| Last Updated June 29, 2005 |
My TOS :
Next week I'm going for a diagnosis of TOS. After 2 plus years of being passed from doctor to doctor like a casserole dish, it took my attorney to figure out what was wrong with me! Like most of you, doctors told me it was all in my head because every test they performed came back negative. I'm now on a forced medical leave (with the intention to fire me) and this is the 2nd job I've lost due to my condition. Since you've been diagnosed, I was wondering if you could tell me if my symptoms are consistent with what all of you have experienced. They are: Severe pain in left chest - shoulder, neck, ribcage. Lightheadedness and dizziness the worse the pain becomes. Loud POPS being heard by others coming from my chest. A "tearing" sensation below the ribcage while vacuuming my house. Shortness of breath and feeling like I had a metal band inside my chest squeezing everything to the point I felt like I was starting to suffocate. 3 instances of hands and left leg going totally numb and not responding to my brain telling them to move. Extreme coldness, especially upper body. Tingling in arms, hands, legs, feet. Feeling of heaviness in my arms. Weakness in my legs. Clumsiness. Legs having a mottled dark blue appearance on occasion. Severe cramps in legs and under right ribcage. Headaches on left side of head. Pain wakes me up at night. No painkillers (Tylenol 3 or Percoset), Lidocaine patches, injections have been effective for any length of time. I do have scoliosis and was diagnosed with a severe chest wall injury some years ago. All MRI's, CAT scans, bone scans, etc. have come back negative. Doctors have gone so far down my throat and up my a** they should've found Amelia Earhardt by now. My life (such as it is) has become a nightmare since this started. I was an active person and now am lucky if I can find the energy to wash the dishes. I've been destroyed financially due to medical bills and loss of jobs. My co-workers have ridiculed and slandered me and told management I was "faking" my symptoms. I was cashiering at WalMart when my symptoms worsened considerably. If anyone knows of a competent doctor versed in TOS in Wisconsin, would you please contact me? My heart goes out to all of you with what you've endured as well...
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