Nerve Damage - sub costal nerve damage post laporoscopic surgery of gallbladder removal

Interesting. this is exactly where my pain is worse as well...the upper center incision and distributed exactly as you describe. The burning IS horrible. I cannot imagine going through it for an entire year like you did. I have not slept for more than 3 hours for 10 weeks...let alone 5 times that much as you have. I wonder if I too don't have a nerve exposed and stiched up within the incision.

Have not been on for about a week. Keeza1079, how did your surgery turn out to remove the frayed nerve from your incision? What was the result? I am very curious of course.

Also, I have an appt with a pain/nerve specialist on 8/19 and will share how that goes.

Hey ggreen, I use to get a pulling feeling also when I bent over etc which when this would happen it would stir all the pain up again worse, once they removed this nerve which was in the incision site (he just cut it to release it) the pulling sensation was gone. However I still had pain/burning etc etc. We suspect that was only part of the problem, but I am glad they did this as with out doing this I don't think I had any hope of getting better. Are you getting stabbing and other pains also or just the burning? I think the burning pains were helped a lot by the steroid injections, and yes Tramadol was the best medication to help this pain. I was put on the slow release one, and took 200mg twice daily. I found the quick release ones that you take every 4 hours I think it was, made the pain unstable and wasn't controlling it as well as the slow release. Maybe you could start with the steroid injections if you are only getting the burning sensatin. Either way, your nerves are damaged by the sounds of it, even if not sewn in incision site I would say. (not that I am an expert). When I told my pain specialist the surgeon cut the nerve to release it (the one that was caught up) he shook his head and was cranky that the surgeon would do that, but I said to him "well it worked cause it has helped and I am happy he did it".
I hope your pain specialist listens to you, as I know some doctors don't like getting advise from other people experiences etc. I hope so, He can call me even if he needs more information on what happened to me, but I hope he has maybe already had some one with something similar and will know just what needs to be done with you. My pain specialist hadn't seen it before, so I was a bit of an experiment, you never know, maybe yours will come up with a better idea and you can tell me! :-) Good Luck

Hey Keeza1079, I've had the same type of issues with the 50mg Tramadol..it is very inconsistent but it is the only think so far that has helped me at all and so I'll take that. However, it is a controlled substance in my state which is a real pain. In any of the other 40 states where it is not, I could simply order it online.

I met with my pain doctor today and it was no surprise to me that he thinks I have a subcostal nerve issue although he used the term neuralgia. It is most likely a direct result of the gallbladder surgery. Here, there is an irritation, inflammation, damage, or even cut. (I mentioned your story that you even had a nerve sewn up into your sutures so he is aware of this possibility.) He is going to take an aggressive approach that includes:
1) gabapentin/Neurontin with Tramadol that he wants me to take as needed or as a “kicker” but he said he would prefer to get me off Tramadol because it is addicting – I did not tell him that I did not care if it was addicting or not…heck…I am in pain so if it works then it’s great.;
2) TENS treatments 3 times/day and I will go in and they will show me how and where to place the electrodes;
3) a specifically made cream I will rub on three times/day; and
4) two treatments of two pain block shots – 1 on each front side of my 12th rib – starting this Friday with a second round two weeks from this Friday.

With all of the above, if my nerves are irritated or damaged, then these steps will promote their healing. Turns out that just me breathing keeps the nerves irritated and so the only way they can heal is with the above treatments to keep the nerves settled…or something like that.

I went in prepared with a two page “story” of what has happened to me since June that he appreciated very much. He seemed to be very open to everything I said and he listened...something my surgeon never did! I was greatly relieved that he prescribed more Tramadol because I KNOW that Tramadol works. I’ve done some research on gabapentin and the results are very mixed as to whether or not this drug will be helpful for me…but we’ll see. For some people they see results in a few hours…or others it takes 2 weeks…and for others yet it appears that gabapentin is no help at all.

With all of this, I asked him THE most important question: “If these 4 approaches do not work, then are you prepared to continue on and look for a direct physical cause for my problem such as a severely damaged or cut nerve?”. He said “yes” and that there was a scan that can be performed, a surgical repair of the damaged nerve that can be performed, and if all else fails they can go in and essentially “turn off” the nerve by cauterizing it. However, he also said that at times, depending upon how severely the nerves are damaged or cut, that they can repair themselves. Turns out that even though the spinal cord does not regenerate very readily, other nerves in the body can and do repair themselves with time.

I hope something in here may also help you. I am at encouraged at this point because I seem to have a youngish aggressive doctor who doesn’t want to fool around trying one thing at a time.

Hey. Yes I was put on gabapentin also which didn't work very well. Which they later changed to lyrica which is the new version of gabapentin which is meant to be better but it had not much effect either. I took these along side the tramadol with a pain patch also. Tramadol can be addictive but in reality it works best for the pain and I think take it and get rid of the pain and deal with any addiction when your better. Taking note u may not even get addicted. I was on oxycotin for ages too whrn it wad severe and they told me it was highly addictive but I just stopped taking it when I improved with no side effects. My pain specialist and gp said tramadol isnt as addictive as some of the other pain killers so not to worry about that till the time comes. Also yes tramadol has to be prescribed here also and is a contol substance. Not sure how u will go with the tens I found it made mine worse. The shots sound like they may be promising. Keep me updated with how u go with treatment. And if none of it works its good to know your options. I am interested in the surgical repair and or this scan he talks about. Very happy for u he is taking a proactive approach as I felt like I was hitting my head against a wall with doctors for the first few months. I waz in absolute agony.

Hey there, here's what's happened since my last post:

Aug 19 to Aug 21 – Began taking Gabapentin. Little direct relief of the pain observed. Although the Tramadol was scheduled for 1 every 6 hours this was not frequent enough and I oftentimes took the Tramadol 1 every 4 hours.

Aug 21 – Picked up the cream and I immediately began using it. -Cream began working immediately and provided relief I have never felt. However, it seemed to start wearing off about the third or fourth hour after application and so I alternated the Tramadol and Cream such that every 3 hours I either took Tramadol+Gabapentin or the Cream. I did have my first 6 straight hours of somewhat quality sleep over the night of the 21st. It was wonderful!

Aug 23 - Received 2 pain block shots on each side of the upper abdoment about 2 inches below the 12th rib. The doctor said that he expected that it would start to work late Sat night Aug 24 into Sunday. It has not worked yet. I was a little concerned because they injected the shot so low with respect to the bottom of my front rib cage. Since this is where most of my pain is I would have thought the shots would be just below the rib cage but instead they were 2 inches or more below them like I said.

Early next week the Dr's office is going to call to see if the shots provided me any relief. I HOPE my answer is "yes" and I can really start functioning. I did go into work for 7+ hours on Thurs & Fri for a change. Also, I do have another series of shots scheduled for Sept 6. The Dr. also said that if the shots don't work that his next step would be to operate and to literally turn the nerves off permanently. I hope it does not come to this but if it provides relief with the only side effect being that I never have any feeling ever again in that area then I'll take it in a heartbeat!

I am going to suggest to the doctor that he inject at least one of the next shots in the area of my upper incision. The shots I just got were on either side by a few inches or more. My gut feeling keeps telling me that this is the problem area and from some research I know that there is a nerve trunk that travels down the center of the abdomen. To me then, this makes it even more strange that when they do gallbladder surgery that they put two of the incisions in the middle...I would think that they would put them off to one side.

Oh well...that's it for now. I'll post again sometime next week and let you know if the pain block shots worked.

See ya.
Gary

Hey Keeza, picked up the TENS machine today along with some type of jacket with velcro that I will wear around my body. It is normally for people with back pain but if I put it on backwards it works for front pain. It has electrode fittings built in to it. I start it tomorrow.

I am like you. I am convinced the Gabapenten doesn't work so I'll ask about the Lyrica. First round of pain block shots did not work either. I think I felt is work a little for a couple days and that was it. I told the nurse staff today when I went in for TENS training and they made a note and also commented that sometimes it does take two in that the two series of shots together build on one another...we'll see...my next appt for pain block shots is not until a week from tomorrow. However, they did not put the shots in the area where I first felt the pain because the technician put two targets below my ribs...and too low if you ask me...and before I knew what was happening the Dr. walked in and gave me the shots and it was over. I will be better prepared the next time not to let them do it "the standard old regular way."

Hi, I have a similar issue with 3 years of agonising pain due to intercostal nerve damage. Would you mind sending through the doctors name. I would be very grateful. All the measures you describe have not worked so another approach would be great. Sim

SIm, It's been a long time since I checked this. I've had many nerve blocks and ablations as the Dr has tried to find the problem. He has knocked it down about 75% or so but I am still not fixed yet. What part of the world are writing from?

Doctor Amol Soin

I recommended a surgeon in Dubai that is Dr. Sanjay Parashar. He has own clinic as "Cocoona Day Surgical Center" where all surgery done in profissional mannar and very reasonable cost. I think you are also consult for your surgery. I know they are keep better take care of him.

 

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Hi my name is Brenda I read your story and I been have my been on the right side under the ribs and back I had surgery in 2008 had my gallbladder remove and the pain kept coming back had pancreas problems .Now going to pain management they had me on Gabapentin, lidocaine, lyric 2 intercostal nerve block pain is so bad I can even sleep they put me on this new medicine call Topiramate 25mg and on April 30 they are going to burn the nerve and hope that help .does your doctor have anyone in the United States. I wanted them to look on the inside because I feel they are missing something been in pain for almost 6 years and no better

Hi all you pain sufferers I have the same pain for 6 years now it is intercostal neuralgia it was caused by a heavy lift and tearing one of my abdominal muscles. I also have been sent to pain management Dr's after seeing many useless doctors all just a waste of time and money.All pain management could come up with is a nerve is sending a false message just another way of saying it's all is your head.I have also looked at Dr Lee Dellon and have been emailing him and he has emailed back with lots of good advice of course he is trying to get me to him so he can do the surgery, if only I had the money and could get my pain level down enough to travel. After getting all Dr Dellon's advice I started to look for a plastic surgeon in Adelaide South Australia and I have found one who knows of Dr Dellon and his success with nerve surgery.I believe this Dr in Adelaide has performed intercostal nerve surgery before, yet to ask him if he has been successful.He has ordered a special MRI test but I have to wait 2 weeks for test to be done finding these very difficult as I am all most bed bound.

Dr Lee Dellon is the the real deal I have been emailing him and got good advice from him as I can't afford him and in to much pain to travel I have looked for a plastic surgeon in Adelaide South Australia and have found one that knows of Dr Dellon nerve surgery success. I have been to see this Dr in Adelaide and believe he has done intercostal nerve surgery before as I have been suffering with as he has diagnosed it intercostal neuralgia so I am keeping my fingers crossed. I have tried all the medication that all of you have tried and none of them have worked for me just had to go through painful withdrawals and have been suffering from 6 years.

i have the very same after gallbladder removal im six years on now , i use a large lidocaine patch , the pains the oddest annoying thing , kind of got used to it now