Sindromu tal-kustilja taż-żliq .org
SLIPPING RIB SYNDROME SUCCESS STORIES
LOGAN ALUCCI, PENNSYLVANIA, USA
Irrid inqajjem kuxjenza dwar is-Sindrome tal-Kustilja taż-Żlieq wara vjaġġ ta' kważi 6 snin infittex it-tweġibiet.
Meta kont fil-kulleġġ bdejt b'mod każwali uġigħ fid-dahar orribbli ħdejn l-iskapula tax-xellug tiegħi.
L-uġigħ tant kien ħażin li ħassejtni bħallikieku ma stajtx nimxi. Qabel dik l-ewwel jum, kont mixi 2 sa 5 mili kuljum peress li kont ngħix fi New York City, iżda wara dik il-ġurnata kollox inbidel.
Peress li l-uġigħ tiegħi beda b'uġigħ qawwi fid-dahar il-vjaġġ tiegħi wassalni għand għexieren ta 'speċjalisti fl-ispallejn u fis-sinsla. I ngħatat dijanjosi żbaljati multipli. Kelli għexieren ta 'MRI's, CT scans, X-Rays, bone spec scans, injezzjonijiet ta' cortisone, blokki tan-nervituri intercostal... isemmuha. Il-lista tkompli u tkompli. Rajt l-“aqwa” tobba fl-“aqwa” sptarijiet. Ħadd ma kien jaf x’kien ħażin għal snin sħaħ. Qaluli li kienet biss qagħda ħażina, jew ansjetà ħażina, jew li kont sempliċiment neżaġera meta għidt li kelli uġigħ 10/10 fil-fond, tqattigħ, debilitanti fin-naħa tax-xellug ta’ dahru li, sa issa kien beda jirradja madwari. Kustilji.
Eventwalment sibt chiropractor ġdid u fl-ewwel żjara tiegħi, qaltli li kelli Slipping Rib Syndrome. Peress li hija kienet l-unika persuna li setgħet tagħtini xi serħan, ħadt kelmtha għaliha, u mbagħad għedt tużżana tobba oħra li kelli SRS. Ħadd ma kien jemmen li teżisti. Qaluli “Il-kustilji ma jistgħux jiżolqu”.
Fast forward 2 snin, fl-aħħar sibt lil Dr Adam Hansen f'West Virginia u kelli operazzjoni li nista' ngħid b'mod onest salvati ħajti.
Is-Sindrome tal-Kustilja taż-Żliq mhux biss jista' jikkawża agunija fiżika debilitanti, iżda wkoll tbatija mentali maġġuri wara snin ta' tbatija u li qallek li kollox f'rasek. Fil-ħin li nikteb dan jien 4.5 xhur wara l-operazzjoni u nħossni madwar 80% aħjar milli għamilt qabel l-operazzjoni tiegħi u nemmen li se nkompli nitjieb. Ġismi u moħħi għad fadlilhom triq twila biex ifejqu bis-sħiħ imma jien grata li fl-aħħar inkun fil-post it-tajjeb.
Qatt taqta qalbek mill-vjaġġ tiegħek. Qatt ma tieħu le għal tweġiba. Afda fl-istinti tiegħek u fil-ġisem tiegħek. Nittama li dan jista 'jgħin lil xi ħadd ieħor hemmhekk biex isib it-tweġibiet u l-validazzjoni li lkoll ħaqqna.
Biex tara l-vidjows ta' Logan li jiddokumentaw hawn il-vjaġġ tal-SRS ikklikkjahawn.
JOSEPHINE LJUNGKVIST, NORWAY
Għal kemm niftakar, jien esperjenzajt uġigħ kemm qawwi kif ukoll matt ikkawżat mill-kustilji. Bħala adoloxxenza bikrija kont mort nara kull tip taʼ tobba, newroloġisti, ortopedisti, terapisti fiżiċi, eċċ. Kelli x-rays magħmula, u l-ewwel qaluli biex neżerċita aktar, u mbagħad biex nieqaf neżerċita. Ħadd ma seta’ jew kien se jsolvi l-kwistjoni tal-uġigħ misterjuż li kont qed nesperjenza.
Xi wħud saħansitra qaluli li kien kollu f’rasi.
Wara ftit snin rrinunzja biex infittex dijanjosi u nsib mod biex noħroġ mill-uġigħ, sempliċement tgħallimt ngħix magħha.
Meta kelli 25 sena ltqajt b'mod każwali ma 'naprapath f'parti, li kien jaf dwar l-SRS, u hemm beda l-vjaġġ attwali lili tiġi djanjostikata. Issa għaddew madwar sentejn u kirurġija waħda wara. Kelli operazzjoni f'Ullevål Sykehus f'Oslo, in-Norveġja. Fil-ħin tal-kitba qed nistenna li nagħmel kirurġija fuq in-naħa l-oħra, biex inneħħi l-qarquċa li jiżolqu.
Tista' tara l-vidjows ta' Josefine, li tiddokumenta l-vjaġġ tagħha fuq il-kanal ta' youtube tagħhahawn.
Jien kelli uġigħ fid-dahar minn meta kelli 13-il sena.
Waqajt minn 3 metri għoli meta kelli 8, u sibt xi xquq żgħar f’2 vertebri fis-sinsla tiegħi. Jien rikkieb taż-żiemel u xi drabi waqa’ minnhom.
Fl-2018 il-fwied tiegħi infjamma ħażin minħabba reazzjoni allerġika. Tlift ħafna piż għax kont marid u f’dak il-perjodu ħassejt il-ħeġġa li niġġebbed il-parti ta’ fuq ta’ ġismi u ħassejt klikk iebsa mal-kustilji t’isfel, dak il-ħin ma weġġgħetx, iżda wara ftit il-kustilja bdiet tiżloq , saret tedjanti u bdiet tweġġa 'ftit. Għal dawn l-aħħar 3 snin kelli npoġġi l-kustilja tiegħi lura f'postha ħafna drabi f'ġurnata u l-uġigħ kien progressiv. Rajt ħafna speċjalisti mediċi, u kollha kellhom ħarsa stramba fuq wiċċhom meta għedtilhom u ħallihom iħossu dak li kien qed jiġri. Qaluli li ma kien xejn, kien se jitlaq.
Kont fittixt ħafna fuq Google u YouTube, wara ftit fil-bidu tal-2021 sibt xi vlogs fuq YouTube u vlog wieħed qal dwar il-grupp tas-Slipping Rib Syndrome fuq Facebook. Kont tant xortik tajba u meħlus li sibt din il-familja ġdida li tieħu ħsiebha. Permezz ta’ dan il-grupp sibt tabib fl-Olanda li seta’ jiddijanjostikani uffiċjalment bl-SRS. Dan it-tabib ma setax jgħinni kif xtaqt, iżda lejn l-aħħar tal-2021 sibt kirurgu ieħor u għamilt l-operazzjoni tiegħi fl-20 ta' Diċembru 2021.
Kelli l-"Rib Plating Surgery". Għall-ewwel ħsibna li kien hemm kustilja waħda biss maħlula, imma kont naf li kien hemm aktar għaddej, u waqt l-operazzjoni sabu hemm aħna 3 kustilji affettwati.
Fil-mument tal-kitba jien 4 ġimgħat wara l-op, għad għandi uġigħ ta 'kirurġija u rrid nieħu bil-mod, imma nista' ngħid li hemm titjib u hemm dawl fit-tarf tal-mina!
NICOLE VISSER, THE NETHERLANDS
Is-sintomi tiegħi kienu jinkludu uġigħ qawwi fil-kustilji, fis-sider tax-xellug, u madwar id-dahar. Bilqiegħda jew bilwieqfa għal kwalunkwe tul ta 'żmien kelluni f'uġigħ terribbli u xejn ma għen. Fit-28 ta’ April 2019 tlaqt fil-knisja u niżlet fuq tarf ta’ bank tal-injam li għamel kuntatt mal-kustilja tax-xellug tiegħi.
L-għada filgħodu, kelli X-Rays li ma wrewx kustilji miksura. Għamilt xhur fil-Chiropractic u fit-Terapia Fiżika. Għandi 2 diski minfuħ fil-parti ta' fuq tad-dahar tiegħi minn inċident bil-karozza fl-2006, għalhekk it-terapista Fiżika tiegħi ħaseb li forsi l-uġigħ bla waqfien tiegħi kien ikkawżat minn ħsara lil dawk mill-waqgħa tiegħi. Fl-aħħar ikkonvinċejna l-assigurazzjoni tal-ħaddiema tiegħi li tagħmel l-MRI li kienet meħtieġa iżda kulma żvelat kien "bidliet artritiċi" li ma kinux ikunu kkawżati mit-trawma tal-waqgħa, għalhekk konna f'dead end ieħor.
It-tabib tiegħi mbagħad irreferini għand speċjalista u rajtu f'Jannar 2020. Huwa ta ħarsa waħda lejn l-X-Rays inizjali tiegħi u qal li l-problema tiegħi kienet fil-qiegħ tal-kustilja tiegħi. Huwa qalli li kien hemm kirurgu toraċiku fl-awla mingħandu li kien pijunier f'teknika ġdida ta 'tiswija tal-kustilji, u rreferini għand Dr Adam Hansen.
Xahar wara ġejt dijanjostikat minn Dr Hansen bl-SRS. Eżami sempliċi ta’ 5 minuti wera li l-kustilji 8, 9 u 10 kienu involuti u seta’ jirranġaha bit-teknika ta’ sutura innovattiva tiegħu. Fil-11 ta’ Marzu 2020 kelli l-ewwel operazzjoni tiegħi. Filwaqt li l-uġigħ ta 'qabel l-kirurġija kien marret immedjatament, ftit wara l-kirurġija bdejt nesperjenza daqqa qawwija fl-istonku tiegħi. Dr Hansen ikkonkluda li s-suturi kienu stretti wisq u kienu qed jolqtu n-nerv intercostal. Fl-10 ta' Awwissu 2020 kelli l-ewwel reviżjoni ta' Dr. Hansen. Wara r-reviżjoni dawk l-uġigħ ta 'jabbing sparixxew immedjatament.
Dr Hansen irreveda l-proċedura tiegħu sabiex oħrajn ma jkollhomx bżonn li jkollhom reviżjoni għal suturi jkunu stretti wisq. Jien grat li nkun madwar 85-90% normali mill-ġdid. Din hija triq diffiċli, bla dubju, u l-irkupru kien ta’ sfida.
Ma nistenna li qatt inħoss 100%, iżda mingħajr din l-għażla ta 'tiswija, naf li nkun ferm agħar u bla tama. Għamilt ħbieb fil-ġellieda sħabi tal-SRS u jien impenjat li ngħin lil oħrajn isibu triqthom permezz ta' dan. Ibqa' avukat għalik innifsek u tiħux le bħala tweġiba. Huwa verament mhux biss fir-ras tiegħek.
TINA VIAL, WEST VIRGINIA, USA
Il-problemi tiegħi bdew meta kont fis-7 grad. Kelli popping fil-kustilji u kien skomdu biex tieħu n-nifs, imbagħad wara ftit ġimgħat marret iżda kull darba kienet terġa 'lura. Meta kont fid-9 grad il-kustilji tiegħi bdew joħorġu sal-punt li tista’ tarahom mill-qmis tiegħi.
Kont qed niġri fuq ġirja ta’ 5 mili u waħda mill-kustilji ħarġet mill-ewwel u kont qed niġġieled biex nieħu n-nifs u waslet biex ngħaddi. Kelli niġri lura l-iskola u ċempilt lil ommi, imbagħad morna għall-kura urġenti.
Wara dan ħa madwar 6 xhur biex tikseb dijanjosi u mbagħad kirurġija iżda f'dak iż-żmien rajt 2 tużżani tobba. Ġejt dijanjostikat bi pnewmonja, bronkite, artropotija, edema tal-mudullun, kostokondrite, newrite intercostal u kapijiet tal-kustilja dislocati, imbagħad finalment sindromu tal-kustilji li jiżolqu.
Sa issa s-sintomi tiegħi kienu uġigħ kontinwu ta’ sikkina, ħruq kostanti, sensittività, diffikultà severa biex tieħu n-nifs, uġigħ bil-labar, ngħaddi, u tirmetti. L-SRS tiegħi kien bilaterali u issa 14-il xahar wara l-ewwel kirurġija tiegħi u u 7 xhur wara t-tieni kirurġija tiegħi, it-tnejn ma' Dr Adam Hansen f'West Virginia. Iż-żewġ naħat issa qed jagħmlu assolutament aqwa.
Kliem tiegħi ta’ inkoraġġiment ikun li nibqa’ niġġieled għat-tweġibiet għax qegħdin hemmhekk. Mhijiex xi ħaġa mentali meta l-kustilji joħorġu, għalhekk kompli għaddej u kompli imbotta għat-tweġibiet.
LINDSEY DARNELL, MICHIGAN, USA
Is-sintomu ewlieni tiegħi tal-SRS kien il-kustilji li jpoġġu u uġigħ qawwi f'żaqqi u f'dahari ħdejn ix-xafafar tiegħi.
Għandi l-hEDS, li ġie djanjostikat wara t-3 kirurġija tal-ġenbejn tiegħi fl-età ta '23. Żviluppajt sindromu ta' uġigħ reġjonali kumpless mill-kirurġiji tal-ġenbejn tiegħi, u dan wassalni biex nikseb stimulatur tan-nervituri f'dahari, bil-batterija tinsab fil-butin tiegħi. Wara 2 kirurġiji fid-dahar, peress li l-ewwel waħda falliet, żviluppajt uġigħ orribbli fid-dahar u fil-kustilji.
Wara bosta tentattivi biex nirranġa l-uġigħ fid-dahar b'injezzjonijiet, trasfużjonijiet, Terapija Fiżika, sibt il-grupp SRS Facebook li wassalni għand Dr Hansen. Kelli l-ewwel kirurġija tiegħi biex nikkoreġi l-kustilji 7-10 fuq in-naħa tal-lemin tiegħi fl-10 ta' Marzu 2021. Sfortunatament fis-27 ta' Lulju 2021 ħollt ħjata fuq ix-xogħol (jien infermier) li ċaqlaq makkinarju tar-Raġġi X. Kelli reviżjoni tan-naħa tal-lemin tiegħi u ffissaw in-naħa tax-xellug tiegħi fl-istess ħin fit-22 ta' Settembru 2021 u qed neħodha jum b'jum issa hekk kif infieq.
Afda lil ġismek, tistrieħ anke meta trid tkun attiva, u avukat għalik innifsek dejjem.
JESSICA TUCKER, WASHINGTON, USA
Fi Frar 2016 meta kelli erba’ xhur tqila bl-ewwel wild tiegħi, bdejt ikolli uġigħ qawwi fil-kustilja t’isfel. Minkejja li bagħatni fil-kamra tal-emerġenza f'diversi okkażjonijiet, u pprevjeniet attivitajiet regolari u rqad, l-uġigħ ġie miċħud bħala "uġigħ normali fit-tqala" u "biss muskolari". Wara li welldet, l-uġigħ naqas iżda baqa’ għaddej. Ġejt sserraħ ras li bi ftit osteopatija, kont inkampa bi tqala oħra pjuttost tajjeb. Fl-aħħar tal-2017/il-bidu tal-2018, kelli t-tieni tqala tiegħi. L-uġigħ reġa’ ġie b’vendetta u din id-darba kien ferm agħar. Sat-tielet trimestru, kont f’agunija assoluta, ma stajtx torqod, bilkemm stajt nimxi jew insuq, u kelli għajnuna full-time biex tieħu ħsieb it-tarbija tiegħi. Għal darb'oħra, ħadd ma pprovda xi tweġibiet.
Meta binti kellha erba’ xhur, il-konsulent tat-treddigħ li kont nara, li nzerta wkoll tabib tat-tabib, qal “jeħtieġ li nagħmlu xi ħaġa dwar il-kustilji tiegħek”. Kienet l-ewwel darba f’sentejn xi ħadd fil-fatt semagħni. Bagħtni għand speċjalista tal-uġigħ, li nzerta kien wieħed mill-ftit tobba fl-Awstralja li semgħu bl-SRS. Huwa djanjostikani immedjatament u bagħatni għand kirurgu ortopediku li wettaq żewġ kirurġiji ta 'qtugħ tal-qarquċa (wieħed kull naħa). Irkuprajt tajjeb u, bil-ħsieb li dak il-kapitlu kien spiċċa, bqajt b’ħajti. Bdejna nippjanaw it-tielet tarbija, u kont tant eċitat li nesperjenza dik li ttamat li tkun tqala mingħajr uġigħ. Qabel dan jista 'jiġri madankollu, sena wara l-kirurġiji tiegħi, ħassejt skoss familjari ta' uġigħ fil-kustilja t'isfel tiegħi. Fi ftit jiem ġejt trasportat lura għall-agunija tal-SRS. Mill-inqas din id-darba, ħsibt, kont naf kif nirranġaha.
Fittixt l-għajnuna mingħand kirurgu toraċiku li kien ikkura SRS qabel. Żewġ kirurġiji oħra wara, flimkien ma 'tneħħija ta' proċess xiphoid dislokat, ma kontx nitjieb kif mistenni. Kont f’uġigħ agħar minn qatt qabel, u niddeterjora jum b’jum. Il-kustilji xorta ħassewhom instabbli. Qaluli li dan ma kienx possibbli, li kien kollu biss uġigħ fin-nervituri. Kont naf li ma kienx, imma ma ħassx li kelli ħafna għażla ħlief li nsegwi flimkien mat-tobba tiegħi. Wara li proċedura ta 'uġigħ fin-nervituri ħallietni mingħajr titjib u pulmun imtaqqab, iddeċidejt li kelli bżonn niġġieled aktar. Skoprejt lil Dr Hansen fl-Istati Uniti u t-teknika tiegħu tas-sutura tal-kustilji. Il-fehim tiegħu li l-esċiżjonijiet jistgħu jikkawżaw aktar instabbiltà, daqq għal kollox għalija.
Sfortunatament il-kirurġija ma nstemgħetx hawn. Inħossni mwaħħla f'kantuniera, iddeċidejt li nieħu l-qabża u bbukkejt kirurġija ta 'rikostruzzjoni wara l-qtugħ ma' Dr Hansen f'West Virginia għal Ġunju 2020. Ukoll, nafu lkoll x'ġara fl-2020, u ma stajtx nitlaq mill-Awstralja għall-operazzjoni. Issa kważi kompletament missedda u li ma nistax nieħu ħsieb iż-żewġt itfal żgħar tiegħi, iddisprat iddawwar għand il-kirurgu toraċiku tiegħi, armat b'ħafna informazzjoni. Huwa kkonsulta lil Dr Hansen u qabel li jagħmel l-operazzjonijiet. Ovvjament, dan ġab eżenzjoni kbira, iżda l-illokkjar u l-kwistjonijiet biex nikseb aċċess għall-pjanċi meħtieġa fissru li kelli nistenna b'uġigħ debilitanti sa Novembru 2020 biex nirċievi l-ewwel kirurġija, u Marzu 2021 għat-tieni. L-irkupru kien iebsa. Il-kirurġiji kienu aktar kumplessi mill-kirurġiji tas-sutura regolari ta’ Dr Hansen minħabba l-qtugħ ta’ qabel tiegħi.
Jien sofrejt uġigħ estrem fin-nervituri wara ż-żewġ operazzjonijiet u qattajt ġimgħatejn l-isptar iż-żewġ drabi. Kont naf minħabba l-esċiżjonijiet li l-kustilji tiegħi qatt ma jkunu perfetti. Kelli stimulatur tas-sinsla tad-dahar impjantat f'Lulju 2021 biex ngħin b'uġigħ kontinwu fin-nervituri. Ma nistax niġri jew naqbeż, u żgur li m'hemm l-ebda skydiving fil-futur tiegħi, imma nista' nimxi, ma nqatta' l-ġranet tiegħi fis-sodda, nista' nieħdu ħsieb it-tfal tiegħi, u anke nieħuhom fuq ħarġiet sempliċi. Jidher ftit differenti minn qabel, imma għandi ħajti lura. U, forsi l-akbar barka ta’ kulħadd, għandi t-tielet tifel sabiħ li ilna s-snin ħlom bih fl-aħħar jikber b’mod sikur f’żaqqi.
Iġġilidt għal sitt snin, ġejt injorat, kelli t-tobba jgħidu “tajjeb, il-kustilji iweġġgħu wkoll jekk inpoġġahom”, u għedt li dak li kont qed inħoss “ma kienx possibbli”. Ġejt sfurzat nappoġġja bil-biża għalija nnifsi u esperjenzajt uġigħ lil hinn minn kull ħaġa li stajt immaġina qabel, iżda b'xi mod għamilt. Jien iktar grat għal Dr Hansen talli tani l-ħin tiegħu u qsam l-għarfien tiegħu, u għall-kirurgu tiegħi li sema u kien miftuħ biex jitgħallem tekniki ġodda.
Naf li l-vjaġġ biex inġib lil din it-tarbija fid-dinja mhux se jkun l-esperjenza mingħajr uġigħ li darba kont nittama għaliha, iżda li nkun tajjeb biżżejjed biex iġorr tifel ieħor huwa biżżejjed. Din it-tarbija, u ż-żewġt itfal il-kbar tiegħi, kienu r-raġuni tiegħi għall-ġlieda.
AMANDA BERMAND, AUSTRALIA
Kelli l-inċident tiegħi nagħmel roll tal-volleyball fi skola fejn ħdimt lura f'Awissu 2019. Jien lgħabt sport ta' livell għoli ħajti kollha iżda ta' 54 sena u wara l-kanċer tas-sider il-ġisem iddeċieda li ma jibqax jilgħab il-logħba. I pjuttost irdigħha u kompliet ma 'l-affarijiet imma meta s-sintomi progressivament marru għall-agħar wara ftit xhur mort għand it-tabib.
Wara 18-il xahar kont għadni nfittex dijanjosi. Bħal ħafna minna, kont għaddejt mill-għadd kbir ta 'testijiet, qallek li kien f'rasi u bdejt fuq ir-roller coaster ta' ansjetà/dipressjoni bħala riżultat.
Fortunatament sibt is-Slipping Rib Syndrome Facebook Group grazzi għal sħabi li jbatu mill-SRS u għamilt appuntament ma’ Dr Conaglen li kien l-uniku kirurgu li opera bl-użu tat-teknika Hansen fi New Zealand.
Minkejja s-sewqan ta '6 sigħat kull mod iddijanjostikani fi żmien 5-10 minuti. Ma stajtx naħdem u kelli niekol l-iffrankar ta 'ħajti biex ngħix.
Fortunatament kont żammejt l-assigurazzjoni medika privata tiegħi għalhekk kompliet l-ewwel kirurġija tiegħi lura f'Jannar 2021, billi ħejt id-9 u l-10 kustilji fuq in-naħa tal-lemin.
Jien ex Uffiċjal tal-Pulizija ta’ 21 sena b’dipressjoni u PTSD u għalhekk l-affarijiet komplew iżidu matul il-vjaġġ tiegħi biex insib tweġibiet għall-uġigħ tiegħi. Issa għandi bilanċ fin ħafna għal ħajti.
Nemmen li l-SRS tiegħi kien dejjem bilaterali iżda għamilna naħa waħda kull darba. Ukoll, ma rrealizzajt kemm l-affarijiet kienu verament delikati I stupidly overdid affarijiet f'4 ġimgħat wara l-kirurġija u nemmen li għamilt ħsara lit-tiswija ġdida tiegħi.
Qed nagħmel eżerċizzji ewlenin biex nipprova nsaħħaħ dak li nista' qabel data tentattiva għat-tieni operazzjoni tiegħi fis-7 ta' Marzu 2022.
Qed ikolli wkoll CT scan 3D biex nara jekk dan jgħinx fl-ippjanar tar-reviżjoni tan-naħa tal-lemin tiegħi. Il-kirurgu tiegħi se jkun qed jirrevedi l-kirurġija tan-naħa tal-lemin u jissutura wkoll il-kustilji 9-10 tax-xellug.
Dr Conaglen huwa aqwa u jappoġġja ħafna l-metodu ta 'Dr Hansen.
Hawn huma xi lezzjonijiet li tgħallimt:
1. MA tissottovalutax din il-kundizzjoni... Aħna qegħdin fit-tellieqa twila. M'għandekx tagħmel xi ħaġa li tista 'tikkawża aktar problemi għal mill-inqas 6-8 ġimgħat wara l-kirurġija, anki jekk tħossok tajjeb. (Għadni qed isawwat lili nnifsi biex nagħmel eżattament hekk)
2. TAQT qalbek. Int l-aħjar avukat tiegħek u għalhekk tafda lil ġismek u fl-istinti tiegħek.
3. Aċċetta għajnuna. Hemm dawl fit-tarf tal-mina. Xi wħud minna għandna ġranet mudlama ħafna (għadni jien) imma aktar ma naqsmu u nitkellmu dwar affarijiet aktar nistgħu ngħinu lill-oħrajn (u possibbilment lilna nfusna). Il-gruppi huma aqwa għal dan.
4. IKUNU KENT GĦANDEK INFUSHOM
Qatt ma kont daqshekk eċċitati għall-kirurġija u l-uġigħ li rriżulta. Se jkun uġigħ għal skop. Jien ukoll nervuża ħafna. Hemm ħafna minna bi kwistjonijiet simili u għalhekk taf fejn int, kemm jekk qed ikollok ġurnata tajba, jew lejl ħażin bl-uġigħ, "Kia Kaha, Kia manawanui" (Ibqa' b'saħħtu, qatt ma taqta' qalbek).
GINA SAMSON, NEW ZEALAND
Il-vjaġġ tiegħi tal-SRS beda 17-il sena ilu fl-2004 fir-Renju Unit. Kelli 4 itfal, li 3 minnhom kienu 10 + lbs u wara t-tarbija #4 innutajt waħda mill-kustilji tiegħi kklikkjat mingħajr tbatija 'l ġewwa u 'l barra fuq l-arkata kostali tal-lemin tiegħi. Malajr sar uġigħ intermittenti u fond u qisni sieq tat-tarbija kienet imbuttata 'l fuq taħt il-kustilja tiegħi, imma ma kontx tqila. Matul il-ftit snin li ġejjin kelli kolonoskopji, endoskopji u bosta ultrasounds addominali ta 'fuq. Kollha reġgħu lura normali. "Irid ikun IBS" qalu.
Fl-2009 morna lejn Ontario fil-Kanada fejn is-sintomi tiegħi komplew fuq andamp; mitfi. It-tabib il-ġdid tiegħi (il-familja Dr) bagħatni għal aktar testijiet. Kollox kien normali, iżda l-uġigħ tiegħi kompla. Ippruvajt fwawar tal-marrara bl-użu tal-mediċina Ċiniża. Ġebel fil-marrara għadda, iżda ma ta l-ebda serħan mis-sintomi. Bosta żjarat lill-Osteopath, Naturopath, Homeopath, Nutritionalist, Chiropractor andamp; Fiżjoterapista. Xejn għen.
Tard fl-2018, wara li ċaqlaq kaxxi tqal, l-uġigħ tiegħi kien ħafna agħar. Ħafna aktar testijiet dijanjostiċi. Imbagħad qomt lejl wieħed b’uġigħ ta’ 10/10 inħossni qisni qed niġi daqqiet ta’ sikkina. Kienet il-biċċa puzzle nieqsa u fl-aħħar it-tfittxija tiegħi fuq il-google ħarġet bi Slipping Rib Syndrome. Hallelujah! B'ferħ irritornajt għand it-tabib tiegħi stennejt li jkun jaf kollox dwar l-SRS. Huwa biss ħares lejja vojt u preskriva aktar serħan mill-uġigħ. B'xorti tajba, il-Chiropractor tiegħi semagħni, ħass il-kustilja tiegħi tikklikkja u qabel li SRS kien pjuttost probabbli.
Sfortunatament fl-2019 kelli inċident meta kont fuq il-bar tal-irmonk mhux assigurat ta 'karru tal-karozza. Intefagħt fl-arja u weġġgħatni ħafna. Mhux tajjeb għall-kustilji tiegħi lanqas. "Fiżjoterapija se tgħin" qal GP tiegħi.
Physio tiegħi ma setax jaħdem għaliex ma kontx nitjieb. Semmejt SRS, ħass il-kustilja tiegħi, qabel miegħi, u kiteb lill-GP tiegħi, jissuġġerixxi blokki tan-nervituri. It-tabib tal-familja tiegħi rreferini għal Klinika tal-Uġigħ b'"uġigħ addominali"?!! Ma jissemmew il-kustilji tiegħi. Il-Pain Clinic Dr qalet "Ma nittrattawx uġigħ addominali". Infaqa nibki fuq il-video call, it-Dr ħares lejn l-SRS u offrieli nerve blocks. Imbagħad bdiet il-pandemija u l-blokki tan-nervituri qatt ma ġraw.
Tlabt referenza għal Kirurgu Ortopediku lokali. Din kienet l-agħar esperjenza tiegħi s'issa. Wara li qaltli li kien improbabbli ħafna li kelli "xi kundizzjoni rari tal-internet" qalet "Ma nagħmelx kustilji" u keċċietni. Sa issa kont qed iddisprat. Kelli uġigħ uġigħ qawwi u matt kostanti fuq iż-żewġ naħat, uġigħ fil-ġenb, uġigħ fid-dahar terribbli madwar il-linja taċ-ċinga tal-bra tiegħi, uġigħ qawwi okkażjonali fuq iż-żewġ naħat, u diffikultà biex torqod. Il-kustilji tiegħi kienu jikklikkjaw ġewwa/barra bosta drabi kuljum u l-vjaġġi bil-karozza kienu orribbli.
Imbagħad skoprejt lil Dr Adam Hansen f’West Virginia. Hallelujah mument #2! Skoprejt ukoll il-grupp SRS Facebook. F'daqqa waħda sibt mazz sħiħ ta' nies bl-istess sintomi bħali! Bgħatt lill-GP tiegħi link għall-webinar ta’ Dr Hansen. Wara dan il-konversazzjoni kienet faċli. "Int forsi jkollok raġun" qal! Għamilt is-sejħa fl-uffiċċju ta’ Dr Hansen.
Ivvjaġġa mill-Kanada lejn l-Istati Uniti u nħallas għall-kirurġija jien stess, kelli l-għażla li jkolli l-appuntament dijanjostiku jum wieħed, bil-kirurġija l-oħra - tal-biża 'ħafna! X'jiġri jekk kont żbaljat dwar l-SRS? Saqna 8+ sigħat lejn West Virginia fil-bidu ta’ Ottubru 2021. Kienet taqlib tan-nervituri peress li l-pandemija fissret li l-fruntiera tal-art bejn l-Istati Uniti u l-Kanada kienet magħluqa, iżda għamilna. Dr Hansen kien oerhört ġentili u ġentili u fi żmien 5 minuti iddijanjostikani bi kustilji bilaterali żelqet.
Il-kirurġija tiegħi kienet itwal u aktar kumplessa milli mistenni. Kelli bilaterali 9 andamp; Ksur tal-qarquċa tal-kustilja 10 b'deformitajiet tal-ħajt tas-sider, SRS andamp; newralġija interkostali. Il-ponot tad-9 tiegħi setgħu biss sublux posteriorment u kienu diffiċli ħafna biex tasal għalihom. Il-ponot tal-qarquċa tal-4 kustilji kollha ġew imnaqqsa b'2cms kull wieħed peress li kienu twal u hooked, imbagħad 9's andamp; 10's ġew suturati għal 8's biex tinħoloq mill-ġdid kustilja stabbli. I woke up fl-uġigħ 10/10 u meħtieġa ħafna ta ' morphine andamp; fentanyl fil-kamra tal-irkupru, iżda kien mistagħġeb li fl-aħħar stajt nieħu nifs sħiħ fil-fond. Ilni ma kontx kapaċi nagħmel dan għal snin. Dr Hansen qal li l-ewwel ġimagħtejn ikunu ta’ wġigħ ħafna u kellu raġun assolutament! L-irkupru huwa roller-coaster, dan żgur.
Issa, fil-ħin tal-kitba, jien 4 xhur wara l-kirurġija. Qed nitjieb bil-mod u nittama li sa 6 xhur inħossni tajjeb ħafna. Jien grat ħafna lejn Dr Hansen għat-teknika pijunier tiegħu. Hu, martu Lisa u t-tim tagħhom fl-UHC fil-West Virginia huma eċċellenti, Ir-ritratt tiegħi ttieħed mal-Hansens ġimgħa wara l-kirurġija tiegħi. Il-pin tiegħi jinsab fil-mappa ta’ warajni, flimkien ma’ mijiet ta’ oħrajn li kollha kellhom kirurġija tal-SRS ma’ Dr Hansen.
Huwa diffiċli li tiddefendi għalik innifsek. Kun b'saħħtu, isma' lil ġismek, tiħux le għal tweġiba u tassew nittama li tieħu l-kura li għandek bżonn dalwaqt.
ELIZABETH LIDBETTER, ONTARIO, CANADA
Meta kelli 11-il sena, kelli l-ewwel episodju spażmiku tiegħi f'daqqa waħda ta' wġigħ fil-kustilja, taħt driegħ tul in-naħa tiegħi u taħt is-sider. Jiena nittama li kien xi ftit, imma bdejt ikolli episodji simili kull ftit xhur li damu kullimkien minn ftit minuti sa ħafna sigħat ta’ wġigħ qawwi li xejn ma kien imiss, fejn ma stajtx niċċaqlaq jew saħansitra nitkellem minħabba l-uġigħ. ;
Kelli t-testijiet kollha, eċċ f'dak il-punt u ovvjament kollox iċċekkja normali. Sibt chiropractor li uża tekniki super ġentili, u aġġustamenti regolari hemmhekk bdew medda deċenti ta ', kważi, normalità. Għadni stajt inħoss issikkar u twinges meta nagħmel aktar attività jew b'movimenti ta 'brim, iżda l-aktar kont qed ngħix ħajja normali ta' adoloxxenza għal madwar sena u nofs.
Frar tal-2021 huwa meta kollox inbidel. Moviment stramb id-dar wassal għal episodju li dam ftit jiem u kien l-agħar li qatt sar. Minflok ma marret wara ftit jiem residwu ta 'uġigħ, l-uġigħ baqa' u sar kuljum. Kelli nieqaf ħafna mill-attivitajiet u nistrieħ kważi kontinwament.
Kelli t-testijiet KOLLHA, l-immaġini kollha, vvjaġġajt lejn Cleveland u Indianapolis wara li rajt lil kulħadd li stajna lokalment, u għad m'hemmx tweġibiet. Sibt is-Slipping Rib Syndrome Facebook Group wara tfittxijiet fuq l-internet tas-sintomi u kien qisu sajjetta ta’ realizzazzjoni li dan kien SRS.
Żewġ kirurgi differenti qaluli li ma kellix. Konvint li għamilt. L-affarijiet kienu miexja hemmhekk, stajt inħossha u ħadd ma seta’ jikkonfermaha. Fl-aħħar spiċċajt f'Mayo Clinic f'Lulju li għadda fejn ultrasound dinamiku xorta ma weriex ħafna, iżda eżami hands-on kien. Kirurġija kienet f'daqqa waħda l-għada, u ġie skopert li l-kustilji 9 u 10 fuq ix-xellug kienu maqlugħa. Il-kirurġija f'Mayo kienet kemmxejn ta' għajnuna. L-episodji tiegħi ta 'uġigħ kbir kienu inqas frekwenti u damu għal żmien iqsar, iżda sempliċement ma kienx tajjeb.
F'Ottubru 2021 vvjaġġajna lejn West Virginia biex naraw lil Dr Hansen. Huwa kien daqstant kompassjoni u meraviljuż kif kulħadd qal. Kien onest magħna li ma kienx ċert x'kirurġija se jsib, peress li diġà kelli suturi u kien diffiċli li ngħid kemm kienu siguri l-affarijiet. Imma kien lest li jagħmel dak kollu li seta ', u dan huwa eżattament dak li kellna bżonn.
2 ta 'Marzu 2022, kelli t-teknika ta' rikostruzzjoni ta 'Dr Hansen, bi pjanċi u tilqim tal-ponot tal-qarquċa, bejn il-kustilji 8/9 u 9/10, u għalhekk bdejt l-istennija u l-irkupru.
Kif jaf kulħadd, huwa roller coaster. L-irkupru kien qawwi fil-bidu. U issa, fil-ħin tal-kitba jiena 10 ġimgħat fil-proċess ta 'wara l-kirurġija. Hemm qċaċet u widien. Ftit ta’ ġranet tajbin tista’ tiġi segwita minn perijodu ta’ dawk bl-uġigħ.
Iżda. Innotajt il-kliem “jiem it-tajba”? Għax kellihom! Aktar ġranet tajbin fl-aħħar 10 ġimgħat milli kelli fis-SENA ta’ qabel tal-ħajja ta’ adoloxxenza tiegħi. Ċelebrazzjoni tal-Għid mal-familja l-ġurnata kollha li qabel kienet tkun impossibbli fejn wara għedt, “Ħassejtni kbir!”. Għad għandi attakki ta 'uġigħ fin-nervituri u tagħfis fil-muskoli li jibagħtuni fil-post "x'jiġri jekk", iżda għadni kmieni fil-proċess ta' rkupru, u dan b'mod ċar kien pass lejn il-fejqan.
Għadni ma spiċċajtx. Jista 'jkolli kirurġija fuq in-naħa tal-lemin fil-futur, u ablation tan-nervituri tista' tkun possibbiltà, minħabba biċċa stramba ta 'qarquċa fuq Rib 8 li Dr Hansen ma setax ineħħi mingħajr tħassib strutturali, iżda qed inħoss aktar stabbiltà, u inqas uġigħ.
Għadni f'dan il-vjaġġ, imma ridt ngħid grazzi pubblikament lil The Hansens, u lil kulħadd fil-grupp ta' appoġġ għall-appoġġ u l-inkoraġġiment kontinwi - anke meta ma tkunx taf li qed tagħtih. Ġie salvat il-ħajja.
MAYA OYER, USA
JESSICA DE'O, ONTARIO, CANADA
Meta kelli 11/12 bdejt ikolli sintomi ta' SRS. Għall-ewwel, beda b'uġigħ bla qies fis-sider li għamilha kważi impossibbli li tieħu n-nifs. Dan l-uġigħ kien se jdawwru sidiri u sa l-isternu. Il-popping beda madwar sena wara. It-tobba qalu li għandi l-kostokondrite u qaluli biex nieħu naproxen. Ir-raġġi-x tas-sider dejjem kienu normali. Saħansitra għamilt skan tal-għadam, li kien ukoll normali. Maż-żmien, naħseb li t-tolleranza għall-uġigħ tiegħi kibret. M'għadx kelli l-uġigħ fin-nervituri jdawwru sidiri sa dahru, imma kultant kont ikolli l-uġigħ qawwi jitla' fuq l-isternu. Sidiri kienet kontinwament uġigħ mal-mess, u anke meta nagħmel ekokardjogramma ħallietni bl-uġigħ għal ġimgħa. Kelli uġigħ fid-dahar estremament ħżiena, li t-tobba dejjem imbegħdu għal "il-backpack tiegħek huwa tqil wisq". Għal snin u snin, mort bla tweġibiet, ħadt ħafna naproxen, u ngħix bl-uġigħ.
Meta kelli 18-il sena mort għand chiropractor, li l-ewwel qalli dwar is-sindromu tal-kustilja taż-żlieq. Dakinhar, ma kien hemm xejn onlajn li tista 'ssib dwarha, tassew. Maż-żmien, xi affarijiet bħall-pazjent Dr. Oz saru, u mbagħad rajt xi riċerka li saret dwar prolotherapy għall-SRS. Rajt tabib tal-mediċina sportiva, għamilna ultrasound (li kien normali), u ddiskutejna proloterapija. Fl-aħħar mill-aħħar, kien jiswa wisq u qal li ma kinitx garanzija peress li l-SRS tiegħi kien diġà ilu għal bosta snin, u l-proloterapija ħadmet l-aħjar fil-prattika tiegħu għal korrimenti ġodda.
I kien lura għall-kwadru wieħed. Imbagħad ġurnata waħda sibt il-grupp SRS Facebook u tgħallimt dwar il-metodu ta 'Dr Hansen, imma jien ninsab fil-Kanada u ma stajtx nivvjaġġa għand Dr Hansen. Meta oriġinarjament sibt il-grupp, ma kellix idea min kien Dr Matar. Kien biss fl-2020 li sirt naf dwaru mill-ewwel pazjent SRS tiegħu, u ħassejt li fl-aħħar, kelli soluzzjoni għall-problema li kont ilni ngħix magħha għal nofs ħajti.
Dr Matar u t-tim tiegħu kienu assolutament fenomenali. Ma kontx kelli kirurġija qabel minkejja t-tonsillektomija u xi affarijiet tas-snien meta kont żgħir, u għalhekk kienet tqanqal ħafna ansjetà. Għandi storja li ngħaddi minn attakki ta 'paniku meta nibqa' taħt / niġġieledha istintwalment, anke meta nkun mentalment tajjeb. Dr Matar u t-tim tiegħu kienu qed iżommuli f’idejja/jisserraħni hekk kif kont anestizzat. Il-kirurġija kienet ta 'malajr, u għamilna l-vjaġġ ta' 5.5 sigħat id-dar l-għada. Dik kienet l-unika jum li ħadt il-pillola opjojde tiegħi.
L-ewwel 3 xhur kienu mhux maħduma, inħoss li ħafna nies jgħidu l-istess ħaġa. Wara dik il-marka ta '3 xhur huwa meta waqaf niddubita s-suċċess tal-kirurġija u tassew bdejt nara l-benefiċċji minnha. Wara dan kien l-aktar għan-niżla, iżda kien għad hemm perjodi ta' żmien li fihom kelli ħafna flare ups ta' infjammazzjoni.
Issa għandi sena barra u nħossni assolutament fenomenali. Kapaċi nagħmel ħafna aktar li qatt ma kont kapaċi nagħmel qabel. Li nerfgħu affarijiet tqal qatt ma kien faċli għalija, u wara kelli uġigħ dejjiemi fis-sider. Issa nista 'ngħolli nofs il-piż tal-ġisem tiegħi mingħajr ebda uġigħ jew skumdità. Nagħmel mixjiet twal ikolli nieħu pawżi minħabba uġigħ fis-sider/diffikultà biex tieħu n-nifs, imma issa nimxi 1.5-2+ sigħat kuljum, u naħdem full-time bħala edukatur qabel l-iskola mingħajr uġigħ jew skumdità. Qabel ma kontx kapaċi tmiss sidiri bil-mod mingħajr uġigħ, li tmiss kullimkien kien uġigħ u uġigħ.
Ma għamilt l-ebda attività ta 'impatt għoli, iżda bbażat fuq l-irkupru s'issa, inħossni ħafna aktar b'saħħitha issa. Raġuni kbira għaliex l-uġigħ fid-dahar tiegħi kien daqshekk ħażin qabel kien minħabba li kelli kważi żero muskolu tal-qalba bħala riżultat tal-SRS tiegħi. Bil-mod kont qed nibni l-muskoli tal-qalba tiegħi sempliċement billi nagħmel affarijiet ta 'kuljum u nipprova nkun konxjament konxju biex nattivaha. In-naħa tal-lemin tiegħi ma tiddejjaqni xejn, l-ebda popping, u m'hijiex uġigħ. Jien nerġa' nagħmel l-operazzjoni f'daqqa ta' qalb jekk ikolli bżonnha, u jien għal dejjem grat lil Dr Hansen għax-xogħol tiegħu biex joħloq metodu mhux invażiv biex jissewwa SRS, kif ukoll Dr Matar u t-tim fenomenali tiegħu f'Ottawa .
AUDREY THAIN-ARDIS, GEORGIA, USA
Hi, I'm Audrey, from Georgia, USA. My SRS journey started at least 13 years ago, but possibly even longer. Between a car accident when I was 18, overworking my abs as a teen (why did I do 200+ crunches most days?), being hypermobile, and finally 2 pregnancies in my mid 20s, my ribs have been painful for so many years. I started pursuing medical help for my rib pain during my first pregnancy in 2010, when the pain became unbearable. I was told it was probably round ligament pain and would resolve after delivery. When it didn't resolve, I went to many doctors for many years, most of whom told me it was all in my head.
When I showed them my lumpy deformed-looking ribs, one doctor even told me I just had an uneven fat deposit on that side! By this point, the pain and worry about not knowing what was wrong and imagining all the "what-ifs" had given me pretty bad anxiety. The pain made it hard to do my daily tasks, hard to sit on the floor and play with my kids, really hard to sit at all. Riding in a car or sitting anywhere for more than a few minutes was excruciating.
I got used to awkwardly telling people I'd rather stand when they offered me a seat, and always stayed flightily busy to avoid sitting. My lack of rib structure also made it very hard to get a deep breath. (Imagine trying to do pull-ups on a spring-- that's what trying to get a deep breath felt like!) Meanwhile I was still being told that my pain was all in my head. The lack of validation from this has such an effect on your confidence and mental health! Finally in 2018, late one night, desperately searching google for what could possibly be wrong with me, I saw something online about Slipping Rib Syndrome and it clicked! I knew this had to be it.
I saw a new local doctor who was just out of school and she agreed. Meanwhile, I had found the Slipping Rib Syndrome Facebook page and had started feeling so much more validated finding a whole community of people who understood exactly how I was feeling! (That little group is now over 5600 people strong!!). The Facebook group led me to Dr Adam Hansen at WVU in West Virginia, who had developed a new repair for SRS. We made the trip to West Virginia and Dr Hansen confirmed my diagnosis. My 9th and 10th ribs were fully detached, hooked, and jammed under the upper ribs. There's an intercostal nerve that runs between each rib, so that nerve was being constantly compressed, giving me pain from my abdomen all the way around to my shoulder blade.
I had Dr. Hansen's 3.0 surgery in February 2022 and have never regretted it! He spaced my ribs apart with cartilage grafts, loosely sutured my ribs together, and topped them off with a bioresorbable plate to hold things in place until my body could heal and develop its own scar tissue to keep itself secure. I woke up from surgery feeling much more stable, somehow taller (I didn't even realize how much I had been guarding and compensating for my ribs) and finally able to breathe freely!! Within a few months, I felt well enough to get back to daily life, travel, plant a garden, go kayaking, hiking, and generally enjoy life much more again! Now at 17 months post op, I'm so thankful to be doing pretty much anything I'd like to do and feeling so much better! If you're struggling with these symptoms, please reach out! There is hope!
KARI MORGENSTEIN, FLORIDA, USA
My journey started in 2019 when my husband and I found out I was pregnant. Around 5 weeks, I was vomiting 20 times a day and left fighting for my life and my daughter’s as well. At 8 weeks, I was diagnosed with severe Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). I was placed on a feeding tube through a PICC line as I was severely malnourished. I was vomiting 20 times a day until my daughter was born.
Around 6 months postpartum, I started to get a sharp, excruciating pain in the front of my chest near my Xiphoid. Any movement such as breathing or talking too much made it worse. This led to appointment after appointment from cardiology, rheumatology to gastro and pulmonology it felt like my husband and I spent every day either scheduling a doctor’s appointment or seeing a provider. Many providers told me nothing was wrong with me and I just needed to “push through”.
Luckily my husband and I were not willing to accept this. We fought tirelessly, day and night, to find answers to my debilitating pain that left me unable to care for our newborn daughter. I, fortunately, came across the Slipping Rib Syndrome (SRS) Facebook page and this led me to Dr. Adam Hansen and Ms. Lisa Hansen. We made the trip to West Virginia in January 2021 and I was diagnosed with SRS (9th and 10th rib on right side).
I am forever grateful to Dr. Hansen (and to so many SRS sufferers and survivors that I met on my journey) for giving me my life back and ensuring my daughter has her mommy. I am now 2.5 years out from my surgery and living life again. Pain free!!! My recovery was not an easy one, but it was totally worth it. To anyone reading this that is currently struggling with SRS or trying to find answers to your debilitating pain: You are stronger than you think.
Crying is a sign of strength. Let the tears flow! Lean on your support system and ask for help. Be kind to yourself. The SRS FB group is filled with many incredibly giving and strong individuals. We are all in this together. Use this group to support you at whatever stage you’re in. Keep advocating for yourself. Your pain is real. You. can do this. Take one hour, one minute, or just one second at a time.
HOPE WILD, MARYLAND, USA
My pain began around the end of 2016. It started out with an annoying pain on my right side liver area. I had imaging which found polyps in my gallbladder but that surgeon was kind enough to let me know he didn’t believe it was causing my pain because polyps typically don’t hurt, but the gallbladder had to come out due to their size and possibly eventually growing into cancer if they weren’t already. There were 3 and thankfully, they were benign. I went through years of pain, which over time turned into clicking with the pain. I think my right 10th rib started to come loose and eventually detached altogether.
The pain continued and my life began to decline more and more each day, which became years. I lost my mojo. Procedures I had: -Too much imaging (scans/X-rays) to count -Endoscopy -Pill Camera -Scoliosis diagnosis and physical therapy -Spinal injections to test for a Rhizotomy which I decided not to follow through with because I didn’t feel it would help -Colonoscopy -Whatever else I may not be recalling in this moment.
Because I was so desperate I asked my orthopedic surgeon to perform a spinal fusion at one point. Thankfully, he’s a great man/surgeon and talked me out of it because he knew it wasn’t causing the pain I was describing. I couldn’t work and had to give up my independence. I withered away because the rib pain was so bad, I could barely eat. I lived on Ensure. Not eating helped, but it still hurt all the time. My muscles atrophied and everything else began to decline due to the effects of losing nutrition and movement.
Eventually, I found some motivation and I got a job working from home, got on my own again and pushed through it. I kept losing weight and got down to about 92lbs. I started researching more and found out about SRS. I researched thoracic surgeons in my area to find a surgeon that appeared to have an open mind and would be willing to learn. The surgeon I chose was also an assistant professor and that gave me hope. I provided him with Dr. Hansen’s procedure information and he reviewed it, ordered ultrasound imaging and some other tests and we kept meeting and talking. He reached out to Dr. Hansen and scheduled my surgery. At this point, it was exploratory because when it came to slipping ribs, it wasn’t something he’s treated this way and when he looked into it, resection was the solution.
I said no thanks to that and kept asking him to look into the suturing procedure. I need my ribs to protect my organs and support my bone structure. I remember waking up from my surgery and him telling me “you were right!” My right side 10th rib was completely detached and free to float around. He used Dr. Hansen’s 2.0 technique and sutured it to the 9th. It was finally stable! That was January of 2021. I began to have the same type of pain again a few months later. I was happy to let him go back in to take a look around to figure out what was going on. It turned out that the very tip of my 10th rib cartilage had come loose and was flipping around so he snipped it off, added sutures and closed me back up. That was September 2021. I’m almost fully recovered. Recovering from the atrophy is the hardest part because like many SRS sufferers, I have other diagnosed problems like Hypermobility and severe scoliosis. I am a work in progress and I will get there! We grow through what we go through.
HEATHER DOBOS, MINNESOTA, USA
I fought SRS for 16 very hard long years of my life and I’m only 38. I can now say that it’s been 3 years of living and finally experiencing the life I have always wanted and dreamed of pain free. My journey of SRS was hard frustrating painful and so many emotions I can’t even describe. I can not pinpoint exactly how why or when this happened but my decline started in 2004 when my appendix ruptured. From then many GI related issues happened.
I have had all the tests you could imagine and they all would come back negative. Being told over and over again by doctors that nothing was wrong and that it is all in my head. I had fo fight and advocate over and over again to be heard by all physicians. I was losing weight and barley being able to eat or even drink water on my surgery day I was only 96 lbs and felt like I was whithering away. I kept my determination and strength up that I was going get on the other side of whatever was going on with me. If I hadn’t kept that mindset I wouldn’t be here today.
In 2020 while the world was shutting down is when I really started to go downhill with pain and frustration and lack of answers. I was going to a pain clinic and a physical therapist mentioned the words that I had already circling in my head from my own research of Slipping rib syndrome. She did a dynamic ultrasound and saw my flaring ribs very clearly on my left side and said to me “how has no one ever seen this?”
I burst into tears and wept in her exam room and thanked her for not thinking I was crazy. With that I went home and began my own advocating and determination to find a doctor no matter how far I had to go that would help me. I found Dr. Shiroff at University of Pennsylvania. I reached out to his office and I honestly didn’t know how much more time I could deal with this physically or mentally. After a week or so his assistant reached out and we got the ball rolling with zoom meetings and medical records being sent and within one zoom meeting he could see how bad my 8th, 9th and 10th ribs were for me. On July 27th 2020 I met my knight in shining armor, Dr. Shiroff who I believe saved my life and gave me my life back to share my story and help others in the process. It’s been wonderful to be able to experience life, food and and new experiences again. I was finally healthy enough to get pregnant with our beautiful daughter and happy to announce we’re pregnant again. A dream and experience I thought I would never see in my life. I get to be me again and it feels so good.
OLIVIA HEATH, COLORADO, USA
My daughter Olivia swam competitively for years. During her junior year of high school, she experienced intense back pain that worsened when she swam. She also regularly experienced a stabbing pain along the front of her abdomen, and she could trigger that pain by moving her lower ribs back and forth.
Olivia's weekly physical therapy only provided temporary relief for her pain. After her symptoms worsened, leading to her quitting swimming, I turned to the internet for answers. Thankfully, I stumbled across Slipping Rib Syndrome and the Facebook support group. I spent many hours gleaning information and encouragement, and it was immeasurably helpful. Olivia’s story would not be the happy one it is today without this group.
My internet searches also led me to Dr. Diaz-Muron, a surgeon at Denver Children’s Hospital who is familiar with SRS. In October 2022, he diagnosed Olivia with bilateral SRS through a physical exam. He also ordered a dynamic chest ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis. It was such a gift to have received an answer so quickly!
The techs were puzzled during Olivia's dynamic ultrasound because they had never seen or heard of SRS before. They did their best to decipher what we were all seeing on the screen, and in the end, they diagnosed her with bilateral SRS at ribs 8-9. Later we’d discover that they had counted the ribs wrong, and it was actually Olivia’s 9th and 10th ribs that were slipping. In fact, ribs 9 and 10 on both sides had become completely separated from her costal margin.
In December, Olivia underwent a bilateral intercostal radio frequency nerve ablation (8-10 R and 10-12 L) at Denver Children’s Hospital. While this helped with the pain a bit, it created an additional problem where she temporarily lost muscle strength and tone in her lower abdomen. Thankfully, she has a great manual physical therapist who helped her through that hiccup. Olivia also had an assessment at the Denver Children’s Hospital Genetics Hypermobility Clinic. They diagnosed her with Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder but not hEDS (she got her hypermobility from her mama).
In January 2023, Olivia had a “normal” CT scan that, when converted into 3-D, revealed her detached ribs. Also in January, she had a consultation with Dr. Pieracci at Denver Health. We both really liked Dr. Pieraacci. He was kind, empathic, and communicated clearly. However, he was performing the Hansen 2.0 surgery, and through the group, I had learned that Dr. Hansen was doing a 3.0 version of the surgery. So, we decided to wait until we saw Dr. Hansen to determine the next steps.
In February, Olivia and I traveled east for consultations with Dr. Shiroff at Penn Medicine and Dr. Hansen at WVU. The consult with Dr. Shiroff went well, and we left with the sense that he is a skilled surgeon who successfully treats many SRS patients. However, he was performing a version of the Hansen 2.0 surgery, and we were eager to learn about Dr. Hansen’s 3.0 version.
Olivia’s consultation with Dr. Hansen was great—he was knowledgeable, professional, kind, and humble. He spent so much time addressing our many questions and concerns. Olivia felt seen, understood, and heard. But I won’t sugarcoat things—the surgery and recovery ahead were daunting for Olivia and left her feeling scared and overwhelmed. And as Olivia’s mom, I was terrified of making a wrong decision that could negatively affect her present and future. (I may or may not have sobbed in the bathtub when we got back to the hotel.)
It didn’t take long for Olivia, my husband, and I to agree that the 3.0 surgery with Dr. Hansen was Olivia’s best option. However, Dr. Hansen’s first available surgery slot was too close to Olivia’s first day of college. It wouldn’t allow for enough recovery time before she needed to do things like carry a backpack long distance. So, we put her on a wait list and hoped and prayed.
Over the next few months, Olivia’s pain became nearly unbearable. Simple things like sitting in class and driving in a car were extremely painful. The main thing that helped her was lifting weights; her muscle gains and the endorphins she got after each lift helped her to push past the pain, discouragement, and fear. She had been lifting for around a year, and Dr. Hansen told her that the muscle strength she had built would greatly help with her recovery. So, Olivia carefully pressed on in the gym despite her growing pain.
The day after Olivia graduated from high school, Lisa Hansen reached out with fabulous news. She said that if we could be in West Virginia in exactly one week, there was a surgery spot available for Olivia! The news was both exciting and terrifying. It was difficult for Olivia to wrap her mind around all that was about to change and around the long road to recovery, but she was all in.
Olivia’s May 24th surgery was a tremendous success! Dr. Hansen excised some costal cartilage from her 9th and 10th ribs on both sides, used the excised cartilage to create spacer grafts between ribs 8-10 on each side, sutured ribs 9 and 10 together with the grafts, and bilaterally placed bioabsorbable plates from ribs 7 through 10. The entire surgery took around three hours, and Dr. Hansen was really excited about how well everything went.
After a week at a nearby hotel, Dr. Hansen cleared Olivia to fly home to Colorado. Olivia's recovery was tough, even though she knew what to expect. Ice became her best friend, and she found ways to stay entertained and encouraged while being bed-ridden. Still, those three months were extremely difficult for her.
About those recovery months Olivia says, “Lifting was my mental and physical solace through my senior year, and to have it taken away was devastating. Those first months felt like purgatory, and recovery was filled with countless tears. SRS patients may feel hopeless during the initial months of healing after surgery, but I encourage them to make a list of all the ways their ribs held them back before the surgery so that they can check them off as they regain strength. Watching my progress kept me sane. I felt devastated right after the surgery, but in time I saw how it brought new abilities and reduced pain that I didn’t think was possible.”
As Olivia’s 3-month post-surgery milestone neared, she was feeling quite good. She no longer needed ice, could work as a restaurant hostess, and was back to being the social butterfly that she is. And three months after her surgery, she was back in the gym. Although she had lost most of the muscle she had built, she was determined to regain it carefully.
On August 30, my husband and I moved Olivia into her dorm to begin her freshman year of college in Arizona. To this day, we’re still in awe over the timing of her surgery. She had exactly three months to heal at home under the care of her family and without the demands of school.
With her four-month surgery anniversary just around the corner, Olivia says, “My body feels drastically better and almost normal, and I’m able to move without popping. Since it’s only been four months, there’s still some healing to be done and there’s still some soreness, but I’m able to do all the things I love. I can do so much more than I could do before my surgery with Dr. Hansen, and I don’t feel held back by my body anymore. Every minute of the recovery pain was worth it now that I get to be under a bar with a lot of weight on it again.”
Whether to have surgery, what surgery to have, and which surgeon to trust are weighty decisions. We believe that we made the right choice for Olivia and hope that the coming months and years yield even more healing and strength.
If you’ve read this far, I hope Olivia’s story has encouraged you. The road to wellness is hard, and conflicting information and experiences are discouraging. As someone who also lives with chronic pain, I know how difficult it is to keep striving for healing and pain relief. Hang in there. Keep doing the next right thing. Hold on to hope, and remember to look for the beauty around you.
ALYSSA LOWE, GEORGIA, USA
After suffering for more than 4 years from severe pain in my chest and abdomen, difficulty breathing, nausea, and fatigue, I had surgery to secure my slipping ribs.
I was scared to have surgery, because I read some horror stories online about how it didn't work or made things worse. I also worried about the risks and complications of anesthesia and infection. But I decided to go ahead with it, because I couldn't stand living in pain anymore. I found Dr. Christie, who is one of the surgeons in the US who specializes in slipping rib syndrome surgery.
He was very knowledgeable and compassionate, and he explained everything to me in detail. He assured me that he had a lot of experience and success with this procedure, and that he would do his best to help me.
The surgery went well, and I went home immediately after surgery. Dr. Christie removed the part of the rib that was causing the problem, and sutured the other ribs that were loose. He told me that I would feel some pain and soreness for a few weeks, but that it would gradually improve as I healed.
He was right. The recovery process has been amazing. Every day, I feel a little bit better. The pain is much less than before, and I can take less medication. I can breathe more deeply and easily, without feeling like someone is squeezing my chest. I can sleep more comfortably, without waking up in agony. I can eat more normally, without feeling sick or bloated. And I can do more things that I enjoy, like walking, reading, and spending time with my family and friends.
Dr. Christie really changed my life for the better, and I'm so thankful to him and his team. They gave me hope and relief, when I thought there was none. They treated me with kindness and respect, when I felt alone and misunderstood. They gave me back my health and happiness, when I thought they were gone forever.
If you have slipping rib syndrome and you're scared of surgery, don't let the fear stop you. Trust me, it's worth it. It's not an easy decision, but it's the best one you can make for yourself. You deserve to live without pain and suffering. You deserve to live your best life.
