HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

New member with severe nerve damage in my arm.

Support Forums
>
Chronic Pain
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/20/2016 8:01 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone, I'm new here..my problem is I was shot with a 30/30 7 yrs ago by a vert abusive ex while leaving. Anyway he blew my arm off. The docs sewed it back together. I still can't use my left hand. When he shot we he blew my ulnar nerve in half. I'm in so much chronic nerve pain I can hardly enjoy anything. I take gabapentin, wellbutrin and have tried Lyrica but nothing works. I still can't use my left hand. Can any kind of surgery be done to relieve this aweful pain..Amy




Amy, I have given your post a heading. Thanks

Post Edited By Moderator (straydog) : 10/20/2016 6:42:26 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/20/2016 8:28 PM (GMT 0)
What do your doctors say ? Did you do physical therapy after the injury? Depending on the injuries there may not be anything that can be done. Others will be along soon that might have some ideas.
Posted 10/21/2016 12:55 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Amy & welcome to Healing Well. So very sorry to read what you are dealing with. Nerve pain is a completely different animal to deal with.

When this initially happened what type of dr was taking care of you, in other words what was his/her specialty? Did the dr refer you to any other specialist for care? As M&G asked what type of physical therapy did you have? What about your care since all of this took place? I am sorry for asking so many questions just trying to figure out things.

Hopefully you will give us a little more info. Take care.
Posted 10/21/2016 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Amy. Ulnar nerve damage pain is one of the worst I've ever experienced. I injured mine back in 1996. I cannot recall anything that truly made it 'feel better'. Back then, they prescribed Elavil...an anti depressant that had a beneficial side effect of calming nerve pain. I don't know why it is no longer used.

Additionally, after the transposition surgery, my physical therapist used what he called 'points' to help the nerve regenerate well. The technician would place a sort of stylus at different points along the nerve path and send an electric shock through. Yes, it was a very painful modality, but I believe it helped.

Anyone with sciatica knows just how painful the ulnar nerve can be. Essentially, indescribable pain! For me, who has both, I've found that ice placed where the nerve originates is the best help.

Pain management doctors may be your best bet at this point. Facet joint injections and epidural injections have helped me with the lower nerve pains. Perhaps there are similar treatments that could help with your ulnar nerve.

I seriously wish I could remember just how long it took for mine to calm down to the point where I consider it 'liveable'. I still have pain. The more I use the arm and hand, the worse the pain gets and there is still nothing that truly relieves it. Your situation seems much worse than mine. Burning the nerve where it originates may be the way the doctors will choose to go. See a neurologist and a pain management doctor. Keep posting and let us know how things are going.
Posted 10/21/2016 2:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hey PM, yes they do rx it still for nerve pain. Amitriptyline is the generic of Elavil. One of the side effects initially is it can cause drowsiness. Unfortunately, some will not stay on it long enough to get past this. I have also seen it rx'd at bedtime to help with this. I think like you, it can be very effective for nerve pain.
Posted 10/21/2016 4:31 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the info. I've come right out and asked for it because it was the only thing that helped, but my doctors say it's not used for that anymore. Hmmmm? Sort of makes you wonder!
Posted 10/21/2016 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
PM, a lot of drs tend to stick to the newer meds over an older one such as this one. It has been used off label for so many different things. An example, my son started having migraines at the age of 8. Very, very young but they were debilitating. He had every symptom including projectile vomiting that led to the dry heaves for hours. The pediatric neurologist confirmed they were migraines & his way of dealing with them was oh just don't let him eat chocolate!! First off the kid ate very little candy. If you gave him the choice of candy or fresh fruit he ate fruit. I was livid & helpless when he had one hit. I asked my neurologist to see him even though he only saw kids 12 & above. I explained the situation & he agreed to see him. He put him on a low dose of Elavil at bedtime for 30 days. That helped get them under control & then he put him on Midrin which had to be taken at onset of the very first symptom of a migraine.

We live in an age of drs either not rxing something older that works or they give nothing at all!!!
Posted 10/21/2016 7:10 PM (GMT 0)
I took elavil at bedtime for nerve pain and to help me sleep for many, many years. It worked Great ! I did have to take it early in the evening so it didn't cause problems with my getting up the next morning. One of the side effects for me was I didn't always remember things I did or said after I took it. It did not happen all the time and I did remember everything most of the time. For me, it would usually forget talking to someone on the phone. I also took norco and valium when I took the elvail. I know they potentiate each other, so that may have been one of the reasons for the memory loss. But, I have several friends that have taken elavil for nerve pain and sleep at night without any other meds and they also had the occassional memory loss.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply