[teeahgarcia]

Hello,
I hope I am putting this post in the right place. If not, admins can send it to where it needs to be.

I am writing to see if anyone out there has had my experience and what was done about yours.

In March, I had blood drawn for testing. About a week later, I started to have pain in the bend of my elbow. Two different dos said that was nornal and it will go away. They were wrong. The following week, I had severe pain and my arm swelled. I ended up in the E.R. because I coldn't take it any longer,

E.R. gave me a couple of shots and ordered a Doppler to be sure of no clots. There were no clots. I then went to my PCP. My normal PCP was out that day so I had to see one of the oather docs. He didn't know what was going on, and in the mean time I was still swollen and in 10/10 pain. He prescribed Darvocet-what a waste.

The following week I saw my PCP. I told him the story and he thought it was a clot; another Doppler. Neither Doppler showed any abnomalities. My doc then thought possible nerve damage and sent me for a EMG. The only thing they found was "moderate carpal tunnel" - key word "moderate". I have no pain in my wrist, nor does it go numb or any of the other symptops that go along with that.

He hooked me up with real pain killers: Dilaudid, Percocet, Etodolac - anti-inflamatory. The drugs just dull the pain. The pain never goes away. My Doc ordered an MRI. I got the results and too are negative. Keep in mind, I am trying to condense this, so just think in your head how many other tests and blood tests have happend since the onset. I'm now in the forth month of several doc visits, tests, blood tests, etc.

I went to the Clinic today (6/16/09). Again, my regular doc is on vacation. I had to see a PA. The MRI was negative. I completly broke down. I was sure the MRI would show something. Nothing. Arm is normal. So if my arm is normal, why is swollen and why so much pain?

They are now referring me to a platic surgeon to treat the carpal tunnel. After that long description, here are my questions:

-is there anyone who has had te same symptoms (severe pain, swelling)?
-can carpal tunnel affect my elbow? Pain starts in elbow and radiates up and down.
-what could possibly be causing this, having every test come back negative?
-how can I be in this much pain when all the tests come back negative?
-what will the plastic surgeon do?
-If anyone else out there has had carpal tunnel? If so, how were you treated? They said something today about possible injections.
- Has anyone gone for every test imaginable just find out there is "nothing" wrog?

I guess that's all. I understand that this site is not for diagnosis, I just want to get opinions and information from other people wh may have gone through this same comedy of horrors.

Thsnks in advnce for any replies.

Take care,
t.

[BeavisMom62]

Hi, teea. I've had almost the same thing but not as much pain. I was in the hospital recently and had two trainees put IV lines in. It took a week, but then I had severe pain in my inner and outer elbow, which was intense along with numbness and tingling down my forearm to my last two fingers with extreme weakness in those last fingers. Thankfully, in my case, the pain is much better, but I still have numbness, tingling, falling asleep and the worst is the almost paralysis of my last two fingers. Its difficult because I work as a med asst/transcriptionist, so my fingers are my livelihood. I already have neck pain that radiates to my upper arms but this is different. Thankfully, I work for a neurologist but he prefers not to treat me. So I went to my own neurologist, had nerve conduction studies and MRI of the neck. NCS was normal and the MRI was only a little worse compared to my last one, but didn't show anything that could be causing what I'm experiencing. My doctor/boss has diagnosed me with ulnar neuropraxia, which when I googled it, is exactly what I have. Apparently it doesn't show up on NCS, which I don't understand. He also prescribed high dose steroids for the next six weeks, which has helped, since my own neuro pretty much didn't do anything. My neurologist has recommended cervical epidural injections, which I doubt will help my arm, but since I already have bad neck pain anyway, I figure it can't hurt.

I've never heard of going to a plastic surgeon for hand surgery. Thats weird. Usually you would go to an orthosurgeon. And its doubtful, but not impossible that carpal tunnel could be causing your symptoms. Especially since you didn't have carpal tunnel symptoms prior to now. They will probably give you some sort of steroid injections in your arm. I know that we have seen patients with your problem at work due to a botched blood draw, but for the life of me, I can't remember their diagnosis, but I do know that it was some sort of nerve damage, which is what your symptoms sound like. I don't think you and I have exactly the same thing (since you aren't having the numbness and weakness), but funny that it was caused by the same thing!

Get an elbow pad to cushion the nerves in your elbow and try not to bend it, sleep with it bent or rest it on hard surfaces. I also used heat and ice on it, that helped a little bit. Also use anti-inflammatories in case there is inflammation pinching a nerve in there. I would also see a neurologist if you haven't already. Hope this helped a little. Good luck.