Joanne S
11-27-2007, 07:22 PM
Some of you may recall my previous posts from several weeks ago about my persistent pain.
The Neurotin prescribed by my physiatrist took 3 weeks to kick in and ---good news---my pain has diminished 50%. I am still fatigued and weak, but I continue to go to physical therapy three times a week. My shoulder and arm range of motion have improved from the PT, but if I skip any of my daily stretching exercises, my shoulder, arm, and chest freeze up and the pain worsens---just as if I never had any PT.
Upon much pondering on what to do about my tissue expanders of steel and my pain, I decided it was best to find another plastic surgeon. My initial plastic surgeon insisted she had no idea why I was in pain, and would not agree to do any additional surgery to complete my reconstruction until I was pain free.
It took me a while but I am so glad I followed my intuition and found a new plastic surgeon. He immediately diagnosed me with a very common complication (just as I suspected) of reconstruction surgery. He has performed thousands of reconstruction surgeries over the past 20 years, and he is Chief of Plastic Surgery at St. John Hospital in Detroit. Although he has no way of predicting if my pain will diminish, disappear, or remain, he feels I need immediate surgery to get rid of the capsular contracture.
If all goes well, I will have new genuine faux boobs implanted at that time too. I will be having surgery tomorrow morning. I certainly hope and pray that it will remedy my pain problems.
Thank you for your kindness and for keeping me in your prayers,
Hugs,
Jo
http://www.stjohn.org/images/LeftNavBarImages/hosp_sjhmc.jpg St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit Michigan Ranked in top 100 heart hospital in US.
Van Elslander (Art Van Furniture) and his family pledge a total of $6.5 million to St. John Health over the next five years to fund the Van Elslander Pavilion at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit. The gift follows a $3 million contribution from the family five years ago to fund the Van Elslander Cancer Center at the hospital. http://www.stjohn.org/images/LeftNavBarImages/VECC%20sepia.jpg To date, the family, which has counted on the hospital for care for decades, has donated more than $10 million to St. John, Van Elslander.
My previous posts (links underlined):
Capsular Contracture of the... 09-22-2007 Capsular Contracture of the... (http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=134613#post134613)
Capsular Contracture of the Breast Implant:
http://www.implantforum.com/capsular-contracture/ (http://www.implantforum.com/capsular-contracture/)
Oooh--the pain---help! 09-16-2007 Oooh--the pain---help! (http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=134089#post134089)
Glad I found this site- help... 08-25-2007 Glad I found this site- help... (http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=131791#post131791)
The Neurotin prescribed by my physiatrist took 3 weeks to kick in and ---good news---my pain has diminished 50%. I am still fatigued and weak, but I continue to go to physical therapy three times a week. My shoulder and arm range of motion have improved from the PT, but if I skip any of my daily stretching exercises, my shoulder, arm, and chest freeze up and the pain worsens---just as if I never had any PT.
Upon much pondering on what to do about my tissue expanders of steel and my pain, I decided it was best to find another plastic surgeon. My initial plastic surgeon insisted she had no idea why I was in pain, and would not agree to do any additional surgery to complete my reconstruction until I was pain free.
It took me a while but I am so glad I followed my intuition and found a new plastic surgeon. He immediately diagnosed me with a very common complication (just as I suspected) of reconstruction surgery. He has performed thousands of reconstruction surgeries over the past 20 years, and he is Chief of Plastic Surgery at St. John Hospital in Detroit. Although he has no way of predicting if my pain will diminish, disappear, or remain, he feels I need immediate surgery to get rid of the capsular contracture.
If all goes well, I will have new genuine faux boobs implanted at that time too. I will be having surgery tomorrow morning. I certainly hope and pray that it will remedy my pain problems.
Thank you for your kindness and for keeping me in your prayers,
Hugs,
Jo
http://www.stjohn.org/images/LeftNavBarImages/hosp_sjhmc.jpg St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit Michigan Ranked in top 100 heart hospital in US.
Van Elslander (Art Van Furniture) and his family pledge a total of $6.5 million to St. John Health over the next five years to fund the Van Elslander Pavilion at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit. The gift follows a $3 million contribution from the family five years ago to fund the Van Elslander Cancer Center at the hospital. http://www.stjohn.org/images/LeftNavBarImages/VECC%20sepia.jpg To date, the family, which has counted on the hospital for care for decades, has donated more than $10 million to St. John, Van Elslander.
My previous posts (links underlined):
Capsular Contracture of the... 09-22-2007 Capsular Contracture of the... (http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=134613#post134613)
Capsular Contracture of the Breast Implant:
http://www.implantforum.com/capsular-contracture/ (http://www.implantforum.com/capsular-contracture/)
Oooh--the pain---help! 09-16-2007 Oooh--the pain---help! (http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=134089#post134089)
Glad I found this site- help... 08-25-2007 Glad I found this site- help... (http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=131791#post131791)