United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Aurelia,
My triceps are a 4 on the 0-5 scale that the therapists use. I can support myself as I lean to my left side. I can do 15 reps with a 3lb. ankle weight strapped to my rist while lying on my back. For 5 months post bpi, I couldn't even do that against gravity. Will it ever be full strength, probably not. But my theripist makes me work it tell it fatiges several times a day. He feels that the doctors may want to use part of the tricep for bending my arm. I'm hoping that surgery will give me some bicep back. Friday I was able to shcedule a consultation with Dr. Kline @ LSU for Jan. 6th. But I'm 15 months post bpi, and the clock is ticking. Now tell me about your triceps. Good luck and God bless, Karl.

Hey Lizzy~
Now you know 2 people who had a myelogram! I had my done at Rockford Memorial in Rockford Illinois in 1988. I was admitted and I went into a room where the drew fuild out of my spine and injected the dye. I layed on a table(alone in the room) and the table was tilted up and down and side to side. I was VERY scared and I was only 18 yrs old!! I can't remember if they withdrew the dye and gave me back my spine fuild or not, I'd have to ask my parents. But I was sent back to my room and had to lay flat for 2 days. I got to get up to go to the bathroom but not the first day. I was told they wanted to keep the dye from getting into the brain area. But when I could get up.....OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!! I thought my head was going to explode. And after all that they told me the test results were inconclusive, that said it was a "mess" in there and couldn't see my damage. I can't believe they would do a test like this still. I'd never go through that again. I'd do 100 EMG's before going through that again...
Kath

Hi,
I had a myelogram and i think that it caused leaking from my spinal cord.I know how the headaches are after a leak.I have four children.With two of my children the epidural punctured my spine.I was a little upset about the fact after the nurse got me all prepped and ready for the test she then had me sign the release forms....I wonder why they do that? Anyway,I had that test.Then i had a C.T Scan.I found out i have Cuada Equina Syndrome.About a half an hour after i had the test the surgeon ran into my room and told me that i needed emergency surgery,which i had.I am still dealing with pain but i am glad that i had a myelogram because i am not sure if they would have caught the herniated disk without it.
Take care,
Tracy

I am Radiology Resident finishing my final year of residency. Myelograms are unfortunately ordered every day on patients who surprisingly just had a recent MRI. The results are always the same. It upsets me that a patient in pain has to suffer through a painful needle poke and then waste an entire day in the hospital when a 15 minute painless risk-free MRI gives the same information. Myelograms are archaic and barbaric. If you are a physician ordering this ridiculous test- please do your research and ask yourself if you were in the patients place would you want this done???

Timo,
We appreciate your concern, but please don't mislead people with your lack of experience. And before you post again about this issue you have with Myelograms, why don't you read the responses people have already written to your 2 previous posts.

Brachial Plexus Avulsions and paralysis are a unique and extremely traumatic life changing experience, so I don't take your guidance or suggestions lightly.

Did you read anything that was written above your reply here?





Please take the time to read the responses to your own earlier statements:

http://ubpn.org/messageboard/thread ... 473#152473

http://ubpn.org/messageboard/thread ... 273#152273

Susan, if you beleive you were duped into having this unnecessary test done, I don't think by your description of how and when they had you sign the release papers, an attorney would turn you down. Why don't you get a copy of the surgery records and give them to a malpractice lawyer. There was something I read just yesterday about an ortho doctor in Texas that was not only barred from doing anymore medicine, but he was also being sued for performing unnecessary surgical procedures. I would do the above, and if one attorney doesn't have any interest, go to another. The way they did this, was more like forcing you to go through with the whole thing, prepped and on the table, sounds like the doctor wanted to fatten his pocket. You see, an MRI or CT with contrast won't pay him. But this one would.

I just had an MRI with 'contrast' (dye) done this morning. The contrast material helps to show additional tissues, not sure what, but it assists the doctors in figuring out where there is damage. Gadolinium is probably what they gave you. This is what they used on me this morning. Didn't feel a thing. She was very good with the poke.

This paper is interesting on this subject, and the authors highlight the risks of conventional myelogram. http://www.jbjs.org.uk/cgi/reprint/79-B/5/764.pdf It was published 10 years ago and I have seen other similar papers. I wouldn't have a conventional myelogram under any circumstances, and if MR myelogram wasn't available I'd rather they did exploratory surgery than a conventional myelogram. If the patient has been in a high impact situation such as a motor vehicle accident, and they present with a flaccid arm, an experienced tbpi doctor knows that the diagnosis is highly likely to involve avulsions and the quicker they get in there and have a look/repair the better.
Jen NZ

Very timely discussion for us. After our 2nd EMG in July the nuero wrote an order for a CT Myelogram, and I've been trying to get more information.

Much like someone else posted he has other injuries that complicate doing the CT myelogram. He has fractures at T-11 & T-12. Although he is finally out of the TLSO brace, I'm not sure that he would be able to lay on his stomach for the time needed. Is the tilting required?

I'm wondering if there are any other options?

Hello

This is for Sue.....

Can you tell me where your daughter had her myelogram? They want o do one on my husband in Philly and I was curious if you had it done in Hershey?

Thanks so much
Beth