Re: A Nightmare it is!

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Posted by M.L. on August 05, 1999 at 09:34:21:

In Reply to: Re: A Nightmare it is! posted by Miss T on August 05, 1999 at 01:21:52:

Like I said, I have bilateral Thoracic Outlet Syndrome with my right arm being the worse one. The pain increases as the day goes by and any little thing I do seems to be a big task since I don't have the strength I used to have in my arms and hands (lots of things fall off my hands). This bothers me even more when driving, usually the pain will end up crawling up the back of my neck and giving me terrible headaches, toothache, earaches, just about anything close to the scalene muscle aches, shoulder joint seems like it's broken, shooting pains (ulnar/median nerves) down my arm, numbness, tingling, swelling, etc.
WC has sent me to two IME's and they both say it's not work related, pretty much because I don't have an extra cervical rib. The last one is a vascular surgery prof in the University of Washington and says I probably have myofascial pain syndrome. My new vascular surgeon kind of giggled when I told him his dx. He says it's not myofacial pain syndrome. In about another 4 hours I get the results of the last test (MRI) and if it's neg for any other med problem, the next thing is a rib resection. WC just denied my claim because they say it's not work related, even the cts! I now have 60dys to appeal and am waiting for this attorney to take my case.
Meanwhile, I'm packing to move to Wyoming on 8/21 and this friday's check will be the last one to come from WC. I had to stop the pt because my health insurance will not cover that many visits.
One thing I've heard before is that if your doctor suggests, in writing, that you work less hours due to your condition, WC will have to pay your full 40hrs/wk.
I'm kind of in the dark too, sorry, and trying to learn as much as I can. Seems like WC likes to make it difficult to get any benefits after we've work so hard to have these benefits available.
I'm 43yrs old, worked since I was 16, and now I'm facing the possibility of disability or changing to a completely different job after this problem is corrected.
You probably are doing this already but keep copies of everything you get from WC, doctors, etc. Check with a lawyer, it doesn't cost anything to get their opinion. I got mine through a neighbor who was helped by him while she was on WC.
Another thing, I visit this website http://neuro-www.mgh.harvard.edu/forum/ThoracicOutletSynd.Menu.html
It has been very helpful in learning through other's experiences. There's also a link in it for a support chat room.
Good luck and take care!



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