I was hit by a car jogging over a year ago , as soon as I was hit my whole left arm went numb from my fingers to a little above my elbow. Things could have been a lot worse. But ever since the numbness hasn’t ever went away and has been accompanied by pain. I lost my job doing data entry because I couldn’t rest my elbow, I lost my insurance and my psychiatrist. I suffer from anxiety , add and depression some days not even able to get out of bed. I have this new insurance that refuses to give me what previous drs and psychiatrist have gave me that actually worked. It’s been over a year now with the same pain still, I had a MRI show an impinged nerve , however I just had an EMG that came up negative. Then the dr today tells me maybe the pains just in my head . Like I wish I had my original insurance instead of this bootleg gold coast fake health plan. Where they treat you like a guinea pig w medication, as my name says I’m losing hope I don’t know what to do. I’m only 34 , is there anything I can do to find out what’s wrong with my arm? Or to get them to finally put me on the same psych meds so I actually want to smile again and try to be happy and get a job. I’m so done and depressed watching all these famous people commit suicide makes me wonder.
I’m new and lost emotionally and on this site - Pain Concern
I’m new and lost emotionally and on this site
Hi please don’t loose hope there has to be something that can be done. Do you live in the USA because if you do.have you tried checking with Social Security , SSI
When you got hit did that person have insurance?? I know there must be something that can be done to help you out. Know matter where you live.
Be safe let us know what happens.
I have MS and I know how bad it can get
I am not saying yours isn’t bad.
BE SAFE.
ssdw1958
PS if I don’t get back to you don’t worry about it because it’s 2:53 a.m. here I am going to try to sleep.
TRY ???
Thank you ! Positive energy to you as well!!!! I am in California.
I didn’t think I can get social security or compensation from insurance until I was diagnosed .i will try calling tomorrow.
I just feel like I’m fighting with drs and I’ve switched 3 times since losing insurance. I felt I was getting close until talking to my Dr today. I don’t know what other tests could help them find out what’s wrong.
You say: "I just had an EMG that came up negative." What is an EMG and can you give more detail. You may need to find this out. This is important.
You say: "I had a MRI show an impinged nerve ". You are in the realm of something that can be very variable. This because muscle behaviour will have a major impact on numbness and pain. Treatment regime is going to need McTimony chiropractic and Alexander Technique. Neither treatment is likely to cure the problem, but the treatments will help you to have a better quality of life.
Anxiety is a body muscle control and breathing issue. In the 1880s give or take a few years there was a split in psychology thinking between Freud and William James. William James was emotions are in the body and Freud was in the mind. Freud won because there was a lot of money that could be made by the followers of Freud as well as the ability to cover up much wrong doing in the medical profession with his theories.
No amount of counselling will deal with your anxiety when it is caused by faulty muscle breathing behaviour. The anxiety will be much reduced when the muscle imbalance caused by your accident are reduced.
Depression is also a body muscle control and posture situation. This part again is totally ignored by the medical profession.
The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in the Making of Consciousness by Antonio Damasio is worth reading. Antonio Damasio is a respected neuroscientist. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton.... He will give you the ammunition to fight the doctors who try and say your pain is in the mind.
Pain and numbness can be caused by nerve root impingement. The impingement is going to be very variable because muscle behaviour is going to modify the forces applied to root nerves. The pain is going to be felt at some distance from where the impingement takes place. This is known as referred pain. It took me about three years to determine that the faintest of discomfort in the neck results in massive pain in the arm. Logically it made sense emotionally it did not.
The brain has to deal with inputs from the body that says something is not well. This is exhausting because the brain is not designed to deal with signals from the body that says something is not well on a continuous basis.
There are days when I am in bed nearly all day. It is the result of the brain saying I have had enough I need to recuperate. The brain gets rid of waste products when it is asleep not when it is awake. You have part of the brain which has to deal with issues of something is wrong. The brain gets overloaded because it is not designed to receive continuous messages of something is not well. So there comes a point when it has to get rid of accumulated waste products. Hence the exhaustion and days in bed.
Buddhist meditation and mindfulness has been dealing with pain and discomfort issues for thousands of years. The religious traditions of various flavours have been dealing with pain and discomfort for thousands of years. The religious traditions survived because they worked. Find a religious tradition you can be happy with and explore their methods. Psychology is an untruthful science. There are many psychologists who have lied about their results in written papers and at lectures. This has been reported in Nature on a number of occasions.
You have to ask the question were my ligaments damaged at the time of the accident. Hookes law says: "When an elastic object - such as a spring - is stretched, the increased length is called its extension. The extension of an elastic object is directly proportional to the force applied to it: If the force is greater than the elastic limit then the spring remains stretched." The car hitting you produced a lot of force. Was the force on my ligaments greater than the elastic limit of your ligaments. This is something that you need to investigate. The stretching of the ligaments can be very small, however this means that muscle may have to take over some of the function of ligament. Muscle control needs input from the brain and spine. This is a drain of resources on a system that is not designed to replace ligament with muscle.
Hope I have been helpful.
You have been a blessing. Gave me a lot of info to look into . Honestly, you’ve explained my feeling perfectly and made it understandable. I was on adderall and Xanax before the accident , and for a few months after, and soma , which made the pain not control my life I actually wanted to go outside and do things. The drs now tell me oh your psychiatrist just got you addicted so you have to keep going back, those drugs are bad for you, but I think I’d rather be addicted to a drug that helps me want to live fully then be this emotional mess and rut I’ve been feeling. (Probably cause the exhaustion of feeling pain all the time) . I have an MRI of my cervical spine coming up on the 24th.
The emg they like shocked my fingers and put needles in my arm. It only took about 5 minutes total. I’ve been reading a book called Nanananda towards calm and insight. Which is teaching me that life is preparation and pain is just a teacher we need to learn to deal with. I have been into yoga and meditation when I’m on medication since before the accident . When I’m not medicated I let the pain and frustration take over and just don’t want to be around anyone. I was running 5-7 miles before I was hit now I struggle to go 2.5.
I have a 2 day interview for a job at a casino and I can’t sleep because the stress and anxiety of having to fake being happy, when I could just be on my meds like when I use to work . I’m not a drug addict and only drink socially unless I get overwhelmed which is maybe once or twice a month. Cannabis helps a lot keep my mind out of the loop of negativity, but it’s expensive and I can’t always count on it due to different kinds and potency’s I guess.
I was hit by a truck and my arm got caught up in his add on grill. I was literally at a stop and thought he saw me because I was running for quite a distance and had on bright yellow leggings. He did not he did a California roll and struck me while I was in mid stride waving thanks for stopping to him, I didn’t get knocked down , but I definitely got hit with impact in my arm and driving my right leg down hard and I was diagnosed with whiplash at the hospital. I don’t know if that’s stretching muscles or more compressing(the hit to the arm) ? An arm mri also showed a bone spur in my shoulder a dr told me. I will try to look into all your information.
You guys have been so hopeful already, and made me feel not alone in what I’m going thru. Thank you.
Hi LH805 sorry but I need to use the Abbreviation The other name you have I’m sure isn’t who you really are I’m sure your a strong person physically And mentally
I am glad you are going to look into other avenues. I just want to let you know about the doctor I had. He was a real jerk he didn’t want listen to after about 5 to 7 years I actually had to go in to let him know I was having symptoms of either MS or Lyme disease. He said don’t jump to conclusion what a piece of work and I said how do I find out what I have. So I had an MRI and with a real doctor I found out I have MS.
That was a bitter sweet moment. 😕 what I’m trying to say there is a doctor who will listen to you that is on your insurance. Can you get your file from the other doctors you had so maybe a new doctor can review them what ever you do make copy’s of everything. Could you call your old doctors to find out how you could get back to being there patient again.
Good luck in your Mission.
ssdw1958
Out of curiosity have you experimented with cannabis?
nationalmssociety.org/Treat... ( I think marijuana is a derogatory term)
You guys sure help me . I can’t imagine your situation and send you guys love. That universal love that’s in all of us that we hide away in public because it’s what we’ve been taught.
Seriously I feel like I’m going crazy sometime but I know the pain is real because it’s debilitating. 5-7 years? And you had to go. To the Dr with your own diagnosis.... wow. That’s shows me I need to research and pay attention to my pain.
I had a dr a month ago think I was just looking for pain pills and said to me I think you should find another dr because I don’t think we fit, and made me take another drug test. I took 5 gabapentin(what they keep insisting should work) last night and my arm is throbbing right now still, and I can’t sleep but probably from typing or holding the iPad . (Bent arms) . To me that’s ridiculous all because they’re worried im going to get addicted to a medication. Or it’s too dangerous. They basically make me feel worthless or some druggie who’s just trying to get off, so they use me as a guinea pig to test these random medicines that takes 2 weeks to work they say.
I’ve been very lucky and haven’t used a dr much in my life until this accident. I went from a normal job insurance to the Obamacare insurance.
I will definitely get copies .
Sometimes it feels like there’s no decent people but this site has proved me wrong. I actually don’t use the internet much for connecting with people but I think I’m going to start and look for other forums with people with similar interests.
Hello. You have received very good information so I'll keep this short. I think that MRI may actually show damage in your neck area is causing your pain.
I had a fall years ago across a chair at work. The pain started in my upper arm, and within a few days traveled down my arm to my fingers and dumbness appeared too. Had no neck pain so had no idea a herniated disc was pressing against my spinal cord. I loss the ability to even turn a door knob. I was lucky that I worked at a hospital with good neurosurgeon, It required surgery and a fusion. I was 34.
Hopefully your injury can be resolved with physical therapy once the doctors can see exactly where your injury is. If the MRI shows an impingment, that should provide the doctors where your injury maybe radiating from. They are remarkable pieces of medical equipment not available when I was hurt, Hope you can get the medical records of your other exams , tests and radiologist reports to show to your next doctor.
Not related to the original post but regarding MRIs, I want to see a neurologist about my spinal stenosis and bulging disks in my neck. When i called the doctors office, they said I need a current MRI for a consultation. They gave me a number to an imaging center.
I called the imaging center to get a price and they gave me a range of $350 to $600. Then they asked about my insurance. I have a high deductable so I told them that I will have to pay the whole thing out of pocket since I have not met my yearly deductable. They said self pay is $350 but I should go through my insurance even though it will be $600. They said if I get the surgery, the insurance will ask for an MRI even though I got one myself. She said that they won't accept mine. In addition to that, my insurance will require a preauthorization for the consultation. I'm beginning to wonder if I would be better off without insurance.
Just do what you have to do. or look into different insurance. Have a very high deductible too. So who writes the RX for the MRI? I had a reason for the high deductible plan....... You asked staff at your neurologist about your insurance...try talking to your carrier. And maybe it's time for a neurosurgeon, not a neurologist , to evaluate you if surgery is actually in the realm of possibility. The insurance world is difficult to deal with at times; maybe better to spend the money on the MRI that the surgeon will see from the imaging facility he/.she prefers. Your last sentence is one many of us wonder. xx
I’m sorry to hear that , but I appreciate the information. I’m like really anxious around needles I passed out twice giving plasma and at a dentist , I can’t look at them and at the same time I want to make sure they’re new and then again they freak me out when they’re labeled with my name when I’m not on meds. I don’t look forward to medical tests involving them. In fact quite the opposite.
These drs seem overwhelmed with patients which I understand but they should look at previous charts to see what you were on especially if you were fired due to injury and had to switch insurances it have no coverage.
Thank you , I just got off the phone and they had the nerve to tell me it’s .25 a page after 10 pages I can just imagine how many pages mine is going to be !!!!!!!!!
I feel bad that your in such pain. Believe me I sometimes feel like the way you do like no one cares but I know they do but let’s be serious they don’t know the pain we go through my feet are numb all the time it feels like I have tight socks on all the time the other day I thought I had my sneakers on but I didn’t it was the numbness I was feeling crazy. For me it’s hard to figure out what drugs work for me if they are to strong I just don’t feel right. Beside MS I have raynards that’s when I feel cold all the time it could be 90*f and I would have a blanket on I also have about 11 kidney stones in my kidneys those are like a time bomb you never know when they are going to make an appearance. I am not telling you for your sympathy I wanted you to know to let you know I feel a little bit of your pain.
We all have our own paths we go down they are never straight mine Arnt I walk with a rollator that’s a walker with wheels. But enough about me who was the fool that hit you I know you said your arm is not right but how’s the rest of you ?
I know a young lady when she was in high school this idiot hit her with his van and she was tossed 70 feet down the road she lived but her life will never be the same again.
Look at me talking and talking.
I get like that sometimes, I’ve been trying to get my 20 year old son moving he needs to get some paperwork done for his college he is a good person but sometimes he moves too slow. We are supposed to have some wild rain storm this afternoon. it’s New England then it’s going to hit high 80’s then the 90’s wait. For it NO it’s not going to snow ⛄️ I said the S word. LOL
I hope you have a good day
I just got off the phone to get my medical records . I feel it in my neck and sometimes my knee and my brain I guess. I was very blessed because I read horror stories of other people’s jogging accidents and things could be a lot worse. And then I see amputees playing sports which makes me feel pathetic but it’s more because I feel like it’s me vs my drs at this point. And if I had knowledgeable doctors which I’m assuming come with quality high cost insurance because they have less patients I would come to resolutions a lot faster. With this insurance it’s like a month to see any specialist with my old insurance a week top. We really learn to appreciate what we don’t have when we don’t have it and then there’s these things we didn’t even know we had until they started being disrupted! I believe I’ve always been in empath and I feel a lot of what other people go thru whether it’s from a story or visually. Which leads to a lot of my anxiety , depression and add. Even when I was a kid w movies I think that’s why I’m deathly anxious around needles because of a movie I saw when I was too little which I shouldn’t have. And I prefer just not to be penetrated by anything I guess. Now I see movies as art , so blood and gore don’t really bother me as much in good taste but emotional movies do get me sometimes. And like I couldn’t watch my daughter get a shot it just makes me sick ; nauseous or anxious , maybe someone I don’t know but then comes all these sanitary thoughts. I cried during Bankys exit through the gift shop probably before because it’s beautiful an unknown man or group can make this art that promotes peace and equality and make something out of nothing and sell it for millions of dollars. I’ve been dirt poor since I haven’t worked for a year. Recycling cans to go to dr appointments, however I do believe I’m going to be a millionaire in 5 years if the world doesn’t end!
I didn’t go to college until I was 29 and it took me 4 years however I was a single father at 23 and worked most of the time. No one ever goes to a 9-5 to become a millionaire. Your son will find his way once he finds himself. Cannabis isn’t a devils plant in fact it’s been used over 5000 years ago as medicine and no ones ever died!its everything else that’s bad especially alcohol; and yes opioids and benzodiazepines if abused. Then again over consumption of anything isn’t swell. I was blessed enough to get an indica cannabis strain today high quality which seems to take a lot of the arm pain away or at least change its vibration ; unless I do sudden quick movements like reach for something or squeeze. I have been noticing sitting up straight with my neck slightly tilted to the left alievates some pain as well. Btw after medicating with the plant which was advertised at 25 percent thc and I’m assuming having a higher cbd percentage than most strains , I’d like to think of my name like Hope is out there it’s just lost right now. Sometimes I see it then it runs away like a golden brown puppy 🐶 in Joshua tree 🌲 .
Im not trying to preach but I’m a big time advocate of medical marijuana. It’s sad it’s not free in price and legality !!!!! Which would help science eradicate herbs with pesticides and do further research. There’s this stuff called rick Simpson oil which is basically high quality cbd oil (which they also make lotions and balms with which helped me after I was hit and still had a job typing, my dr at that time said keep trying and prescribed me soma ). healthline.com/health/rick-... Did you know Israel is in the fore front of Cannabis research? (I try my best to use the term cannabis because “marijuanah” was created as street slang and used to exile Mexicans out of the country when it was first illegalized.) I mean an all natural miracle cure ? Don’t knock it til you try it and you may be surprised if you ask your son about it after doing some research! Much love and positive energy to your family from mine .
I have never ever been in snow yet ! Sounds interesting and football games in them look fun! I lived by the beach and in the desert / Phoenix . Good luck in the rain ☔️ and enjoy that sunshine when it comes back w rainbows 🌈 ! Sorry for talking a lot but I do appreciate you and you’re help, and being here for me like I wish to be for you if I ever can be. Especially in 5 years !!!!! 🙏🏼 Namaste friend.
My back does hurt as well it’s been a while since my arm felt this good. To be able to recognize that especially after jogs. I went from running 3-4 times a week long distances to maybe once a week if I’m lucky short distances. But yea it feels like my spine was knocked out of wack definitely right knee.lower back and upper as well as clavicle area at various degrees of literally movement and as well as distance . For instance when driving I will feel something more than the other-especially like when I drive to Phoenix and back or go on an airplane; when I’m medicated on any medicine that works I feel feelings mostly subside and would just hit when they do; but always the arm it seems and definitely my elbow always. And I feel pulses through my body when my arm starts to feel any bit better with any move ment of my arm , or maybe neck , back? there’s like clicking and stuff rubbing together it sounds and feels like. I want to be precise with my pain since I’ve never really documented it just thought drs do that. And I also want other people to know so if they feel the same maybe they can help me or people could get help with me . *neck slightly tilted to my right * also my dr said don’t do what hurts my arm ; which makes my head spin because I’ve been playing video games since Atari and playing with vinyl records since I was 4. I purchased 2 Gaming computers so my daughter and I can play when she goes with her mom about 4 or 5 days maybe before I was hit as well as games for them for a total of 4,000 dollars when I was working full time. Which I don’t dare pawn cuz I don’t know when I’ll get the money to get them out. I’ve already lost a lot of stuff. And my right side of my neck hurt before the injury especially when I look down quick, which just happens more now so I’ve become accustomed to that pain just more it’s been awhile since the compression feeling has lessened this much maybe 3 months in my fingers . And that feeling good last upward to an hour usually at its peak. Or if I do strenuous activities like accidentally use my left arm to open the door for someone, grab a gallon of something especially, usually if it’s for myself I gather myself and use my right arm. I’ve learned to do things I think like tilt my neck and keep my arm straight well trying to sleep by putting it above my head instead of straight down . All of a sudden while jogging or persistent in certain areas at times.hope I make sense cuz I still feel all over the place and have to keep adding to be accurate as I recall feelings that my body hasn’t felt before since being hit and says it has affected my life since. Going to the movies soon and that is actually an arm killer because it’s difficult to keeep my arm strait in a movie theatre haven’t been to one in forever but my daughter is leaving for the summer so where going to see isle of dogs, our dog of 11 years passed away in March. And the people w live with their dog passed away about a month earlier after about 13 years. When I said famous people’s deaths make me wonder I meant if there rich and seem happy , what was going thru they’re head , it makes me wonder what I can do with money to actually make me happy if I ever do accomplish my goals I’ve had of selling some rare art I own from a storage auction over ten years ago.
Bless you you have been been through the mill. Ask your Dr to refer you to UCL neurology university in London and see a Dr Lunn. I saw him when all others said it was in my head and he did tests and found the problem. They put you up in a hotel in London free and you will get breakfast and lunch if your appointment is early in the morning. The very best of luck judt hold on for a wee while Mar x
Did they do therapy on you for your hand ? Maybe you have carpal tunnel ??
I did data Entry my psych meds mixed with my pain meds I fell asleep and was fired. I went to a hearing to get unemployment and they also said it wasn’t my fault . After typing for 4 hours my arm would flare up so I had to take the pain med and the psych meds help me do tasks and stay focused. Thank you all for the positive energy. I see the arm specialist tomorrow!
Hi there, sorry to here whats happened to you.
I was where you are now for a long time , had an accident crushing nerves and bounced around doctor to doctor. All the time feeling like the same guineas pig. There is s future for you , I know it's difficult to see right now but you will find your new calling. I live with full body crps which is all to do with the nervous system so like many others on here we do understand, there are many things you will be able to do . Just remember your whole life has been turned upside down. This is a massive thing you are dealing with and is definitely not easy.
Just the fact you have written on here is huge
Its massively positive. It's a long hard journey
But everyone on here will get behind you.
Talk to anyone and everyone who will listen.
All here to help you . Remember your amazing.
All the very best
Dave