Re: TM recovery?

Pershing J. Hill (pjhillpp(AT)corecom.net)
Tue, 21 Jan 1997 15:04:01 -0900

Hi Mike,
Your experience sounds so identical to mine of eight years ago. I was also
at C6 and presented the same symptoms within 12 hours. At 4 months I was at
a similar place as you and went back to work. I was shocked at how easily I
fatigued. This lasted for a good two years but gradually got better. I
found sleep and rest were very crucial and if I wasn't careful my symptoms
would worsen (numbness, tingling and especially the girdling were my first
clues.) I am on oxybutynin for control of neurogenic bladder (also called
ditropin). After 8 years I have most of my stamina back and ski and run,
just not as far and as fast. My bladder is still neurogenic--have to watch
my times and always get the aisle seat in airplanes. My hands are still
weak and there's a lot of atrophy in them. No numbness are girdling unless
I get really tired. I still don't have hot and cold sensation from c6 down.
As you can tell from this group, recovery is really varied. My message from
my experience is keep pushing it and functions can keep coming back well
past the two year mark neurologists often cite for nerve recovery. Good
luck with work.

Mimi

>
>Hello my name is Mike Morley. I've been a TM victim for about four months
>now. My experience has been very tramatic for both myself and my family but
>I wanted to share some good news with the group.
>TM hit me over about a 12 hour period. It struck at the C6 level leaving
>me with motor, reflex and sensory deficits from the upper chest on down.
>My arms worked but my hands did not. I lost my left side first with my
>right side seeming to go last. Both bowel and bladder functions also lost.
>While in the emergency room I was started on steroids, solumetrol (sp?).
>I think that the steriods made a big difference in moderating the damage
>to my spinal cord. It took about five weeks before any improvements began
>to appear. I have improved in the "last to be affected-first to return"
>sequence. My right leg motor and reflex functions came back first with my
>right hand following closely behind. Later, (a month or two), my left
>leg and hand began a slow improvement. I am now able to walk, with great
>difficulty, and have 90% of my right hand and about 60% of my left hand.
>My Neuro expected my "returns" to begin centrally and extend outwardly, I
>seem to be experiencing the opposite. I still have the "girdle" effect
>but I think that it is very slowly beginning to diminish. Most exciting
>for me now appears to be the return of bowel and bladder functions.
>I am getting "regular" bowel-wise, without "aids"; very big relief. For
>the past three days now I have been able to partially empty my bladder in
>the normal fashion. I don't know what to expect here but definately have
>my fingers crossed. Has anyone else experienced a return of bladder
>function? I would sure like to hear about it.
>Anyway I have gotten alot back and am very thankfull for it. I know that
>each TM victim is unique and that recoveries, if they happen at all, are
>quite individual. For those of you who are recent victims, keep your
>chins up and don't quit. Not all the news is bad.
>I'm returning to work, part-time, tomorrow. Please wish me good luck!
>
>Thinking Positively,
>mike m.
>
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