Originally Posted by SloRian

Yes, a reduction is far more complex than implants. I had thousands of stitches! But he did an amazing job, and I'm SO grateful (and it was completely free for me because I was so big that it gave me other medical issues).

I had the reduction before the CRPS - I think the reduction was about 12 years ago. I got CRPS after foot surgery about 4 years ago. However, I was incredibly lucky in that I only had it for several months before I went into spontaneous remission when I tore my shoulder ligaments. It was full-on CRPS in the foot, though, complete with discoloration, shininess, temperature changes, less hair growth, anything touching the skin was horrible, and of course crushing pain (A penny fell on my foot once from the bathroom counter, and I literally collapsed on the floor in the fetal position from the pain). I was set to get my first spinal block when the doctor retired, then before I was set up with the next doctor, I tore my shoulder, and the RSD just went away.

My main problems now are CFS and fibromyalgia. The CFS is another invisible disease that is absolutely devastating to your life. Even going down the block to get the mail is like an expedition to Mt. Everest, and I can only do it on good days. And people just laugh at you when you try to explain the tiredness - they say that they get tired, too. They just don't get it - it's like the worst case of the flu you've ever had, but it's every day of your life. It's like starting the day with only a hundredth of the fuel that everyone else gets, so you have to sit whenever you can or lean if you can't sit, and lie down for hours at a time because you literally can't walk. But at least I'm stable. Then my daughter got CRPS last year, and it was advancing SO fast, and that's when I finally decided to join a few boards and stay in touch with what's going on and be around people that understand.

I suppose that I could be on the caregivers' board, or a CFS/fibro board, but I really don't have time for all of the boards that I could be on, and RSD is by far the most important in our life because of how it can spread so quickly and be so, so terrible, so I decided to stay here. I want to stay on top of new treatment developments, for one thing. Plus I did have RSD myself, so I understand what's going on far more than most people, and I deal with daily pain (but typically only in the 4 to 5 range) and a devastating disease, so I just feel at home here. I hope you all don't mind ...