Kathy: Yesterday I communicated with Steve via e-mail who advised me that I should come to your site for possible answers to questions I have concerng a severe electric shock I received while in the navy. My first major injury after the incident was a cervical spine injury in 1976; within the last three or four years I've had to have three surgeries which were for a crushed right heel and ankle, torn rotator cuff in the right shoulder, a two level cervical spine fusion. This summer I will have a lumbar spine fusion and possibly thoracic spinal fusion. The shock I'm referring to was 5,000 volts at 10 amps with entry at my right index finger and exit through my left knee. Other than exploded and burned tissue at the entry and exit point, and shock that sat in later that day, there were no other apparent injuries. The problems I have listed are the documented ones, not to mention tennitis, occasional angina like pains, and so on. The real kicker to this is, the electrical accident was 37 years ago in 1964. Taking into consideration the lapse of time from accident to injury, are my problems typical, atypical, or out of the question to be related to the electrical shock? Is it something my doctor should be aware of so that he may need to change treatment because of the electrical shock, or is the treatment the same? Throughout my adult life I have been able to fairly well justify all my little aches and pains; my propensity to pneumonia, headaches, etc. Have I now discovered a possible cause for my recent rash of injuries, problems, whatever, something that I can take to the VA, or am I jousting with windmills? Any light you can shed on this will be sincerely appreciated. I would also appreciate comments from others who are having similar problems years after your shock. I look forward to your answer. Lyndon

Lyndon,

Yes, it seems possible that some of your injuries may have been caused by the electrical shock. We have seen cervical discs and shoulder problems caused by electrical injuries at Mensana. Proving that this is the case, might be rather difficult, especially after 37 years. Perhaps you should consider an evaluation by Dr Hendler (or perhaps having him review your medical records)to see if he thinks there is a causal relationship.

Thanks for participating in our discussion board.
Let me know if there is anything else I can do to help.

Kathy

Kathy,

Thank you so very much for taking the time and effort in answering my inquiry. The only other question I have right now is: is the treatment of spinal injuries in electric shock victims any different than anyother type non emergency injury? Is this information something that would cause my doctor (whom I'm extremely happy with) to reevaluate my condition and possibly change his current treatment plan for me or is it something he needs to know for just general information purposes? Please don't consider that a loaded question because at this time I'm simply looking for direction. With this new found information I am feeling quite confused and seem to be having some trouble, for lack of a better word, assimilating it. Again, thank you.
Lyndon

Lyndon,
My husband has been suffering a lot of the same symptoms that you have been. He was struck by lightning in 1977. His symptoms have been getting progressively worse for about the last 5-6 years. We have yet to find any doctor that has been able to help. If you would like to discuss this any further with us, feel free to e-mail us at blcarj@juno.com. Hope to here from you.
Linda

Hello,

Wow that is a long time to be dealing with continuing symptoms. I am at about 18 months now and I have pushed endlessly to get my doctors to listen. Now I do have doctors that are really looking out for me. My injury is right index finger and out the left fore arm. I also have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which is a common thing they treat at the VA hospitals.

It took me about 15 months to find someone who understood that it is not all in my head. The only thing in my head is stubborness and that is what has kept me going. I recently found out that my spine is not in good shape at all. From C1 to T6 are bad and L1 to L5 are bad. Doesn't leave me with very much. I also have Rotator Cuff Tendonitis in both shoulders and I have 3 cysts, one in my brain and two on the humeral head of my right shoulder.

I have a lot of internal problems that they are just starting to figure out.

I quit looking for cures a while ago and focus on what keeps me most confortable and what are all of my options to keep as much life as possible.

I am looking for information on how electricity effects the bone and how to relate the cysts to the injury. I know that the contractions did some damage and possibly the fall. I feel like I am close to finding my answers but could sure use a little help. So far, I have found out that the heat is so intence that it can actually melt the bone. That is as far as I got. Help if you can.

I would like to know how it has effected you mentally after all of these years. Does it get any easier? My doctor thinks I should try being hypnotised. He said my subconsious has been so traumatized, it is the only way he thinks I will be able to make progress.


Lyndon and Linda A.,

I don't know how I can help you, but we could sure learn alot from you. Is there any advise you could give to us??

Kelly

it seems to me there is alot of us who have the same symptoms that have been manifeasting for a long time and we all are looking for answers! it is just to bad that we cannot find enough caring doctor's who really care and are willing to look into the problems of lightning and electrical shock injuries! it is so important to find a doctor who can relate the problems from the injury , to simply relate it as casual and tying it all together which can be difficult within itself. i have numerous injuries from my injury, alot of nerve, muscle, compression fractures, and alot of stomach problems but still need that doctor to tie it all together! who do you know that can?

To all of you who have responded, I thank you. Unfortunately I have no answers but with every response I seem to have more questions. Maybe if enough will respond we can start putting things together and come up with some answers. Again, Thank you. Lyndon

This is the big problem. EVERYBODY is looking for answers, and there doesn't seem to be anybody out there with one. FRUSTRATING!!!!!

yes it sure is frustrating not to be able to find the answers we are looking for but hopefully we all of us together we can get the right answers! one would think that with all the research that some of these facilites have done , along with the big hospitals, that we would be able to gather more info and tie things together but that within itself is a big job! you know the electric companies have done some of there own research and know that electricity does alot of damage to the human body but they do not want the common folks to know that, they should be some way of obtaining that info!

Kelly:
I hope you're still reading this portion of the board. Sorry it's taken me so long to get back with anything that might help but I've had to search old and quite often painful memories. To top it off, I don't think I can help, all I can do is relate my experiences. When I was going through the problems in the beginning, the fact that I got up and walked away from my shock indicated to everyone, me too, that I was not injured that badly. As time went on and the physical problems started surfacing, I just tried to tie them to something physical I was doing at the time. The first cervical injury I tied to lifting weights, just messing around with heavy things. When I tried to get help, nothing was wrong, or as a psychologist for the Texas Rehab Commission told me time after time, also wrote in his report, "your injury and paralysis is psychosomatic" basically, get over it fool, there ain't nothing wrong with you. From then on, anyting that happened I just kept inside and tried to justify it with a parallel physical happening ie. if I suffered an injury, I would find something I did wrong like jumping off a ladder, falling, etc. If I suffered severe depression it was because someone died, I lost something, etc. In fact, my nickname around the office became Blackcloud because I seemed to always be suffering from something. It wasn't until recently that I made a connection to my electrical shock and my past experiences. Now I just have to figure out what to do with it. If you want to communicate off the board, you can contact me at fglance@hotmail.com. Lyndon

I was involved in an electical explosion about a year ago. I keep waiting for the pain and depression to go away.I just had an MRI of my left shoulder which shows a cyst has developed and the tissue is damaged. My doctor is telling me it is going to be hard to establish causal relationships between my ongoing and new problems even though I have never had these kind of problems before. I noticed one of the other writers had also developed cysts in there shoulder.. I look okay on the outside but inside my body is always churning.Reading your messages makes me feel alittle better. I have alot of the same symtoms as you do. I saw one of you was refered to as blackcloud at work.My wife has used the same word to describe my new moodiness.It sounds like its going to be a long road to recovery. I hope you all feel better soon.

Dear Anonymous,

I was injured 18 months ago and I also have the cysts on the shoulder. I do have a little bit of information about it. Maybe it will help you and your doctor. If you would like to e-mail me personally, I can send it to you.

Kelly
krkkc5@juno.com

dear annoymous: it is important to find that dr who can relate the causal relationship that electrical shock does, i do believe it is related to the shock, in fact i think you will find, all of us (electrical shock survivors) can tell you about problems with our shoulders! just how familar is your dr with electrical shock injuries? that is the question one needs to ask!

I also have cronic pain in my right shoulder[opposite of the entry wound hand]and occasional pain in the entry wound arm. While I do not understand why the opposite shoulder bothers me much more than the entry arm, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind the shock and shoulder problems are related. I am experiencing some vision problems, including eye pain and tenderness. I have lost significant resolution.

Hi I am wruting to the message dated april 17 2001 1;02pm . It is about being involved in an electical explosion me myself was involved in one and have never found someone who has had a similar expereince anyway my email address is chimp91@hotmail.com Anyone feel free to write bye

Gosh I sit and read all this and my head spins, my husband was shocked in Jan-01 and has so many of these problems, I just don't understand these DR. if you have all these people who have survived a shock and they all have the same problems. How can they say it's all in the head!
I get so upset at the DR's I just want to start screaming at them. But then I'd be the crazy one!
I'll pray for all of you! And I'll pray for answers?? I hope you guys continue to use this board for information because this helps me with understanding this new man I live with.Thanks Belinda

hi belinda: you know there is alot of dr's out there who do not know what an electrical shock/lightning injury can do to the body.. so it is very easy for them to state it is all in are head because they lack the understanding of these devastating injuries! we just need to support everyone , we are a changed person no one hates that worse then the person injuried but it also causes major problems for you family....alot of time ends in break up of families..they (dr's) presume if they do not see burns, entrance or exit wounds that nothing could possibly be wrong with us, this could not be further from the truth even if they do see those , we still have alot of problems.. so hang in there we are all here to support you and all of us!

hi to ALL!!!!!

i am a chroinc pain patient of dr. nelson hendler. i am from michigan and i travel to see him in maryland. from being there as an inpatient i have gotten to know other patients who are lightening and electrical shock patients....

i can tell you from talking with dr. hendler and the other patients...that dr. hendler is the doctor that you should be seeing...in my honest opinion lol...he is very experienced in this
field(s).

i know it may seem scary to travel out of state to a doctor that you dont know...if you can read some of his articles that he has published, and visit steve marshburns' website...you will also see that dr. hendler can help you....he believes in his patients. and he wont stop looking for all the answers/diagnosis until you/him are satisfied...then the both of you will set up a treatment plan...

http://www.lightning-strike.org/

the unfortunate thing is...is that most doctors dont know how to treat lightening strike or electrical injuries...they havent done the additional educational courses etc that are available...subspecialities....but dr. hendler has...and he understands how an injury at one place in the body can affect other non related injury sites....

there are several organizations out there that will help financially needy patients to fly them to their doctor appointments..usually up to 1,000 miles from home...one of those agencies is called airlifeline, another is angel wings i believe...

if this sounds like something you would want to investigate further... i would contact kathy...kathy monitors these chat boards and she can help you with the additional information about the mensana clinic and dr. hendler.

going to the mensana clinic is the most important decision i had to make in my life...and i havent regretted that decision....going to the clinic has been a life saver for me...dr. hendler and kathy have helped me so much!!! they have given me hope that there is life after injury...and life with the pain....

im always available to chat offline...backchannel through email at mailto:fivem@ees.eesc.com

huggs
maggie...someone who cares about others and is willing to help!

I too am a survivor ,i been saying that all my problems come from a eletrocution of 477 v out of a suply txformer where i was the switch between hot and ground . I have gone to the hospital for atrial fibrilation many times with no apparent reason, i live in the LV near allentown. doctors don't even want to hear about it they say its all hog wash, even the cardiologists. once the shock passes through your body and you live your fine . but i dont feel fine, they say i am faking it.

Hi John,

My electrical injury was 2 yrs 3 mos ago and I hate to say it but I don't think it will be going away. There are many of us here on this forum that have gone through or going through the same thing. Some have been living with it for a long time and some not so long. I hope you take the time to read through all of the messages on this forum. You can find links to a lot of help full information and will also learn that you are not alone. If you read through and still have questions, just ask. Kelly

Hello... I am new here and I am trying to find out some info about seizures from electrical shock injuries. My husband suffers from seizures. From what I have been able to find out is that they are called autonomic seizures.I really would like to find out more about the type of seizures that can happen from electrical shock injury. My husband complains of "burning headaches" and it feels like his brain is bubbling. The within 24-48 hrs he has a seizure. He has had a 72hr EEG and that came back ok and MRI and that was alright as well. But he continues to have them. He has a brain injury from the electical shock injury. And we are in the process of going to Mensana we are just getting all the approval from the insurance carrier. My husband's injury is work related. His symptoms are the "burning headache", becomes very hard for him to focus, very unsteady on his feet, weak knees, feels like vomiting,then he goes down having the seizure usually on one side his leg jerks and his arm, hand and head jerks, he breaks out sweating and gets very flush,sometimes he can hear your voice and can't respond , they usually last about 45- 60 secs. He then is wiped out and says he feels like he has been beat from head to toe. Then there are times when there is no warning and he will be walking and all of a sudden he just stares into space and doesn't respond to you and he later tells you he couldn't hear anything,his legs give out from under him and he ends up seizing with his leg jerking and arm and hand. During the Christmas holiday he was in a aura that lasted over a week and he was unable to understand anything you said to him and walked around with one eye droopy, he had real problems with keeping his balance and had many many seizures and then they stopped for a couple of weeks and then he had just one more. He is on 750 mg of Trileptal three times a day for seizures. I just really need to know more about these seizures so I have a better understanding of them...can anyone help me out it would so greatly appreciated.

I was involved in an electrical shock injury in July 1985. I was installing a mobile home anchor when I cut into an underground cable. I was taken to a local hospital. I was kept for observation 24 hours and released. The next day I was taken back to the hospital because I had passed out and did not have any memory at that time. My blood pressure was highly elevated with severe muscle aches and real bad head aches. I was treated locally and they could not tell me what was wrong. I kept having seizures, loss of memory, joint muscle pain. I was referred to Scott & White Clinic in Temple, Tx. where after a year and a half of out-patient treatment with heart catheterization, EKG's, scat scans, the lead physician stated their diagnosis that I had injuries to the brain, heart, muscle, and soft tissue, nerves, seizures, and back. I was given a list of medications. Since that time, I have seen several doctors about my elevated blood pressure and seizures. I have been diagnosed with diabetes,
fibromyalgia symptoms status post electrical injury. It would a great deal of help to me, if anyone could tell me of like symptoms. Just this last month, experienced loss of memory and a loss of strength to left side, arm, and leg. My blood pressure was on the bottom side 117 when I arrived at my doctor. They admitted me to the hospital ran MRIs, found no evidence of stroke but I was told they thought I had had a stroke. Another MRI was taken the physician stated I had a tumor next to the pituitary gland and another tumor in my sinus area. Can anyone tell me if this on-going medical problems still be related to my electrical injury? Some of my doctors say yes, others don't know but my insurance company assures me and refuses to pay my medicaton, medical, and perscriptions saying it is not related to my injury. They have filed a law suit stating that the diabetes and hypertension could not be related. But, there is no evidence before the accident my blood pressure on bottom was 80. After accident it has been elevated with cardiac arrhythmia with ectopic beats and paroxysmal tachycardia of unknown type.I don't know where to turn its been none stop hurt for years.

I AM OVER A YEAR OU FROM MY ELECT. INJURY AND STILL PROBLEMS ARE POPPING UP FROM THE ELECTROCUTION AND THEY DR.S AND WORK COMP WILL TRY TO TELL YOU THAT CAN'T BE CAUSED FROM THE ACCIDENT HA LET THEM BE WIRED UP WHERE SOMEONE OF US CAN FROM AND SEE WHAT PROBLEMS ARISE FROM THEIR INJURY
I REALLY DON'T WISH THIS ON NOBODY FOR SURE BUT IT DOES MAKE YOU MAD CAUSE IT ALL STEMS FROM MONEY THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT

Hi, my name is Cedric. I am french and I am 28.
I've got injuried by electricity as I was 2 years old, playing in the house and touching something.
Finally I got my to indexes blocked by the current and got third-degrees injuries on the two indexes. I escaped alone and finally reached my mother, I think I couldn't shout.
Well, I have no remenbrance of the past, but I feel very stressed, and that prevents me from being able to invest myself in professional life.
My jaws,diaphragma , hands, arms, neck, shoulders are very tense, the whole day long. I am also very stubborn. After having been really down, I have now, strange behaviours.
My inhalation is very difficult, and thus noisy, I have the impression this could be a flash-back of the last moments of my injury, that was between the two hands involving heart, lungs.
I practice kung-fu for a year and just within a important effort I can have a sudden break-down of power with very powerful emotions that make me fill like puking. Several times people told me my skin got white, just as if I was sick.
Well I have the impression that all this accident is fully here in mind, and that every little problem makes it reappear with all the insecurity that comes with it?
Am I just raving or does all this sound familiar to you?
Thanks to all,
Cedric

I'm an editor with Electrical Construction & Maintenance magazine, a national trade publication for electrical contractors and engineers. I'm writing an article about a condition that one researcher has named "Diffuse Electrical Injury," in which victims suffer longterm symptoms of pain, weakness in joints and lack of physical coordination in areas of the body where, theoretically, the electrical current would not have travelled. In most of these cases, the electric shock would not have even been serious - 110V was enough to do the trick.

Although I can't offer any answers about your problems - the researcher's study is still in its early stages and is only gathering data about the number of people who suffer from the condition, not the possible treatments - I wonder if any of you who have suffered symptoms that were disproportionate to the voltage level of your shock might be willing to talk to me by phone about your experiences for inclusion in the article. If you would prefer to keep your identity/location private, that's not a problem.

Here's the link to some of the early work the researcher has done:

http://home.sandiego.edu/~mmorse/publications/MORSE_EMBS_DEI_03.pdf

Feel free to contact me at mhalverson@primediabusiness.com if you're willing to participate. I am on a deadline and would need to conduct any interviews by 5/28/04.