Nerve pain - Or Pain caused by offending piece of metal post surgery

[colinadams1]

Hello

Hope you well

I Have had 3 years of Pain resulting in the following surgery -
First of all had a ADR - Anteria disc replacement - To neck region.
Then followed by T2 - T12 with rods and X Bar at  T4 -T5.
Also had Plate grafted to Lower T Area with Screws.
After this operation i complained of deep kidney pain - Like Gauld stones - After much investigation and knowone believing me - The orthapeadic surgeon opened me up below and found deep seated amounts of poison in and around my surgery - Was found had Suffalas Cococus - MRSA.
Surgeon abborted surgery - flushed ouy wound - Removed infected screw.
Put on very strong anti biotics for 2 weeks.
Pain subsided and was recovering.
Then as still suffering original mid thorax pain - Surgeon inserted a T BAR In mid thorax region.
Initially seemed to do trick - Could stand up no pain etc.
Then one day i felt something jump in the area and for 30 minutes i was pain free.
However about hour later a Burning Pain arrived and has been with me ever since.
Feels like the infection pain like before but in different place.
My CRP Score before was 265.
Surgeon said i have Deep scar tissue - Have had 3 months of intense deep tissue massage to break down to which has only proved temporary rest bite.
Have had a Upright MRI scan as only feel this when upright.
Surgeon says i now have Chronic Back Pain syndrome??
I do not buy into this as if i Take a bath Towel and wrap it tight around  chest i feel something being pulled off the area and pain goes instantly - i can even walk around with towel on in total pain free.
Now i am daily experiencing the following symptoms and getting worse.
As soon as i stand its instant burning and Pain increases during day whilst at work.
My hands become bright purple and red and Dry out - Disappears when i lay down?
My Entire left side is cold and my knee is bright purple?
I am only taking Tramadol and Gama petelin.
These do not really do anything except make me able to get by daily.
I am only really at peace when i lay down etc.
I have been going to the gym to do light excercise to keep weight down and feel when circulation has been created the pain is lubricated if it makes sense.
Now as i have had this pain for 3 years now - 9 operations - To many drugs to contemplate - Every kind of therapy i am becoming depressed almost suicidal at times.
My Surgeon (Private) has now abandoned me - And has suggested a Spinal Block stimulator.
Me i feel the whole cause of my Terrible burn and pain is this X Bar in the middle of my shoulder blades.
I feel the only answer is to have it removed and at least be like i was pre surgery.
I am waiting to see a Neurologist as i am really at my wits end - I cannot stand up for more than 30 seconds without pain - Feels like Burning - pins and needles - Chinese burn etc.
My thoughts are if i can remove pain with a tornique and feel the offending item being released then surely this is the way forward.
Because you cannot have an ultra sound of your spine - Nobody can see what i am feeling?
My surgeon has refused to remove the X BAR despite my plea's of desparation etc.
I cannot live like this for too much longer!
Can you advise

[colinadams1]

Thanks mate

Will keep you informed - keep Smiling

CA

[ggreg]

CA,  I will say if you explain to another doc how your repair was on account of a screw coming loose and the situation created the MRSA infection, and yet he doesn't seem to want to do anything, then ask him for a vest or brace that can be positioned so as to keep that pressure off like your towel or movements do, and also since you've been on pain meds a while, ask them to throw someting on top of it and/or increase the meds you're on.  They need increasing from time to time.  I take an opiate and later had to get on Lyrica to tame the pain, altho right now NEITHER is helping me, and like you, the neuros seem to think it's all OKAY that I'm miserable.  SIGH.  Well, good for you planning on seeing the doc and telling him about the previous repair, becuz apparently something has given way from the original surgery, and could be it has happened all over again.  GG

[colinadams1]

Will do.
as i am sitting here now i can pull the muscle away from area and it goes like that literally.
But i will see Neurologist and explain the situation.

Personally if i can do this myself with my hand a towel tonique then surely this can be recipricated in surgery or something else.

Like i said have tried the Deep tissue massage and that just spread pain and then returns.

I just want to stop taking pain killers as its been three years now and it cannot be doing my insides any good.

Regards

CA

[ggreg]

Sounds to me something very similar to your first repair, where you had infection in your spine and they replaced a screw.  This seems to me to be an identiclal situation, where all that hardware that was originally put in there, since one part goofed up, then it makes perfect sense another part has.  And when you put on top of that how you can pull your spine into a painless position with a towel, why, I should think an open-minded orthopedic surgeon would be willing to have a look-see.  It would be great if you could find the one who worked on you before when you had the MRSA infection.  Also, just as a tip, I wouldn't tell a doc to remove anything, as you have been doing, becuz THAT may be what they object to, not necessarily another mechanical failure of some kind that needs shoring up.  

You must be proactive and inform whatever docs you see from here on, like the neuro you are about to see, that you had a previous "repair" surgery and had the MRSA and a loose screw, etc., and perhaps this is a similar situation.  They must know about that other repair.  Also, that towel thing means something, so I guess you might throw that in there.  But a lot of times, for some reason, docs just don't have the time to sit down and read a file before they see the patient, and they kind of fly by the seat of their pants when they decide what is wrong with you.

This all seems so obvious to me, what might be the problem, you know.  I do not know why your doctors do not see what I see, at least as a strong possibility.  At least if they went in there, they could visualize for real what is going on, and go about fixing it.  I just wish the previous ortho surgeon who did your first repair could have a look at you.  I have thoracic spine injury from a car accident, so I know how profound a problem this is for you.  Keep us informed if you can.  GG