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Avatar universal

Left Scapular and spine pain!

Can't cook, do the dishes, vacuum, without excruciating pain
Hey, I'm a 24 year old male, that has been having Excruciating pain in my left scapular and surrounding area for 8+ years! The pain started when i was in high school and at first i just figured that some people have bad back's and some don't and that i had just been unlucky, so i continued to battle on with it. when i was around 17 to 18 and in my final years of school it became harder to concentrate and even just sit at a desk without having huge amounts of pain in my left shoulder area, at this point i was quite psychically fit otherwise. Then i left School and started to work full time in a factory it became apparent that lifting heavy objects didn't bother me, but to do something as simple as putting screws into a little bag in front of me. I continued to work at this factory using various machines and lifting stuff and every year it got worse and worse, Short story i was seeing an osteopath for 3 years while i worked and at first i could get relief for a week but over the years it decreased as the pain got more severe. Now my father is a Doctor and so i was sent away to see numerous surgeons and other doctors, i have had multiple MRI's, CT scans, X-rays, 4D CT scans, ultrasounds. And more recently branch medial blocks between C6-8 and C8-T2 both of these failed to do anything, the hope was that is these nerve blocks worked then they could burn the nerves and i would be pain free for 6-12months. Every single one of these "professionals" has said there is definitely something seriously wrong but none of them have been able to diagnose the issue... I changed job and tried a desk job for about 6 months but found that that made it worse, sitting at a computer all day with no variation was not the answer. i also tried Myotherapists, Chiropractors etc. the best was osteopath. I have now recently quit working as the pain has become to much, i have pushed and battled with it for so long that i have now physically and mentally had enough of it. I forgot to mention i had a really high pain tolerance too. As of today I can't cook, doing the dishes is the best example of how to bring on the pain very quickly. just everyday stuff, even driving has become harder in the last year. The pain is also shifting from not just the scapular area but also the spine in the middle area.
I have tried mulitple Drugs, Lyrica, Neurontin at there maximum doeses with little relief, this were also taken with other drugs such as gabapenton and Valium. And recently i have started taking Tramol. please excuse my spelling. Basically i am now at a point were i am considering suicide as an option because it is just becoming to hard, i'm usually very level headed, and have had friends to this kind of a thing in the past and have been effected personally by it, but i just can't keep going with this pain it's ridiculous. Basically at my next appointment with the "pain specialist" i'm going to give them 6 to 12months to get ontop of this pain otherwise i'm done with it. Yes i'm trying to find answers this is not just a cry out, i'm just simply stating what it has come to. cheers for any help :)
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Avatar universal
Yea it's a tricky situation that, but it always is with family... The doctors just increased my Tramadol today 100mg twice a day from 50mg, and continuing with 300mg of Lyrica, 30mg of Cymbalta and 5mg of Valium a day.. Fingers crossed!
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Avatar universal
Sorry, please try to make peace with your parents. My sister wasn't speaking to my mom when my mom passed away suddenly. She lives with incredible guilt because she was too stubborn to give in.  Just something to think about.
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Avatar universal
Hey Becca, I have been to many cutting edge hospitals, due to my father being a Doctor, but due to my back and frustrations and lack of understanding from both sides, i no longer get along with my parents and left home, so a lot of the things i can do cost money that i simply don't have anymore. Paper cups?? and Melbourne, Australia. Regards Josh
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Avatar universal
Please, please don't give up. I too suffer from daily excruciating pain. But I've learned in my 65 years that help can be just around the corner. Get yourself to a major teaching hospital where cutting edge science is discovered. Get paper plates, get all the emotional support you can get...do whatever it takes.
If you tell me what large city you live near. I will help you find a good hospital. Life is often difficult but p,ease don't give up. You have your whole life in front of you.
I wish you the best. Please tell me where you live.
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Avatar universal
Please excuse my lack of being able to explain things properly and writing in detail and putting things in correct order etc. I'm not much of a proof reader i just type away and hope that it makes sense for everyone, cheers
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey, yea i have most of my MRI's Reports etc, and scans. MRI's that i have had done are entire Thoracic , 2x left shoulder and upper thoracic, and brain more recently (2013) to see if i had any scars on my brain that may have effected my nerves. Forgot to mention that i have also had a nerve conductivity test done that showed that i have nerve damage on my left side going from the bottom of my head down to the bottom of my back, but they explained it to me that there is damage in multiple places all the way down so they can't be sure where it has started or what caused it to happen.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Pretty sure thoracic outlet syndrome has been eliminated, but i will double check on my next appointment on the 9th of September. Most of the more "obvious" conditions have been eliminated. As time has passed it has become more a game of not finding what the problem is, but eliminating what it isn't.
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648

  May I ask, do u have copies of ALL the MRI's and testing u had along with the reports.....

And may I ask what area did u have MRI'd?....cervical spine, brain....??? Thoracic spine?

TOS may be a possible DX.....but u may need more testing....and or someone else to review ur tests,
Helpful - 0
1340994 tn?1374193977
If, by chance, this leads to a diagnosis, please do come back and say what it was.  
Helpful - 0
1340994 tn?1374193977
I'd have them check for thoracic outlet syndrome.  Symptoms can vary.  
Helpful - 0
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