Quote:
Originally Posted by rudders143
I have had RSD since 2003.I was at the Pentagon Sept 11 2001 and I was a Marine. I had over 5 ankle surgeries, nerve blocks, stimulator, several rounds of different types of medications, PT, and nothing worked. Unfortunately mine has began to spread up my leg. I have always been an active person, even now I do push ups, pull ups, and I row but doing these events causes tremendous pain at the end of the day but I just cant sit on a couch and feel sorry for myself. I have a friend who had an amputation due to the pain from RSD and he says his quality of life is so much better now. I have decided that I too want an amputation before it spreads up my entire leg. I am at a lose lose situation already either I attempt to get an amputation now and hopefully get rid of the pain or continue to wait until it spreads up the rest of my leg and I am in a wheel chair. I am still relatively young and I am done being poked and prodded and I refuse to live off medications the rest of my life that change my mood. I have a five year old who deserves the best of me and being on pain pills my whole life I feel as though I am cheating him.
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I really dislike giving anyone advice on their treatment options...as we are all different and I don't know you...but amputation are very strongly advised against with RSD...the primary reason being that it often does NOT get rid of the pain. Once you have RSD...you have it...and even with amputation the pain continues. I don't know your friend...and I'm not saying they are lying...but everything I have ever read says amputations are a BAD idea. It's not your leg that has the problem...it's you nervous system. Even getting rid of the bad limb...your nervous system is damaged and there's nothing stopping spread of the RSD to a new area.
That said...we are all affected differently. Some people never experience spread (lucky them). In the end...we all have to choose the treatment options that are best for us as individuals.
I would just beg and plead with you to read up on ALL the experiences (good and bad) when it comes to amputation of an RSD limb. You will find there are lots more bad than good...your friend's case is rare. If at the end of all that...you feel that it is worth the risk...then that's your choice to make.
I wish you the best of luck with this.