Amputation

[Rick Sanchez]

Hi guys,

I suffered with a brachial plexus when I crashed my motorbike and I had surgery but in typical NHS fashion it was not properly. The surgeon didn't want to operate on the day as it was a lovely day. Anyway he opened me up took a quick (within two hours, he said it would take eight minium) look and closed me back up and sent me home.

It took me almost a year to get a second opinion which by then was to late which the surgeon confirmed but he said he would give it ago which he did and it worked to a degree. But there is no useful function.

I am looking in to amputation with the view of obtaining a bionic arm but my concern is the likelihood of the phantom pain side effect that affects millions. My other issue is I don't want to play my hand too soon until I see how the bionic arm progresses as it has had huge breakthroughs in the UK alone in the last eighteen months.

And then there is stem cells and "pixie dust" which could regrow my nerves and my wasting muscle but due to seven years of no use there is a high probability of arthritis etc...

If you were in my situation what would you do and why?

[k11jrp]

I guess bet every bit of information you can, several opinions, specialists etc then make the right decision for you. Soz mate I for one, can't tell you what I would do..... I really wish you all the best mate, fingers crossed


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[Geko]

Fuck... Sorry about that mate.

Personally, I'd take the non-useful real arm, over a functional bionic arm. But then, I'm a squeamish baby and once refused an operation for 6 months which the doctor said if I didn't have, I'd either die or be incredible pain and rushed off for an emergency operation. So, I probably wouldn't take my advice.

[akimba]

My friend is in the same boat, she badly burned 1 hand years ago and only has use of 1 finger and thumb but is constantly in pain with it she has asked for the hand to be taken off but the hospital refuse to do that, they are going to remove her pinky now as keeps getting infected but she says that's not enough.

So even if you want to swap to a bionic one you may not find anyone willing to do it for you.

Phantom pain is another prob as you say as she is in pain with hand but what if takes hand off and still in phantom pain, what then take it off to the elbow etc.

[DJ OD]

I cannot possibly imagine what it must be like to be in a situation like yours. I honestly do not know what I would do if I lost a limb, my hearing or my sight etc.

I don't feel qualified to offer an opinion, but I can only suggest to do your research thoroughly, look at treatment away from the UK and try to remain posititve yet realistic about anything you have done.

Best of luck, whatever you do.


DJ OD

[Mobileman]

I cannot possibly imagine what it must be like to be in a situation like yours. I honestly do not know what I would do if I lost a limb, my hearing or my sight etc.

I don't feel qualified to offer an opinion, but I can only suggest to do your research thoroughly, look at treatment away from the UK and try to remain posititve yet realistic about anything you have done.

Best of luck, whatever you do.


DJ OD

+1 and go out a meet previous patients and gather info from there experiences

[macmilm]

Big fookin decision to make mate....
Part of me thinks it would be kinda cool to have a bionic arm.. but then thats child in me so please ignore me..
I bet it would be a great conversation starter with the ladies ;-) but thats another example of why you should ignore anything I say lol

All the best

[cronus71]

+1 and go out a meet previous patients and gather info from there experiences

This is what I would have suggested. If it's possible talk to others who have been in the same situation.
Impossible to answer what I would personally do, but I'm guessing at this age, soon 42, I would prefer to have two functioning arms.

[cyprus]

First of all I admire your bravery coming on here and telling us about your situation. I understand it is a very personal matter and to bring it out on a public forum takes guts.

If you make the tough choice to go ahead with amputation, there is a silver lining...

Find yourself a midget and start banging out porn.

[Bald Bouncer]

Don't under estimate the phantom pain side which is often just written of as 'in the persons head' pain in reality is a message so no matter if the injury is there or not the message you get feels exactly the same as real pain, my brother was in a similar situation and finally had his leg amputated above the knee 8 years after the event, they fucked it up scaring the sciatic nerve and had to reduce it twice more so it was almost cut off at the groin.

He suffered from that day forward from phantom pain and had very strong drugs to try and help dull it, he described one of the pains to me saying it feels like I have put my foot into boiling water and am unable to remove it.

Don't really want to highlight scare stories but you should spend a lot of time researching and thinking about if this is the route you want to take.

[Goldberg]

Sounds awful mate, but please remember one thing.. No matter which route you take ATOS will still declare you fit for work!
I take it you have looked into backing up the NHS have ruined your life as a result of this and taking it further?

The dad of a friend of mine (RIP) had to have his arm amputated. This was many many years ago and he was left with a strap on prosthetic arm.
I never remember him complaining of pain and he did not let him set him back. He still drove, played snooker and did the things he liked, but I dare say if anything he would have rather have kept his real arm as the prosthetic one was just at his side. I remember he used to take it off a lot to reduce the strain on his shoulder. It could bend 45 degrees (manually) and he could twist the wrist and open the fingers (again manually) but it must have been a pain for him.

In terms of snooker, he played one armed. He had a weight he put on the Cue and onto the table.
I remember he could also pick up 4 pints at a time... I always hated his round as he would just stick his fingers in the pints! This was not long after smoking and at the time smoking was still allowed in the clubs.

[littlebilly1]

My gran had her leg amputated just below the knee due to complications with a foot ulcer (she was diabetic) once the keg was off she was constantly complaining of pain in it, she would also scratch it because it was itching (that used to get her really funny looks).
Another one was she'd "forget" she'd had it taken off and try getting up from bed without putting it on! That was fun at 3am getting her back up and into bed

Hope you make the decision that's right for you, all the best


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[Rick Sanchez]

Don't under estimate the phantom pain side which is often just written of as 'in the persons head' pain in reality is a message so no matter if the injury is there or not the message you get feels exactly the same as real pain, my brother was in a similar situation and finally had his leg amputated above the knee 8 years after the event, they fucked it up scaring the sciatic nerve and had to reduce it twice more so it was almost cut off at the groin.

He suffered from that day forward from phantom pain and had very strong drugs to try and help dull it, he described one of the pains to me saying it feels like I have put my foot into boiling water and am unable to remove it.

Don't really want to highlight scare stories but you should spend a lot of time researching and thinking about if this is the route you want to take.

This is my main concern as I suffer little to no pain at all and I do not want to rock the boat. As going cold turkey from all of my drugs was easy but was painful, very painful with all of the broken bones, shrunken tendons etc that I had.

+1 and go out a meet previous patients and gather info from there experiences

That's my plan and it is one of the reasons I posted this here as df if like a big family

[Bald Bouncer]

This is my main concern as I suffer little to no pain at all and I do not want to rock the boat. As going cold turkey from all of my drugs was easy but was painful, very painful with all of the broken bones, shrunken tendons etc that I had.
That's my plan and it is one of the reasons I posted this here as df if like a big family

In my brothers case they did rebuild the tendons at the back of the knee and for about 2 years it was usable but that failed and there was really nothing left they could do and he had a choice of it being permanently straightened or amputated above the knee, they really did cock this up which caused most of the problems and additional operations, he never really walked again apart from with crutches.

He always had a very high pain threshold but with the phantom pain he would often need to just sit in a dark room and ride it out and a combination of prescription drugs and cannabis over the years he got it to a point of being manageable.

FYI - just on the cannabis, he got prosecuted for possession once and the Judge just shook his head, gave him the bare minimum and then questioned the police's decision on bringing it to court.

[macmilm]

Doesnt seem to have been mentioned so far but .. is it your wanking hand???

If so the cold touch of metal against your raging stiffy could be a deal breaker !!! ;-)

[burner1]

Can't really add much other than to agree in get as much info on the pro's and con's to it all. I know a guy who lost the use of an arm after a bike accident, he hasn't had it taken off in the hope progress would be made in rebuilding the nerves etc. rather than get an artificial one only to see the breakthrough made after he's had this done. Tough one.

[Rick Sanchez]

burner1 - By any chance do you live in Plymouth?

[burner1]

burner1 - By any chance do you live in Plymouth?

Yes mate.

[Bald Bouncer]

burner1 - By any chance do you live in Plymouth?

Yes mate.

Are we going to get a Star Wars quote now... "No, I am your father"

[Rick Sanchez]

Sounds like me you're talking about!