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Has anyone experienced brachial plexopathy?
I have been diagnosed with brachial plexopathy caused by radiation for breast cancer 27 years ago. I've had several surgeries in the past on my arm including a tendon transfer that did not work. These were an attempt to give me better functioning in my hand because the nerves were not working and the doctors apparently didn't know about the severe damage to my brachial plexus. I am right- handed and my hand is very dysfunctional. I cannot raise my shoulder and the muscles in my arm are atrophying. Has anyone had this experience?
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Did they test you for thoracic outlet syndrome? I had numbness in my right arm, trap, and lat area. The surgery has improved my symptoms by 90% just 4 months after surgery.
I was diagnosed with bilateral brachiaal plexopathy - same cause as you but on both sides. Right arm went first, left following suiut. Very painful "electrocution" episodes during the day. Right arm barely functions, left losing strength quickly
@sararaz
Hello Sara,
I have severe brachial plexopathy on right side. The pain started just like yours. Spasms of excruciating pain. I'm told that it probably started in 2017 when my hand began to not function. I had a "PIN" surgery on my arm which did not help much. Then I had a tendon transfer in 2021 which also did not work. None of these doctors mentioned brachial plexopathy. In January of 2024 the " electrocuting" type pain began in sudden spasms. After seeing 3 doctors and two EMGs, I was finally sent to a neuromuscular neurologist who diagnosed the brachial plexopathy due to radiation for breast cancer in 1999. She said it would progress with time and get worse; no neurosurgery would help and no "fix" available. My hand is quite dysfunctional and my arm can barely lift. I wish you well on this journey and am so glad you reached out.