Lidocaine patch - My review

I cut the Lidoderm patch in half  (to conserve and get a few more uses from them) and apply to the area that hurts most. I really need a bath towel size patch, but I digress.

It feels cool when I first apply it, warms to body temp quickly.
Then I wait to feel something. I keep mentally checking in to see if there has been a change in the pain level. I usually get preoccupied and forget I put it on.  Occasionally, I will feel a tiny bit of prickly feeling where the patch is.  Directions say to only leave the patch in place for 12 hours, leave off 12 hours.  I have saved the plastic backing and reapplied mine to use up as much of the lidocaine as possible (cheapskate). I've read its ok to do that, hope that is correct?

I can not say I have noticed much relief from the patch, but I keep putting them on hoping I will.
As it stands, I'm not thrilled with the lidocaine patch, it comes off fairly easy, curls up at the edges. I've even used surgical tape to make it stay on.
For me, it offers minimal pain relief. That's the scoop.

Gentle hugs~

Our experience with postop pain pump

Each of the three of us had a pain pump we went home with postop. A simple gravity fed pump attached to tubing that was inserted in tiny incision under the arm. It had a strap and we pinned it on our shirt to prevent it from falling.  It looked something like this, thought I do not know the exact brand.

It provided glorious pain relief for the first 48 hours after going home, morphine I believe.
 A friend who is a nurse came over and removed it because I was squeamish, but I could do it now that I've seen and experienced it.

Highly recommended.

Mini update

I have several things on my 'list of things to try' to see if they bring some TOS relief.
I tried a couple recently.

I thought massage would maybe help loosen tightness.
It felt great while I was getting the massage, an entire hour. The massage therapist was diligent in avoiding my neck areas that cant take pressure...but on my drive home my right arm started burning, aching, and three days of that are enough to convince me to stay away from massage.

I also got some trigger point lidocaine injections in my neck, and for about ten days my arm pain was GONE and I was singing my Dr's praises. But I overdid it last weekend doing yard work, and the arm pain has returned. Maybe the shot wore off? I had a trigger point injection in the left side of my back two years ago and that pain has not returned since, so I'm disappointed this last right side neck injection isn't helping as I had hoped. I will ask about more injections, maybe Dr. didn't hit the right spot?

Also, the ABM sessions are on hold, for now. I plan to return, but I've had some flare up's of pain lately, and my ABM therapist says the brain is not available to learn and change when it is locked in dealing with pain. So, I need to address that first and then I could go back to those sessions.

So that's three things on my 'to try' list that are not panning out as I had hoped.
Next on my list are:
Acupuncture, more trigger point injections, lidocaine patch.

I'll let you know how those work out.

TOS ladies, consider reduction surgery.

I am addressing the women with TOS today.
I will be candid-Do your bra straps dig into your shoulders?
Do you find it difficult to even wear a bra?
Do you have cervical ribs?
Do you have weighty breasts that pull down on your neck and shoulders?
Have you already had resection surgery, but find some if not all symptoms returning?

I've read several reviews and personally talked to women who have had tremendous relief from back/neck/shoulder/arm/jaw pain from breast reduction surgery.
If you are a woman with TOS AND large breasts, especially if they are pendulous, please consider the following...
*Breast Health Online Forum has testimonials of many women who have found pain relief from reduction mammaplasty.
*Pain clinic website recommends breast reduction for pain control for women with Cervical rib syndrome and overly large breasts.
*emedicine mentions large pendulous breasts as an implicating factor in TOS symptoms.
*Breat reduction for TOS?
*Patient testimonial of relief from reduction.
So if you are a busty woman who also has TOS-especially if you have *cervical ribs*, consider the idea of looking into breast reduction-may give you alot of relief and alot of times insurance will cover it.