# Compartment Syndrome



## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

Have we ever discussed this? Back, maybe 6 months ago, I developed a problem where my upper arm muscles were so weak and painful that I couldn't put on a blouse or jacket without help, I couldn't hook/unhook my bra, trying to fix my hair was painful. I went to an orthopedic doctor who didn't pay a bit of attention to what I was saying, that my upper arm muscles were weak, so he gave me cortizone shots in both shoulders which didn't make a particle of difference but eventually the pain subsided.

Here in the last week that same pain is back with a vengeance...and it has also stricken both calf muscles and I have shin splints in both legs. I have done nothing to trigger this pain and nothing I've found so far eases it. The G-I specialist gave me a prescription for Ultram but it doesn't even take the edge off the acute pain.

Googling, the #1 listings were all about "Compartment Syndrome" with repeated references to *hypothyroidism.*

We have many times discussed orthopedic implications with thyroid disease but I can't remember if we've ever discussed this specific syndrome? I'm in the normal range with my tests (but only by the skin on my teeth and I haven't been tested since early December) but I do find it interesting.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Generally, compartment syndrome is associated with massive and severe swelling, most often associated with surgery and/or severe trauma. Left untreated, you can lose your limb.

Which isn't to say I don't doubt you are having pain. I had similar pain in my shoulders when I was severely hypo -- I couldn't, for example, undo my own seat belt. But it would be very, very, very unusual for you to have compartment syndrome. Particularly without swelling that leads to a limb looking exceptionally disfigured.

ETA: Don't google images for compartment syndrome. :tongue0013:

(My husband is an orthopedic PA. We live in a rural area, small town...one day one of the local farmer's who they had operated on came down our driveway, on his tractor no less, to show my husband his arm. It had just been operated on and "it didn't seem right." My gawd, the image has never, ever, ever left my brain!)


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## StormFinch (Nov 16, 2012)

I find this interesting as well. My husband had surgery for exercise induced, or exertional, compartment syndrome on both lower legs. Yeah, don't worry, I hadn't heard of it either and the hubby worked in a military orthopedic clinic as head indian. Basically, his legs would get wooden and painful any time he tried to do any kind of cardio type exercise. They went in with long needles (shiver) and tested each of his compartments, only to find the pressures through the roof. The resultant surgeries consisted of two long incisions down either side of each leg, one leg per surgery, where they went in and did fasciotomies. It was at that point that I figured out he was as bad a patient as any doctor. lolol

He suspects the same compartment syndrome in his lower arms as well, same symptoms, and is in the process of having that evaluated. Oddly enough, although he hasn't tested positive for thyroid dysfunction according to the doctors and can never remember to bring me his labwork, he has a number of problems that make me suspicious and does have a family history of it. I know one of his aunts has been diagnosed with Graves and his sister with Hashi's.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

IDC Claire:

You would do well to consult a rheumatologist.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

joplin1975 said:


> Generally, compartment syndrome is associated with massive and severe swelling, most often associated with surgery and/or severe trauma. Left untreated, you can lose your limb.
> 
> Which isn't to say I don't doubt you are having pain. I had similar pain in my shoulders when I was severely hypo -- I couldn't, for example, undo my own seat belt. But it would be very, very, very unusual for you to have compartment syndrome. Particularly without swelling that leads to a limb looking exceptionally disfigured.
> 
> ...


Was it like cellulitis? Or worse?

You know you made me google images;don't you? My bad!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Ya know, the only time I've seen cellulitis was, naturally, in a horse and the swelling WAS nasty...but this guy's arm was on a different scale. I'm not sure how to describe it, really, but severe swelling doesn't do it justice. It' was the color of the skin (white-ish) and that it was kinda of "flaking" off, like the whole arm, below his elbow was about to explode. His finger nails were all bruised and it looked like his incision was about to bust open. *shudder*


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## StormFinch (Nov 16, 2012)

joplin1975 said:


> Ya know, the only time I've seen cellulitis was, naturally, in a horse and the swelling WAS nasty...but this guy's arm was on a different scale. I'm not sure how to describe it, really, but severe swelling doesn't do it justice. It' was the color of the skin (white-ish) and that it was kinda of "flaking" off, like the whole arm, below his elbow was about to explode. His finger nails were all bruised and it looked like his incision was about to bust open. *shudder*


Oh dear....


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## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

CA-Lynn said:


> IDC Claire:
> 
> You would do well to consult a rheumatologist.


I used to see one but he died - very young, super nice guy, had a massive heart attack and died.

I think I'm going to have to relocate somewhere to have access to more specialists - while there are precious few endocrinologists here, there are even less rheumatologists. It is really frustrating.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

Hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but if you think finding a good endocrinologist is hard, wait until you search for a good rheumatologist.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

joplin1975 said:


> Ya know, the only time I've seen cellulitis was, naturally, in a horse and the swelling WAS nasty...but this guy's arm was on a different scale. I'm not sure how to describe it, really, but severe swelling doesn't do it justice. It' was the color of the skin (white-ish) and that it was kinda of "flaking" off, like the whole arm, below his elbow was about to explode. His finger nails were all bruised and it looked like his incision was about to bust open. *shudder*


I did google it. LOL!! A lot of patients definitely had gangrene. Some of it kind of reminded me of leprosy. Wow! And we should complain; right? Geez!!

Hope the horse recovered.


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