Hello Allanira,

lol.. just having a place to share/vent when needed is very important. Everyone should have the opportunity to share exactly what is on his/her mind.. even if it may offend some.. I'm sure others will benefit in one way or another by it. Not everything that is posted helps me nor do I understand all of what other's are going through.. how could we; we are all unique in our injuries, coping skills, med tolerance and disease process. So if something doesn't sit right with me.. I just bypass it. It is my choice to read or to post and I would hope that the things I say are helpful rather than hurtful.

I'm sorry you had to undergo such a long diagnostic process and that you had to endure multiple surgeries on top of that. I'm happy however to hear you are facing this beast and doing what you can to fight against it. I can sympathize with you in that my CRPS II came after a head on collision (totally not my fault) caused injuries from the neck down and a traumatic brain injury. I endured 10 major surgeries 4 of which left me in a hospital bed on a special machine for 6-8 weeks after being released from the hospital.. it was a long an complicated recovery. It was during what I thought was to be my last hip surgery when I awoke in recovery to this horrid disease. Of course I didn't know at the time what it was but, after yet another operation and attempt to repair the 3 nerves that were injured during surgery that we later learned CRPS had already set in and the surgery only caused it to spread rapidly. Luckily I was diagnosed within days after that surgery (#11) but the pain and spread was severe enough for 4 out of 5 specialist to recommend the spinal cord stimulator ASAP.. I went through that procedure and I'm glad I did, it has helped enough to warrant the procedure. I run it 24/7 and continue to use many of the other methods of treatment (lidoderm patchs, gabapentin, Butrans patch, Oxycodone and a ketamine/lidocaine compound cream) to also help control pain. It is a struggle daily to keep pain to a tolerable level but.. I'm fighting hard!!

Lidocaine infusion therapy is my next weapon of choice.. we plan to start that next week. I'm hopeful it will help me manage through the winter months.

Hang in there and keep on fighting!
Tessa