Does anyone know about CRPS?

[Sunshine7]

Foot specialist said I could have "CRPS" Thanks for the info ahead of time. I live in California.

[Tuffy]

Scroll to the bottom of this thread,Under Possably Related Threads, and click on the thread CRPS it has alot of good information........

[chrischris]

Hi Sunshine,
Along with what Tuffy said, google RSD or CRPS and you will get a ton of information.

The foot specialist should be referring you to either a neurologist or a pain management doctor for treatment. Of course, it is possible that he KNOWS about RSD and that would be good. I find most doctors don't even know what it is and there aren't many "treaters" in my area of California. If you live in either So Cal or No Cal, your chances of finding a doctor experienced in treating RSD are much greater. The sooner you receive treatment, the better you can control it.

The dose of meds you were scribed are too high to begin with. One should start at a low dose and work up. The max daily dose should be kept under 1800 mg. per day if you want to be able to function.

Keep us posted.

[Cycler]

RSD Optimal treatment is aggressive Physical Therapy with meds as a supportive adjunct

[sparkey]

I have been diagnosed with RSD for my dominant hand which has had carpal tunnel surgery 11 yrs. ago. RSD is hard to diagnose. I had more than half of the symptoms. Pretty much all but one. Doctors are not usually quick in making that diagnosis. I have had many procedures done while in the pain clinic which actually caused me no relief. It is a very painful diagnosis. You pretty much live with pain 24/7 and it spreads over time. What you need is like the others have said. A good neurologist or pain clinic to offer procedures to help ease your pain. Hopefully it works.

The doctor I go to now said they are in the process of having a medication to control RSD or at least help you to live with less pain. In time they will have something I hope. There is alot of people from the war that have suffered , and is suffering with this disease. All that can be done now is to keep you comfortable. Like Cycler said, physical therapy should be used to help keep this under control. It can cause you such bad depression, pain living with this daily. Have your family also read up about this so that they can understand what you are going through.

[chrischris]

I can't start my day without doing home therapy; which includes desensitation, tens, aqua therapy with gentle ROM exercises, and walking when I can. It does keep the need for narcotic type pain meds down to an "occassional" as needed basis, and helps with the depression. Some days are still terrible no matter what, but some days aren't so bad. RSD is flared for so many reasons such as stress and the weather. Every day is like the movie "groundhog day", when it all starts over again.

[Sunshine7]

My husband told the chiro. Dr. on my last visit on 12-09-09, that I have an appointment with a foot specialist on 12-19-09, so when I went to see the foot specialist he finally sent me to on 12-10-09, the foot specialist said he was only going to do a evaluation on me, I have a feeling he knew what is wrong but is waiting for me to go to this other foot specialist to find out. Well the meds are some what working for me, for that I am thankful, BBBB was right it takes a little bit to get used to them. I want to thank everyone for your support, thank you Jayne for the Christmas card you are so sweet! Oh! by the way the foot specialist asked me if when i was in therapy if it helped or not I told him it seemed to make it worse.

[ithurts]

Sunshine7 Wrote:Foot specialist said I could have "CRPS" Thanks for the info ahead of time. I live in California.

Sorry to hear you might have crps. I have had this for 3 years and let me tell you I would not wish this on my worst enemy. What has worked the best for me so far is going to a Pain Management Anesthesiologist and getting stelliate ganglion blocks along with taking Lyrica 300mg, Altram 200mg ER, and lidocaine patchs. Also I take Hydrocodone for breakout pain. The best thing is to catch this early. Heat helps me and cold makes things very baddddd! Try to stay as active as you once were any way you can. Good luck to you.
Also to any of you out there what is tens? I keep reading about it here.

[fireball]

A tens machine can be a portable machine with patchs that are put on your back to help control the pain senses going to your brain. The machine has different programs and different settings for intensity-you control both. It is also used to keep numb nerves active where there is temporary nerve damage. A spinal cord stimulator is a tens machine that is implanted in your body most often in the back and neck. it works the same way as the outside tens as you control the program and intensity. however, the scs is surgery requires a trial sugery to see if you can adapt to having the machine in your body and if it takes away a certain amount of pain for you. although the normaly would like 50% of pain taken away--it in some cases outweighs that amount if you are taking a load of medicine as the medication harms your organs. the internal tens last bewteen 7-9 yrs. unlike the outside tens which is run by batteries you have an external paddle to recharge the tens inside of you. I have had both the external machine and wand become disfunctional within the first year and a half--however, both were fed exed to me within a day they are wonderful people to work with and will stay with you through out the years. some people favor one over the other i for one like the internal and am awaiting the next one to be implanted in the neck. hope this helps define the 'tens"

crps/rsd since 1994