Wondering what I should do

[an0thermike]

I know, stress has been really doing a number on me. I've been trying to spend more time with my fiance because she always seems to make me feel a little bit better. I don't really want to take any big drugs, so I started taking Saint John's Wort and that seems to be helping a little as well. I have my first session with a therapist tomorrow afternoon and I'm hoping that helps a little bit too. Even posting on this forum is a sort of therapy for me because it lets me just get these things off my chest.

 

[Toto's Dorothy]

Wow, you jumped in the deep end without your swimmies on and we are going to sit back and watch. Have you truly seriously tried clearing your head and try going back over your posts? You really should. It may give you that foothold back into reality. Sorry to be so blunt.

You are just out of the blue going to take the second surgeons word for surgery? Remember, that's their job: to cut! I would go for a third opinion as sort of a tie breaker. JMO. And just when did you see the second one? You posted on Saturday and never mentioned seeing a new or another doctor. And then you tell us you're having an epidural. What for? Why? You don't seem to make sense! And how were you able to get an EMG scheduled so fast? I wished I could cry wolf and have had 1 so fast!

And after reading what you do for a living, I'm still leaning towards the neck issue causing the "atrophy". Just remember, once you've cut its hard to go back. (Carpal tunnel comes to mind.)

Good luck to you,

And Johnny, my lover across the pond, you lighten my day when you post.

 

[an0thermike]

When my neck issues first started I saw another neurosurgeon, who assured me that the pain I was having in my left hand had nothing to do with my back. She told me it was probably carpal tunnel or something like that. The only time I have pain in my hand is when I try to pinch something or push off with the index side of my palm. I mentioned in a previous post that I had gone to see a hand surgeon, he told me that he couldnt find anything wrong with my hand aside from the atrophy... I have no numbness in my hand and he couldn't find any hotspots for pain in my hand when he pressed on it. So apparently my symptoms did not indicate carpal tunnel. I had one EMG per his recommendation on my left arm which didn't find anything. In retrospect, I don't think the EMG I had was looking in the right places, though I really don't know because I'm not a doctor. Anyway, hopefully tomorrow I get some better answers from the 2nd EMG.

Trust me, I don't want surgery on my neck. I just don't want to lose the function of my hands either. If I had any better options I would take them in an instant. As for the epidural, the surgeon asked me to get one to see if it helped with my symptoms because I've been having pain and tightness in my upper back (the main reason i saw the neurosurgeon in the first place). He told me that if the epidural has any efficacy than it might be proof that my neck is causing my symptoms. I don't know how I got the EMG so fast, but I really don't feel like I'm crying wolf.

 

[trfogey]

Not that I recommend it, but you can learn to operate a computer with no hands, BTW. I do it everyday and have been doing so for nearly two years. Which is something you might take an interest in learning about if your hands are giving you this much trouble at your young age.

 

[Toto's Dorothy]

And then there's mine: voice activation. But you have to keep a strong voice or you get mush. That's when I revert back to the old stylus in the mouth and click each letter routine.

 

[Toto's Dorothy]

And your last sentence in post 31 really rubs me the wrong way. But I guess I should thank you for allowing us to be your sounding board!

 

[kiwisally]

Don't forget the typing practice too Toto.

 

[ytuytdh]

OMG :idea::razz:

 

[Toto's Dorothy]

Touché, Kiwi!

 

[notme]

I did want to add one thing I thought I mentioned. Did a doctor RX potassium or are you taking it on your own? Potassium is one electrolyte that should NEVER be treated by anyone but a doctor. It needs to stay within a very, very narrow range or can be deadly. TOO HIGH and TOO LOW are deadly. If a doc didn't order it--stop taking it!

Look up lethal injection meds sometime. One of them is potassium chloride--it causes a massive coronary. Low potassium simply causes the heart to stop. A nurse who knew CPR saved my dad when he collapsed on a date with a potassium in the low deadly range.

Why don't vitamin stores warn people about the crap they sell people? Also--it is VERY important that your neuro performing your EMG knows about ALL supplements you're taking--some can cause bleeding--which you don't want during an EMG.