Question
Thank you for you answers to my questions.  I could not get the
follow up question butt to work, so I had to post another
question.

To address your questions:

My seizure was a year and a half ago.  I saw an endorcrinologist
for a compete workup.  One of my sisters has hypothyroidism so
they were very interested in looking at all of my hormone levels
and nothing was found.  I think I have a metabolic problem too.  
I eat at least 3000 calories/day and have to eat every three
hours or else I feel weak and dizzy.  I take lots of vitamins also -
3 types of miltivitamins, fish oil, flax oil, 2 types of calcium
supplements, Co Q10 & all are very high quality vitamins from
my organic food store.  I eat the most nutrients of anyone I have
ever met.  All whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and
lowfat dairy products.  I NEVER eat fast food, soda, or candy.  I
only drink water and fruit juice.  I think I may eat too much friut
and juice though. I can not tolerate caffine in any form - I get
jittery and start sweating even with a few bites of dark
chocolate.

I have never had a hair analysis done and I have always asked my
doctors about it since I think my body is missing something.  If
just seems that I do not fit into a neat diagnosis so no doctor
wants to take the time to figure it out.  I sell pharmaceuticals so
have a very good understanding of body processes and issues of
health.  

My great-grandmother, grandmother, father, 2 of my sisters,
and my youngest brother have my same statue and various
degrees of my symptoms.  My great-grandmother shrunk from
5'9" to 5'1" before she died.  My grandmother is 80 and has
already shrunk from 6'1" to 5'11".  My little brother looks the
most emaciated of anyone in the family.  He eats well over 6000
calories/day of all fast food and junk and can NEVER even gain a
pound.  My father used to take weight gainer pills and eat
strawberry flavored lard when he was younger and still could not
gain weight.  My dad and 16 year old brother are both 6'5" and
weigh 140 - 160 lbs.

My orthopedic surgeon did do an x-ray the first day in the office
because I screamed and cried when she touched the area of my
back that is fractured.  She said the x-ray was very fuzzy in that
area and it did not look like my rib was attached to my spine.  
That is why she did the bone scan.  

I think part of my problem is that I have a very high pain
tolerance and let this go too long.  I am immune to novicane so
have had all of my 10 back fillings changed to porcelin without
any novicane.  I had my severely impacted and side-ways
wisdom teeth taken out without anesthesia or novicane.  I have
always been great with pain to the point that I ignore what is
going wrong with my body.  

I know my skeletal system is completely out of wack.  My
husband is always telling my to stand up straight and pull my
should blades in.  I do want to see a chiroprater but was scared
they would try to touch the area that is fractured.  My doctor
now has me wearing lidocane patches 24 hours/day even
though the labeling says to wear them 12 hours on and 12
hours off.  The pain pills do not seem to do anything, the
patches are the only thing that helps.

So for the past 2 days my right arm has been going numb.  Can
this be from the Lidocane patches being worn too much?  Or is
there something more going wrong with my back?

Thanks for all of your help!!!

Answer
Dear Katie,

Concerning Chiropractic care at this time, your spine can be adjusted.  Light force techniques need to be utilzed, and the chiropractor needs to have all of your diagnostic imaging information so that he/she will know not to adjust anywhere near the fracture...usually 2-3 vertebral levels above or below are okay to manipulate lightly.  

In relation to the arm numbness this can be caused by the lidocaine pathces due to overstimulation or depression of the central nervous system.  Lidocaine is an amide local anesthetic and can cause adverse symptoms with increased dosage.  With you being a thin woman, it would take less lidocaine to produce symptoms.  I have to say though, overdose and reactions from a topical lidocaine patch is pretty rare.  

Now as a chiropractic physician medication dosage advise and prescription is not covered under my liscence so I cannot give you actuall advise on what or how to modify any dosage.  I am aware of many pharmacologic agents as well as their usage, and I have shared an office with a fellowship trained pain management MD, so I would suggest that for pain you may want to talk to your medical doctor about the use of fentanyl.  There is a patch called Duragesic that may help you.  It is indicated for chronic pain, but I know it has been used post-operatively as well for acute symptomatology.  Only a medical doctor can advise you on this matter specifically.

Finally, it could just be that the numbness is unrelated to your medication, and that the symptoms are arising from the nerves in the neck, or in the brachial plexus.  If this is the case, chiropractic care can help with this as well.  Also it sounds as though you have a genetic predisposition for your slim stature and your inability to gain weight...again the saliva tests will probably be the most valuable tool for analyzing this.

Keep your head up, and let me know what happens.

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman