure aggravated from the anesthesia they just can't say whether it went in the vein wrong or if it just aggravated it. Ugh!!!! So, frustrating!!!
Well, I hope you all have a great week and I will respond to any responses as soon as I can .. thank you
Lori

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You should see a lawyer. They appear to be negligent. I am so sorry for your pain. It could have been avoided. Hope it goes away and soon.

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@gba

Hello Skylee, If your neurologist can confirm that you have Neuropathy, you will find much support on this site. Lets see the results from the neurologist. Keep us posted and good luck.

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Hello, I have more news. My diagnosis is neuropathic hand pain with damaged radial and ulnar nerves and also tested positive for fromets. So, I was right, the anesthesia affected those nerves that is why it hurt so bad.
At first my arm from my shoulder to my hand would go completely numb like when your foot falls asleep and can't walk on it. Everyday on and off. Now it is constantly numb all the time...not as intense but it doesn't stop and it is just above my elbow to my finger tips. I have loss of sensation, strength, and over all functuality. Has been almost 6 months now.
They have me taking gabapentin and just started occupational therapy for 6 weeks hoping to calm these nerves down.
I see my PCP in 6 weeks and if not better then she is sending me to her health group neurologist .
The occupational therapist is awesome ...he is going to try ultrasound next visit on Thursday. He did quite a few tests I am attaching pics of those . Thank you so much you are great.

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Ive been through this experience quite a few times. I found out that the physicians will stick up for each other as if it is in their oath or something. It almost as if you have a black check next to your name in your history file. May I suggest going to Pain Management. They may help find the issue and treat it according. I believe you!

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Good morning skylee@skylee. I had a similar experience when I went in to have a CT scan with contrast at a small local hospital. To condense the story, the technician ended up missing or going through the vein while placing the IV catheter before the procedure and although it did hurt a little I didn’t think too much about it because they had just drawn blood from the same arm. During the CT scan when the technician told me he was releasing the contrast dye I immediately felt an excruciating pain in my arm and my arm started spasming and my hand involuntarily clenched, my heart started racing and I screamed to stop otherwise I would pass out. He immediately stopped and saw my arm (inside the elbow where it had been inserted) swelling up and pulled out the IV catheter. I told him I was done and would not continue. My arm hurt and was swollen for over a week although I did not have any numbness. I did some research at the time and came up with the term extravasation for what might have happened. I am so sorry you have had complications and hope my story helps in some way. I don’t believe the anesthesia exacerbated any condition in your case, I believe there was technician error and the anesthesia ended up outside of where it should have gone. In my case, only a small amount of contrast dye ended up in my arm and yet I had a big swelling. I can imagine there was a lot more anesthesia fluid that ended up in your arm damaging the surrounding tissues and nerves.

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@emo

Thanks for the update! That is so frustrating to just finish PT and now need to start OT, and of course not to be believed in the first place.

But I feel encouraged your PCP listened and thought things through. I hope your radial nerve is irritated like you said and will calm down in time. Most of the OTs I’ve met have been wonderful, so I hope things go smoothly with OT.

Similarly, well, it wasn’t as traumatic as what happened with your surgery, but I developed an ulnar nerve injury (the nerve on that runs down the other side of the elbow) because an overzealous PT didn’t believe something was wrong with the movements and manual therapy he was doing. Nothing showed up on my EMG either, which is a good thing I guess.

It did take months for it to mostly resolve though. It could be because I take longer to heal because I have chronic pain, but they also told me nerves can take longer to calm down. Fingers x’d your recovery will be quicker and there’s nothing else going on. Hope you feel better soon.

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Hi..thank you out so much for taking the time to read and respond to my post. The world needs more people like you in it. I am sorry for what you went through. Therapy can work but like in your case It can also hinder things. That is terrible. I do now t know why they just do not believe us. I do not have a one for all this I wish I were faking it. And it is terrible, why in the world would have fake it? Ugh!
I also hope that the nerves are just aggravated and calm down soon. They said it can take a long time. But I am terrified to have another surgery. I will never let them do anesthesia through the IV again. They will have to o use a gas or something.
I am glad you fixed the problem you had and thanks again, you are so helpful. God bless you out and yours.

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Hello, I hope you are all doing well. I have more info. Ok so last week I went to occupational therapy for the first time and he conducted a lot of tests which the results are that my radial, ulnar, and median nerves are damaged. Also, positive for fromets.
I went for second visit yesterday. My arm is swollen now so now I have to wear a compression sleeve, do water baths, 2 exercises twice a day, taking gabapentin, and massage. It is starting to hurt more now also. It is from my fingertips to just above my elbow.
I went to anesthesia and talked with an anesthesia doctor and the guy anesthesiologist that yelled at me to calm down. It did not go well. The doctor had an attitude and kept cutting me off. The guy that yelled at me, I asked him if he was the one in their with me and he said he can't remember. But it was him. And when I explained the whole situation to the doctor they both just sat there without a care in the world. The doctor said there is no way this is from anesthesia. I asked him if this ever happens and he said never.
I did research...there are 4 ways that are avoidable that cause this injury from anesthesia. 1) when injecting anesthesia they are not supposed to have the arm stretched out straight. My arm was stretched out straight the whole time. 2) they were supposed to put a cushion under my arm to support the ulnar nerve. They did not have a cushion under my arm. 3) when there is any pain during the injection, the anesthesiologist must stop and reposition the needle/IV. She didn't. I looked up at her crying begging her to stop and she just looked at me. Didn't say a word, look to see what was wrong nothing. Just finished emptying the syringe. And 4) they are supposed to reposition you every 10 to 15 mins during surgery. My surgery was 40 mins. But I do not know if they did or not.
I knew something was very wrong when it burned like that at that moment. But when I left hospital I tried to forget about that nightmare. Then 3 days after surgery it started going numb every day . Now it is numb all the time, hurts, swollen. It is getting worse not better. I am soooo frustrated because I just finished therapy on my surgery arm and it is still healing.
Now I have to do therapy twice a week for this arm , deal with the pain and numbness everyday for almost 6 months now. I do not have full use of either arm and it is so aggravating 😠!!!
I wish I were faking this , just be able to say forget it it is fine and move on but that is not the case. Ugh thanks for reading and I hope in some way my posts are helping someone else. Take care...will post when get more info

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The reason they can’t agree with you about what happened and what you are experiencing is liability. They can’t admit any wrongdoing in case you are planning to sue. I wish it wasn’t like that, but it is. There could possibly be some notes in your medical records from surgery that refer to your painful response, and even your visit with them yesterday.

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@julbpat

The reason they can’t agree with you about what happened and what you are experiencing is liability. They can’t admit any wrongdoing in case you are planning to sue. I wish it wasn’t like that, but it is. There could possibly be some notes in your medical records from surgery that refer to your painful response, and even your visit with them yesterday.

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Probably a Medicare patient with very limited income. MAYO has only limited resources for does patients. Not like cash donor, railroad insurers, or regular insurers getting preferred treatment

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I wish my primary was like yours. Mine just says it's out of her league. I have 2 types of neuropathy. My Emg showed that one effects my bodies ability to control temperature and my blood pressure keeps dropping so low I pass out. I guess it's in my central nervous system. The other affects my limbs. My Mayo neurologist did a needle test on me and from the knee down I didn't feel anything until he stuck me above my knee and I screamed because it hurt. Same on both calves on down to my feet. My hands and fingers are the same way. But nobody tells me how to make it feel better. I don't understand how they don't feel anything, yet I get horrible pain and burning in them? It's a pain like nothing I have ever encountered. Any advice would be appreciated.

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